Pool Tables - Billiard Tables » snooker

The Most Famous Billiard Games For Beginners

Jim Ryan — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 12:08:51 +0000

Billiards in a nutshell is playing pool, but there are a lot of different types of games to be played in billiards. Some of the most famous of these are 9-ball, 8-ball, snooker, One Pocket and Cut Throat. Depending on where you are from will determine the most popular for your region, I think 8-ball and 9-ball has the others beat though.

There is another billiards game played here in the United States known as Straight Pool or Fourteen and One. Back in the day this used to be the most popular game. This game takes a long time to play and involves clearing many racks to end one game, which could cause a game to last a very long time.

Eight Ball has became a very popular billiards game due to the bar scene, as most sports bars have a pool table or two, sometimes more. There are many different rules to Eight Ball depending on where you are from but the basics is you have fifteen balls, the last one being the eight ball, one person gets stripes the other gets solids.

Nine Ball is popular because it is fast paced and the game can be won with a combination any time during the game. I would have to say that Nine Ball is probably the other most popular billiards game besides 8-ball.

If you want a really fun game to really test your pool playing skills then you should try to play one pocket. This is a game where you have 8 balls that you must get into one pocket only, similar to 8-ball besides the one pocket only rule.

A popular game for multiple people is Cut Throat. There are three players that are in the billiards game of Cut Throat, and the rules are the same as 8-ball in most cases. One player will have 1-5, the other 6-10, and the last player will have 11-15. The object of this game is to hit any ball in but your own.

There are many other games in pocket billiards. You could visit Wikipedia and do a search for billiards game for a pretty complete list. These are just some of the more popular ones that you will find. At Wikipedia you will find details and rules of every game.

If you like to enjoy the games of billiards and are searching for discounted pool tables, then you can find one at the authors site cheap pool cues for sale.

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The Most Famous Billiard Games For Beginners is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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The Truth About Owning A Quality Pool Table

Carl Robinson — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 00:20:34 +0000

The game of pool has been a favorite among men and women for many years. There are many different styles and a couple different sizes that a consumer has to chose from. They vary in prices, depending on the features and place of purchase. To find a quality pool table, it may be necessary to do a little shopping around before committing to a purchase.

The first thing to consider is the place that the table is going to be played. This space should be a room that stays fairly warm and have plenty of room, both around the table and above the table. If the area is too cold or has moisture in the room, it will eventually warp the table and ruin the surface.

The beautiful features of a high quality table can greatly enhance the player’s pool playing experience. The most important aspect of a quality table, whether it is for pool, billiards, or snooker, is the very flat and level surface. It is commonly made of slate and is covered by a cloth that has the feel of felt. The cushions and holes should also be perfect in order to make the game fair and unbiased.

There are a few different sizes of pool and billiard tables. They will often range from seven to nine feet long. The width of the pool table should be half the length. For instance, if the table is eight feet long, it should be four feet wide. It really depends on the consumer as to which one that is preferred.

Accessories often come with the purchase of a new billiard table. Many chose to customize the room and the table’s accessories and there is a vast span of products that can be found just for an entertainment room. There is a wide array of custom made pool sticks that can be customized by weight, color, and length.

Tables can also be ordered in other colors besides the most popular green. Another important way to enhance the pool table’s lighting. Overhanging lights are the proper way of lighting the entire surface of the table, allowing the person making shots able to see on the other side of the table.

There are few different ways that someone can find a quality pool or billiards table. To find one that can be bought close to your area, look in the phone book under billiards sale. If none are available, it may be necessary to search around on the internet. There are many sites dedicated to selling quality pool tables and all the accessories.

Carl Robinson is an expert in pool. If you would like further information about varieties of pool table or are searching for a reputable pool table retailer please visit http://www.topofthecue.com

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The Truth About Owning A Quality Pool Table is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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Where To Find Quality Pool Tables To Meet You Needs

Matthew Kerridge — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 19:25:25 +0000

Pool takes many years of practice to master and the right pool table can make a big difference in your game. Pool tables come in a variety of sizes but the larger tables tend to be more sturdy and level. This is usually a once in a life time purchase as they will last for many years if you invest in a good table to begin with.

