| Billiards is a game you can play on a snooker | | | | lowest to highest. If you pocket a ball, you |
| table - but, arguably, it's much easier and | | | | get an extra turn, but if you miss, or hit or |
| more fun than snooker itself. Eight-ball | | | | pocket the wrong ball (including the white), |
| billiards, especially, is one of those games | | | | it's a foul, and you miss a turn. |
| that you can just pick up and play with only | | | | |
| a little explanation, and you can often find | | | | Once one player has pocketed all their balls, |
| tables for it in pubs and bars. | | | | they get to shoot for the eight-ball. This is |
| | | | a very tense shot, as putting it in will win |
| Eight-ball billiards is actually played with | | | | you the game, while missing gives your |
| 16 balls: one white cue ball, seven | | | | opponent a chance to catch up. Also, there's |
| solid-coloured balls (numbers 1 to 7), seven | | | | one final twist: if you pocket the eight-ball |
| striped balls (numbers 9 to 15) and one black | | | | without first pocketing all your striped or |
| ball. The name of the game comes from the | | | | solid balls, you lose the game on the spot! |
| fact that the black ball is the most | | | | Harsh, yes; frustrating, yes - but also very |
| important ball, and its number is 8 - making | | | | entertaining at times. |
| it the eight-ball. | | | | |
| | | | As long as you're careful to play against |
| To start the game, you and your opponent both | | | | someone who is as new as you, you should have |
| hit a ball as hard as you can to the other | | | | a good time - although you might want to go |
| end of the table. Whoever's ball goes the | | | | at a quiet time, as better players might find |
| furthest gets the first go and so gets to | | | | it frustrating to watch beginners play so |
| pick whether they want the solid balls or the | | | | slowly on their table. Have fun playing |
| striped balls. The players then take it in | | | | billiards! |
| turns to pocket their balls in number order, | | | | |