People have been playing billiard sports in bars for quite some time. Most bars these days have some sort of games for their patrons to enjoy, and pool is a popular choice. With a variety of different games, including 9-ball, teams, and traditional pool, a pool table can provide hours of entertainment for bar patrons. Pool tables come in a variety of different sizes and colors, and some bars run what are called quarter tables (usually a dollar a game or so) or rent sets of billiards balls out for an hourly rate, so that customers can enjoy playing for as long as they would like. But pool and other games like billiards or snooker are not enjoyed solely in bars anymore; a lot of people have started purchasing tables for their homes or visit their local pool hall for practice and entertainment.
Pool and Billiards At Home
A great way to practice pool or other billiard games without the hassle of leaving the house or running into waiting for a table at a bar is to play at home. Because pool can be enjoyed by people of all ages, a pool table can make a great addition to a family home. When purchasing a pool table for use at home, there are a number of factors to take into effect. This includes what games will be played? Who will be playing? What size room will the pool table be located in? An eight foot table might not work in a converted bedroom, but would be perfect for a garage or basement set up. Tables come in a number of sizes ranging from seven to ten feet, so there are a multitude of options when deciding on whether a pool table will work at home. Depending on the different heights of the players, a variety of cue stick lengths and weights should be considered as well. Most billiards suppliers offer a variety of different table size options and supplies to fit any family's needs, and with a couple sets of balls, a number of games can be played all on one table.
Pool Hall and Leagues
For those that don't want to commit to home table set-up, a pool hall and leagues are a great option for practicing and building experience on the table. The difference between a bar with pool tables and pool hall is usually the number of tables and the hours of operation. For those that are not old enough to enter bars, a pool hall will usually have family friendly hours so that all ages can enjoy playing billiard games like pool or snooker. This makes them a great start for families considering buying a table of their own. Pool leagues are a good step for more experienced players trying to build their skills and even become competitive pool players; most leagues have a number of experience levels ranging from family leagues to professional level competitive leagues.
Differences Between Pool and Snooker
For players that are familiar with pool, snooker can be a fun way to branch out their billiard game skills. There are a number of differences between snooker and pool, most notably the number of balls and how scores are tallied. In pool, there are seven solid and seven striped balls, and they can be used in a number of ways to play with multiple people. Typically one person will play solids and the other will play stripes. If there are three people, they might divide the balls by number. However in snooker there are twenty two solid color balls, and each of them is worth a different number of points. The tables are similar in size between pool and snooker, but snooker tables can reach a massive twelve feet; the largest table pool is played on is usually a ten foot pro or tournament table.
With so many options to play, billiard games like pool and snooker can be fun for people of all ages. Whether it's a group of friends playing at their local bar, a family playing together at home, or a league meeting up on the weekends to practice and compete, billiard games are a great way to have fun and be competitive.
