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.
START
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.
GAME
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.
GAME
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.
GAME
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.
GAME
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.
GAME
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).
GAME
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).
GAME
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.
GAME
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.
GAME
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
Start Slide
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.
GAME
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
Start Slide
GAME
BILLIARDS REQUIRES A MIX OF SKILL AND
STRATEGY. KEY TECHNIQUES INCLUDE:
STANCE
How a player positions their
body.
GAME
BILLIARDS REQUIRES A MIX OF SKILL AND
STRATEGY. KEY TECHNIQUES INCLUDE:
GRIP
The way the player holds the
cue.
GAME
BILLIARDS REQUIRES A MIX OF SKILL AND
STRATEGY. KEY TECHNIQUES INCLUDE:
STROKE
The motion of the cue when
striking the ball.
GAME
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.
GAME
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.
GAME
BILLIARD
GROUP III
FAMOUS
BILLIARDS
PLAYER
Start Slide
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.
GAME
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.
GAME
RISE FAME
1978: Reyes began traveling
internationally
1985: Reyes won his first major
international tournament in the U.S.,
GAME
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.
GAME
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.
GAME
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
Start Slide
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.
GAME
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.