The best pool tables are going to be the bigger ones and these will be more level. That will help if you are a novice or an expert. These are going cost you a good bit and you will need a place big enough to put the table and still be able to walk around it comfortable in order to play.

Sometimes you can find very small, cheap tables. These may be alright for a young child but they tend to be unlevel and not very steady. These could be the way to go though if you just want something to play around on and have very limited space; you need to be able to walk around your pool table with ease in order to play.

If you get your own pool table then there are a few accessories that you will need. You can’t shoot pool without a pool cue. These can run into a lot of money but you can usually buy the cheaper ones for just a few dollars each. You will also need chalk and you may want to have some baby powder on hand to help the cue slide through your hand easier.

The larger tables come in 7, 8, and 9 foot models, though only the 8 and 9 foot tables are approved for tournament play. You can find these to suit any decor and they can make a wonderful center piece for a gaming room in your home.

Pool is a lot of fun but you should be patient; it can take years to master this game. The one great thing about pool is that it is a game that can be enjoyed by just about anyone regardless of age.

Of course if you don’t want to play at home then you can go out and play as well. Many places have pool tables where you can play for a minimal fee, most times charged by the hour or the game. They usually have billiard halls and you can usually find tables in places like bowling alleys, arcades, and skating rinks.

Matthew Kerridge is an expert in pool. If you would like further information about pool tables or are looking for a reputable pool table online retailer please visit http://www.topofthecue.com

Where To Find Quality Pool Tables To Meet You Needs is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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Pool Table Basics

Matthew Kerridge — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:36:24 +0000

While the most common pool table in use today is the regulation six pocket table, there are actually a number of different types of pool tables that have been designed for different cue games. Other designs of pool tables include the twelve-foot table used for snooker or English billiards and the ten foot tables used during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, there was also a popular game of pool that was played on an octagon shaped table with a set of bumpers in the middle.

The game of billiards dates back to the late sixteenth century when fans of outdoor sports such as croquet devised similar, smaller games to play indoors. These early versions of billiards were based upon pushing balls about a table with the ends of sticks. Later, players began to perfect their own pool cues in order to start shooting the balls about the billiard table. Various hazards such as holes and bumpers were added to the table in an effort to make the game more challenging, and the pockets of the modern pool table became incorporated into the most popular cue games.

There are few features of a pool table that are as important as the smooth felt surface that ensures unobstructed play. The all important fabric that covers the surface of the table is made of baize, a textile that is produced from woven wool. Pool tables that are designed for carom billiard games often have a special component that keeps the surface of the table slightly heated so that it remains completely dry during play.

By employing a few simple maintenance tips, a good pool table can easily last for generations to come. Many owners fail to realize the dangers of humidity to the life span of the table, and changes in room temperature will warp the frame over time.

While the most popular form of pool is the game of eight-ball, there are many other fun billiard games that you can play with a regulation pool table. Snooker is fairly popular in parts of Europe, while other common games include nine-ball, one-pocket and bank pool.

The traditional six pocket pool table must meet certain criteria in order to be up to regulation for professional play. A regulation eight-ball table is nine feet long and four and a half feet wide. Pool tables can either be constructed with the cost effective single slab of slate or the three slab design that keeps the humidity on the surface of the table to a minimum.

One of my fondest childhood memories was the time that my father and I found a used pool table at the local garbage dump and brought it back home to fix it up. Needless to say, Mom was less than thrilled to see what we were hauling out of the back of the pickup truck, but restoring that pool table to perfect condition made for a great father and son project over the next couple of months. The two main steps of this process were replacing the felt surface of the table and restoring the frame so that the pool table was perfectly level. Both of these are projects that just about any craftsman should be able to complete with a little bit of research.

Matthew Kerridge is an avid pool fan and loves playing the sport. If you would like more information about any type of pool table or are searching for a trusted pool table company please visit http://www.topofthecue.com

Pool Table Basics is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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Do I really Need that Big Snooker Table

Norton Legg — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 16:53:29 +0000

by Norton Legg

Snooker, whats in a name? It is a strange name for such a popular, but at the same time, a serious game, with such a huge fan base. the rules are really simple, and yet many people know little of them. It doesn’t matter what interest you have in snooker, casual or lifetime professional, a snooker table can be a great investment.

