Billiards vs. Pool — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 30, 2023
Billiards typically refers to carom billiards with no pockets, while pool (pocket billiards) involves sinking balls into pockets on a table.
Difference Between Billiards and Pool
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Billiards, often known as carom billiards, is played on a table without pockets. The game typically involves three balls: two cue balls (one for each player) and one object ball. In contrast, pool, or pocket billiards, is played on a table with six pockets, and the objective is to sink balls into these pockets.
In billiards, players score points by carom, which means striking both the object ball and the opponent's cue ball in one shot. Pool games, however, have varied objectives depending on the specific game type, such as 8-ball or 9-ball, but all involve pocketing balls.
The equipment used in billiards and pool also differs. Billiards tables are slightly larger and have a different surface compared to pool tables, which are smaller and have marked spots and pockets. The cues and balls used in both games also vary in size and weight.
The rules and strategies of billiards and pool are distinct. Billiards players focus on the angles and carom shots, requiring precision and control. Pool players, on the other hand, need skills in pocketing balls and often use strategies involving defensive play.
While both billiards and pool are cue sports and share some similarities, they are different in their table design, equipment, rules, and gameplay objectives, offering unique challenges and requiring specific skill sets.
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Comparison Chart
Table Design
No pockets, larger surface.
Six pockets, smaller surface with markings.
Objective
Scoring points by carom shots.
Sinking balls into pockets.
Balls
Typically three balls (two cue, one object).
Varies (e.g., 15 in 8-ball, 9 in 9-ball).
Scoring
Based on successful carom shots.
Based on pocketed balls and game-specific rules.
Strategy
Focus on angles and precision.
Includes pocketing and defensive play.
Compare with Definitions
Billiards
A cue sport played on a table without pockets.
They spent the evening mastering intricate shots in billiards.
Pool
A variety of pocket billiards with different games like 8-ball and 9-ball.
He excelled in pool, especially in 9-ball tournaments.
Billiards
A traditional cue sport emphasizing skill and strategy.
Her knowledge of angles made her a formidable billiards player.
Pool
A game played on a marked table with six pockets.
The pool hall was busy with players practicing on different tables.
Billiards
A precision table game using two cue balls and one object ball.
The billiards champion demonstrated extraordinary control over the cue ball.
Pool
A small body of still water.
Billiards
A competitive sport focused on striking balls without pocketing.
The tournament featured some of the world's best billiards players.
Pool
An accumulation of standing liquid; a puddle
A pool of blood.
Billiards
A game involving carom shots to score points.
He scored impressively in billiards by executing a difficult carom.
Pool
A deep or still place in a stream.
Billiards
A two-player cue sport played with two cue balls and one red ball, on a snooker sized table.
Pool
A swimming pool.
Billiards
Any of various games played on a tabletop, usually with several balls, one or more of which is hit by a cue.
Pool
An underground accumulation of petroleum or gas in porous sedimentary rock.
Billiards
A game played with ivory balls o a cloth-covered, rectangular table, bounded by elastic cushions. The player seeks to impel his ball with his cue so that it shall either strike (carom upon) two other balls, or drive another ball into one of the pockets with which the table sometimes is furnished.
Pool
A game of chance, resembling a lottery, in which the contestants put staked money into a common fund that is later paid to the winner.
Billiards
Any of several games played on rectangular cloth-covered table (with cushioned edges) in which long tapering cue sticks are used to propel ivory (or composition) balls
Pool
A fund containing all the money bet in a game of chance or on the outcome of an event.
Pool
A supply, as of vehicles or workers, available for use by a group.
Pool
A group of journalists who cover an event and then by agreement share their reports with participating news media
The White House press pool.
Pool
A mutual fund established by a group of stockholders for speculating in or manipulating prices of securities.
Pool
The persons or parties participating in such a fund.
Pool
A grouping of assets, such as mortgages, that serves as a basis for the issuing of securities.
Pool
An agreement between competing business concerns to establish controls over production, market, and prices for common profit.
Pool
Any of several games played on a six-pocket billiards table usually with 15 object balls and a cue ball. Also called pocket billiards.
Pool
To form pools or a pool
The receding tide pooled in hollows along the shore.
Pool
To accumulate in a body part
Preventing blood from pooling in the limbs.
Pool
To put into a pool, as for common use
Let's pool our resources to finish the project quickly.
Pool
To join or form a pool.
Pool
A small and rather deep area of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream or river; a reservoir for water.
The pools of Solomon
Pool
Any small body of standing or stagnant water; a puddle.
Pool
Ellipsis of swimming pool
Pool
A supply of resources.
There is a limited pool of candidates from which to choose the new manager.
Dating pool
Pool
A set of resources that are kept ready to use.
Pool
A small amount of liquid on a surface.
A pool of blood
Pool
A localized glow of light.
Pool
A game at billiards, in which each of the players stakes a certain sum, the winner taking the whole; also, in public billiard rooms, a game in which the loser pays the entrance fee for all who engage in the game.
Pool
(sport) A cue sport played on a pool table. There are 15 balls, 7 of one colour, 7 of another, and the black ball (also called the 8 ball). A player must pocket all their own colour balls and then the black ball in order to win.
Pool
In rifle shooting, a contest in which each competitor pays a certain sum for every shot he makes, the net proceeds being divided among the winners.
