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                                     RUSSIAN PYRAMID

How to play Russian pyramid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2f9SSLqOmi8

Russian billiards is also known as pyramid or pyramids and often called Russian pyramid or Russian pool. As a cue sport it differs from traditional Western pool, although the main purpose is to pocket billiard balls. It is popular and played in countries of the former Soviet Union. Finland also has its variant and it is called Kaisa.

The official tournament size of the table is 6x12 ft (similar to snooker). There are 16 balls: 15 are white and numbered and 1 red or yellow cue ball. Russian billiards balls are larger and heavier than Western billiard balls (68 mm official tournament size). There is an interesting fact when it comes to the pockets. The corner pockets are only 4-5 mm wider than the diameter of the ball. Central pockets are larger: 14-18 mm wider than the diameter of the ball. Because of this fact game is much harder than pool and requires greater precision.

The object of the game is to score 8 pointsagainst your opponent during the frame. Legally pocketed balls count as one point for the shooter and in the case of the foul 1 point is deducted from the offending player’s score. This can sometimes lead to negative scores.

Depending on the type of Russian billiards played, before performing the shot (except the opening break), the player can choose a cue ball from any balls on the table. (only in Free pyramid) and after that all the balls left can be treated as object balls. If a the ball is pocketed after a legal stroke, the player can continue shooting and can also choose a new cue ball. When a foul is commited, the opponent can perform next stroke himself or to assign it to the offender.

There are 3 most common types of Russian billiards:

Free pyramid (American pyramid): any ball may be used as a cue ball and you can pocket the ball if it first hits another ball. In order to pocket the ball, it has to strike another ball first.

Dynamic pyramid (Petersburg pyramid): only one ball is the cue ball. Players can pocket the cue ball with a carom shot off another ball and then the player that scored chooses a white ball to be taken off the table. The player then places the cue ball on any area of the table, but cannot pocket it until the next shot.

Combined pyramid (Moscow pyramid): only one ball is the cue ball. Players can pocket the cue ball with a carom shot and like in dynamic pyramid, can choose a white ball to be taken off the table. The main difference is that the player then places the cue ball in the baulk area where balls can be only pocketed in the side and far corner pockets.

source: International Pyramid Confederation, Wikipedia