It might be the case that that full sized snooker table might not be right for you. If you live in a small house or apartment, or even may not be that keen on snooker or other billiard games, your own full sized snooker table might not what you need. Help is at hand however, as there are many retailers that offer a variety of different options for you to have fun with friends and family in the comfort of your own home. there are many different options that allow you to play all types of cue sports on the same table, regardless of size, skill and space restrictions.

On the other hand, if you are a serious player, and your house or apartment has the space for it, you simply must get a full size snooker table. The first and most important thing is to ensure that your floor is level. You can imagine what a nightmare it can be trying to work your way round a large, heavy snooker table while trying to push thin strips of cardboard under the legs to make it level.

Even if you don’t have any designs on the professional snooker tournaments, a snooker table is still a great way to bring everybody together for laughs and a good time together. Snooker is actually very flexible compared to other cue sports in that a game can be as short or long as you like.

If you are called to the game of snooker, here are a few things you need to consider before you start your shopping. Make sure that you determine whether your table and equipment needs to be up to European or US standards. There is a difference between the two and practicing on the wrong type of table can throw you off your game when you enter a competition on a neutral table.

Snooker tables can become the centrepiece of your whole house or apartment, just be careful of making it the centrepiece of your whole life! Snooker addiction is a reality in today’s world!

Even if you can never use it to play, it can still be used for other things like hanging out your laundry (clean or dirty), the mail, pizza boxes which you can’t be bothered to throw away, or anything that doesn’t need to be put away immediately.

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The place to find a quality snooker table? – TopoftheCue!

Do I really Need that Big Snooker Table is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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Major Snooker Tournaments

Norton Legg — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:07:35 +0000

by Norton Legg

Whether you are a serious fan of Snooker or just a casual observer who appreciates the tremendous skill of professional snooker players, you need to know where these masters of the cue can be found.

While you can find a game of snooker being played just about anywhere in the world, from pubs to area tournaments, which draw amateur as well as professional players, the following tournaments are really where its at for those major players.

Considered by all to be the most important and prestigious snooker tournament in the world, the Embassy World Championship which has been held since 1927 (except during the Second World War years of 1939 to 1945), in England. The tournament was held in 1977 at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield where it remained for almost thirty years. This tournament and, indeed snooker itself, was dominated by Joe Davis, who won the tournament a record 15 times.

When Joe Davis left, his place was taken over by his brother Fred Davis, who continued the family reign, winning the tournament numerous times. Unfortunately, due to waning public interest in the game, the tournament was cancelled between 1958 and 1963. The tournament was then revived in 1964 and once again took its place as the most prestigious snooker tournament in the world. It was confirmed in 1009 that the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield would remain as the venue for the Embassy World Championship until at least 2014.

Following on from the Embassy World Championship are the ranking tournaments which are used to determine professional player rankings for seeding position at the major tournaments. Success at the ranking tournaments is important because of the third ranking tier of snooker tournaments, the Invitationals.

There are a considerable number of invitational tournaments, and only the best snooker players are invited. The Masters Tournament is considered to be the most prestigious of the invitational tournaments.

The Masters, first held in London in 1975, offers more prize money to the professional snooker player than any other tournament except for the Embassy World Championship. Only the best players are invited to exhibit their talents in this tournament.

Snooker is a game that requires a great amount of skill, patience and cunning, the best players of course being extremely talented. For a fan who appreciates these attributes, they only need to attend one of the tournaments that we have spoken about here today.

About the Author:

Play snooker just like at the tournaments in the comfort of your own house. Buy cheap Snooker Tables from topoftheCue

Major Snooker Tournaments is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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The Most Important Snooker Tournaments Around the World

Norton Legg — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:07:21 +0000

by Norton Legg

Whether you are a serious fan of Snooker or just a casual observer who appreciates the tremendous skill of professional snooker players, you need to know where these masters of the cue can be found.

