Eight-ball(oftenspelled8-balloreightballor8ballor8ballpool,andsometimescalledsolidsandstripes,spotsandstripesintheUK,morerarely,bigsandlittles/smalls,highsandlows,halvesandwholes)isapoolgamepopularinmuchoftheworld,andthesubjectofinternationalprofessionalandamateurcompetition.Playedonabilliardtablewithsixpockets,thegameissouniversallyknowninsomecountriesthatbeginnersareoftenunawareofotherbiliardgamesandbelievetheword"pool"itselfreferstobillar.Thegamehasnumerousvariations,mostlyregional.Standardeight-ballisthesecondmostcompetitiveprofessionalbilhargame,afterbilyar,andforthelastbiliarddecadesaheadofstraightbiliardo.

SnookerisacuesportwhichoriginatedamongBritishArmyofficersinEtawah,Indiainthelaterhalfofthe19thcentury.Itisplayedonarectangulartablecoveredwithagreencloth,orbaize,withpocketsateachofthefourcornersandinthemiddleofeachlongside.Usingacueand22colouredballs,playersmuststrikethewhiteball(or"billard")topottheremainingballsinthecorrectsequence,accumulatingpointsforeachpot.Anindividualgame,orframe,iswonbytheplayerwhoscoresthemostpoints.Amatchiswonwhenaplayerwinsapredeterminednumberofframes.

Nine-ball(sometimeswritten9-ball)isacontemporaryformofpool(pocketbilliards),withhistoricalbeginningsrootedintheUnitedStatesandtraceabletothe1920s.Thegamemaybeplayedinsocialandrecreationalsettingsbyanynumberofplayers(generallyone-on-one)andsubjecttowhateverrulesareagreeduponbeforehand,orinleagueandtournamentsettingsinwhichthenumberofplayersandtherulesaresetbythesponsors.Duringmuchofitshistory,nine-ballhasbeenknownasa"moneygame"inbothprofessionalandrecreationalsettings,buthassincebecomeestablishedasalegitimatealternativetoeightball,straightpoolandothermajorcompetitiongames.