What's the difference between pool and billiards?

Billiards is played on a table without pockets. The game only has three balls, which are red, white (with a spot), and another white one (without a spot). Pool involves a table with six pockets. You need 15 balls, but some people play with just nine.

Why is it called pool instead of billiards?

The word "pool" means a collective bet, or ante. Many non-billiard games, such as poker, involve a pool but it was pocket billiards that the name became attached to.

What's the difference between billiard table and pool table?

Traditionally, billiards tables do not have pockets. As such, the various games are referred to as carom billiards, or pocketless billiards. In contrast, pool tables (or pocket billiards tables) have six pockets, including pockets in each corner and one in the middle of each long side.

Is it 8 ball pool or billiards?

Eight-ball (also spelled 8-ball or eightball, and sometimes called solids and stripes, spots and stripes or rarely highs and lows) is a discipline of pool played on a billiard table with six pockets, cue sticks, and sixteen billiard balls (a cue ball and fifteen object balls ).

What is 8-ball pool called in real life?

eight ball, also called stripes and solids, popular American pocket-billiards game in which 15 balls numbered consecutively and a white cue ball are used.

The Difference Between Pool and Billiards

Do Americans say pool or billiards?

American pool is a term used in the United Kingdom, and sometimes more broadly outside North America, to refer to pool (pocket billiards) cue sports that make use of formerly American-style and now professionally world-standardised numbered billiard balls that have a standard diameter of 57 mm (21⁄4 in), as opposed to ...

Can you play pool on a billiard table?

There are several different games that one can play with pool balls, but the objective is always the same; to sink as many balls as possible before your opponent does. You can't play billiards on a pool table or pool on a billiards table even though at first glance, these two tables look similar.

What is the white ball called in pool?

The name is a reference to how many balls need to be pocketed to win the game, but all 15 balls are used. All of the striped and colored balls are referred to as object balls, and the solid white ball is the cue ball.

What is a pool table without pockets called?

Carom billiard is played on a billiard table without pockets and with a set of 3 balls: one red and two white of which one is marked. The player must use the cue ball to make contact with the other two balls on the table in order to score 1 point.

What is the 3 point rule in billiards?

The 3-point break rule is in effect. For a break to be legal a player must drive 3 object balls past the head string, or a combination of 3 pocketed balls and balls above the head string. Failure to execute a legal break is not a foul.

Is billiards an easy game?

Is billiards an easy or difficult game? It depends. It is easy to put balls, but it is very complicated to dominate the control of the white ball, win continuous matches, compete under pressure ... There is something about billiards that stand outs more than any other, the challenge of this sport.

How many balls do you have in billiards?

A set of pool balls consists of one white cue ball and 15 colour-coded numbered balls. The balls numbered 1 through 8 have solid colours and the balls numbered 9 through 15 are white with a centre band of colour. The balls are 52.5mm in diameter and are coloured and numbered as follows: yellow — 1 and 9.

What do Americans call pool game?

billiards, any of various games played on a rectangular table with a designated number of small balls and a long stick called a cue. The table and the cushioned rail bordering the table are topped with a feltlike tight-fitting cloth. Carom, or French, billiards is played with three balls on a table that has no pockets.

What is the American name for pool?

Although the terms 'billiards' and 'pool' are often used interchangeably, the two do not mean the same thing. 'Billiards' was originally a term to describe a game called 'carom billiards' exclusively, but has since evolved into a general term to describe a variety of games played on a table with balls and a cue stick.

What are pool players called?

Most billiard players are called exactly that - “billiard players”, or sometimes “pool players” or even “players” when the context is understood. A really good pool player, however, is often referred to as a “pool shark”.

What is the first shot in pool called?

break: the first shot of a pool game where the CB is hit from behind the head string (i.e., in the “kitchen”) into the racked balls; or, in snooker, a series of pots in a single inning.

What's the black ball in pool called?

The balls are racked with the black (the 8 ball) on the foot spot (or "black spot"), in contrast with US-style eight-ball, nine-ball and most other pool games, in which the apex ball is placed on the foot spot. A "fair break" is one in which an object ball is potted, and/or at least 4 object balls contact the cushion.

What is the stick called in pool?

A cue stick (or simply cue, more specifically billiards cue, pool cue, or snooker cue) is an item of sporting equipment essential to the games of pool, snooker and carom billiards.

What do you call a room with a billiard table?

A billiard room (also billiards room, or more specifically pool room, snooker room) is a recreation room, such as in a house or recreation center, with a billiards, pool or snooker table. (The term "billiard room" or "pool room" may also be used for a business providing public billiards tables; see billiard hall.)

What is the dress code for pool table?

T-shirts are not permitted. Dress pants will be clean and in good condition and may be of any color. Denim/blue jeans of any color are forbidden even though a jeans design is allowed. Female athletes may wear a skirt which must cover the knees. Shoes must be elegant dress shoes that fit in the outfit.

What do British people call pool?

English billiards, called simply billiards in the United Kingdom and in many former British colonies, is a cue sport that combines the aspects of carom billiards and pool. Two cue balls (one white and one yellow) and a red object ball are used.

Why is the cue ball smaller?

Generally, with older balls, the cue ball (CB) will be slightly smaller and lighter than the object balls (OBs) because it takes more abuse.

Is English pool harder than American?

With the larger pockets and balls, American pool is an easier game to pick up and learn, especially good if you have children you're looking to get into the game. The game is also a good deal faster with the smoother cloth.