Pool is a game enjoyed by millions of people around the world. From the many who play casually on the weekends to the pro’s who travel the globe and compete at the highest level. But regardless of your current skill level, each of us has to start from the bottom. And that means learning the basics.
As with anything new, just getting started can be a bit overwhelming. After all, there’s so much to learn, and if you’re anything like me you want to learn as much as you can as fast as you can. This is especially true if you’re really excited and passionate about the subject. But don’t worry! Pool isn’t rocket science and the rules, equipment, and etiquette aren’t that hard to wrap your head around.
The Basics of Billiards
If you’ve never played pool before or are still fairly new and want to learn the ins and outs, the terminology, and how to play, before you actually make it to the table, you’ve come to the right place. In this article we’re going to share with you everything you need to know about how to play pool.
Equipment
The Basics of Billiards
Playing Billiards
Billiards, or “pool,” is a parlor game that offers relaxation, socialization, and can be played all one’s life. The game was invented in the fifteenth century in Europe as an alternative to croquet and first gained popular notoriety when King Louis the IX grew an interest in it as an activity to entertain guests.
Racking Up
Since then the game has undergone a myriad of alterations and improvements. Popular games have come and gone, but overall, billiards is still one of the most popular parlor games worldwide, and is particularly popular in America with pool-tables, and even amateur leagues, gracing most night-life establishments.
The Break
Equipment
After The Break
Like most games, playing billiards requires specific equipment, which will usually be provided at most billiard halls, but will need to be attained for home play. Below we’ll cover the basics so you’ll have a better understanding of whats essential for game play.
Shooting Fundamentals
The billiards table, or “pool table,” is usually nine feet in length. It’s typical measurements are 100 inches long and 50 inches wide. This size table is what you see professional players using on TV.
Types of Shots
There are six pockets on a pool table: 1 in each corner and 1 in the middle of each long side of the table. Some tables have actual netted pockets to contain the pocketed object balls, while others contain a chute or gutter system that distributes them into a collection compartment on the rack-side of the table.
Billiard Games
Fifteen, 2.25-inch diameter object balls, made from cast phenolic resin (rock-hard, dense plastic) are used. These are numbered one through fifteen with object balls one-through-eight painted solid colors and nine-through-fifteen striped. The colors are coordinated based on their numbers. One and nine are yellow; two and ten are blue; three and eleven are red; four and twelve are purple; five and thirteen are orange; six and fourteen are green; seven and fifteen are maroon. The eight ball is black.
8-Ball
The object balls are put in a triangular rack at the beginning of the game, which puts the balls in the order and particular shape required to play each variety of game. The cue ball is a slightly heavier white ball with a slightly larger diameter; it is used to knock into other balls to affect their placement.
Nine-Ball
The cue ball is moved with a cue, a slender wooden stick usually between 57 and 59 inches, with a uniform taper (meaning it increases in diameter from the tip to the butt). The tip of the cue is usually constructed of leather to improve finesse of your shot and protect the condition of the balls.
In Conclusion
Pool cues come in a variety of different lengths, weights, and styles. Everyone’s preference in a pool cue is different, and figuring out what you like in a pool cue will come with time. However for most players, a standard length wooden pool cue works just fine.
Chalk is used in a few different ways. Some players will chalk their hands to help remove moisture from there bridge hand. This helps improve stroke smoothness and therefore accuracy as well. Chalking the tip of the pool cue, however, is done in an attempt to produce more “grip” between the tip and the cue ball. This added grip is essential to making good contact with the cue ball and reducing miscues.Playing Billiards
In a game of billiards each player has a target group of balls that they are responsible for moving into the pockets. The goal of the game is to knock your balls into the pockets before your opponent knocks theirs in.
The cue is used to push the cue-ball into the object balls with the goal of moving them into the pockets. The most popular varieties of billiards are Eight-Ball and Nine-Ball. We will go over the specific rules for each of these games, and touch on a few other varieties, but let’s first go over some basics that apply to them all.
Racking Up
The game begins with racking the balls into a pointed shape, with the front ball positioned on the foot-spot. The foot-spot is the center of the head-string which is an imaginary line that connects the second of the diamonds on the two sides of the table. Once the balls are tightly held and organized in the rack, the rack is carefully removed and we’re ready to break.
FAQ
What size is a standard pool table?
A standard pool table is 9 feet long and measures 100 inches by 50 inches.
How many balls are used in pool?
15 object balls plus 1 cue ball. Object balls 1-8 are solid colors and 9-15 are striped.
Why do pool players chalk their cue?
Chalk improves grip between the cue tip and cue ball, helping you make solid contact and reducing miscues.
What’s the difference between solids and stripes?
In 8-ball, one player shoots solids (balls 1-7) and the other shoots stripes (balls 9-15). The 8-ball is sunk last to win.
How many pockets does a pool table have?
A standard pool table has 6 pockets: one in each corner and one in the middle of each long side.
Related Articles
For more on this topic, check out 8-ball rules, 9-ball rules, 10-ball rules, cutthroat pool rules, and bank pool rules.
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