Do you love playing pool? Do you love hanging out with your friends and talking about the game for hours on end? Or maybe youג€™re more of a solo player. Regardless of your passion for the game, everyone who plays needs to know some basic pool table etiquette.
And why not? After all, thereג€™s probably someone in your family who knows a lot about the sport and can pass it along to you. Of course, if theyג€™re anything like us, they might have forgotten just how much they know by this point. You see, we are not experts at playing billiards or pool ג€“ in fact, we would go as far as saying we are clueless! But that doesnג€™t mean that anyone who is interested shouldnג€™t learn from us and become an expert at their own pace. With that being said, let us introduce you to what we consider to be the essentials when it comes to playing pool with others ג€“ other people! And if that doesnג€™t excite you enough then read onג€¦
What does putting a coin on a pool table mean?
Have you ever seen someone put a coin on the side of a pool table? Well, what they are doing is placing their coin on the end of the cue stick. The purpose is to mark where they want to shoot the ball.
What are the basic rules of billiards?
There are a few basic rules of billiards that need to be followed before you even step on the table. For example, you canג€™t play with a broken cue stick or make contact with any part of your body above the shoulder in order to gain an advantage. If these rules are not followed, players may end up being penalized by the referee or simply disqualified from the game.
A couple more rules include the following:
ג—_x008f_ You must always call your shots ג€“ this means that you must let everyone know when youג€™re about to shoot.
ג—_x008f_ You cannot shoot at anything outside of playing area and ball is considered in play until it goes into pocket.
ג—_x008f_ It is considered bad manners if players donג€™t use proper etiquette when assisting someone else with their shot
ג—_x008f_ No one should ever take a break without first informing their opponent
ג—_x008f_ Players should never hinder another player’s shot by pushing them or holding them back
ג—_x008f_ The players who are playing on both sides of the table should stay out of each other’s way during a game
ג—_x008f_ One player should not touch anything on the table while they’re shooting
What is the 3 rail rule in pool?
The 3 rail rule is one of the most important rules when playing pool. It can be found on every pool table and it basically states that the cue ball must touch the foot rail and the head rail before it touches another ball. This means that if you want to shoot a ball into a pocket, you should first hit the cue ball off of a foot rail and then hit it off of a head rail in order to ensure that your shot is legal.
This rule is actually pretty easy to follow because if youג€™re following along with your pool stick as you attempt to line up your shot, the 3 rails will be right next to each other. Along those same lines, this rule also applies when shooting at the striped balls or any object on the table.
What should you check on a pool table?
As with any game, itג€™s important to know what you need to check before playing. In the case of pool, that means checking the table cloth first. You see, a dirty cloth can cause a lot of problems. If there are dirt particles on the cloth, they could get into your playerג€™s hands and cause cuts or scratches. That would be bad!
