Pool balls come in different sizes and designs that vary depending on the type of game. Traditionally, billiard balls were made from elephant ivory, but today they are commonly made from phenolic resin.
Billiard balls range in diameter from the largest to the smallest. Billiard ball sizes are Carom at 2 7/16” (61.5 mm), American-style at 2 1/4” (57.15 mm), Snooker 2 1/16” (52.5 mm), and British-style at 2” (51 mm).
Frequently Asked Questions
What are pool balls made of?
Billiard balls today are usually made from phenolic resin, although in the past billiard balls were made from elephant ivory.
How many balls are there in the pool?
Pool is a general term that refers to a variety of different pool games, with the most popular games being nine ball pool and eight ball pool. Nine-ball is played with nine balls in a a diamond rack labeled one through nine. Eight ball is played with fifteen balls in a full triangular rack.
How do you play billiards?
There are many variations of billiards with different playing styles and strategies, but the most common games are straight billiards, rotation games, and eight ball. Straight billiards games allow players to openly shoot any ball on the table to score points. Rotation (nine ball) games require players to shoot the balls in order from one to nine. Eight ball is played with each player shooting at the striped or solid balls until they have hit them all and then they can shoot the eight ball to win.
How do you billiards balls rack.?
The two most common racks for billiard are the diamond rack used in nine ball pool and the full triangle rack used for eight ball pool. Nine ball pool is grouped with one ball at the apex and the nine ball in the center. The group of eight balls is placed on a rack with the eight ball in the center and the other balls arranged randomly with a stripe and a solid in each of the two back corners.