The world of cue sports offers a wide variety of options, but billiards, pool, and snooker are among the most popular.
While these games are all played with a cue stick on a felt-covered table, the similarities stop there. Each game has its own set of rules, equipment, and strategies.
This article untangles the differences between billiards vs pool vs snooker. We’ll explore the unique rules, tables, balls, and cues that define each game.
Whether you’re a seasoned player or a curious beginner, each of these games offers a unique and entertaining challenge.
What are billiards, pool, and snooker?
Billiards, pool, and snooker are all cue sports, but they’re played differently. Here’s a quick rundown of the rules and equipment.
What is billiards?
Billiards is a cue sport played on a table that doesn’t have any pockets. The idea is to strike one ball so that it hits other balls, a move called a carom.
One of the most common versions of billiards is called carom billiards.
What is pool?
Pool is played on a table with six pockets. Players have to knock the balls into the pockets in a certain order or combination.
The two most common versions of pool are 8-ball and 9-ball.
What is snooker?
Snooker is also played on a table with six pockets, but it uses more balls than pool. Snooker is known for being complex and strategic.
In snooker, you use 15 red balls and six colored balls. Each colored ball has a different point value, and there are rules about where the balls are placed on the table.
Key Differences: Rules and Gameplay
While all three games involve hitting balls with a cue stick on a felt-covered table, the rules and gameplay vary considerably.
Rules of Billiards
In billiards, the main objective is to score points by caroming. This means hitting the cue ball in such a way that it strikes two other balls on the table in a single shot. Points are awarded for successful caroms.
Fouls in billiards can lead to point deductions or the loss of a player’s turn. Specific rules regarding fouls vary depending on the particular billiards game being played.
Rules of Pool
8-ball pool is probably the most widely played version of pool. In 8-ball, players must first pocket all of either the solid-colored balls or the striped balls. Once a player has cleared their group of balls, they must then legally pocket the 8-ball to win the game.
Some variations of pool require players to “call their shots,” also known as “call-pocket.” This means that before taking a shot, the player must specify which ball they intend to pocket and which pocket they intend to put it in.
Rules of Snooker
Snooker involves potting balls in a specific order. Players must alternate between potting a red ball and a colored ball. Once all the red balls have been potted, players must then pot the colored balls in a specific order, according to their point value.
Each colored ball in snooker has a different point value, ranging from 2 points for the yellow ball to 7 points for the black ball. The game continues until all balls have been legally potted, or a player concedes.
Table Dimensions and Features
The tables used for pool, snooker, and billiards are all different sizes and have different features.
Pool Tables
Pool tables generally run from 7 to 9 feet in length. You’ll find six pockets on a pool table: one at each corner and one along each side, in the middle.
Pocket size and shape can vary. For example, in the U.K., pool tables are typically 6, 7, or 8 feet long, which is smaller than the standard American pool table.
Snooker Tables
Snooker tables are much bigger than pool tables, measuring 12 feet by 6 feet. They also have smaller pocket openings, which makes the game more challenging.
Billiards Tables
Billiards tables are in between pool and snooker tables in size, typically measuring 10 feet by 5 feet. The most distinctive feature of a billiards table is that it doesn’t have any pockets.
Balls and Cues: A Comparison
The balls and cues used in billiards, pool, and snooker aren’t all the same. Here’s a quick rundown of the differences.
Balls
The balls used in snooker are smaller (2 1/16 inches) than the balls used in pool (2 1/4 inches) or billiards (2 7/16 inches).
Also, snooker uses a wider array of balls than pool or billiards. In snooker, you’ll find fifteen red balls and six colored balls – yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, and black.
Cues
Cue weight, length, and tip diameter can vary quite a bit from sport to sport.
Snooker cues are typically lighter than pool cues, and they may be constructed differently. For example, snooker cues are often made with a smaller tip diameter to allow for more precise shots.
Can you play snooker on a pool table?
Yes, you can play snooker on a pool table, but it takes some work.
First, you’ll have to carefully mark the “D” shape on the table felt. You’ll also need to mark the positions for the colored balls as precisely as you can. It won’t be perfect, but it will be close.
Finally, you’ll want to use snooker balls. Pool balls are too big for a proper snooker game on a smaller table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do Americans call pool billiards?
Historically, the term “billiards” encompassed all games played on a billiard table. As different variations emerged, like pocket billiards (what we now call pool), “billiards” became a more general term. In the US, “pool” became the common name for pocket billiards, but some people still use “billiards” interchangeably, leading to potential confusion.
What is the difference between billiards and snooker and pool?
Billiards, often referred to as “carom billiards,” is played on a pocketless table with three balls, scoring points by caroming (bouncing) the cue ball off the other two balls. Pool involves sinking object balls into pockets. Snooker, played on a larger table, combines elements of both, using a cue ball and 21 object balls (15 red and 6 colored) with a more complex scoring system.
Is snooker a kind of pool or billiards played?
Snooker is technically a type of billiards, but it’s distinct from both carom billiards and pool. It shares the characteristic of using a cue and balls on a cloth-covered table, placing it in the broader billiards family, but it has its own unique rules, table size, and gameplay.
What is the British version of billiards?
In Britain, “billiards” typically refers to English Billiards. This version is played on a snooker-sized table with pockets, using three balls (a cue ball for each player and a red object ball). Players score points by potting balls, cannons (caroms), and hazards (making the cue ball go into a pocket).
Summary
Billiards, pool, and snooker may all involve hitting balls with a cue on a felt-covered table, but these cue sports are quite different. Each one has its own rules, table size, ball size, and even cue type.
Each game also offers a unique mix of skill, strategy, and entertainment. Some people prefer the strategic complexity of snooker, while others like the fast-paced action of pool. And some people are drawn to the tight tolerances and precision of billiards.
If you haven’t already, you may want to explore the diverse world of cue sports. Whether you’re a casual player or a serious competitor, there’s probably a cue sport out there for you.