Russian Pool

Wybrook

A. Wheeler
Silver Member
Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone knows the rules or where I can find the set of rules for Russian pool. Not Russian snooker played with traditional snooker balls, but the version played on a special cut table with 68mm balls that go into 70mm pockets.

At the newly re-opened Orlando Billiard Center (formerly Pro Billiards), we have a 12 foot Riley snooker table cut to the specifications for Russian pool. The table came with a set of massive 68mm balls and a 63-64 inch, almost 30oz. cue, for playing the game. There is one burgendy colored cue ball and 15 white numbered object balls in the set. The pockets are straight cut (actually they flare in at the opening) and give about an 1/8th inch clearance
on each side of a ball. The table is ridiculous to play on, but I figure I might as well learn a new game while it exists in its current state.

On a side note, we came up with some good bets for the table.

-spot shots
good player - 5 to 1 odds (tough)
average player - more like 10 or 15 to 1 (probably more like 20 to 1)

-place cue on brown and object ball on blue, must contact object ball every shot, but not require a rail. 3 shots to make the ball in any pocket.

-object ball close to or on rail at any 2nd diamond
however many shots you want

If anyone thinks these are easy, they are welcome to come give it a try.

BTW, the place is beautiful and is doing well, going on its 2nd week back in business.
 
Wybrook said:
Hi Everyone,

I was wondering if anyone knows the rules or where I can find the set of rules for Russian pool. Not Russian snooker played with traditional snooker balls, but the version played on a special cut table with 68mm balls that go into 70mm pockets.

At the newly re-opened Orlando Billiard Center (formerly Pro Billiards), we have a 12 foot Riley snooker table cut to the specifications for Russian pool. The table came with a set of massive 68mm balls and a 63-64 inch, almost 30oz. cue, for playing the game. There is one burgendy colored cue ball and 15 white numbered object balls in the set. The pockets are straight cut (actually they flare in at the opening) and give about an 1/8th inch clearance
on each side of a ball. The table is ridiculous to play on, but I figure I might as well learn a new game while it exists in its current state.

On a side note, we came up with some good bets for the table.

-spot shots
good player - 5 to 1 odds (tough)
average player - more like 10 or 15 to 1 (probably more like 20 to 1)

-place cue on brown and object ball on blue, must contact object ball every shot, but not require a rail. 3 shots to make the ball in any pocket.

-object ball close to or on rail at any 2nd diamond
however many shots you want

If anyone thinks these are easy, they are welcome to come give it a try.

BTW, the place is beautiful and is doing well, going on its 2nd week back in business.

I am on-line right now with one of my developers from Moscow. It is late there so I do not want to hold him up at this time, but if you like I will ask him over the weekend if this is OK?
 
Hi,

Sure, thanks...
I've looked around on the net, but haven't come up with anything.
 
surf the net for pyramid/pyrimid pool...not sure how they spell it, but I'm pretty sure that's the name of the game,,,64" cues and a 12' table,,,man I need a bridge on a bar box,,,too old to lean way down like I need to,,,,,,,,,,,,,LOL
 
Check out:
http://www.billiard-online.com/ecpsporte/rules.html

Basic idea is that you can use any ball as cueball. Those rules are the newest ones and cover the newest version of rules. The older set of rules was much more fun and you should try that as well. New rules say that you can score only by pocketing, but old rules say that you can also carom the ball used as a cueball into the pocket. So with a legal contact, you can make either the cueball used or the object ball to the pocket. It's fun, though slightly difficult. But the older rules make the game slightly easier...

I think my best run has so far been 7 balls but haven't had many chances of playing the real russian pyramid on a full size table.

Enjoy !
 
mjantti said:
Oh, check out the videos as well from the same website:
http://www.billiard-online.com/ecpsporte/video.html

A friend of mine brought Mike Massey to one of the (former) Soviet countries to perform some trick shots. Fortunate to him they had a standard 4.5 x 9 table there.

Mike was treated like royalty there. If you know a forum Mike gets on or you ever see him, ask him about the trip. Great stories.
 
Is Russian pool the same as Siberian Billiards? I think there was a thread earlier about which is the toughest among cue games. One of our forum members mentioned it, if I remember correctly.
 
lewdo26 said:
Is Russian pool the same as Siberian Billiards?

In Russia we play the game called "pyramid" or "russian billiard".
There are three main variety of this game:

1) Pyramid
Every ball may be used as cue ball.

2) Moscow (or Siberian) Pyramid
Red ball are used as cue ball.

3) Russian Pyramid
More comlicated game.
 
russian said:
In Russia we play the game called "pyramid" or "russian billiard".
There are three main variety of this game:

1) Pyramid
Every ball may be used as cue ball.

2) Moscow (or Siberian) Pyramid
Red ball are used as cue ball.

3) Russian Pyramid
More comlicated game.


Which one is the game that Evgeny Stalev is
champion?
How hard is it to pocket a ball? Harder than snooker?
 
Bobby said:
Which one is the game that Evgeny Stalev is
champion?
How hard is it to pocket a ball? Harder than snooker?

E. Stalev -- 2000 year cheampion.
World Pyramid Championship use 1st rules (every ball = cue ball, cue ball may be pocketed to any pocket)

It is not so hard to pocket simple balls, but it is nearly impossible to pocket ball along cushion.
Many shots require more power than pool shots, weight of standard cue for pyramid is 0.7 kg, btw, there are many ways to pocket cueball.
 
Man, check out the middle pockets...scary!

My poolhall has extremely heavy and tall house cues. 13mm at the tip, but extreme fat canonical taper. There's a mark "Pyramid" on them. Some previous idiot owner bought the cheapest house cues he could find. Of course cue dealer was happy to get rid of those cues which are probably difficult to sell.
 
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that one klip of stalev is awesome.

he can make those shots no wonder it looks like he is gonna fall asleep on a pool table. lmao.

but has efren ever played this game ? i know efren plays almost everything good.
 
cheemagun said:
that one klip of stalev is awesome.
he can make those shots no wonder it looks like he is gonna fall asleep on a pool table. lmao.
but has efren ever played this game ? i know efren plays almost everything good.

AFAIK, Efren hasn't played this game.
 
But I know Souquet, Strickland, Tom Storm and many other pros have entered the pyramid world championships in Russia and I think Storm has had some success but never had finishes right at the top of the standings...
 
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