Photograph Credit: williamfuentes.com

Pool is the shortest version of classic game enjoyed by many for centuries i.e. English Billiards or Snooker. It retains its original six-pocket table but the size of table is shortened and has fifteen different colored balls and one white ball (the cue ball). The fifteen balls are also distinguished by stripes or solids.

In pool, there are a variety of games that can be played. The major ones include 8-ball, 9-ball, rotation and straight pool. In 9-ball, all the balls on the table are solids except for the nine ball. Each ball is pocketed consecutively; however the nine ball maybe pocketed without completing all eight solids if it is pocketed in a combination shot. Rotation is very similar to 9-ball except the players need to pocket all 15 solids/stripes and there is no short way of winning through a combination shot. And the foul penalties for rotation is much more strict. The number on the ball is its point value and once a player has reached a certain amount of points which cannot be reached by the other, he/she wins the game. Straight pool is a very liberal game and each player pockets any ball on the table. The player(s) with the most ball pocketed when a set maximum is reached wins. The 8-ball game’s objective is to take 8 ball after completing your colour which is either solid or striped.