Robertson Demands Ban on Triangle Chalk After O'Sullivan's Crucible Exit
Robertson Adds His Voice to Growing Chorus of Criticism
Neil Robertson has called for Triangle Chalk to be prohibited from World Snooker Tour (WST) events, arguing that the traditional chalk variant damages the playing surface and contributes to erratic cue ball behaviour. The Australian four-time ranking event winner made the comments following his 13-7 victory over Chris Wakelin in the last 16 of the 2025 World Championship at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield — a result that sets up a quarter-final meeting with John Higgins rather than Ronnie O'Sullivan, whose own last-16 tie ended in dramatic fashion.
O'Sullivan, 50, remains one of only a handful of WST professionals still applying Triangle Chalk to their cue tip. The overwhelming majority of tour players have migrated to Taom Chalk, a Finnish-manufactured product widely credited with reducing 'kicks' — instances in which the cue ball fails to transfer energy cleanly to the object ball, often causing a player to run out of position or miss a pot entirely. Taom also leaves no visible residue on the cloth. Triangle Chalk, by contrast, produces a fine blue deposit with each application, and critics argue its composition increases the likelihood of kick contacts.
Crucible Cloth Showed Visible Chalk Marks
The issue was brought into sharp focus during Monday's extraordinary last-16 encounter between O'Sullivan and Higgins, which ended 13-12 in the Scot's favour despite O'Sullivan having led 8-3 and 9-4. Images of the table during play clearly showed blue chalk marks on the Crucible cloth — a visual reminder of the residue Triangle Chalk leaves behind. More pertinently, Higgins appeared to suffer a notable kick in the deciding frame while addressing a red ball, audibly reacting with surprise when the cue ball did not travel as anticipated. Although Higgins successfully potted the red, he was left out of position and subsequently missed the following black. Ultimately the miss proved inconsequential, as Higgins completed a remarkable comeback to claim his place in the last eight, but the incident nonetheless reignited a debate that has simmered within the professional game for several years.
Robertson: 'All the Players Hate It'
Speaking to BBC Four immediately after his own victory, Robertson was forthright in his assessment. "I would prefer to play John so I don't have to contend with the chalk that Ronnie uses, which should be banned from the game. I don't know how you are allowed to even use it," he said. In his subsequent press conference, Robertson elaborated further, stating that the chalk "destroys" the cloth and that "all the players hate it." He also referenced O'Sullivan's well-documented friendship with artist Damien Hirst, quipping that the chalk marks resembled artwork — while stressing he did not believe O'Sullivan applied the chalk with any intention to disrupt opponents.
Robertson confirmed that he does not permit practice partners to use Triangle Chalk when playing on his own table, describing the product as something he and fellow professional Shaun Murphy would "love to see removed from the face of the Earth." He also noted that recreational snooker clubs have begun introducing their own bans on the chalk to protect their cloths — a detail that lends some weight to the argument that the issue extends beyond elite competition. Robertson, who referred to the controversy in typically dry fashion as "chalkgate", acknowledged the matter warranted formal discussion with tour authorities.
WST Yet to Act — But Pressure May Be Building
A WST spokesperson confirmed that no restrictions are currently in place regarding chalk choice, stating simply: "Currently players have free choice on what type of chalk to use." O'Sullivan has therefore operated entirely within the rules of the sport. Whether that position remains tenable in the longer term may depend on how loudly the playing body makes its views known. Robertson's comments represent arguably the most prominent public intervention on the topic to date, and with the world number two now through to the quarter-finals, the subject is unlikely to disappear from the Crucible conversation this week.
For context, the shift towards Taom Chalk among professionals has been substantial. Since its introduction to the tour, adoption rates have risen sharply, with the vast majority of WST-ranked players now using the product as standard. O'Sullivan's continued preference for Triangle Chalk makes him an increasingly isolated figure in this particular respect, irrespective of his status as a six-time world champion and one of the sport's all-time greats. Robertson's quarter-final against Higgins — free of chalk controversy, at least in theory — is scheduled to begin later this week at the Crucible.
