Bar billiards is played on a special bar billiards table without side and corner pockets, but with 9 holes in the playing surface which are assigned certain point values (from 10 to 200).

There are 8 balls for play - seven white and one red. Potting the red ball in any hole scores double points.

On the playfield are normally placed three pegs - two white pegs, one either side of the 100 hole, and one black peg in front of the '200' hole. If a white peg is knocked over then the player's break is ended and all score acquired during that break is discarded. Knocking down the black peg ends the player's break and all points are lost. In the case that a white and a black peg are both knocked over, then only the first peg to be knocked over is used.

A white ball is placed on a starting spot, then another ball (the red ball, if available) will be placed on a spot a few inches in front of that. Players take alternate turns at the table, the 'turn' being known as a 'break. If the player fails to pot a ball then the break has ended and the second player takes his break by placing another ball on the first spot.

More info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_billiards

A picture of the table:


A video of the game being played:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrcbWslU8UE

Thoughts?

nice idea, if this was to be added it would have to replace carom

No it wouldn't its a completly different game all together.

I came across it while looking at the 5 grand snooker table on argos. Noticed a bar billiards table on there for about a grand.

I've played it once before and quite enjoyed it. It was online somewhere. few years ago.

it would be a nice addition to the site and a change of atmosphere, i like it.

JUst like to add, the pockets are only just bigger than the balls. Making the game more to do with accuracy and skill.

It looks as if it would be far to easy to master

There are a few threads inc and one very recent one on pool regarding bar billiards and I think it would be an excellent addition.

Have a look at the pool thred to see some youtube clips what give you a better idea of how it plays in reality

i think straight snooker, should be the next addition though

Yep, definatly agree with extreme. Bar billiards is a past time and is no longer played because it is not very popular. Straight snooker would be a much more valued addition IMO

Straight is a pool game though so why bring it over onto a snooker table? Pointless IMO is straight snooker.

Why? On a killer table it would be much more interesting than bar billiards. It also be great bas there is no highest possible run.

Carom doesn't have a highest possible run either. So the site aint missing that aspect.

Plus why does it have to be on the arcade table like everything else?

However, just been thinking of a made up variation which is snooker and straight combined.

Say on the regular table, have the normal set up of balls (including colours) but have 10 reds. Then you can build up a break. But once the last red is potted and your on a colour, the 10 reds get re-racked, and any colours where the rack is meant to go, go on their spots or whatever spots they can go on, if not below them like they do on a proper game, and the white would go back in the "D" area.

Then you have the colour in which to go for to go into the reds to split them up, and the process carries on.

Personally that sounds a lot better than simply bringing over the straight game.

yeah have it on the regular table, arcade is too easy to pot in my opinion. good idea though damee

English Billiards on original table would be good
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_billiards

Well, i agree with damee fully. Should give it a week trial run or so