Russian pyramid, also known as Russian billiard is a form of pocket billiards played on a modified snooker table with narrower pockets. It is popular across Eastern Europe as well as countries of the former Soviet Union/Eastern Bloc. A variant with colored balls modeled on those of pool is known as Russian pool. In Western countries, the game is known as pyramid billiards, or simply pyramid within professional circles.
Equipment
Table: Playing-surface sizes vary. The usual range include: 7 × 3.5 foot ; 8 × 4 ft ; 9 × 4.5 ft ; 10 ×5 ft ; up to 12 × 6 ft, the same size preferred for snooker, and the official tournament size. The used in Russian pyramid tables are significantly thinner than those of pool and snooker tables, but are occasionally heated, similar to carom billiards table. In the United States, it is common for amateur and non-professional players to play Russian pyramid on a regular pool table, often in pool halls or private homes.
Balls: There are sixteen balls, as in pool, but the numbered balls are white, and the cue ball is usually red or yellow. Up to in diameter, they are larger and heavier than Western billiard balls; the official tournament size is. Smaller balls – e.g.,,, and – are available for smaller table sizes.
Pockets: The are only 3 mm wider than the diameter of the ball. The, however, are 12-13 mm wider than the diameter of the ball. This makes the game's mechanics like an oversized version of snooker, requiring greater precision to pocket a ball in such tight pockets than in pool, which has a much larger pocket size in relation to the balls.
Cues: Due to larger ball size, the cues used for Russian pyramid are slightly thicker and heavier than those of pool cues, and the tip diameter is wider, in comparison to 10-13 mm used in pool cues. Specialty shots like and are usually more difficult to perform with a Russian pyramid cue, due to its heavier nature. These shots are also not allowed in official tournaments, doing so may result in a.
Rule variations
There are several rule variations of Russian pyramid. All games begin with fifteen numbered white balls ed in a , as in straight pool, eight-ball and blackball. Players may pocket any object balls on the table regardless of number, and the first player to pocket eight or more balls wins the. In addition, shots do not have to be. Depending on the game variant some specific balls may have to be in specific positions within the rack. The first player firmly s the rack with the from just in front of the . The three most common varieties are the following, each of which has slight local variations on the rules:
Since 2000, Russian Pyramid World Championships have been held for Russian pyramid. The worldgoverning body for the sport, establishing published rules and equipment standards, is the International Pyramid Committee, with its largest regional affiliate being the European Pyramid Committee.
The so-called "American" version, free pyramid, adapts well to use in fiction because of its simple rules, and has featured prominently in notable Russian films such as The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed and The New Adventures of the Elusive Avengers. An episode of the popular animated television seriesKikoriki has two characters playing the game. Main characters of Dead Man's Bluff, or Zhmurki play Russian pool in the bar scene. Nowadays, the game is increasingly popular to be simulated as a video game, especially mobile game on Android devices. Many developers and producers have developed various Russian pyramid video games, with varying degrees of realism.
"Russian pool"
Colored numbered balls for playing eight-ball, nine-ball and other pool games on Russian billiards tables are also produced. The balls are 68 mm in diameter, like the standard onea for Russian pyramid, and thus much larger than the American-style balls they are patterned after .
