Tenball is a cue game that captures the speed and excitement of American pool and the skill and accuracy of snooker which makes it both exciting to play and entertaining to watch. With big prizes and TV exposure, Tenball is already being called the ultimate cue game. The games are fast and furious lasting an average of ten minutes per frame, making it an ideal frame for potters due to the minimal safety play. Tenball is played on a full size billiards/snooker table. The scoring and layout is similar to snooker, but with the black and yellow coloured Tenball placed in a diamond of 15 red balls in the centre of the table.
The Break shot opens the reds to access this ball and score well. Once the reds have been broken to this extent the game naturally becomes a fast and exciting game. The rules ensure that the game is kept to an electric pace. The ball values create a maximum possible break of 200. The team behind this original concept consists of top showbusiness managers, Russ Lindsay and Peter Powell (James Grant Management Ltd), who devised the game and TV show with Phillip Schofiesd, sports entrepreneur Barry Hearn and snooker ace, Steve Davis, who co wrote the rules and validated the game.
Tenball catapults the traditions of international snooker into a new era and re-writes the rule book, making it the ultimate cue game. Steve Davis says of Tenball, "It's an incredible concept and I'm completely hooked. Fans of snooker won't know what's hit them.
Tenball is launced in a series of 7x45 minute TV programs on ITV, in a
knock-out competition format. The blue baize Tenball table is flanked by giant video
screens in a futuristic set designed by one of Britain's finest young designers Andy
Walmsley. The TV series, as well as being competitive, motivating and highly watchable, is
concentrating on a different skill of the game each week.