Chalk Talk

Taom chalk and it’s many varieties have been perhaps the biggest technical step forward in terms of the equipment that Snooker players use in recent memory. It has gone from being a gimmick refused by snooker traditionalists, to being embraced as a central tool in their arsenal. Taom chalk is now the chalk of choice for nearly every top competitor on the World Snooker Tour – 7x World Champion Stephen Hendry was the “biggest sceptic” of the chalk, however he has been won around by its cleanliness and unmatched grip on the cue ball like many other snooker lovers around the world.

Why use Taom?

2005 World Champion Shaun Murphy has labelled the chalk “The best thing that has happened to this sport”, and for multiple reasons. The biggest advantage to this chalk is that it drastically reduces kicks. A “kick” occurs when chalk gets in between the balls as they contact each other, causing excess friction which can take the cue ball and the object ball off their desired path. A kick is a snooker player’s worst nightmare as it causes them to miss shots through no error of their own. Taom chalk avoids this because it uses a formula that has no fillers or additives, resulting in a finer and cleaner chalk that leaves little-to-no residue on the balls and the cloth.

Moreover, the finer chalk allows for exceptional grip and a huge reduction in miscues which is sure to be music to every Snooker player’s ears. Miscues occur when the tip slides off the surface off the cue ball, often due to reduced grip or not enough chalk being applied. Taom’s superior grip mitigates this. This also extends to mental benefits – Top players can feel confident in playing those deep screw shots because they’re confident in their equipment.

Chalk of Choice

It was inevitable that professional snooker players would begin to use Taom, and use it they have. Stephen Hendry referred to it as a “game changer” and almost every tour professional hails it as their chalk of choice, with Taom now acting as the official chalk partner for the World Snooker Tour as well as the UK Championship and World Championship (2 tournaments in snooker’s “triple crown”).

 

Interestingly though, 7x world champion Ronnie O’Sullivan and 2023 world champion Luca Brecel stand by Triangle. Ronnie used Triangle in his recent record-breaking 153 break at the 2026 World Open and has stuck by it through all his title wins, while Brecel blazed to the 2023 world crown with it. Fans and players have questioned this, with John Higgins displaying his dissatisfaction with players using it, publicly urging O’Sullivan to “get rid of that Triangle chalk” after their encounter at the 2021 English Open.

2010 World Champion Neil Robertson has been an open detractor of Triangle chalk. After his 13-7 victory over Chris Wakelin, the Thunder from Down Under voiced that he would “prefer to play John [Higgins] so I don’t have to contend with the chalk that Ronnie uses, which should be banned from the game”, going on to say that older chalk “destroys” the game and that “No pro allows anyone to use Triangle Chalk on their table”. These complaints may seem hypercritical, however at the top of the game where margins are so fine, players need to have ultimate trust in the equipment, including their chalk.

There is seemingly no big reason for this choice - Ronnie says he “don’t believe in it” regarding Taom and that Triangle is “the king of all chalks,” which makes sense given his success. It is likely a result of tradition – For a player of Ronnie’s experience, it is possible that he simply likes to stick to what he knows best.  An argument can also be made that it provides a mental advantage – perhaps Ronnie and Luca are aware that their opponents of do not like contending with their chalk, acting as a big source of mental frustration in a game that is already so mentally tough.

Should Triangle Chalk be avoided like the plague?

In short, no. Triangle Chalk and similar older chalks are still effective options for playing Snooker and Pool as they still provide great grip on the cue ball and allow a player to play all the same shots that Taom allows. It is also more cost-friendly, and so is more accessible and beneficial to new players who may not be ready to make the investment in an expensive chalk. Stephen Hendry spoke about Triangle, remarking that “There’s nothing wrong with this by the way, I used this for my whole career”, indicating it’s continued viability at the summit of the game.

Whether you are after the clean consistency of Taom, or the traditional character of Triangle, it cannot be argued that chalk is a central part of the game, and it is an exciting development to have so many options for players to choose between!