Snooker sets winter pace in high-altitude Xizang

The hushed atmosphere at the Lhasa Xinghui Yashi Billiards Club is broken only by the sharp click of cue sticks hitting the colored balls on the green tables. The qualifying rounds for the 2025 Lhasa Winter Plateau Snooker Challenge are underway, and 32 players from across the Xizang autonomous region are competing for a rare prize — a chance to test their skills against some of the world's best.

Once considered an unlikely pastime on the "roof of the world", snooker — one of many games collectively known as billiards — has taken firm root in the region for reasons that go beyond mere novelty.

Weng Xiaolei, secretary-general of the Xizang Billiards & Snooker Association, said the sport's popularity is closely tied to local conditions.

Indoor sports are a natural choice in this high-altitude region, where summers are intense and winters are long, cold and harsh, Weng said.

Furthermore, snooker is not physically demanding and the emphasis on precision and strategy makes it attractive among all age groups, Weng added.

"Snooker combines competition with leisure," he said. "It suits different physical abilities. People here are competitive and have a lot of enthusiasm for sports."

That appeal is reinforced by cultural familiarity. Snooker's focus on patience, control and tactical thinking is similar to the attributes required in traditional Tibetan small-ball games such as gyiren — finger billiards — making the full-scale sport feel less foreign, despite its Western origins.

For players like Ogyen Dorje, who clinched a 4:0 victory on the opening day of the Lhasa Winter Plateau Snooker Challenge qualifiers on Tuesday, there has been a gradual but tangible change in people's approach to snooker. He runs Lhasa's largest billiards venue, a 2,800-square-meter club with 36 tables. He offers free coaching to local primary school students in a sport that was once discouraged by parents, who regarded snooker as a disreputable pursuit tied to gambling.

"There are still no Tibetan players on the national billiards team," he said, adding, "But starting young is how that will change."

The sport's rapid local growth has also been driven by exposure to elite competitions. Since 2018, Lhasa has hosted a series of snooker star challenge events, bringing world-class names, such as Chinese great Ding Junhui and British star Ronnie O'Sullivan, to the plateau.

"These visits are a huge boost," Weng said. "They raise awareness, inspire young players and allow local athletes to learn by watching the very best."

This winter's tournament continues that legacy. Organizers have taken measures to help athletes from lower altitudes adapt to Lhasa's conditions. Lhasa is 3,650 meters above sea level on average, and oxygen is in short supply. Such conditions can affect visiting players, particularly those from overseas.

To address this, domestic as well as international players go through an altitude-adaptation process in lowland areas before traveling to Lhasa. International players typically undergo additional acclimatization training to reduce the risk of altitude sickness.

Upon arrival for the event, all participants check in for round-the-clock supplemental oxygen and medical support.

The qualifying tournament, organized by the Lhasa Sports Bureau and the Xizang Billiards & Snooker Association, runs until Saturday. The top 16 players will advance to the main event later in the month, where they can watch stars such as Welsh player Mark Williams, England's Kyren Wilson and Australia's Neil Robertson in action. The top two local players will earn one-on-one challenge matches on Dec 31.

Beyond the excitement and satisfaction of competition, the association sees a broader significance. High-level snooker events are increasingly part of Xizang's push for winter tourism, with more indoor cultural attractions during the offseason that support a growing blend of sports, culture and travel.

Zheng Jinran contributed to this story.

Contact the writers at palden_nyima@chinadaily.com.cn