Billiards – More Than 8-ball Pool

8-ball is the most popular billiard game in the world. It is so popular, that 8-ball pool is almost a synonym for billiards. However, 8-ball is only a part of a one big happy family of billiard games.

8-ball pool, 9-ball pool, snooker, one pocket, balkline are all cue sports games. They all share a rectangular cloth-covered table, a long cue stick, a set of balls and an ambition to score, but they differ in their rules, objects, and even their terminology.

Generally, billiard games divide into two types: pocket billiard games and carom billiard games. Pocket billiard games, usually referred to as pool games, are the type of billiard played on a table that has six pockets. In pocket billiard games, the players aspire to sink the balls into the table pockets, according to specific games rules.

Carom billiard games, on the other hand, are played on pocketless tables. Only three billiard balls are involved in the carom games. The purpose of the players in most carom games is to maneuver their cue ball so it will carom off the other two balls, again, according to the specific requirements of the game.

8-ball pool is a pocket billiard game. Other popular pocket billiard games include 9-ball pool, 14.1 continuous (formerly known as straight pool) and even snooker. Snooker is the most popular cue sports in the UK. Even though snooker is played on a pocketed pool table, it is not governed by the same association that administrates pocket billiard rules. Therefore, pocket billiard general rules do not apply to snooker.

The equipment used in snooker games is also different from the one used in pocket billiard tournaments. For example, the snooker table is a bit larger than the standard pool table plus its pockets are narrower. The terminology used in both billiard games is different as well. While pool players’ goal is to “pocket” the “object balls”, snooker players aim to “pot” the “red” or the “on-ball”.

By: Josephine Thunder

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Josephine Thunder is a professional writer who focuses on the online gaming industry including online billiards, online backgammon, chess and other games. Josephine commonly writes reviews of online gaming sites (including pool sites such as www.play89.com, for example), articles on history of games and more.

A Little History About Billiards And Snooker

The first thing that might come to your mind when you hear the terms “billiards and snooker” is what makes these games different from one another. Basically speaking, both games are very similar, with the snooker game being a derivate of the billiard game. However, there are two big differences.

The first is that while billiards is played with only two players, snooker can have multiple players. The second is that while the pool billiards has only three balls, snooker is played with as many as 22 balls: 15 red, 1 white, which is the cue ball, and 6 colored.

The origin of snooker as a game can be traced to India, during the 19th Century when the British were occupying the territory. At that time, the army officers wanted a game where more people could play, so there would be more fun and less time waiting for a turn.

Originally, there were two derivative games from billiards. One was called the “life pool” and the second was called the “black pool.” Combined together these two games gave birth to a new game called snooker, played on a snooker table.

The game of snooker and the snooker player gradually disconnected itself from its roots; billiards. There was no more mention of billiards and snooker being one game. However, after the retirement of Joe Davis, the game of snooker faded into oblivion until the late 70s, when the BBC televised the 1978 World Snooker Championship.

The transition to television infused a new life into this game and it became popular not only in Europe, but throughout the world as well. Today, snooker is enthusiastically played by people in China and US, besides being one of the most popular games in the UK. There is more professionalism and passion in playing this game today than ever before in the past.

When people speak about billiards and snooker, remember the latter is an offshoot of the former. The deviation from the original game was basically made to accommodate more players into the game. The result was a new game that followed the same rules, yet had an entity of its own. Today, this game is a great favorite throughout the world.

By: Michael Selvon

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Turn your 8 ball billiards game into a reality by visiting Mike Selvon portal, and learn more about the billiards and snooker. Your feedback is much appreciated at our how to play billiards blog.

Billiards Equipment

Athletes in every sport seem to have their little quirks. 

Basketball players massage the basketball before a game. Batters on deck at a baseball game wait patiently, swinging the bat over and over. While these may look like nervous habits, attention grabbing tactics or ways to entertain the fans, the athletes are really getting in tune with their equipment. By knowing the equipment they use, the athletes are able to play the game to their full potential.

It is no different in the game of billiards. Whether you are a seasoned expert in the game, or a first-time billiards player, you need to know the equipment in order to play the game.

True regulation-size billiard tables are about 4 1/2 feet off the ground, and the length of the table is approximately double that distance. The playing surface of regulation tables measure about 50 by 100 inches. Billiards tables do not share the same dimensions as regular pool tables, so billiards players who like to practice their technique at home or at a pub or community center need to remember these numbers. Some stores that offer billiards tables to rent or purchase might let you come in and pay to play billiards, but even those tables may not be regulation size.

Billiards is a very technical game involving many angles and a great deal of discipline. It’s important to know the dimensions of the pockets you’re aiming for. The angles of the corner pockets are roughly 142 degrees, give or take a few, and the side pocket angles sit at about 103 degrees. These numbers may seem completely meaningless, but in the game of billiards, understanding the geometry is as important as having the proper cue.

When it comes to the cue, the use of regulation billiards equipment is in the hands of the user. Billiards cues should have a 14mm wide tip, 40 inches long and weigh 25 ounces. The billiards ball should be around 5.5 to 6 ounces in weight and be 2 1/4″ in diameter. The playing surface of the billiards table must flat, slightly raised (between .20 and .40 inches), and lightly cushioned to give the ball a little “English” when it’s hit just right.

Like any game, billiards can be quite enjoyable when played by the casual observer, but it is serious business to the professional player. Billiards players who know and understand their equipment will surpass all others who play the game. Great billiards players are not created of raw talent, but developed from a true knowledge of regulation equipment.

While you may not see championship players swinging their cues, you can bet that they are perfectly in tune with their billiards equipment.

By: Dorothy Williams -

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Dorothy Williams is a writer for several web sites, on recreation and family hobbies themes.