The most important snooker tournament, without question, is the Embassy World Championship, held since 1927 (except during the war years of 1941-45), in England. In 1977, the tournament was held at the Crucible Theater in Sheffield, where it resided for almost thirty years. This tournament and snooker itself was dominated by the legendary Joe Davis, who won the tournament a record fifteen times.

Following the Embassy World Championship in terms of importance are the ranking tournaments. These tournaments are used to assign points which determine the player rankings for seeding position at major tournaments. The importance of doing well at the ranking tournaments can be found in the third most important snooker tournaments, which are the “Invitationals.”

There are numerous invitational tournaments, and one must be invited first in order to play. The most prestigious of all the invitational tournaments is The Masters.

The Masters Snooker Tournament was first in held in London in 1975 and offers more prize money to the winning player than any other snooker tournament except for the Embassy World Championship. Only the best players are invited to this tournament.

Snooker is a game of skill and the best players are enormously talented. For the fan who appreciates the dedication and skill required to be the best at this challenging snooker need only attend one of the tournaments outlined here to satisfy their requirement to view the very best players plying their craft.

About the Author:

Play snooker just like at the tournaments in the privacy of your own home. Buy cheap Snooker Tables from topoftheCue

The Most Important Snooker Tournaments Around the World is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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What Types of Snooker Tables You Can Get

Norton Legg — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 23:30:26 +0000

by Norton Legg

Billiards is a game whose creation has often been attributed to the British, with Snooker having been created by British Army officers stationed in India during 1874 to 1875. Pool, or “pocket billiards” is the american version of the game and is the most widely played cue sport in the world today.

Snooker is still an attractive and enjoyable variation for our cousins across the pond, with many continuing to make snooker their alternative game of choice!

Like pool tables, snooker tables have six pockets in which to sink the balls. Minor differences include thinner cushions and more smoothly-curved pocket openings. The snooker balls themselves offer the biggest difference in the game. The balls are noticeably smaller than regular pool balls, 2-1/16″ in diameter compared to 2-1/4″.

It should also be noted that snooker balls are not numbered like pool balls and a typical set of balls will consist of 15 solid red balls, or “reds”, 6 coloured balls and the white ball. The coloured balls consist of yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black and are worth different amount of points. The object of the game is to score the most points.

Interested in learning to play snooker? Ready to invest in your own table? Snooker tables come is so many size variations that it’s hard to know which to choose. The large 12′ x 6′ table is the regulation competition-size table, has eight legs to support the extra weight, and requires minimum room dimensions of 22′ x 16′.

You should ensure that the height of the table from the the top of the cushion rail to the floor should measure 34″. These dimensions should give you the true British snooker hall experience!

If you find that your family games room is too small for the 12 ‘ x 6′, there are a whole range of snooker tables that come in different sizes, from 10′ x 5′. 9′ x 4.5′, 8′ x 4′ and 6′ x 3′, they are always twice as long as they are wide. The experience will always be the same regardless of the size. If you find that space is really at a premium, there are snooker tables that even come in sizes like 4′ x 2′ and come in a variety of types, such as table top versions and fold-away snooker tables.

Over the last several years, snooker’s popularity has continued to grow. Widely played in the United Kingdom and Ireland, it has now gained a following in China and other Far East countries, as well as the U.S. Snooker has even hit mainstream video gaming systems, with Nintendo Wii’s WSC (World Snooker Championship) Real 09. Still, nothing beats the real thing!

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Great offers on all snooker tables in all different sizes only at Top of the Cue!

What Types of Snooker Tables You Can Get is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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What You Need To Know When Playing Snooker

Norton Legg — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:28:39 +0000

by Norton Legg

Snooker is one of the world’s most popular billiard games in the world because it’s lots of fun to play and easy to learn! Snooker is played much like pool is on a felt-covered snooker table with 6 pockets, a set of billiard balls and a cue stick. If you like billiard games why not learn how to play?! Here’s how you play snooker:

First, gather up all the stuff you’ll need. Snooker is played with blank coloured balls called object balls. Divide the balls into two piles. In the first pile, lay the red balls aside. You can put anywhere between 10-15 red balls in there depending on how long youd like to play. In the other pile put one ball of each of these colours into it: yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black and white.

