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After Steve Davis has been playing locally, trying to get on a snooker table in town is like attempting to spot the needle in the haystack, only less fun. Happily I don't need one because I've got a copy of Acornsoft's excellent version of snooker.

Having said that, I must admit that when I first got the game to review I took one look at the instructions and decided that I'd need a maths degree to understand them, let alone play the game.

However, when I actually got down to figuring them out I found that they were well written and much easier to understand than appeared at first glance.

And the game itself was a pleasure to play, being an accurate simulation of the real thing.

All the normal rules of snooker are followed and the balls behave with maddening realism.

You use the keyboard to draw the cue (its length determining the power and direction of the shot) and you can choose between normal shots, top spin, and back spin.

Despite first appearances, the con trols quickly become second nature and you are left to concentrate on the game itself.

Nice and gentle, this soon becomes subtly fascinating with all the joys and frustrations you'll find on a real table. It's one you want to play again in the hope that you've improved with practice. And I have.

If Steve Davis would only condescend to play on a TV screen instead of the green baize I might stand a chance of snooker glory.

Nigel Peters