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Variations To Playing Billards

Billards or pool is a popular game and often people don't realize that there are many variations to the game, with players deciding on the preferred variation. Among the variations are Eight-Ball the most played, followed by Nine-Ball and Cut-Throat. Other variations include Bobcat, Circles and the Three-Ball played by small children.

The Eight-Ball game also called stripes and solids or High and Low, the term preferred by accomplished players. Rules of the game vary according to the skill level of the players. First of all, all the balls 1-8 with the eight ball in the center are racked. On breaking the rack, the ball to go in first is one's ball. The other player gets a turn when there's a foul or missed shot. The goal of the game is for each player to sink all one's balls and of course the eight-ball before one's opponent. The eight-ball must be the last ball in. Before playing, the players must agree and understand without a doubt as to the rules to be played by, as there are different rules for the game.

Nine-Ball pool is the next most popular variation played. Balls 1-8 are diamond racked in numerical order around the nine-ball, making it the center. The play involves sinking the balls numerically beginning with the lowest, that is, the 1-ball. All balls that go in count if the lowest ball is first hit. So if say the lowest number is a five-ball, this ball or another can be sunk using the five-ball to hit the other ball. The first ball to be hit must absolutely be the lowest on the table. When the lowest ball is not hit, the player loses his turn as it is a foul. The player who sinks all nine balls first with legal shots is the winner of that game.

Cut-throat is more of a social game rather than a skill or level test game. It involves three players, with each player having five balls each: 1-5, 6-10 and 11-15. Here the game is to sink the opponent's balls and not one's own as in most other variations. The winner is the player with the last ball left on the table. Here, penalties for fouls are punished by returning an opponent's ball back to the table. Occasionally, three different colored sets of balls are used to keep better track and make it easier to focus on each players balls.

Billards can be played in so many different ways, each with its own rules and guidelines. Players should find a style that they are most comfortable with or play better with and then decide on choosing a game. The more the practice, with a range of variations, the better a player one can become. Everything depends on practice and trying to compete with someone a bit better than oneself to get the challenge required to make the game better, in order to tests one's abilities. Remember, however, that it is a game for enjoyment and not for frustration on not winning.