GAME

BILLIARD

ALL ABOUT

BILLIARDS
Start Slide
 BILLIARD

DEFINITION

GAME
Billiards is a cue sport, typically played on a rectangular
table with pockets, where players use a long stick, called
a cue, to strike balls into the pockets. The game has
been around since at least the 15th century.

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GAME

Billiards originated in Europe, likely from

lawn games similar to croquet. It gained
popularity when it moved indoors and was
played on a table. A famous historical
figure associated with billiards is Louis XIV
of France, who enjoyed the game at his
royal court.
 TYPES OF
BILLIARD
GAMES
POOL SNOOKER CAROM

lPayed on a table with six Played on a larger table, with 22 balls Played on a pocketless table,
pockets, using 16 balls (1 cue (1 cue ball, 15 red balls, and 6 other where the goal is to hit the cue
ball and 15 object balls). colored balls).cus lobortis lacinia. ball so it makes contact with
Donec tristique arcu massa, at. other balls.

GROUP III
GAME

POOL Objective:

BILLIARD Pocket all of your group of balls (solids or

stripes) and then legally sink the 8-ball.

BASIC Setup:
The balls are arranged in a triangular
RULES rack, with the 8-ball in the center.
One player is assigned the solid-colored
balls (1-7), and the other player takes the
striped balls (9-15).
GAME

Break:

POOL • A player starts by breaking the rack of

balls. If any balls are pocketed on the
BILLIARD break, that player continues.

BASIC
Turns:
• Players take turns hitting the cue ball to

RULES pocket their designated group (solids or

stripes).
• If a player successfully pockets a ball, they
keep playing. Missing or fouling (like
scratching by pocketing the cue ball) ends
their turn.
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Objective

SNOOKER Score more points than your opponent by

potting balls in the correct order.
Setup:
BASIC The 15 red balls are placed in a triangle,
RULES with the colored balls (yellow, green,
brown, blue, pink, and black) positioned
at specific points on the table.
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Turns

SNOOKER Players alternate turns and must first pot

a red ball. After pocketing a red ball, they

BASIC must pocket one of the colored balls

(yellow, green, brown, etc.)

RULES After pocketing a color, the colored ball is

returned to its spot on the table, and the
player tries to pot another red ball.
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Scoring

SNOOKER • Red balls are worth 1 point, and

colored balls have different point

BASIC values (yellow = 2, green = 3, brown

= 4, blue = 5, pink = 6, black = 7).

RULES • The player with the most points at the

end of the game wins.
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SNOOKER Endgame

BASIC After all red balls are potted, players

must pot the colored balls in a specific
RULES order, starting with yellow and ending
with black.
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Objective

SNOOKER Score points by making your cue ball

contact both object balls (carom).

BASIC Setup

RULES The game uses only 3 balls: a cue ball for

each player (usually one white and one
yellow) and a red ball (the shared object
ball).
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Turns

• Players take turns trying to make a

carom by hitting their cue ball so that
SNOOKER it strikes both object balls.

BASIC Scoring:

RULES • A successful carom (when the cue ball

hits both object balls) scores 1 point.
• Players keep shooting as long as they
continue to score.
GAME

Winning
SNOOKER The game continues until a player

BASIC reaches a set number of points, typically

50 in professional games.

RULES
BILLIARD

COMPARISON

GAME
• Pool: Focuses on pocketing specific groups of balls
(solids/stripes) and ultimately sinking the 8-ball.
• Snooker: More strategic, with players pocketing balls
in a strict sequence while aiming for the highest
score.
• Carom: No pockets involved, with the main goal being
to strike both object balls with the cue ball.
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GAME

EXAMPLE

CUTTHROAT POOL THIS GAME

INVOLVES THREE PLAYERS, WITH
EACH PLAYER ASSIGNED A GROUP OF
FIVE BALLS (NUMBERS 1-5, 6-10, 11-
15).
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EXAMPLE

