At a glance: how the main cue sports compare
| Game | Typical table | Pockets | Balls on the table | Ball size | Most popular in | Learning curve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American pool (US pool) | 7, 8, 9, 10 ft | 6, generous | 15 numbered + cue ball | 57.15 mm | USA, Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Germany, Poland | Easy to start |
| English pool (UK pool) | 6, 7 ft | 6, tight & rounded | 7 red, 7 yellow, black + cue ball | 51 mm | UK, Ireland, Australia, France | Easy to start |
| Snooker | 9, 10, 12 ft | 6, tight & rounded | 15 reds, 6 colours + cue ball | 52.5 mm | UK, China, Ireland, Thailand | Hard to master |
| Carom billiards | 7, 8, 9, 10 ft | None | 3 balls (1 white cue ball, 1 yellow cue ball, 1 red ball) | 61.5 mm | France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, Turkey, South Korea, Vietnam | Hard to master |
| Heyball (Chinese pool) | 7, 8, 9 ft | 6, very tight & rounded | 15 numbered + cue ball | 57.15 mm | China | Hard to master |
| Russian pyramid | 7, 8, 9, 10, 12 ft | 6, extremely tight | 15 numbered white balls + 1 coloured | 68 mm | Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Eastern Europe | Hard to master |
| Novelty tables | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Bars and pool halls | Just for fun |
The seven types of table
American pool (US pool)
The game most people picture when they hear "pool": colourful numbered balls, six generous pockets and fast games of 8-ball or 9-ball. Played everywhere from neighbourhood bars to world championships.
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English pool (UK pool)
The pub classic of Britain and Ireland: a smaller table, tight rounded pockets and reds against yellows. Simple to pick up, surprisingly tactical.
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Snooker
The giant of cue sports: a 12-foot table, 22 balls and a scoring system that rewards long, precise breaks. A huge TV sport in the UK and China.
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Carom billiards
No pockets at all. Players score by making their cue ball hit both other balls, often off three cushions first. A game of angles and spin, loved across Europe, Asia and Latin America.
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Heyball (Chinese pool)
A hybrid born in China: American-style numbered balls on a table with tight, English-style pockets. Fast-growing, with some of the biggest prize funds in pool.
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Russian pyramid
Big balls, huge tables and pockets barely wider than a ball. Russian pyramid is famously unforgiving, and hugely popular across Russia and Eastern Europe.
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Novelty tables
Round and oddly shaped tables, bumper pool and bar billiards. Not built for competition, but great fun on a night out.
Learn more →Which one should I play?
- Never played before? Start with American pool or English pool. The rules take minutes to learn and almost every bar or pool hall has a table.
- Want a real challenge? Try snooker, heyball or Russian pyramid. The tables are bigger, the pockets tighter, and a good break takes years to master.
- Love geometry and spin? Three-cushion carom is all about angles. No pockets, just pure cue-ball control.
- Travelling in China? Look for a heyball club. You'll find them in almost every city.
- Just want a laugh with friends? Look for a novelty table, like bumper pool or bar billiards, at a bar.
Not sure which tables a venue has? Every venue page on PoolTrips lists its table types, number of tables and sizes.
How big is each table, and how much room do you need?
Table sizes range from a 6-foot pub table to a 12-foot snooker table, and the room you need depends as much on the length of the cue, and the space to swing it, as on the table itself. Our table sizes & room size guide compares every size and includes a room size calculator.
Find a venue by table type
PoolTrips lists thousands of venues worldwide, from pool halls and bars to bowling alleys and hotels. Filter by the type of table you want to play on and see what's near you.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between pool and billiards?
"Billiards" is the umbrella term for all cue sports. In everyday use, though, "pool" means games played on a table with six pockets (American or English pool), while "billiards" often refers to carom games played on a table with no pockets. In the UK, "billiards" can also mean English billiards, a traditional game played on a snooker table.
What's the difference between pool and snooker?
Snooker is played on a much bigger table (12 ft against 7–9 ft for pool), with smaller balls, tighter pockets and 22 balls instead of 16. Pool games are usually won by potting a final ball; snooker frames are won on points.
Is English pool the same as 8-ball?
English pool is a form of 8-ball: each player has a group of balls to pot before the black. But it's played on a smaller table with tighter pockets, unnumbered red and yellow balls, and its own rules (blackball or International rules).
What is the hardest cue sport?
Snooker, heyball, Russian pyramid and three-cushion carom are generally considered the hardest to master, because of their large tables, tight pockets (or no pockets) and the precision they demand.
Can I play different games on the same table?
Often, yes. 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball and straight pool are all played on an American pool table. English billiards and snooker share the same table. But you can't play snooker on a pool table or carom on a pocketed table, because the balls, pockets and cloth are all different.