In-off: This occurs when a player strikes their cue ball, hitting another ball and then entering a pocket.If the player’s cue ball strikes the other cue ball resulting it going down the pocket, then this scores two points. A pot: This is when the red ball is struck by the player's cue ball so that the red ends up entering a pocket.A cannon: This is where the cue ball is struck so that it hits the red and other cue ball (in any order) on the same shot.In English Billiards, scoring is as follows: During the game, each player will chalk the end of their cue to ensure there is good contact between the cue and the ball. The last essential piece of equipment is chalk. Players have a cue each which can be made from wood or fibreglass and this is used for striking the balls. Three balls must also be used, one red, one yellow and one white, and each must be 52.5mm in size. The game is played on a table that has exactly the same dimensions (3569 mm x 1778 mm) as a snooker table, and in many places both games are played on the same table.

Players & EquipmentĮnglish Billiards can be played one-vs-one or two-vs-two with the singles version of the game being the most popular. Although not a physical game in any sense of the word, it is a game that requires a tremendous degree of mental dexterity and concentration. Like chess, it’s an immensely tactical game that requires players to think both attacking and defensively at the same time. The object of a game of Billiards is to score more points than your opponent, reaching the agreed amount that is needed to win the game.

2 player billiards game