ONE POCKET

EACH PLAYER CHOOSES A SINGLE

CORNER POCKET AT THE START OF THE
GAME. ALL BALLS MUST BE POCKETED
INTO THIS DESIGNATED POCKET.
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EXAMPLE

SPEED POOL IN SPEED POOL, PLAYERS

MUST SINK ALL THE BALLS ON THE
TABLE AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. IT IS
OFTEN PLAYED AS A SOLO GAME BUT
CAN ALSO BE DONE COMPETITIVELY IN
TIMED CHALLENGES.
 GAME
BILLIARD

GROUP III

BILLIARDS
EQUIPMEN
T Start Slide
GAME

THE EQUIPMENT USED IN BILLIARDS

INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

Cue: A long stick used to hit the balls.

Table: A rectangular surface covered with

felt, bordered by cushions, and with
pockets (for pool and snooker)

Balls: Typically made from phenolic resin,

the number and size vary depending on
the game type.
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THE EQUIPMENT USED IN BILLIARDS

INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING:

In pool, a standard cue is about 57-59

inches long and weighs between 17-21
ounces. The felt covering the table is
usually green, symbolizing the grass that
outdoor lawn games were played on. The
balls are 2.25 inches in diameter for pool
and 2.0625 inches for snooker.
 GAME
BILLIARD

GROUP III

BASIC RULES
AND
GAMEPLAY
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GAME

WHILE THE RULES VARY DEPENDING ON THE

VERSION OF BILLIARDS, SOME COMMON ELEMENTS
INCLUDE:

TURN TAKING

Players take turns, usually until

they miss a shot or commit a
foul.
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WHILE THE RULES VARY DEPENDING ON THE

VERSION OF BILLIARDS, SOME COMMON ELEMENTS
INCLUDE:

OBJECT OF THE GAME

In pool, the goal is to pocket all

your designated balls (either
solid or striped) and then the 8-
ball.
GAME

WHILE THE RULES VARY DEPENDING ON THE

VERSION OF BILLIARDS, SOME COMMON ELEMENTS
INCLUDE:

FOULS

Fouls can include scratching

(pocketing the cue ball), failing
to hit the correct ball, or
knocking a ball off the table.
GAME

EXAMPLE

In 9-ball pool, players must hit the

balls in numerical order, starting
with the 1-ball. The game is won by
pocketing the 9-ball, but only after
contacting the lowest numbered ball
on the table first.
 GAME
BILLIARD

GROUP III

TECHNIQUES
AND
STRATEGIES
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GAME

BILLIARDS REQUIRES A MIX OF SKILL AND

STRATEGY. KEY TECHNIQUES INCLUDE:

STANCE

How a player positions their

body.
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BILLIARDS REQUIRES A MIX OF SKILL AND

STRATEGY. KEY TECHNIQUES INCLUDE:

GRIP

The way the player holds the

cue.
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BILLIARDS REQUIRES A MIX OF SKILL AND

STRATEGY. KEY TECHNIQUES INCLUDE:

STROKE

The motion of the cue when

striking the ball.
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BILLIARDS REQUIRES A MIX OF SKILL AND

STRATEGY. KEY TECHNIQUES INCLUDE:

TYPES OF SHOT

• BREAK SHOT: THE FIRST SHOT THAT

SCATTERS THE BALLS.

• BANK SHOT: BOUNCING THE BALL OFF

THE CUSHION TO MAKE IT INTO A
POCKET.

• SPIN: APPLYING SIDESPIN, TOPSPIN,

OR BACKSPIN TO CONTROL THE
BALL’S DIRECTION.
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EXAMPLE

A COMMON STRATEGY IN POOL IS

POSITION PLAY:

AFTER MAKING A SHOT, A PLAYER PLANS

WHERE THE CUE BALL WILL END UP TO
GIVE THEM THE BEST ANGLE FOR THEIR
NEXT SHOT. ADVANCED PLAYERS USE
SPIN OR "ENGLISH" TO CONTROL THE
CUE BALL’S MOVEMENT.
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BILLIARD

GROUP III

FAMOUS
BILLIARDS
PLAYER
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GAME