Now, set aside the white ball from the others as this is always to be used as the cue ball that you will need to knock the other balls in the snooker table pockets. The other balls have point values as follows: red (1), yellow (2), green (3), brown (4), blue (5), pink (6) and lastly, black with 7 points.

You would then need to place the 2 piles of snooker balls into the middle of the snooker table, just like you would for pool with all the coloured balls on one side, and the reds on the other side.

Toss any coin to decide who will play the opening shot. The opening player must then ensure that the white ball comes into contact with one of the reds. If not, then its the other player’s turn to give it a try.

The first player who is able to hit a red ball can then earn further points by pocketing a coloured ball, and then a red ball in sequence. Should he fail in this task, the opposing player must then attempt to pocket a red ball which should then be followed by a coloured ball in that order. As long as there are red balls still remaining on the snooker tables, all pocketed coloured balls have to be immediately replaced back on the snooker table at its original starting position. The game must continue until all red balls have been pocketed.

Now that the red balls have all been sunk into the snooker table’s various pockets, players can then earn points by pocketing the coloured balls in ascending order. Its not necessary to replace all the sunk coloured balls during this round.

Now that all the coloured balls have been sunk, thats the end of the game. Now to tally up the scores and the player with the highest score wins!

There are only 2 ways that a player can accumulate points. Firstly, by earning points when the opponent fouls on a shot. The most common fouls being either failing to hit the target ball, failing to hit a red ball on the opening shot, and pocketing the wrong coloured ball or the white cue ball. The opposing player is usually awarded between 4 – 7 penalty points when one of these fouls occur. This is usually the higher score between the legal object ball and the score value of the incorrect ball that was hit first or sunk. The second way of accumulating points is obviously by sinking the correct target ball into one of the snooker table pockets.

The opposing player must also give the opposing snooker player the choice of allowing the opponent to play at striker for the opening shot, or to play as the striker himself. The game continues from there.

About the Author:

Find a snooker table at only the best prices from top of the Cue.

What You Need To Know When Playing Snooker is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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The History & Origin of Snooker Balls

Norton Legg — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:20:00 +0000

by Norton Legg

The story of snooker balls, just like billiard balls, goes way back. It is a marvellous tale, full of myth and intrigue. It is a little known fact that were it not for a very smart inventor, we could have lost that most majestic of land mammals, the elephant! Long has been the need to satisfy the hunger to play snooker and other table games. Lets have a look at where snooker balls come from and find out what made the snooker table a much needed commodity.

Originally, the balls which were used to play on early snooker tables were made from wood and were popular all the way through to the sixteenth century. Despite the fact that these snooker balls were extremely well crafted, they were very susceptible to warping. No matter how fine your snooker table was, a warped snooker ball would no doubt have contributed to some very violent outbursts! Regardless of how fine and expensive your snooker table was, warped snooker balls would always ruin your game!

At the time of the seventeenth century, snooker ball manufacturers looked for new ways of making a better snooker ball, the answer was ivory!

Although only the wealthiest members of society could afford them, and those whose passion for snooker exceeded financial sense, ivory snooker balls began to be found on my snooker tables the world over. By the mid to late eighteenth century, elephants had been hunted to the brink of extinction to satisfy our need to provide high quality balls for our snooker table.

Sensing a need to find a new type of ball as elephants became more scarce, one John Wesley Hyatt developed a nitrocellulose compound to replace the ivory ball in 1869.

The new compound suffered many problems however, the most famous problem being that if you hit the ball hard enough, it would explode. Exploding snooker and billiard balls were not looked kindly upon by those who had just spent a great deal of money on their new snooker table!

However, as every good snooker player knows, this story has a happy ending. Eventually “Bakelite” and “phenolic resin” balls were developed and they could be made with beautiful finishes and almost perfectly round. Better yet, they didn’t explode upon impact saving snooker tables the world over.

So, at your next private snooker tournament, you can tell your friends of the history of the snooker ball!

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Cheap snooker table and snooker balls from Top Of The Cue

The History & Origin of Snooker Balls is a post from: Pool Tables - Billiard Tables

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The Most Important Snooker Tournaments Around the World Whether you are a serious fan of Snooker or just...

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