What's the Difference Between English Billiards, Billiard Pool, and Snooker?
What is really English Billiards?
English Billiards, also known as simply "Billiards," is a game that originated in the 19th century in England. It is played on a large table with six pockets and three balls: a red, a white, and a yellow. The objective of English Billiards is to score points by striking the red and the opponent's cue ball with your own cue ball. Players can earn points through various methods, such as potting the red or the opponent's cue ball, or by making a cannon (hitting both the red and the opponent's cue ball with a single shot). The game continues until a predetermined number of points is reached. Here is a really good video made by WPBSA (World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association) that explains English billiards well!
The three balls of English billiards!
The white one and the yellow one are the cue balls of the players as we can see the red dots. The red dots also known as "measle" or "dimple” are there to help the player control more efficiently their cue balls and so to make their shots more accurate. The red ball is simply the object ball, the ball that both player can use to help them score more points.
What is Billiard Pool?
Billiard Pool, also known as "Pool", is a game that gained popularity in the United States during the late 19th century. It is played on a table with six pockets and a set of numbered balls. The most common version of Billiard Pool is 8-Ball, where players aim to pocket all the balls of their designated group either solids or stripe (also known as high and low) and then sink the black 8-ball to win the game. Other popular variations include Nine-Ball, where players must pocket the balls in numerical order, and Straight Pool, where players aim to reach a predetermined point total by pocketing any ball on the table. Its the most popular cue sport.
How do I place the balls?
Just like this!
To place your balls you will need to take your triangle rack and put a solid/low ball in the front (the top of the triangle) and another one in the right corner of the rack, then you take one stripe/high ball and put it in the left corner and you put the 8-ball/black-ball in the middle (the middle of the third row). And for the rest of the balls you place them like you want!
Now what is Snooker?
Snooker is a game that originated in the late 19th century in India and gained international recognition in the early 20th century. It is played on a large table with six pockets and a set of 21 balls, including 15 red balls, 6 colored balls, yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black, and a cue ball. The objective of Snooker is to score more points than your opponent by potting a red ball followed by a colored ball that have all different values (yellow (2 points), green (3), brown (4), blue (5), pink (6), black (7)). There is also another way to play snooker, in this one you have to pocket all the red balls before you can start to pocket the colored ones in the order of their points value. Then the game concludes when all the balls have been pocketed. Snooker requires strategic positioning and precise shot-making skills, making it a favorite among professional players.
There’s so much balls! How do I place them? Just like on this picture!
If you want to place the balls correctly you will need to use the triangle rack and put all the 15 red balls in it and positioned them just behind the foot spot (the spot at the foot end of the table between the second diamonds on the long rail) , place the pink ball in front of this triangle and the black one behind the triangle. For the other balls you will put the blue ball in the middle of the table, then on the baulk line on the other end of the table you would put the brown ball in the middle and the yellow and green one at is left and right to make a semicircle (of a radius of 111⁄2 inches (29 cm)). You just have to put your cue ball on or inside the semicircle named the D and try to break the triangle of red balls!
So what is the conclusion?
English Billiards, Billiard Pool, and Snooker are three distinct variations of the beloved cue sport, each with its own set of rules and gameplay dynamics. English Billiards focuses on scoring points through potting and cannons, while Billiard Pool emphasizes pocketing balls in a specific order or group. Snooker, on the other hand, combines potting red and colored balls to accumulate points. Whether you prefer the finesse of English Billiards, the strategic play of Snooker, or the versatility of Billiard Pool, each game offers its own unique challenges and rewards. So grab a cue, choose your game, and enjoy the fascinating world of billiards!
