How to Play Bar Billiards

By Jaques of London · Est. 1795 · Updated 2026-08-17

Bar billiards is a compact table game played on a fixed, pocket-free table fitted with a series of scoring holes and two upright black skittles. Players use a cue to strike small white balls from the baulk end, aiming to pot them into the numbered holes for points. It demands a steady hand and smart positional thinking in a space no bigger than a kitchen table.

The game is a favourite in British pubs and social clubs because a full game is self-timed, turns move quickly, and two or four players can compete on equal terms without any specialist knowledge. The ticking timer gives every frame a natural urgency that card games and darts simply cannot replicate.

A little history

Bar billiards is widely documented as having been introduced to Britain from continental Europe, most likely Belgium or France, during the 1930s, where a similar game called Russian billiards had long been popular. It spread rapidly through English pubs in the years before the Second World War and became firmly established as a pub game in the south and midlands of England in particular. Its ultimate origins beyond continental Europe are unclear, and claims linking it to any single inventor should be treated with caution.

Setting up

1. Place the bar billiards table on a firm, level surface with clear access along the baulk (striking) end.
2. Position the two black skittles in their designated holes on the table surface: one in front of the 200-hole and one in front of the 50-hole, according to the markings on the cloth.
3. Place the white skittle in its hole at the far end of the table, standing upright.
4. Rack the nine white balls and one red ball at the baulk end in the D or in the tray provided, ready for the first player to take.
5. Wind the timer to the agreed duration, commonly 20 minutes, but do not release it until the first shot is struck.
6. Decide the order of play: toss a coin or agree among yourselves. In pairs, teammates alternate shots within each turn.

How to play

1. Players take turns. On your turn, place one ball (white or red) on the baulk spot or anywhere within the D, then strike it up the table with your cue.
2. Your aim is to pot the ball into one of the scoring holes. Holes are marked with values: typically 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, and 200 points, depending on position and difficulty.
3. The red ball scores double the value of any hole it drops into. It is returned to the baulk end for the next player's use after being potted.
4. White balls that are potted are removed from the table permanently and are not returned. Each player or side has a shared pool of nine white balls.
5. The black skittle guards the two highest-value holes. If your ball knocks over a black skittle, your entire score for that round is wiped to zero and the skittle is reset.
6. The white skittle, positioned at the far end, does not wipe your score if knocked over, but it must be reset before the next shot.
7. You may not knock over any skittle with your cue, your hand, or any part of your body during the shot. Only the rolling ball may contact the skittles.
8. If a ball leaves the table entirely it is simply removed from play and no points are scored for that shot.
9. Play continues with players alternating turns until the timer runs out. When the timer bell sounds, the player mid-shot may complete that one shot, then scores are totalled.

Winning and scoring

The player or pair with the highest cumulative score when the timer expires wins the game. There is no target score to reach; the timer determines when scoring ends. In the event of a tie, some venues play a single sudden-death shot each to break it, but there is no universal rule on this and players should agree beforehand. When playing in pairs, each partner's individual shots contribute to the team's combined total.

The fine points

The most common dispute concerns a ball that strikes the table edge and then knocks a skittle over on its way to a hole: the score for the hole stands but the black skittle penalty still applies, wiping that player's total. The ball potting and the skittle falling are judged independently. If a skittle is already leaning or wobbling from a previous shot and falls without being directly touched by the new ball, most house rules treat it as not fallen and it is simply reset with no penalty.

A ball that balances on the lip of a hole and does not drop is not counted as potted. The player must leave it where it sits; they may not touch it to encourage it to fall. On the following turn, any ball that dislodges it and causes it to drop does score the hole value for the player who took that subsequent shot. In competitive play, the question of whether the timer bell counts a shot in progress should be settled before the frame begins, and the standard ruling is that one final shot after the bell is permitted.

How to win more often

• Aim for the 100 and 200 holes early while the white balls are plentiful. Once your pool of balls dwindles, you cannot afford to waste shots on low-value targets.
• Use the red ball tactically. Because it scores double, reserve it for attempts at the highest-value holes when you have a clear line and confident control.
• Learn to keep your striking angle flat and smooth so the ball rolls cleanly rather than bouncing. A bouncing ball is unpredictable near the skittles.
• Do not be greedy around the black skittles. A 50-point pot is worthless if your cue ball clips the skittle and resets your score. Wide, angled approaches to the 200-hole reduce skittle risk.
• Watch the timer. In the final two or three minutes, shift to the moderate-value holes you can make reliably rather than gambling on the 200 and risking a skittle wipe that leaves you with nothing.

Variations

Team Play (Pairs)

Two players form a team and alternate shots throughout the frame. Individual shots contribute to a shared team score. This format suits four players at a table and encourages communication about which holes to target and when to use the red ball.

Extended Timer

Some clubs set the timer to 30 minutes rather than the more common 20, giving players more time to build a large score and allowing newcomers a less pressured experience. All other rules remain identical. Agree on the duration before winding the timer.

Skittle Bonus Rule

An informal variation seen in some venues awards a small bonus, typically 25 points, to any player who pots a ball through the 200-hole without touching either black skittle across the entire frame. This is a house rule only and must be agreed before play begins.

Singles Handicap

When a more experienced player faces a beginner, the stronger player starts with a points deficit, commonly minus 100 or minus 200, agreed before the timer is wound. This keeps the game competitive without altering the fundamental rules or the table setup.

Bar Billiards: frequently asked questions