Billiards Game, How many are there and which ones are most popular?
What’s your favorite billiards game?
There are many different types of billiard games. The two most popular games in billiards are Eight Ball and Nine Ball. These are followed by Cut Throat and One Pocket. Snooker is up there pretty high as well depending on which country you live in.
There is another game played here in the US known as Straight Pool or Fourteen and One. This used to be the most popular game. This game takes a long time to play and involves clearing many racks to end one game. This could cause a game to last a very long time. (Especially if the players in the game miss often.)
I think Eight Ball became the most popular game because of the bar room tables. There are 15 balls and all of them are used in the game. A game consists of one rack and can be completed in a reasonable time frame. (I have seen some long games with players who can’t make a ball.)
Nine ball is popular because it is fast paced and the game can be won with a combination any time during the game. I would have to say that Nine Ball is probably the most popular gambling game.
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.
Straight Pool (14 and 1) is still a popular game with serious pool players. This billiards game will make a player out of you. Players shoot any ball in any pocket. (Call pocket, no slop) The last ball is left on the table and the cue ball stays in position. When a new rack begins, that last ball needs to be pocketed and the rack needs to be broken with the cue ball on the same shot.
There are many players who can run over 100 balls in Straight Pool. Willie Mosconi holds the record with over 520 balls pocketed without missing a shot. This includes breaking each rack while pocketing the last ball. No one has come very close to this record. John Schmidt (A current touring pro) ran 400 balls recently which is quite an accomplishment.
Cut throat is a game played by 3 players. One player gets 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 are many other games in pocket billiards. You could visit Wikipedia and do a search for billiards game for a pretty complete list. You will find details and rules o every game.
I wanted to provide the most common games here as well as an over view of some of the less popular ones.
Post your comments, questions and stories below. What is your favorite billiards game?
Check out Pool Billiards Game Home Page Here.
To your run out success,
Ted