Billiards is one of the most vibrant indoor games. The emeraldboard with the multicolored balls on it appears truly attractive. Players also need Pool Cues to play this game. The colorful balls are also known as ‘pool balls’; the reason being the pocket game in USA is popularly termed as ‘pool’.

The balls are available in sparkling hues like indigo, crimson, yellow, purple, orange, emerald, burgundy and few very appealing blend of balls. The combinations of balls comprise white and indigo, white and orange, white and crimson, white and yellow and white and purple. The bright balls stand out truly fantastic on the green-colored table. The weights of the balls also differ. Each ball has a number. Single-colored balls are called ‘solids’ and the two-colored balls are called ‘stripes’. The numbering of the balls is carried on according to hues. The yellow balls are numbered as one, stripe balls having indigo and white arrangement carry number ten while the arrangement of white and emerald balls has number fourteen. The balls have various names according to the hues. The name given to the white ball and the yellow ball or the white ball pointed by a black dot is ‘cue ball’. The white ‘cue ball’ is used by the initial player while the yellow ball or the white dotted ball is used by the second player. The balls for novice players are pointed with target loops. The beginner can examine the angle very wel where the ball or balls should be hit. This is not required for the expert players because they can examine the weight of the balls and strike the balls at exact angles.

The balls are held in reserve in a ball rack when the game is not being played. In carom game the balls continue to remain on the board. While a competition of pocket goes on, the balls entering the holes are collected through the duct to be replayed. Previously, the balls were made from wood or clay and even ivory. But the ivory balls were not used by the general players as they were very costly. Nowadays, best quality polyester and acrylic or Phenolin resin are used to makethe balls. The balls can bear hard shots and they do not break off or crack.

The most common game is the 8-ball game. It has acquired such a high fame that to a layman a game means 8-ball game. In fact, it is one of the many games played. The games have two broad divisions carom game and pocket game. The carom game is played on pool boards without pockets. Three balls are essential in this type of game. Here the player tries to steer his cue ball in such a way so that he could ‘carom off’ his adversary’s balls, as per demand of the game. Pocketgame is played on a six-pocketed board. In this game as per the regulations of the game, the players aim to pocket the balls into the pockets of the pool board.

Cue pool games has quite a few varieties, like snooker, 8-ball pool- one pocket, 9-ball pool etc. The basic necessities are the same, but the rules, objectives and even the terminology of each is different. It is an extremely fascinating and demanding indoor game and needs a lot of endurance. Persons, who like to play indoor games, should certainly try out any one of the variations.