Billiards is one of the most colorful indoor games. The greenboard with the colorful balls on it appears truly attractive. Players also need Pool Cues to take part in this game. The colorful balls are also known as ‘pool balls’; the logic being the pocket game in USA is commonly known as ‘pool’.

The balls come in sparkling hues like blue, crimson, yellow, purple, orange, green, maroon and some very interesting blend of balls. The arrangements of balls include white and blue, white and orange, white and crimson, white and yellow and white and purple. The colorful balls stand out truly well on the green-colored table. The weights of the balls also vary. Each ball has a number. Self-hues balls are called ‘solids’ and the bi-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 with blue and white arrangement with number ten while the arrangement of white and green balls has number fourteen. The balls have different names according to the hues. The name given to the white ball and the yellow ball or the white ball marked 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 trainee players are marked with target rings. The beginner can examine the angle soundly where the ball or balls should be hit. This is not needed for the professional players because they can examine the weight of the balls and strike the balls at exact angles.

The balls are held in stock in a ball stand when the game is not being played. In carom game the balls continue to stay on the board. While a match of pocket goes on, the balls entering the pockets are collected through the duct to be replayed. Earlier, 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 expensive. Nowadays, top quality polyester and acrylic or Phenolin resin are used to manufacturethe balls. The balls can bear hard shots and they do not break off or crack.

The most played match is the 8-ball game. It has gained such a high popularity that to a layman a match signifies 8-ball game. In fact, it is one of the many games played. The games have two wider divisions carom game and pocket game. The carom game is played on pool tables 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 match. Pocketmatch is played on a six-pocketed board. In this match as per the rules of the match, 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 a highly interesting and challenging indoor game and requires a lot of patience. People, who like to play indoor games, should certainly try out any one of the variations.