Billiards is a game of skill and strategy. There are different types of billiard games that allow different levels of difficulty.
Some billiard games require more than one player, while others can be played solo.
It’s important to know the rules for each type of game before playing so you don’t end up breaking any pool sticks!
Different Types of Billiard Games and How to Play Them
Playing different games on a pool table can be a lot of fun. Billiard games are different types of pool that you may not have heard about before, but they are all very similar in how to play them.
The most popular billiard game is 9 ball, which has two different ways to play and several different variations. 8 balls are played just like 9 balls, but with only one less “ball” and 7 balls is another type of billiard game played with only one less than the original number of balls.
10 balls are also great for those who want more players at the same time! There’s even a cutthroat pool where each player plays against every other player!
It’s different from your typical billiard game because you’re playing against a different player instead of just the person on the opposite side.
Bumper pool is also great for those who want to play but don’t have enough people! It uses obstacles on the table that make it difficult to finish all 15 balls in order, and whichever one finishes last wins!
1) Eight Ball Pool
The 8 ball game is one of the most popular and well-known billiard games. It’s played on a standard pool table with six pockets, usually measuring 4′ X 8′, or 3.5′ X 7′.
Two people play this straightforward yet strategic game that has many variations around the world depending on who breaks in practice.
The player to flip a coin first will be playing solids, while their opponent plays stripes after they legally pocket any suit other than striped balls during their turn at bat following the break shot by whoever broke before them the first time around (or vice versa).
The objective of 8-ball is to sink all the object balls and then before your opponent does, pocket the eight ball. Points are not assigned for individual objects; instead, matches can be scored or if you have time in a match it’s common to just declare “best out of 5.”
Once an opponents suit has been cleared they call their shot by naming which pocket they’re going after next.
To win legally one must make that called shot without scratching with either cue ball or resting on anything but its own table-side – no touching any other object balls besides those within one’s own color group!
2) Nine Ball Pool
9 Ball is a popular form of the pool that only requires 9 balls to be played with. It has many rules, so it can be difficult for new players to understand at first glance, but don’t worry!
There are plenty of resources available on the internet and in-person where you will learn everything there is about this game.
One great way people have found success learning these new skills is by playing online or against their friends who also want to get better at 9 balls because they know how frustrating it can feel when nobody knows what’s going on (especially if you’re just starting out).
3) 10 Ball Pool
10 ball is a popular game of pool that differs from 9-ball in the number and placement of balls. The 10 ball needs to be sunk before any other because it’s worth ten points instead of one, but you can score as many times on your turn without running out!
In ten-ball, balls numbered 1 through 10 are racked in a triangle and the game is played with one cueball.
The first contact on any given shot must be made between the lowest-numbered ball that the player has access to at their turn (1 for an apex break) or two of them if they make contact simultaneously.
Balls can never touch each other – even when coming from opposite corners of the table because only low numbers have been placed on there by design; this makes it more difficult than 9 Ball where highs could collide into lows during play but not here!
10 Ball is a game that’s commonly played in the Western part of Europe where any given shot (including the break) must be made between your cue ball and their lowest numbered balls.
The 1 through 10, which are racked in a triangle similar to 9 Balls but with some major differences like position placement – for example only 3 can legally touch each other on one side versus all four touchings; this makes it more difficult than its predecessor because there are many shots you’ll need to make while also making sure no fouls occur.
4) Cutthroat Pool
Cutthroat Pool is a different type of billiard game in which the player’s goal is to eliminate all other players by pocketing their balls before they can.
The name comes from how this style of pool supposedly originated when people would literally cut open their opponent’s pockets and take what was inside – which could be money or another valuable object!
The table layout for Cutthroat starts with an empty triangle rack (a different design than that seen in traditional tables) where each player has nine different colored balls; one ball will always go down on the break so it’s important to win those shots. To finish off your opponent you’ll need to get rid of all ten different colors, but there are different ways to score different points.
