Sir Rodney Walker is eager to attract new fans with a fresh take on the sport and the Guardian reports that the new format would feature only six colours on the table, with games intended to last an average of six or seven minutes.

The newspaper also claims that the game has a working title of 'Super6s' and that it will be trialled at the World Championships in Sheffield at the end of the month with a legends versus rising stars tournament.

Walker said: "As an observer of snooker you cannot churn out the same diet year after year. Look at what Twenty20 has done for cricket.

"It has brought in a whole new audience so what we have in mind we think would be appealing to a younger audience.
What you think about this dumb idea?
"The working party who looked into this thought that a six-ball tournament with matches that take an average of six to seven minutes to play, with maybe the best of five, best of 10 frames (could work).

"We think it would give players other than top-rank players chances of winning because once you get on the table with fewer balls other people have a chance."