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 -

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

Understanding The Different Types Of Billiard Balls

Billiard balls are the round spheres used in all the different versions of billiards or pool. It might not seem like there would be much difference in the type of balls used for the game, but there actually is. Each different game for pool and billiards is played with a slightly different size and coating of ball.

The friction and coating of the different balls really makes a difference in any game, and is especially important for professional games. Each billiard hall, if they take billiards seriously, will have different sets of balls for each game.

Every set of billiard balls is made in the same basic way. They are all round, and made of some variation of a plastic compound. The earliest pool balls were made from wood, with ivory being the next most common material used. This stopped, however, when people realized that they were killing all the elephants off because only 8 balls could be made from the tusks of a single elephant.

Celluloid was used for awhile, but it can sometimes be harmful, so now different chip-resistant plastic compounds are used. Billiard sports experts have their favorite brand of balls to use. The untrained person, however, will probably be happy with any brand of ball. Each billiard game is played with a different size and number of balls.

Each game of billiards uses different billiard equipment. The game that uses the biggest set of balls is Carom. This game only uses three or four balls, and they are red, white, and white with a dot.

There are several games that can be played with these balls, and they are usually played on pocket-less billiard tables. American billiards pool uses the next biggest ball. All of the American games use pocket games, and there are 16 of them. The first 7 balls are solid colors, and the last 8 are stripes.

The cue ball is always white. Some games use all the balls, but others use only 10. The next biggest sized game balls are used in British billiards, which is sometimes called blackball. These balls are 16 again, with half red and half yellow, and a white cue ball and a black 8 ball.

Blackball is played differently than English billiard pool. Snooker uses the smallest balls out of all the ball types. Snooker uses 22 balls, of varying colors. There are 15 red balls, 6 other colored balls, and 1 white cue ball.

There are many different billiard balls. Different balls go with different games. Knowing the ones to use for which billiards game is very important. Impress your friends by talking to a billiard club member about the different kinds of billiards balls they carry. If you know the right balls for the different billiard pool games, then you will have a useful skill that every billiards player should know.

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 billiard balls. Your feedback is much appreciated at our how to play billiards blog.

Pool Tables: Which Type Should You Choose?

A pool table is a rectangular table. It has six pockets and consists of cushions bounding the playing area. The standard size of a pool table is 4 1/2 x 9. Wood is the major element in the construction of a pool table. Oak and cherry wood tables are preferred for professional pool players, while plywood or pine is recommended for other customers. The quality of wood contributes to the strength of a pool table.

Pool tables are purchased all over the world for a number of reasons. People buy pool tables for commercial purposes, for private recreation, for clubs and they are even purchased for pool competitions. These competitions can be announced at national as well as international levels.

Pool tables are available in varied shapes and styles to suit the requirements of the customers. Pool tables are inclusive of many accessories and parts, which complement to their class and quality.

The History of Pool Tables
The history of pool is quite debatable. The reason for debate is related to its origin. Some people believe it was invented in Persia, while the others believe that it was invented in England or France.

Pool was not played on tables in its earliest version. It was played on lawns. The purpose of the game was to knock over a cone-shaped object by shooting balls through a course of hoops.

The game was then played indoors on the floor. As a result of constant bending, players suffered from back pain. Then it was thought that the game should be played atop a table and this is how pool tables came into existence.

With the game shifted atop tables, another problem was faced by the players. The ball kept rolling off the tables. To solve this problem, wooden rails were attached to the edges of the pool tables, to keep the balls on the table.

In 1600’s rubber strips were added to the wooden side rails. These rubber strips acted as cushions for the balls to give them bounce, when the balls hit the edge of tables. To add to the comfort of players, a thin green wool cloth was used to cover the tables. This provided the players with precision and accuracy in their shots. The color green was used as the cloth as the games was initially played in grass.

Next the whole concept of playing pool changed. To make the game more interesting, two round holes were cut in the table ends. The purpose of the pool changed from knocking the cones over to knocking the balls into the holes. Underneath the pool tables were attached pocket size bags to prevent the ball from falling on the ground.

The pockets in the pool tables kept on evolving till the six-pocketed pool table was born.

Types of Pool Tables
Pool tables are available in many shapes, styles, sizes and colors. Generally pool tables are of three types: cost efficient style, finely hand crafted wood designs and designs of new age pools.

Cost Efficient Styles
Cost efficient tables are ordered and required for clubs, pubs and pool hall owners. These pool tables are used by club and pub owners to attract more customers to their place. Almost all public houses have pool tables today. These pool tables are cheaper than the other pool tables. These tables are readily available in the retail outlets. The material used in these pool tables is hard, but it gradually wears down.

Finely Handcrafted Wood Designs
These pool tables are in a class of their own. They are made for residential game rooms or private pool clubs. The pool tables are made to order and the purchaser gives the manufacturer the finer details of the desired pool table. The wood commonly used in these pool tables is cherry or oak. These tables have detailed cushions, corners and legs.

New Age Designs
These pool tables are especially made to suit the modern day quality and requirements. These pool tables can be made of glass, brass, wood or chrome. These tables have multicolored sides, legs and tops. Modern club and pub owners, clientele based office owners are generally the purchasers of these tables.

Pool tables are available for everyone, according to their requirements. The cost of a pool table also varies accordingly, with the cost being inclusive of the quality, class and type of the pool table.

By: Olga Sen

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

Olga Sen writes articles on a number of different topics. For more information on Pool Tables please visit www.pool-tables-guide.com/ and for additional Pool Table articles please visit the following article page www.pool-tables-guide.com/pooltable-articles/

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