Pin Billiards

M

mbvl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I would like to learn more about "pin billiards". Perhaps some of the members here can offer some pointers. I'll start things off.

The game is popular in Italy, Argentina, and Denmark.

The rules can be found here: http://www.umb.org/Rules/5Pin_Rules.pdf
(Note to Bob Jewett: "These balls must be rigorously round and have between 61 and 61.5 cm in diameter.")

Some video clips of matches are available here: http://biliardplayweb.blogspot.com/search/label/video

Here is an abbreviated (and therefore inaccurate) summary of the game:

Standard billiard equipment is used with the addition that small "pins" are placed near the middle of the playing field. (There are 5-pin and 9-pin versions of the game.) Each of the two players has a designated cue ball. Each player gets only one shot per inning. The "basic" objective is to drive the opponents cue ball so that it knocks over [some of the] pins. Points can also be scored from various sorts of "caroms". Knocking over pins with the shooter's cue ball is a foul. Hitting the red ball first is a foul.

That should be enough of a tutorial so that the videos make some sort of sense, and watching the videos will give a better idea of the object of the game.

I would particularly like videos of whole matches, preferably with English commentary.

Mark
 
Robert Raiford said:
Here is a complete 5-part match on youtube between players Cavazzana and Torregiani:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=pianka77
Click to expand...

Thank you, Robert. That's just the sort of thing I have been looking for. Too bad I don't understand any Italian. I like the other video also. He makes some incredible two-way shots -- big scores AND superb defense.

Welcome to the forum. I, too, have enjoyed your comentary on the CaromTV matches.

Mark
 
mbvl said:
Thank you, Robert. That's just the sort of thing I have been looking for. Too bad I don't understand any Italian. I like the other video also. He makes some incredible two-way shots -- big scores AND superb defense.

Welcome to the forum. I, too, have enjoyed your comentary on the CaromTV matches.

Mark
Click to expand...


Hi Mark, thanks for the warm welcome! If the v is for 'van' then I'm pretty sure we know each other already. :) I'm happy you enjoyed the CaromTV videos as well, although I'm sure that a player of your knowledge and experience was not too surprised by anything in them. It's still nice to get the feedback :)

As popular as the pin games are in Italy, it's surprising that more videos aren't available online. Perhaps I've just been looking in the wrong places? Those two links are probably the best that I've run across so far, although I might have a few more around here somewhere. Complete matches are tough to track down, even if you want to pay for them!

I was lucky to play every day for the two weeks I was in Italy in 1996. I was supposedly there to give music concerts, but my real agenda had to do with a strange game I saw played in the Italian film "Io, Chiara e lo scuro", a movie I had rented several years before that left me puzzled. Amusingly, the english title on the box was "The Pool Hustlers", although the movie is a romantic comedy that has nothing to do with either pool or hustling! I spent the entire time trying to figure out the rules of play from the game clips - an impossible task :) Anyway, I made it a point to hit bookstores (I bought a few instructionals on the pin games) and billiard rooms in every city during the tour, and my survival Italian combined with only slightly better Spanish got me through learning the rules and meeting players everywhere I went. A room owner even gave me a couple of sets to take back so I could play when I returned. Unfortunately, nobody here was very interested in playing. However, I've been fascinated ever since!

Robert
 
Robert Raiford said:
Hi Mark, thanks for the warm welcome! If the v is for 'van' then I'm pretty sure we know each other already. :) I'm happy you enjoyed the CaromTV videos as well, although I'm sure that a player of your knowledge and experience was not too surprised by anything in them. It's still nice to get the feedback :)

As popular as the pin games are in Italy, it's surprising that more videos aren't available online. Perhaps I've just been looking in the wrong places? Those two links are probably the best that I've run across so far, although I might have a few more around here somewhere. Complete matches are tough to track down, even if you want to pay for them!

I was lucky to play every day for the two weeks I was in Italy in 1996. I was supposedly there to give music concerts, but my real agenda had to do with a strange game I saw played in the Italian film "Io, Chiara e lo scuro", a movie I had rented several years before that left me puzzled. Amusingly, the english title on the box was "The Pool Hustlers", although the movie is a romantic comedy that has nothing to do with either pool or hustling! I spent the entire time trying to figure out the rules of play from the game clips - an impossible task :) Anyway, I made it a point to hit bookstores (I bought a few instructionals on the pin games) and billiard rooms in every city during the tour, and my survival Italian combined with only slightly better Spanish got me through learning the rules and meeting players everywhere I went. A room owner even gave me a couple of sets to take back so I could play when I returned. Unfortunately, nobody here was very interested in playing. However, I've been fascinated ever since!

Robert
Click to expand...

Yes, the "v" is for "Van", and we first met at Bob Jewett's World Cup Tournament in '99 where you refereed. (You may have played also, but with 160 entries it's hard to remember all the players.) Even experienced and knowledgable players can learn something from good commentary.

I also saw the Italian movie about pin billiards, and I, too, was fascinated by the game. I've never seen it in person but I would love to try to learn to play.

I was in South Florida last November, but we didn't run into one another. I played at George's, Billy's, and Hernando's rooms but missed getting to Abel's. (I also got in a couple of hours on Carl's Gabriels.) Next time I'm coming out that way I'll let you know.

Since George is from Argentina, maybe he plays 5-pin.

