A FINANCE worker is launching a new card game based on snooker.

Nick Eager, 52, has designed a number of games but believes his new creation could put him in the frame to chalk up some results.

He said: “It was just a light bulb moment when I was lying in bed one day and came up with the idea of a snooker-based card game.

“I have made a number of games but this is the only one that I thought could work.”

The new creation, entitled Snookered Card Game, sees players take it in turns to draw cards from a deck, aiming to compile the highest break they can by discarding cards in the same order they would have to in a normal snooker match.

He has tested and played the game with professional snooker players.

He said: “Ken Doherty and Mark Allen have played the game and enjoyed it.”

Nick, who lives in Lindum Road, Worthing, with his wife and one of his two daughters, said once the initial idea had been written down, he consulted his graphic designer son-in-law to produce the pack of cards and the boxes.

After designing the box, he enquired about producing the game in India as the most cost-effective solution.

Nick, who works at finance company Equiniti, said he went to the World Snooker organisation to show them his game and is looking for retailers.

He said: “I wrote to businesses, including Harrods, who were really interested. It got to the point where I was going to take 25 packs to sell there, but I was not in the financial position to make so few.”

He said there was still interest in the game from a number of different outlets.

He said: “I have got in contact with commentator Clive Everton, who is to let me promote my game on his website.”

The next stage for Nick is to get the game endorsed by a snooker player but this, he said, is a long way down the road.

Nick is certain of one thing: “I know it works as a game. I have played it with my family and it is a bit like the actual game of snooker.”

For more information about the game, visit Nick’s progress on Twitter via @SnookeredGame or on his Facebook page, Snookered Card Game.