Pool
(fencing) A group of fencers taking part in a competition.
Pool
Any gambling or commercial venture in which several persons join.
Pool
The stake played for in certain games of cards, billiards, etc.; an aggregated stake to which each player has contributed a share; also, the receptacle for the stakes.
Pool
A combination of persons contributing money to be used for the purpose of increasing or depressing the market price of stocks, grain, or other commodities; also, the aggregate of the sums so contributed.
The pool took all the wheat offered below the limit.
He put $10,000 into the pool.
Pool
A set of players in quadrille etc.
Pool
(rail transport) A mutual arrangement between competing lines, by which the receipts of all are aggregated, and then distributed pro rata according to agreement.
Pool
(legal) An aggregation of properties or rights, belonging to different people in a community, in a common fund, to be charged with common liabilities.
Pool
To form a pool.
Pool
(transitive) To put together; contribute to a common fund, on the basis of a mutual division of profits or losses; to make a common interest of.
We must pool our resources.
Pool
(intransitive) To combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial, speculative, or gambling transaction.
Pool
A small and rather deep collection of (usually) fresh water, as one supplied by a spring, or occurring in the course of a stream; a reservoir for water; as, the pools of Solomon.
Charity will hardly water the ground where it must first fill a pool.
The sleepy pool above the dam.
Pool
A small body of standing or stagnant water; a puddle.
Pool
The stake played for in certain games of cards, billiards, etc.; an aggregated stake to which each player has contributed a snare; also, the receptacle for the stakes.
Pool
A game at billiards, in which each of the players stakes a certain sum, the winner taking the whole; also, in public billiard rooms, a game in which the loser pays the entrance fee for all who engage in the game; a game of skill in pocketing the balls on a pool table.
He plays pool at the billiard houses.
Pool
In rifle shooting, a contest in which each competitor pays a certain sum for every shot he makes, the net proceeds being divided among the winners.
Pool
Any gambling or commercial venture in which several persons join.
Pool
A combination of persons contributing money to be used for the purpose of increasing or depressing the market price of stocks, grain, or other commodities; also, the aggregate of the sums so contributed; as, the pool took all the wheat offered below the limit; he put $10,000 into the pool.
Pool
A mutual arrangement between competing lines, by which the receipts of all are aggregated, and then distributed pro rata according to agreement.
Pool
An aggregation of properties or rights, belonging to different people in a community, in a common fund, to be charged with common liabilities.
Pool
To put together; to contribute to a common fund, on the basis of a mutual division of profits or losses; to make a common interest of; as, the companies pooled their traffic.
Finally, it favors the poolingof all issues.
Pool
To combine or contribute with others, as for a commercial, speculative, or gambling transaction.
Pool
An excavation that is (usually) filled with water
Pool
A small lake;
The pond was too small for sailing
Pool
An organization of people or resources that can be shared;
A car pool
A secretarial pool
When he was first hired he was assigned to the pool
Pool
An association of companies for some definite purpose
Pool
Any communal combination of funds;
Everyone contributed to the pool
Pool
A small body of standing water (rainwater) or other liquid;
There were puddles of muddy water in the road after the rain
The body lay in a pool of blood
Pool
The combined stakes of the betters
Pool
Something resembling a pool of liquid;
He stood in a pool of light
His chair sat in a puddle of books and magazines
Pool
Any of various games played on a pool table having 6 pockets
Pool
Combine into a common fund;
We pooled resources
Pool
Join or form a pool of people
Pool
A popular cue sport with the objective of sinking balls into pockets.
They spent hours playing pool, improving their aiming skills.
Pool
A cue sport requiring skill in pocketing and strategic play.
Her strategic approach to pool often caught opponents off guard.
Pool
A recreational and competitive sport involving balls and a cue stick.
The pool competition attracted players from across the region.
Common Curiosities
How many balls are used in a standard game of billiards?
Three balls: two cue balls and one object ball.
Are the rules of billiards complex?
They can be intricate, focusing on carom shots and precise ball control.
What is the main difference between billiards and pool?
Billiards is played on a pocketless table, focusing on carom shots, while pool involves pocketing balls on a table with pockets.
What's the most common pool game?
8-ball is one of the most widely played variations of pool.
Do billiards and pool require different skills?
Yes, each game requires specific skills; billiards emphasizes precision and angles, while pool focuses on pocketing and strategy.
Is pool more popular than billiards?
Pool tends to be more popular in many regions, especially in casual and recreational settings.
Can a billiards table be used for pool?
Not typically, as billiards tables don't have pockets.
Are the cues different in billiards and pool?
Yes, cues can vary in length and tip design between the two games.
Can the same techniques be used in both billiards and pool?
While there's overlap, each game has unique techniques and strategies.
What sizes are pool tables available in?
Pool tables commonly range from 7 to 9 feet in length.
Can beginners play billiards?
Yes, but it may require more practice due to its emphasis on precision.
Can pool be played in different formats?
Yes, there are several formats like 8-ball, 9-ball, and straight pool.
Is there professional competition for both games?
Yes, there are professional competitions and leagues for both billiards and pool.
Are chalk and other accessories used similarly in both games?
Yes, accessories like chalk, racks, and cue tips are used in both, with slight variations.
Is age a factor in playing billiards or pool?
Both games can be enjoyed by a wide range of ages.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
