Pool games and billiards games are sometimes also referred to as cue sports. These games have a common element of a felt covered table with balls and cue sticks which are used to strike these balls. Billiards is a game of skill, and it comes in a wide variety of games. And these games can be played in a lot of different places. In the USA, they're mostly referred to as pool halls, although some people still refer to them as billiards parlours. (In the UK, "billiards" refers to a specific game, but this site has a USA focus and uses "billiards" to refer to any of these kinds of games.)
Pool has become a major part of American culture. Mark Twain, WC Fields, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Jackie Gleason were all pool enthusiasts. The game of pool has also been featured in a wide variety of movies, including The Hustler, The Color of Money, and The Player, which featured Minnesota Fats. Few bars in the USA don't offer pool tables, and many bars feature pool tables as their main attraction.
Like any other vocation or avocation, the game of pool becomes more enjoyable the better you understand. The goal of this website is to provide information and resources that will enrich your pool playing experience.