Acquaint Yourself With The Many Different Billiard Games

The term "pool games"is generally given to all billiard games that are played on a table with pockets. It is referred to as pool games in the U.S. but is also known as pocket billiard games throughout other parts of the world.

History of Billiards:

The origins of billiards is believed to be in an outdoor game, similar to croquet, which was commonly played by French high society in the 14th to 15th centuries. About 400 years later, when the billiard game had finally arrived to America, it used to be played in pool halls, where people used to bet on horses.

Ever since then, pocket billiard games are still known as pool games.

The Difference Between Pool & Billiards:

At the beginning of the 20th century, the pool game had begun to be taken seriously. The pool game was no longer an underground activity but an Olympic sport.
Therefore, officially, the term pool has been replaced with billiard or pool-billiard.

Equipment Used:

Pool games are all played on long, rectangular tables with six pockets: four corner pockets and two side pockets. Other essential equipment is the long, usually wooden stick called a cue (or cue stick), a set of billiard balls and the white cue ball.

Types of Pool Games:

8-Ball Pool Game:
8-ball is the most well known game of all pool games. The pool game of 8-ball is played with 15 object balls plus the cue ball.

The object balls are divided into two groups of solid and striped balls. The 8-ball player's goal is to sink one group of balls into the table pockets according to the specific rules and then to sink the 8-ball to a called pocket prior to his opponent.

9-Ball Pool Game:
Up until recently, 9-ball pool used to be played mostly by pro players. Currently, it is commonly played by recreational players as well.

Major 9-ball tournaments include the US Open and the World 9-Ball Championship. The pool game of 9-ball is played with nine numbered object balls and the cue ball.

The object of the game is to pocket the 9-ball. During the game, the players are required to cause the cue ball to contact the lowest ranked ball on the table.

Straight Pool (14.1 Pool) Game:
Straight pool, also known as 14.1 continuous, or 14.1 pool, used to be THE professionals' pool game in the U.S., but its place has been taken by pool games such as 9-ball and 8-ball. Straight pool is played with 15 numbered object balls. The player's objective is to score a predetermined sum of points (usually 150) before his opponent.

One Pocket:
Serious pool players like to play One Pocket for money. This is definitely a game of strategy.

The game uses all fifteen balls and each player has one of the bottom corner pockets. The game ends when a player legally pockets 8 balls in his or her pocket.

You will usually see more defensive shots than offensive shots in One Pocket.

Cut Throat:
Cut throat is a game played by 3 players. One player gets balls numbered 1-5, the second player gets 6-10 and the third player gets 11-15.

The object of this game is to be the last player in with your balls on the table.

There is more to pool games than a lot of people think. Some people play 8 Ball only when they go out on the town.

Others like to enter specific tournaments to win all kinds of prizes. You can even bet on your friends to see who will win a new game.

Try something new and have fun with it. Research some more to really be a pro as there are tons of books out there for "Dummies".