Pool (cue sports)
A group of cue sports played on a six-pocket billiard table.
Pool is a category of cue sports conducted on a billiard table equipped with six pockets positioned along the rails, into which players shoot balls. Among the numerous variations, the most widely played include eight-ball, blackball, nine-ball, ten-ball, seven-ball, straight pool, one-pocket, and bank pool. Eight-ball is the most frequently played discipline and is often considered synonymous with the term "pool." The broader classification "pocket billiards" is sometimes used, particularly by industry bodies, but technically encompasses games such as snooker, Russian pyramid, and kaisa, which are not referred to as pool. Hybrid games combining elements of pool and carom billiards also exist, including American four-ball billiards, bottle pool, cowboy pool, and English billiards.
The etymology of "pool" is uncertain. The Oxford English Dictionary suggests it may derive from the French word "poule," meaning hen, referencing a medieval game where participants pooled money and threw stones at a live chicken. Alternatively, it may come from the verb "to pool," meaning to combine stakes. The earliest known use of "pool" for a billiards-like game appeared in a Virginia newspaper in 1797. Historically, in the British Empire, "pool" specifically referred to the game of life pool. As the sport gained popularity in the United States, the term stuck to all new pocket billiard games, while the cue sports industry has long favored the more formal term "pocket billiards."
Modern pool games, with the exception of one-pocket, descend from two English games imported to the United States during the 19th century. The first was English billiards, which evolved into American four-ball billiards by adding an extra red ball to increase scoring. This game dominated mid-19th-century billiards until replaced by the carom game straight rail; its last professional tournament was held in 1876, with cowboy pool as a surviving descendant. The second and more influential game was pyramid pool, which by 1850 had a variant called fifteen-ball pool. Both were supplanted by continuous pool in 1888, the immediate forerunner of straight pool (1910). Games introduced around the turn of the 20th century include Kelly pool and eight-ball. The distinctive colored and striped balls appeared by 1889; prior to that, object balls were uniformly deep-red and differentiated only by numbers. English pyra
- equipment_table_size
- 3.5 by 7 feet to 4.5 by 9 feet
- ball_diameter
- 2.25 inches (57.15 mm)
- most_popular_game
- eight-ball
- governing_body
- World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA)
Lore & Background
The etymology of 'pool' is uncertain, with the Oxford English Dictionary speculating it derives from the French 'poule' (hen), referring to a medieval game where participants pooled money to throw stones at a live chicken. Alternatively, it may come from the verb 'to pool' meaning to combine stakes. In the British Empire, 'pool' specifically referred to life pool for much of the 19th to early 20th century. The term first appeared in print describing a billiards-like game in a 1797 Virginia newspaper. Today, pool encompasses a group of cue sports played on a six-pocket billiard table, with eight-ball being the most frequently played discipline. Other popular games include blackball, nine-ball, ten-ball, seven-ball, straight pool, one-pocket, and bank pool. The generic term pocket billiards is sometimes used but technically includes games like snooker and Russian pyramid, which are not considered pool. Modern pool tables range in size from approximately 7 to 9 feet long. Official balls weigh between 5.5 and 6 ounces with a diameter of 2.25 inches, plus or minus 0.005 inches. Coin-operated tables often use a larger, heavier, or magnetically cored cue ball to separate it from numbered balls. Cue sticks are generally 57 to 58 inches long, shorter than snooker cues but longer than carom billiards cues. The distinctive colored and striped ball sets appeared by 1889; before that, object balls were uniformly deep-red and differentiated only by numbers. Most modern pool games descend from two English imports: English billiards (which became American four-ball billiards) and pyramid pool, which led to fifteen-ball pool and later continuous pool and straight pool.
Reader's Guide
Pool games today, with the exception of one-pocket, descend from two English games imported to the United States during the 19th century: English billiards (which became American four-ball billiards) and pyramid pool. Eight-ball appeared at the beginning of the 20th century and is now the most frequently played discipline. The distinctive colored and striped balls appeared by 1889, replacing uniformly deep-red object balls. Nine-ball is the predominant professional game, with major tournaments including the US Open Nine-ball Championship and the Mosconi Cup.
Did You Know?
- The Oxford English Dictionary speculates 'pool' may derive from the French 'poule' (hen), from a medieval game involving throwing stones at a live chicken.
- The distinctive striped and solid ball colors were introduced by 1889; before that, object balls were uniformly deep-red.
- Eight-ball is the most frequently played pool game and is often thought of as synonymous with 'pool'.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pool in the context of cue sports?
Pool is a family of cue sports played on a billiard table with six pockets, where players use a cue stick to strike balls into those pockets. It is distinct from carom billiards, which is played on a table without pockets.
What are the most popular pool games?
Eight-ball, nine-ball, and straight pool are the three most widely played pool disciplines. Eight-ball is so dominant that the word 'pool' is often used as a shorthand specifically for that game.
What are the standard dimensions of pool equipment?
A standard pool table ranges from 3.5 by 7 feet up to 4.5 by 9 feet, and the balls measure 2.25 inches in diameter while weighing between 5.5 and 6 ounces. A modern cue stick is typically 58.5 inches long.
Who governs competitive pool worldwide?
The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) acts as the international governing body, establishing official rules and sanctioning competitive pool events across the globe.
Where did pool originate historically?
Pool's lineage traces to 19th-century English cue games that were imported to the United States, where they evolved into the distinct pocket-based disciplines recognized today.
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