5 Different Types of Billiards Games and How to Play Them
You may be acquainted with the traditional eight-ball game and have heard of snooker, but chances are you don't know how to play pool in its less-common variations. If that's the case, keep reading to learn about five different pool table games and walk up to your local pool hall or a friend's pool room with a newfound understanding of cue games.
1. The American Way is a game with eight balls
A total of 16 balls are used in this game (7 stripes, seven solids, 1 eight balls, and one cue ball)
After the break, each participant is given one of the striped or solid-coloured balls to play with. The objective is to pocket all of your colour's balls before sinking the eight balls into a called pocket.
Where to Find It: As previously said, among all the billiards games, this is the one you're most likely to come across. You may play it at any pool hall, as well as numerous dive bars and pubs.
2. Pool (straight)
A total of 16 balls are used in this game (7 stripes, seven solids, 1 eight balls, and one cue ball)
How to Play: Players pocket any ball on the table, regardless of colour, with the cue ball (players must call the ball and pocket on each shot). A game may be played up to 100 or 150 points, with each ball earning one point. As a result, balls are often re-racked throughout a game, which may take considerably longer than traditional eight-ball matches.
Where to Find It: Because straight pool and American eight-ball are played on the same table, you may play the former at the same venues as the latter. However, keep in mind the additional expenses of re-racking all those balls.
Carom 3
3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 (1 white cue ball for each opponent and 1 red object ball)
Carom is played on a table with no pockets and a heated surface (this eliminates moisture, which helps speed up the action). In the same shot, players earn points by rebounding their cue ball off the object ball and their opponent's cue ball.
Where to Find It: Tables are hard to come by, although the sport has been more popular in recent years. One of the few places devoted to the game is Carom Café Billiards in Flushing, New York.
4. Billiards
The total number of balls is 22. (1 cue ball, 15 red balls worth 1 point each, and six different coloured balls worth an increasing number of points)
Playing Instructions: Although it still has six pockets, a snooker table is somewhat more significant than a pool table, measuring around 12'x6'. Players in snooker games start by pocketing a red ball, then pocketing the remaining numbered balls in increasing sequence. The term "snooker" relates to one of the game's main strategies: "snookering" an opponent means putting them in a position where they can't strike their ball in a straight line.
Where to Find It: Snooker is more frequent than carom but rarer than American eight ball in the United States. (It's trendy in the United Kingdom if you chance to be visiting there soon.) However, if you search hard enough, you may find places like Houston's 147 Snooker Club.
5. Billiards in England
3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 (1 white cue ball, 1 yellow cue ball, and 1 red object ball)
How to Play: In English billiards, there are three methods to score. First, when your cue ball strikes one or more balls and then goes into the pocket, this is known as an "in-off." Second, when your cue ball knocks another ball into a pocket, it is called a "pot." Finally, when your cue ball collides with two of the other balls, you get a "cannon." Scoring off your opponent's ball is worth 2 points, whereas scores off the red ball are worth 3 points. Cannons are for 2 points.
Where to Look for It: English billiards are a more refined version of their American counterpart like everything else in England. As a result, you'll have a tough time locating a specialised gaming environment. However, because an English billiards table and a snooker table have identical dimensions, you can easily rig a solution with a few repurposed snooker balls.
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