GAMES & RULES

Games & Rules

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Play Snooker

We welcome all playing levels, so whether you’re a first-timer or want to get back on the old green gal, we’re here for you!

Snooker can be played for the simple enjoyment or at a competitive level. Our table attracts players of different abilities, so beginners might learn a thing or two under our roof with resident superstar - Themba!


How To Play…


You start by having fifteen red balls racked up in a nice triangular form, pot one of those and you’re up and running.


After one red has been potted, you have an option to pot a coloured ball. There are six of these ranging from a yellow worth two points, up to a black worth seven. Pot one of these and you’re back onto a red.


Do this roughly fifteen times without missing and we recommend you get yourself an agent and turn pro! But if you do miss potting either a red or a coloured it’s your opponent’s turn on the table.


If you have any questions about how to play, our friendly staff will be on hand to answer any questions.


The Basics…

  1. Set up the table as per the picture
  2. The Break – Player A must place the white ball in the D and hit the pack of reds; this is the start of the frame.
  3. After the break, player B must try and pot a red ball. If player B pots a red ball, player B must then attempt to pot a colour ball. Points are then built up by potting a red followed by a colour of the player’s choice (the colour must be placed back on its original spot after it has been potted). When player B fails to pot, it is now player A’s turn.
  4. The point’s value of each score is as follows:
  5. 1 point = Red
  6. 2 points = Yellow
  7. 3 points = Green
  8. 4 points = Brown
  9. 5 points = Blue
  10. 6 points = Pink
  11. 7 points = Black
  12. Players A & B continue to take turns until the table is cleared or until one of the players is too far in front to be caught and the other player concedes the frame.
  13. When all 15 reds have been potted, the colours must then be potted in order of value – lowest first.
  14. You can also win points if your opponent commits a foul, these include;
  15. Hitting/potting a ball which you are not supposed to hit or missing all balls on table
  16. A ball jumping off the table
  17. Potting the white ball
  18. The value of a foul is -4 points, but if you foul on a higher value ball then the value of the foul is the value of that ball. E.G. pink is six points so you’d get deducted 6 points.


If you want a quick game you can, remove the back two rows of reds after racking and play with six reds. All other rules apply.

Play English Pool

English pool is a common name for varieties of eight-ball pool played on tables of either 6ft or 7ft in length – shorter than the international standard.


8-BALL POOL RULES

  1. Set up the rack like the illustration above
  2. The Break - Player A must place the white ball behind the line and hit the pack. A minimum of four balls must hit a cushion otherwise it is a foul break.
  3. If player A pots on the break when they are on that colour for the rest of the game. If player A pots both colours, then player A can choose which colour they want.
  4. If no balls are potted off the break, then the table is open for player B to attempt to pot a colour of choice. Once either player pots a ball, they remain on that colour and the same player gets another shot. When that player misses, the other player takes a turn and this continues until one player clears all their balls and the eight-ball. The eight-ball must be the last ball potted to win the game.
  5. In the event of a foul, the opposing player receives two shots and these shots carry (i.e. if a ball is potted on the first shot, the player still has two shots). When a player gets two shots, they can pick up the white ball and place it anywhere behind the line.
  6. The following shots are classed as fouls: 
  7. Hitting a ball which you are not supposed to hit (i.e. opposition colour or the eight-ball out of sequence) or missing all the balls on the table.
  8. Potting a ball which you are not supposed to pot. (i.e. opposition colour)
  9. A ball jumping off the table.
  10. Potting the white ball.
  11. If the eight-ball is potted before a player’s colours are potted, that player loses the game.
  12. When on the eight-ball, if the player pots it but also fouls, that player loses the game.

Play American Pool

Want to know the best thing about Pool? It’s easy to look like a pro, it’s fun and anyone can play! 


8-BALL POOL RULES

  1. Set up the rack like the illustration above.
  2. The first player hits the cue ball into the rack. This is known as the break. 4 of the balls in the rack must bounce off the cushion. Anything less and it's a foul – time to re-rack.
  3. The objective of the game is to pot either the spot or striped balls using the cue ball. If none of them end up in the pockets following the break, then the two players exchange shots until one of them drops. If a player pots a stripe, then the striped balls are now allocated to that player. It becomes that player's objective to pot all the stripes and then eventually the black ball in order to win. Vice versa with the spots.
  4. If a player fails to pot, the opposing player comes to the table. Keep potting the right balls and you'll stay at the table.
  5. A foul can occur in a number of ways and results in the opposing player having the ball in hand (meaning that they can place the cue ball anywhere on the table for their next shot).
  6. A foul can be given for failing to hit any ball on the table with the cue ball, hitting the cue ball into a ball that isn't designated to you before any other one or potting the cue ball accidentally. 
  7. A player will automatically lose the match if they accidentally pot the black ball before they've potted all of their designated balls or if they pot the cue ball and black ball in the same shot. Hitting the black ball off the table is another way to immediately hand your opponent victory.
  8. The game can also be played in pairs. Good luck!


There’s also an exciting format of the game known as nine-ball pool. As the name suggests, the game is played with just nine balls (plus the cue ball) instead of the usual 15. The objective is to pot each consecutive ball based on its number. So starting at one and ending with nine. The winner is the player that legally pots the nine-ball once all others are down.


The nine-ball version of pool is popular at pro-level with the annual Mosconi Cup contested between the best players in Europe and USA in what is known as the Ryder Cup of pool.


Here’s a brief explanation: 


9 BALL-POOL RULES

  1. Rack the balls in a diamond. one at the top, nine in the middle. The remaining balls can be placed randomly in the rack.
  2. You have to hit the one ball first. Pot a ball & you keep going. Fail to pot and your turn is over.
  3. If you foul, your opponent gets the white ball in hand and can place it anywhere on the table (one shot only).
  4. If you don’t have a clear shot at the lowest number ball after the break, tell your opponent you are playing a push out shot. Hit the white ball anywhere on the table. You don’t have to hit another ball but it’s OK if you do.
  5. You opponent either takes the next shot, or asks you to play the next shot.
  6. Pot the balls in number order. Miss a pot and it’s your opponent’s turn to pick up where you left off.
  7. The nine ball should be the last ball on the table - whoever pots it wins!
  8. Potting the nine ball in a combination shot wins too, as long as the first ball you hit is the lowest number ball on the table.


So there you have it, you can play both 8-ball and 9-ball on our tables. As with all our tables, standards are well kept and cloths are replaced regularly to ensure that you experience the best playing conditions out there.

There are various versions of 8-ball rules, one of which is blackball.

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