Russian billiards

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Russian pyramid game setup, with the object balls in a triangle rack at the foot of the table, and the cue balll behind (up-table of) the head string
Russian pyramid game setup, with the object balls in a triangle rack at the foot of the table, and the cue balll behind (up-table of) the head string

Russian billiards (Russian: ру́сский билья́рд, russky bilyard), also known as pyramid (пирами́да, piramida) and often called Russian pyramid in English, is a cue sport that has several differences from Western pool, although game play is still dominated by attempts to pocket (pot) balls. It is played in countries of the former Soviet Union and Finland, beside of it Finland has "national" billiard game, played with quite similar equipment.

Contents

[edit] Differences from other billiard games

  • Table: even though sizes vary – including: 3.5 × 7 feet (198 × 99 cm); 4 × 8 ft. (224 × 112 cm); 4.5 × 9 ft. (254 × 127 cm); up to 6 × 12 ft. (356 × 178 cm) – the official tournament size is the 12 ft. model, the same size preferred for snooker, but much larger than a pool table (7 ft. and 9 ft. being the most common sizes for that style of game).
  • Balls: there are sixteen balls, as in pool, but fifteen are white and numbered, and the cue ball is usually red or yellow. They are larger and heavier than Western billiard balls; the official tournament size is 68 mm (211⁄16 in).
  • Pockets: the corner pockets are only 4–5 mm wider than the diameter of the ball. The central pockets 14–18 mm wider than the diameter of the ball. This makes the game's mechanics like an oversized version of snooker, and much more difficult than pool, requiring greater precision to pocket a ball.

[edit] Rules

Russian pyramid ball at a corner pocket. The relative size of the ball and the pocket makes the game very challenging.
Russian pyramid ball at a corner pocket. The relative size of the ball and the pocket makes the game very challenging.

There are several variations of Russian billiards, but the three most common are free (or "American") pyramid, combined (or Moscow) pyramid and dynamic (or Petersburg) pyramid. All games start with fifteen numbered white balls racked in a pyramid, as in eight-ball. The first player breaks the rack with the cue ball from the baulk line. The object of the games is to pocket eight balls to win the frame. In free pyramid at all times any ball may be used as a cue ball. In combined and dynamic pyramid only one ball is a cueball. After pocketing the cue ball scorer must choose a white ball to be taken off the table. Then In combined pyramid player place the cue ball to the baulk area. Balls can be pocketted in central and far corner pockets. In dynamic pyramid player places the cue ball at any area of the table, but may not pocket the cueball.

[edit] Competition

Since 2000, World Championships have been held for Russian billiards. The world governing body for pyramid, establishing published rules and equipment standards, is the International Pyramid Committee, with its largest affiliate, the European Pyramid Committee.

[edit] In popular culture

The so-called "American" version, free pyramid, adapts well to use in fiction because of its simple rules (i.e., the plot does not have to side-track into complicated gameplay explanation), and has featured prominently in notable Russian films such as The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed (1979) and The New Adventures of the Elusive Avengers (1968).

[edit] Variants

[edit] Finnish kaisa

Kaisa or karoliina is a Finnish "national" billiard game, that is a close cousin to the Russian pyramid. The main differences being that it is played with two white cueballs, one for each player, two red balls and a yellow ball, or kaisa. A player must pocket a nominated ball, gaining scores. Extra scores are given from hitting other balls in addition. All balls are spotted and the game is played to 60 points.

[edit] Russian pool

Comparison of 68 mm (211⁄16 in) Russian and 57 mm (21⁄4 in) American-style pool balls.
Comparison of 68 mm (211⁄16 in) Russian and 57 mm (21⁄4 in) American-style pool balls.

American-style pocket billiards (pool) balls have been adapted for use on Russian billiards tables, for playing eight-ball, nine-ball and other pool games. The balls are 68 mm (211⁄16 in) in diameter, like those for pyramid, and thus much larger than the American-style balls they are patterned after (as illustrated to the right).

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