There are two main varieties of billiard games: carom and pocket. The main carom billiards games are straight billiards, balkline and three cushion billiards. All are played on a pocketless table with three balls; two cue balls and one object ball. In all, players shoot a cue ball so that it makes contact with the opponent's cue ball as well as the object ball.

The most popular of the large variety of pocket games are eight-ball, nine-ball, one-pocket, bank pool, snooker and, among the old guard, straight pool. In eight-ball and nine-ball the object is to sink object balls until one can legally pocket the winning eponymous "money ball". Well-known but waning in popularity is straight pool, in which players seek to continue sinking balls, rack after rack if they can, to reach a pre-determined winning score (typically 150). Related to nine-ball, another well-known game is rotation, where the lowest-numbered object ball on the table must be struck first, although any object ball may be pocketed (i.e., combination shot). Each pocketed ball is worth its number, and the player with the highest score at the end of the rack is the winner. Since there are only 120 points available (1 + 2 + 3 ⋯ + 15 = 120), scoring 61 points leaves no opportunity for the opponent to catch up. In both one-pocket and bank pool, the players must sink a set number of balls; respectively, all in a particular pocket, or all by bank shots. In snooker, players score points by alternately potting red balls and various special "colour balls".

Eight-ball

In the United States, the most commonly-played game is eight-ball. The goal of eight-ball, which is played with a full rack of fifteen balls and the cue ball, is to claim a suit (commonly stripes or solids in the US, and reds or yellows in the UK), pocket all of them, then legally pocket the 8 ball, while denying one's opponent opportunities to do the same with their suit, and without sinking the 8 ball early by accident. Pool halls in North America are increasingly settling upon the World Pool-Billiard Association International Standardised Rules.

Nine-ball

Nine-ball uses only the 1 through 9 balls and cue ball. The game is won by legally pocketing the nine ball. The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA), and it American affiliate the Billiard Congress of America (BCA), publish the World Standardized Rules. Male professionals have a rather fragmented schedule of professional nine-ball tournaments.

Three-ball

A variant using only three balls, generally played such that the player at turn continues shooting until all the balls are pocketed,

and the player to do so in the fewest shots wins. The game can be played by two or more players. Dispenses with some fouls common to both nine- and eight-ball.

One-pocket

One-pocket is a strategic game for two players. The first player to pocket the majority of the balls (8) in his pocket wins the game. Most times, accomplished players choose to position balls near their pocket instead of trying to actually pocket them.

Bank pool

Bank pool can be played with a full rack (can be a long game), but is more typically played with nine balls (frequently called "nine-ball bank").

Proper shooting posture, imagining the shot paths and points of contact and aiming the billiard shot with your dominant eye are the three important aspects of billiard techniques. Mastering these skills will help you to have a great game, not just once but with amazing consistency.

Admittedly, continuously practicing fundamentals cannot be too much fun for anyone, whether an advanced player or a learner. Remember however, that without the proper grip, bridge and stance even a professional almost certainly face an uphill struggle against consistency, no matter how much you learn about the game.

Tip- If you take the time to establish a strong foundation; when you find yourself in a slump you can always retrace your steps back to your fundamentals and you'll soon get your groove back.

Using your dominant eye

It is important that you use your dominant eye for lining up and aiming the balls. Develop a technique for positioning your body in such a way that that your dominant eye and the intended shot are perfectly aligned. To achieve this alignment sometimes requires that you practically rest your chin on the cue. Some of the most brilliant pool players have mastered this billiards technique resulting in some spellbinding game play.

Making the Shot Weigh the pros and cons prior to taking every shot, then make a decision based on your analysis and aim the shot accurately. The best way to do this is to draw a straight imaginary line from the object ball and let this line touch the centre of the opening to the pocket. Next, extend this line in such a way that it passes through the object ball to the side opposite the pocket. The point of intersection between this imaginary line and the edge of the object ball is the perfect place to hit the ball. This ensures that the ball will go to the intended or desired direction.

Visualizing the Shot

The next step in honing your pool technique is determining the exact point on the cue ball that will match up with the point identified on the object ball. At first glance, this may seem unattainable for the simple reason that you are absolutely standing behind the cue ball. However, this hurdle can be removed by visual means, which implies that you use your imagination to project where the object ball will be it comes in contact with the cue ball and ensure that both balls are aligned towards the pocket.

Getting a Good Grip

While producing astounding shots using unorthodox grips make for great drama, for starters you are better off employing the simple, consistent grip, which is neither too tight nor too loose. Holding the cue too tightly means your wrists cannot be released smoothly and quickly enough to produce a fluid stroke. On the other hand, you will find you are unable to take precise and powerful shots if you hold the cue very loosely. An ideal grip is one in which the cue is held mainly in the fingers and not the palm of the hand, leaving the wrist flat in the plane that is formed between the lower and upper arm. As with any other game of skill, practice is key to mastering the right billiards technique.

In June 1927 in Melbourne he claimed a world speed record when he scored 816 in twenty-three minutes in an unfinished break.

During 1930 in Manchester, Lindrum set a record aggregate of 30817 during the fortnight match against Willie Smith. In this match he made 10 breaks over 1000 with a highest of 2419. In his final match of the tour against Smith in London, Lindrum's performance set numerous records: the highest individual aggregate (36256), the largest winning margin (21285), a record match average (262), and a record number of four-figure breaks (11). Smith, although beaten, had played excellently with an average of 109 per innings for the match.

His record break of 4137 was made in a match he lost against Joe Davis at Thurston Hall, London on 19 January 1932. Lindrum occupied the table for 2 hours 55 minutes, for about 1900 consecutive scoring shots. He also holds the record break for each country that he played in, the fastest century break (46 seconds) and 1011 points in 30 minutes.

In 1933 on a tour to South Africa Lindrum claimed a new world record for fast scoring when he completed 1,000 points in 28 minutes in Johannesburg.

Current world champions