MANY LEGENDARY PLAYERS HAVE LEFT THEIR

MARK ON BILLIARDS, EXCELLING IN VARIOUS
FORMS OF THE GAME.
EFREN BATA REYES

A FILIPINO PLAYER, REGARDED AS ONE

OF THE GREATEST POOL PLAYERS OF ALL
TIME, KNOWN FOR HIS CREATIVITY AND
MASTERY OF THE GAME.
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MANY LEGENDARY PLAYERS HAVE LEFT THEIR

MARK ON BILLIARDS, EXCELLING IN VARIOUS
FORMS OF THE GAME.

EFREN REYES BECAME FAMOUS AFTER

WINNING MAJOR INTERNATIONAL
TOURNAMENTS, INCLUDING THE 1999
WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP. HIS
NICKNAME, "THE MAGICIAN," REFLECTS
HIS ABILITY TO PULL OFF SEEMINGLY
IMPOSSIBLE SHOTS.
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RISE FAME

1978: Reyes began traveling

internationally
1985: Reyes won his first major
international tournament in the U.S.,
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MAJOR AWARDS
1994: Reyes won the U.S. Open 9-Ball
Championship,
1999: He was awarded Player of the Year
2001: Reyes won the prestigious
International Billiards & Snooker
Federation (WPA) World 9-Ball
Championship.
2005: Won the International Pool Tour
(IPT) King of the Hill 8-Ball Shootout,
2005: Won the International Pool Tour
(IPT) King of the Hill 8-Ball Shootout,
earning a record-breaking $200,000 prize.
This win was one of the biggest cash
prizes in the sport’s history.
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BILLIARD

GROUP III

BILLIARDS
TOURNAMENT
S Start Slide
GAME

COMPETITIVE BILLIARDS INCLUDES MAJOR

TOURNAMENTS THAT SHOWCASE TOP TALENT.
SOME OF THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS EVENTS ARE:

• WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP: THE

BIGGEST EVENT FOR 9-BALL POOL
PLAYERS.
• MOSCONI CUP: AN ANNUAL TEAM-BASED
TOURNAMENT THAT PITS THE BEST
PLAYERS FROM EUROPE AND THE USA
AGAINST EACH OTHER.
• WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP: THE
MOST PRESTIGIOUS SNOOKER
TOURNAMENT, HELD ANNUALLY IN THE
UK.
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EXAMPLE

THE WORLD POOL CHAMPIONSHIP IS

HIGHLY COMPETITIVE, WITH PLAYERS
FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD. WINNERS
OF THIS TOURNAMENT, LIKE SHANE VAN
BOENING, EARN NOT ONLY THE TITLE
BUT ALSO A SIGNIFICANT PRIZE.
 GAME
BILLIARD

GROUP III

BILLIARDS IN
POP CULTURE
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GAME

BILLIARDS HAS HAD A STRONG PRESENCE IN

MOVIES, TV SHOWS, AND EVEN MUSIC. IT'S OFTEN
ASSOCIATED WITH SKILL, STRATEGY, AND
COOLNESS.
• FILMS: MOVIES LIKE THE HUSTLER (1961)
AND THE COLOR OF MONEY (1986) HAVE
ELEVATED BILLIARDS IN POP CULTURE.
THESE FILMS DEPICT POOL PLAYERS
WHO ARE EXPERTS IN THE GAME, USING
THEIR SKILLS IN HIGH-STAKES MATCHES

• Music: Billiards has been referenced in

songs, including the classic Werewolves
of London, which mentions playing pool.
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EXAMPLE

IN THE COLOR OF MONEY, PAUL NEWMAN

AND TOM CRUISE PLAY CHARACTERS
DEEPLY INVOLVED IN THE POOL-
HUSTLING SCENE, BRINGING BILLIARDS
INTO MAINSTREAM CINEMA AND
SHOWING HOW SKILLFUL PLAYERS USE
PSYCHOLOGY AS MUCH AS TECHNIQUE
TO WIN.