Billiards is a universally popular indoor game enjoyed by people of all ages and both sexes. Traditionally, billiards is played in bars, clubs, bars and special pools or billiard halls. However, more and more people are realizing the benefits and entertainment value of having a pool table and game room inside their home. It makes a great addition to any home, adding a touch of relaxation and atmosphere where every member of the family can escape the trials of everyday life for a short time. And with so many different pool games to play, you can enjoy this fun year after year.
There are a number of different pool games to choose from, but before you can play these you need the necessary equipment. In addition to getting a good quality pool table that you can enjoy for many years to come, you will need pool balls and a good pool cue. You need to be able to use the right moves and improve your skills to master billiards, so it may take a lot of practice before you become proficient at this game – however, you can still have a lot of fun with billiards as you learn to play and practice shooting.
A short story
Billiards is an extremely popular indoor game today, with countless fans either going to establishments to play these games or having their own pool tables and pool rooms indoors. The game actually became popular in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in England. Gaming establishments known as pool rooms began to include one or two of these pool tables, but they became so popular that they soon became the main feature of these pool rooms and became known as pool tables.
Pocket billiards
Pocket billiards is played on a pool table with holes known as ‘pockets’ into which the billiard balls are shot. There is a pocket on each corner of the table and then one on each side, making a total of six pockets. In all pocket pool games, the object of the game is to shoot the balls into the pockets, although how and where you shoot the balls may vary from game to game. Below is an overview of some of the most popular pocket pool games:
8 balls
This is one of the most basic and popular types of pool games, and is played by old and young, male and female, all over the world. With 8 balls, fifteen balls are used, each of which is numbered. Player one is assigned balls one through seven and draw player is assigned balls nine through fifteen. The object of the game is for each player to try to place all the assigned balls. The first player to throw all his balls can then try to add the 8 ball. If he manages to do this without also dropping the cue ball (the ball he is throwing the other balls with) then he wins the game.
9 ball
This is another very simple form of pool, and is a great beginner game and ideal for those learning or practicing their pool skills. With this game there are only nine pool ball numbers along with the cue ball. Each player must shoot at the lowest ball in order to try to add it, and as each lower number is potted, players move on to the next until the final ball, number nine, is pocketed.
Snooker
This is an extremely popular game in England, where pool originally originated. This particular variant of the game originated in the British Forces. Snooker is played with 21 colored balls and a cue ball. Most of the 21 balls used in billiards are red – fifteen in all. The remaining six balls are each a different color, including a pink ball, a brown ball, a blue ball, a green ball, a yellow ball, and a black ball. Each ball represents a different score when pocketed, with the lowest score for the reds at one point each. Other ball scores range from 2-7, the highest being the black ball. Players must pocket a red ball before continuing to pocket colored balls, and all colored balls must be pocketed according to their value, so the black ball is always potted last.
THE RIGHT POOL
In this variation of the game, you use fifteen number balls and one cue ball. In this game the balls can be potted in any way. However, there is a twist…the player must specify which ball he will put the ball into and which pocket he will shoot the ball into. After fourteen of the balls have been pocketed and only one remains, the fourteen balls in the pot are placed back on the table. The player must then pot the last ball by splitting the fourteen balls piled up.
ONE POCKET
Like live pool, this game is played with fifteen Businessacademy1 numbered balls and a cue ball. With this game, one of the players must choose a corner pocket from the legs of the table. The second player is dealt the remaining pocket from the table leg and both players must aim to shoot into their own pockets. Points are awarded for each ball you pocket, and points are deducted for pocketing your opponent’s ball or for pocketing the cue ball.
ENGLISH BILLIARDS
This game is played with only three balls, and the score can be scored in three different ways. The first way is by deflecting the ball off another ball and into a pocket. The second way is by hitting the ball and hitting the other two balls. And the third way is by hitting the ball and knocking one of the other balls into a pocket.
General rules of the game
Most pocket pool games include a set set of rules, although these should be checked against the rules of each individual game. Some of the generalized rules include the following:
Rack balls:
This should be done using a triangle, with the ball of the tip at the point of the foot. All other balls must be placed behind the tip and must be tightly packed so that they are inside the triangle and touch each other in a perfect triangle formation.
Hitting the ball: The cue ball must be hit using the cue tip, otherwise the shot may be classified as a foul.
Pocketing: If you do not pocket the ball then you are not allowed another shot and the next shot goes to your opponent until they also fail to pocket a ball, at which point it is your turn again.
Pocket balls:
A pocket ball is one that is shot from the bed of the table into a hole (pocket) in the table and remains there. If it is returned to the table, it cannot be classified as a pocket ball.
Ball Positioning: The center (base) of the ball is what determines its final position.
Foot placement:
To shoot a ball without a foul, the player must have one or both feet in contact with the floor. Shoes should also be considered and should be standard in size, shape and height.
Balls in motion: A player may not shoot a ball that is in motion without being classified as a foul. This includes the cue ball and the object ball. A shot cannot be counted until all the balls have stopped moving.
Cue ball: If the player throws the cue ball, it counts as a foul. Also, if the cue ball hits a ball that has already been pocketed, this is also classified as a foul.
Ball contact:
Any contact of the object balls with anything other than the cue ball is a foul. Also, any contact of the cue ball with anything other than the cue tip is classified as a foul. This may include contact through hands, clothing, elbows or any object or other body part.
