Pool Games
There are many different types of pool games but two of the most popular are 8-Ball and 9-Ball and they’re what most people think of when they think of playing pool or billiards games.
8 ball pool is most likely popular because it’s so commonly found in bars. It is played with 15 balls – all of which are used during the game – and it can be completed in a reasonable amount of time (though some pool games can last a while if the players aren’t that skilled).
9 ball is even faster than eight ball because it’s played with fewer balls and the game can be won at any time with a certain combination. It’s also one of the most popular pool games to be on TV.
Other Popular Pool Games
One Pocket is one of the most popular pool games with those who like to play for money as it’s a game of both strategy and skill. In One Pocket, all 15 balls are used and each player is assigned one of the bottom corner pockets. The game is won when a player legally drops 8 balls into his or her assigned pocket. It’s common to see more defensive than offensive shots during a game of One Pocket.
Straight Pool, also known as 14 and 1, is a popular game with serious pool players. This billiards game will help to make a solid player out of you. Players can shoot any ball into any pocket on the table as long as they call the pocket – no slop is allowed. When there is one ball left on the pool table, that ball and the cue ball stay in position. When a new rack begins, that final ball from the previous game must be pocketed and the rack broken with the cue ball on the same shot.
While it’s still played, straight pool is less popular now due to the amount of time it takes. Because it involves clearing many racks from the pool table to complete a game, play takes a long time, even between skilled players.
It’s not uncommon for players to be able to run over 100 balls in Straight Pool. With over 520 balls, a player named Willie Mosconi holds the record for the most balls pocketed without missing a shot – which includes breaking each new rack while pocketing the last ball from the previous rack. No one else has ever come close to beating this record although another player named John Schmidt recently ran 400 balls.
Cut Throat is a three player game. One player targets balls 1-5, another targets 6-10, and the third targets 11-15. The goal for this game is to target the other players balls so you can be the last one with a ball on the table.