The most commonly played game of billiard In the United States is eight ball. The main goal of eight ball, which is played with a full rack of fifteen balls and the cue ball, is to claim a suit (commonly stripes or solids in the US) and pocket all of them, then legally pocket the 8 ball, while denying one’s opponent opportunities to do the same with their suit, and without sinking the 8 ball early by accident.
Professional players on the International Pool Tour were the highest paid players in the world as of 2006. In the United Kingdom billiards is commonly played in pubs, and it is competitively played in leagues on both sides of the Atlantic.
The most prestigious billiard tournaments include the World Open which are sponsored and sanctioned by the International Pool Tour.
Billiard rules vary widely from place to place. Billiard pool halls in North America are increasingly settling upon the World Pool-Billiard Association International Standardised Rules.
The billiard game of nine ball uses only the 1 through 9 balls and cue ball. It is a rotation game where the player at the table must make legal contact with the lowest numbered ball on the table or a foul is called.
The nine ball game of billiard is won by legally pocketing the nine ball. The billiard game of nine ball is the predominant professional game, through as of 2006-2008 where there have been some suggestions that this may change, in favor of ten ball.
There still remains many local and regional tours and tournaments that are contested with nine ball.