Bumper Pool

Lovers of billiards, snooker and pool now have a new game known simply as Bumper Pool to indulge in. The game is similar to, yet vastly different from, regular pool. The biggest difference though, is the presence of only 2 pockets on the table, compared to the 6 pockets that are present on conventional tables. The other differentiating factor is the presence of cushions, or bumpers, in the middle of the table, thus making the game even tougher.

The Balls and Table

As mentioned before, there are only 2 pockets on this table. These pockets are situated on opposite ends of the table (the smaller sides of the rectangle-shaped table), and they are located in the center of these sides. There are 12 cushions on the table totally. Each pocket has one cushion on either side, and the remaining 8 cushions are spread out in the middle of the table in a pattern.

The table itself is smaller than the regular pool table, or the billiards table, and most commonly it is shaped like a rectangle. Some tables though are shaped as octagonal as well. Some bigger tables also have 14 or 16 bumpers on them as well, and the extra bumpers are added to the center of the table. The bumpers in the middle of the table are shaped like a cross, or a plus sign. The space in between is just about enough to let one ball pass through.

As far as the balls are concerned, there are 10 of them on the table. 5 of them are red, and 5 of them are white, and each player gets allotted one specific color. Thus the game pans out as red versus white, and the objective of bumper pool is to pot all 5 balls into the opponents pocket before he can do so.

How to Play Bumper Pool

In order to start the game, both players line up their own balls in front of their own pocket. One of these balls for both the sides will have a dot on it, and both players must hit the dotted ball at the same time. The objective is to put it into the opponents pocket by banking it off the side railing. The player who pots the ball in the pocket gets to start, and if both players missed the shot, the player whose ball is closer to the pocket starts the game. Now each player will take turns to shoot, and whoever can pocket all his balls first will win the game.

The game requires skill with a cue stick, and it is about more than just blindly hitting the balls around. One can also hit an opponents ball if it is too close to the pocket. Thus the best players combine attack and defense in order to win their game. Some more important rules are that there is no timed limit, the player who pockets one ball gets another shot, if a player knocks a ball out of the table the opponent can place that ball anywhere he wants or he can reduce 2 of his balls from the table, and this same rule applies if the opponent pots his own ball into his own pocket.

Bumper pool is an immensely enjoyable game, and it was created because some people felt that pool and snooker were games that required lots of space. These constraints do not exist here, as the table and the cue sticks are considerably smaller. Hence people can play the game inside their homes, no matter how small and cramped they may be. Moreover, the many rules and regulations of billiards, snooker and pool are avoided in this game as the rules are very simple and straightforward. There is no confusion whatsoever, and the players require skill to manipulate the projections of the balls either through the bumpers or around them.

Bumper pool is one of the most enjoyable games that you can play with your friends and family members, and it can keep you entertained for hours. You can even design your own tables and carve them out in any shape that you deem fit.