Classic Billiard Games

Billiard games can be divided into three broad categories: Pool games, also known as pocket billiards, are played on a regular table with six pockets, a regulation table is 4.5 feet by 9 feet, although some are smaller. Snooker games are played on a snooker table, which is larger (regulation size is 6 feet by 12 feet) than a regular table and has smaller pockets. Billiard games are played on a table with no pockets, the official table size is 5 feet by 10 feet.

All games are sometimes played on smaller tables

Pocket Billard games: Straight pool

In straight pool, either player may shoot at any ball, but shots must be called (ball and pocket) and games are typically played to a certain number of balls pocketed. Play continues rack to rack by racking only 14 balls when the last ball in each rack is on the table.

Pocket Billiard Games: Eight Ball

In eight ball, also known as stripes and solids, balls are divided into the solids (1 to 7) and stripes (9 to 15). The first player to sink a ball (either stripe or solid) must then shoot only at that type of ball, and his or her opponent at the other. Once all of a player's balls are sunk, he or she may shoot at the eight ball, which must be called. Whoever sinks the eight ball wins the rack. People differ as to whether the 8 ball may be sunk on a combination shot.

Pocket Billiard Games: Nine Ball

In nine ball, only the first nine balls are racked. Players must shoot at the lowest number ball on the table, and whoever sinks the nine ball wins the rack. Players differ as to whether the nine ball may be pocketed on a combination shot

Snooker

Snooker is played with 15 unnumbered red object balls, six unnumbered object balls of different colors (yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black), and a cue ball. The red balls are racked in a triangle at the foot spot. The pink ball is placed in front of the rack, the black ball behind it, the blue ball at the middle of the table and the other three along the head line.

If there is a red ball on the table, one of them must be hit first. If the player pockets a red ball, he must then shoot at a color ball. If the player pockets a color ball while there is a red ball on the table, it is spotted at its original spot. After the red balls are all gone, the player must shoot at the balls in the order above.

Each red ball is one point, the yellow is two, the green is three, brown is four, blue is five, pink is six and black is seven.

Once the black ball is the only ball on the table, the game ends when it is pocketed or when there is a foul.

Carom Billiards Game: Three Cushion

By far the most popular carom billiards game is three cushion billiards. In three cushion billiards there are only three balls on the table: The cue ball and two object balls. The player must strike both object balls and three cushions (or more). At least three cushions must be hit before the second object ball is hit, but any or all of them may be hit before the first object ball is hit.