Mark
 
Thanks for the videos. I've posted here a couple times asking if anyone knew where to get videos of this game. I was hoping that Marco Zanetti might put out something with an English version; he's done commentary on three cushion matches in English and does an excellent job. Maybe Caudron plays and will put something out on Kozoom.com

I've heard Torbjorn used to play this game but stopped for some reason. I thought it said in a Robert Byrne book that Torbjorn and his dad did pretty good playing in tournements of 5 quilles. This game also supposedly has real nice $$ payouts. Is this still true?

I wonder if Efren has even tried this game. I have a feeling he'd be pretty good at it.
 
bud green said:
Thanks for the videos. I've posted here a couple times asking if anyone knew where to get videos of this game. I was hoping that Marco Zanetti might put out something with an English version; he's done commentary on three cushion matches in English and does an excellent job. Maybe Caudron plays and will put something out on Kozoom.com

I've heard Torbjorn used to play this game but stopped for some reason. I thought it said in a Robert Byrne book that Torbjorn and his dad did pretty good playing in tournements of 5 quilles. This game also supposedly has real nice $$ payouts. Is this still true?

I wonder if Efren has even tried this game. I have a feeling he'd be pretty good at it.
Click to expand...

I also heard that Blomdahl was extremely good -- maybe the Danish version. I think that Caudron would be a natural -- he makes the multirail drive shots in balkline look so easy. I don't know whether Zanetti plays or not. I believe his billiard teacher was Austrian.

Mark
 
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dvds

Some people I know have the following matches that I think I can get if anyone is interested.

5 birilli/5 pins Diomajuta - Micucci" (Semifinal of the italian championship. I think it was played 3-4 years ago.Diomajuta is 4 times Italian Champion and former European champion);

5 birilli/5 pins Masini - Cifalà (This is the other semifinal of the same tournament of Diomajuta - Micucci. Riccardo Masini was a great talent, he started winning european championships under 18 when he was only 13. Unfortunately he died 2 years ago, a great loss for the 5 birilli game. Cifalà ,aka "magister magistri" here in Italy, is a 10 times Italian champion and World champion in 1987. Considered by many the best player ever, he was certainly the best of the 80s with the argentinian Nestor Gomez);

1990 World Championship Final Torregiani - Cifalà (The argentinian Gustavo Torregiani won the previous world championship so italians players want revenge. In the final all their hopes are in Carlo Cifalà who is in his best shape and is playing very well all the championship. This match is played with old rules: red pin alone counts 7 points and red ball touched with any of the other balls count 2 points.);

9 birilli/9pins Zito - Montereali (One match from the most important tournament for this game: Saint Vincent. Gustavo Zito is without doubt the strongest player of the last 15 years);

Cinque Birilli (Quarta vs Bombardi (G.P.Saint Vincent - semifinale 2005-2006).

Let me know if anyone wants dvds of these.

Price= Nada.
 
billiardshot said:
Mbvl [Mark], I ran across this website you might find interested. scroll down and there a couple of instruction on Bilardo shots. Also check out section Stecca for Pin Billiard or 5 Quilles

http://translate.google.com/transla...ct=result&prev=/search?q=biliardoweb.it&hl=en

Hope this might help. Make sure you check out the videos, PDF, Tv WEB ,and Ruhriche sites.
Also check is site:
http://64.233.179.104/translate_c?h...iardo.it/&prev=/search?q=biliardoweb.it&hl=en
Click to expand...

Thank you for the links. My Italian is virtually nonexistant, but I'm working my way through slowly.

Mark
 
dmgwalsh said:
Some people I know have the following matches that I think I can get if anyone is interested...
Click to expand...

Dennis,

I am definitely interested. Just let me know what I need to do.

Mark
 
mbvl said:
Dennis,

I am definitely interested. Just let me know what I need to do.

Mark
Click to expand...

Mark: Just pm me with your address. i should be able to get them by next week. I'll pop them in the mail after I've made copies.
 
dvds available

dmgwalsh said:
Some people I know have the following matches that I think I can get if anyone is interested.

5 birilli/5 pins Diomajuta - Micucci" (Semifinal of the italian championship. I think it was played 3-4 years ago.Diomajuta is 4 times Italian Champion and former European champion);

5 birilli/5 pins Masini - Cifalà (This is the other semifinal of the same tournament of Diomajuta - Micucci. Riccardo Masini was a great talent, he started winning european championships under 18 when he was only 13. Unfortunately he died 2 years ago, a great loss for the 5 birilli game. Cifalà ,aka "magister magistri" here in Italy, is a 10 times Italian champion and World champion in 1987. Considered by many the best player ever, he was certainly the best of the 80s with the argentinian Nestor Gomez);

1990 World Championship Final Torregiani - Cifalà (The argentinian Gustavo Torregiani won the previous world championship so italians players want revenge. In the final all their hopes are in Carlo Cifalà who is in his best shape and is playing very well all the championship. This match is played with old rules: red pin alone counts 7 points and red ball touched with any of the other balls count 2 points.);

9 birilli/9pins Zito - Montereali (One match from the most important tournament for this game: Saint Vincent. Gustavo Zito is without doubt the strongest player of the last 15 years);

Cinque Birilli (Quarta vs Bombardi (G.P.Saint Vincent - semifinale 2005-2006).

Let me know if anyone wants dvds of these.

Price= Nada.
Click to expand...

To the two who requested copies, I have them and they are going out today.
Anyone else?
 
HomeBrewer said:
I forgot to ask for one before. PM me if you need my information.
Click to expand...

I cleared out my mailbox. send it.

along with a nice pale ale with plenty of hops.
 
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