Pool table, snooker table, billiard table: people use the three names for the same thing all the time, and in New Zealand “billiard table” usually just means a pool table. But they are different games on different tables. Here is the difference in plain English, and which one makes sense for a home.
Pool
Pool is the game most Kiwis grow up playing at the pub or a mate’s place. The table has six pockets and the most common game, eight-ball, uses 15 numbered or coloured balls plus the white cue ball. Home pool tables come in 7ft, 8ft and 9ft, and the balls are 2¼ inches (57 mm) across. Games are quick, easy to learn, and fun for any skill level, which is why pool is what most people want at home.
Snooker
Snooker is played on a much bigger table: a full-size snooker table is 12ft by 6ft. It uses 22 smaller balls (15 reds, six colours and the white), and the pockets are tighter with rounded edges, so potting is harder. Frames take a lot longer than a game of pool. Snooker is brilliant to watch and to master, but a full-size table needs a room close to 7 metres long once you allow space to swing a cue.
Billiards
Strictly speaking, English billiards is its own game, played on a snooker table with just three balls: two cue balls and a red. You score by potting, going in off another ball, and cannons. It is rarely played at home now. In everyday speech, especially in NZ and America, “billiards” and “billiard table” have come to mean pool and a pool table, which is why you will see some of our pool tables called billiard tables.
The quick comparison
| Pool | Snooker | English billiards | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Table size | 7ft, 8ft or 9ft | Full size 12ft × 6ft | Played on a snooker table |
| Balls | 15 + white (eight-ball) | 15 reds, 6 colours + white | 3 (two cue balls, one red) |
| Pockets | 6, generous | 6, tighter and rounded | 6, as snooker |
| Game length | Quick | Long frames | Long |
| Best for | Home, family, friends | Dedicated players with a big room | Traditionalists |
Which one should you get for home?
For almost every home, pool is the answer. The table fits in a normal rumpus room, garage or even the dining room, everyone can pick it up in a few minutes, and a game takes ten minutes rather than an hour. That is why we sell pool tables rather than snooker tables.
- For family fun on a budget: the Viper 8ft at $1,599, in four colours.
- For a smaller space, or a table that doubles as a dining table: the Millstone, from $1,599, with the dining top included.
- For serious players: a slate table like the Boston or Vegas, from $5,299, which plays like the tables at a pool hall.
Still deciding on size? Our room size guide and 8ft vs 9ft guide will help.