- You can get a point by pocketing your opponent’s ball of the same color, or you can just focus on getting rid of their balls in different colors so they’re not able to finish off all ten and win (which is also worth a point).
The first player with zero-filled pockets loses!
- You’ll want to watch what every other person does before taking shots at them – if someone else knocks down one of your pieces then it would be best for you to go after that shot as well.
5) Bumper Pool
Bumper Pool is a game where players bump their cue ball off of the other balls in an attempt to hit them into pockets.
Bumper Pool is a game in which it consists of two or more players trying to shoot their colored balls into the other team’s pockets, using one hand only.
Bumper Pool, or “bumper billiards” as it’s also called, can be found at any bar with enough space for two tables side by side and some colorful cues.
One player uses red while his opponent plays blue; whichever color you’re playing dictates which set of holes on each table are yours to pocket (or shoot). The objective is simple: have your partner knock theirs over first!
Bumper Pool is an outdoor tabletop game consisting of 2-8 players with each player shooting at and/or bumping against opponents’ reds (red are also called “bumps”) from the opposite side of white barriers that separate teams on either end so as not to interfere while playing.
Each round typically lasts 30 seconds but can last for up to 3 minutes if there isn’t any clear winner by then. The goal during playtime is usually simply to beat your opponent through strategy–one may aim for his own pocket just before hitting theirs too hard causing them both to go down.
Bumper pool is a popular game that was especially popular in the 1970s. I remember how much I loved playing bumper pool when I was younger!
In fact, my friend’s dad had one set up in his basement so we always ended up hanging out there after school.
6) Three Ball Pool
Three ball pool is a variation of the game American Pool. It is a bit more casual and designed to be played in smaller spaces, for example pubs or student dorms.
You can have as few as one pocket per table, with 3 balls on the table at once – that’s why they call it “three ball” pool.
A player shoots from wherever he/he likes and tries to hit one of the other balls before hitting any of the solid surfaces on the table (cushions or back walls).
If you manage to do this, your opponent then takes his turn trying to strike any 2 out of the three balls on his next turn.
You play 3 ball pool by playing a game of 8-ball with two fewer players. The missing players represent the balls in the pockets.
Balls not pocketed are rotated, and the player can shoot to get them into their opponent’s pocket, or they can continue rotating until an opportunity presents itself.
If at any point one player has all of their own balls on their side of the table and is shooting only for points, that player needn’t call out “ore!”
before every shot; when shooting “for points”, shots go where they’ll go no matter what’s called out beforehand; and you’d better be careful not to lose track because tossing in a pocket does both!
7) Seven Ball Pool
It’s a variation of the game pool, but with a slightly different set of rules. The Seven ball pool game consists of ten differently sized table pockets: seven for the balls (numbered from 1 to 7) and three for 8-ball that is used as the cue ball.
The table can be divided into thirds, quarters, or halves, with one player shooting on one side and his opponent on the other side. Balls are not numbered consecutively–1-2-3–but according to their relative sizes.
With only seven balls available it becomes possible for either player to make all six shots in succession after banking off several cushions without using any combinations of shots requiring more than two balls.
8) Straight Pool
Straight Pool is the most commonly played variant of pool. It’s a game where all thirteen balls are racked in a triangle, and each player gets to break the rack at zero points.
After breaking, players alternate shooting groupings of two up to the end of the game when one player shoots ball with thirteenth ball on other side of table.
Straight pool is played with a standard set of thirteen billiards balls including the cue ball. The game is usually played on a conventional pocket billiards table, and at least one side must be pocketless.
1) Each player breaks once, in turn from the position left to them by the rules, until there are no more legal break combinations for that player.
2) After every mode of breaking is completed all players shoot their group of balls in rotation from one end of the slate to the other until all six groups are cleared. For a 2-player game, only one person shoots after each break attempt; he/she never shoots again while there are still legal shots to take at his group not
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