How do you play English billiards?
B · Beginner · The game · 1 of 3English billiards uses three balls: a white for one player, a yellow for the other and a red. Points come from a pot, an in-off (the cue-ball entering a pocket off another ball) or a cannon (the cue-ball hitting both other balls). A player keeps playing while scoring. A game is to a set score or a set time.
How it works
- Three balls: a white and a yellow (or a spot white), one for each player, and a red.
- The cue-ball: each player always strikes their own ball.
- Pot: an object ball is knocked into a pocket.
- In-off: the cue-ball goes into a pocket after hitting another ball.
- Cannon: the cue-ball hits both other balls in one stroke.
- The break: a player keeps the turn while scoring.
- Fouls and misses: give points to the opponent.
- Winning: most points in a set time, or first to a set number of points.
The glossary has English billiards, the cue-ball, the pot, the in-off, the cannon and the break.
Tricky cases
Is billiards the same as pool?
No. English billiards uses three balls and scores in-offs and cannons as well as pots. Pool uses fifteen object balls and scores only by potting.
Does each player have their own ball?
Yes. One plays with the white and the other with the yellow or spot white, for the whole game.
Can a player score without potting anything?
Yes. A cannon, hitting both object balls, scores two points, and an in-off scores by sending the cue-ball into a pocket.
Does the same table serve for snooker?
Yes. The table is the same size and shape. Only the balls and the rules differ.
Why the rule exists
Billiards is older than snooker and rewards control more than potting. With only three balls on the table, the skill lies in leaving the balls where the next score is easy, stroke after stroke. That is why long breaks, sometimes of hundreds of points, are the mark of the best players.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| English billiards | Three balls; pots, in-offs and cannons | WPBSA Billiards 3.1 |
| Snooker | Twenty-two balls; pots only | WPBSA Snooker 3.1 |
| Pool | Fifteen object balls on a smaller table | C |
| Carom billiards | No pockets | C |
From the rule book
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, Official Rules of the Games of Snooker and English Billiards (May 2022 update), English Billiards part, English Billiards Section 2 and Section 3 Rule 1. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the association's rule book, which covers snooker and English billiards together.