Well done Michael. I have a bar billiard table which my parents acquired any years ago. It came with the house they had purchased. It is just being recovered and renovated and will be used my myself, my children and grandchildren. reminding us of the rules is really helpful

I used to drink in a the Royal hotel in Walsall. The first time me and my wife went in I noticed this table in the corner of the lounge the likes of which I had only seen on a 1970`s program called The Indoor League with Fred Truman (I`l see thee). Before I met my wife I was a keen snooker player so I was up for giving it a go. We both had many a good time playing this game. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing. Never seen one in person, but my dad often talked about this game. He was born in 1926 in Glasgow, but moved to England after joining the RAF.

I enjoyed this video. 50 years ago in faraway Australia, these tables were not rare, but never dominated 8 ball in popularity. I used to frequent a pub where we were involved in quite a skillful school at playing this game, and I always enjoyed this far more. I recall that it was called 'back-pool' when I played....heathens. Great memories...thanks mate.

Thank you ever so much for the video, it was excellent! I have never played the game since about 1973 in my local Youth Club and your video has made me really happy remembering all those years ago, cheers to you!

This is a really helpful - and charming - video. I was quite down in the dumps yesterday when I realised that my barn is nothing like as big as it seemed and I don’t have room for a billiard table or even a pool table. But it occurred to me that bar billiards is a different matter and I cheered up! I’m doing some research now and your videos will be very informative and encouraging. Thank you.

Thank you very much for this Michael, this has really helped myself and my friends out as we have it in our local pub.

They had this at my local sports centre upstairs in the early 80's. Me and my dad would have a game after we'd had a game of badminton the court below.. Good memories. It's good to watch you play on it, i never seen them anymore.

I played this for the first time when visiting Devon. Really enjoyed the game and am hoping to play more when I get back home to the Midlands. Thanks for the informative video. Hope you keep playing and enjoying the game for years to come.

Great video. Thank you for making the time to teach the game.

Amazing. I just found one of these on facebook marketplace and needed to learn more. Thanks for the informative video!

The first time I played this game was in Woking with my uncle. Then I saw it again after playing Sheffield Eagles U19s. As their ground was the Don Valley Stadium, we had after match speeches/meal/drink in a pub around the corner. It had one of these tables... non of the Salford lads knew what it was, so I showed them how to play... we had such a laugh playing it! I'd love to have one in my house because I know my wife would love it!

Thank you for clarifying these rules Michael . I recently encountered this game for the very first time whilst attending a birthday celebration at a bar in York. It prompted me to pick up a cue for the first time in over 10 years and I have to say that I am hooked. In my first game I was daft enough to knock the black pin down and lost 500 points but I did n't make the same mistake again and went on to remain unbeaten for 3 hours after that first game . I LIKE THOSE STATS .

Really enjoyed watching this, I’ve only seen this played a few times. I used to play english billiards years ago in a local league and working men’s club, also played crazy billiards where the balls were weighted and we had the snooker colours from yellow to pink on their spots. Loved it

Thank you. This is one of the reasons I have bought a table and it has been suggested to me again days before I am picking up my table.

Thank you so much michael - me and my boyfriend’s minds have been refreshed so we’re now going to enjoy a good game of bar billiards at the local pub! 🍺

Thank you Michael! Just got ourselves one of these tables in the US and we’re gonna try bring this game back!

Great video. I'm buying a bar billiards table as soon as my newly built games room is finished. I can remember playing it in the pubs in the 1990's but, rarely seen if at all nowadays.

Lovely video, Michael. I first noticed this game in the 1971 film, 'Wake in Fright' set in the Australian outback. I was always wondering just what was that odd-looking game they were playing in that old pub in the Australian Desert!

I remember one of these tables in the Essex Arms on Leytonstone High Road in the late 80's

Lovely stuff michael. A pleasure watching.

Thank you for the great video! I've just used it to teach my 12 year old son all about bar billiards :)

Very helpful! Thank you! Keep playing! Greatings from Hungary :)

Great video Michael. Bar billiards is still played by a fair few people, there was a 3 pin tournament a month or so back my dad went to. I'm from Suffolk and we still have a pub league round this way although we play 4 pin bar billiards on a narrow table.

I can remember playing bar billiards on my fathers table as a child a brilliant game.

In America here, I've never even heard of this type of game. Seen the odd bumper pool table here and there, seems like a lot of fun.

Great demonstration! Thank you, sir. Planning to build a table like this for my home bar one day. Cheers from Sweden!

Always wanted to play this game. Wish I could come over and have a round. Thanks for the video

we have a table i bought in Brittany, was the best €300 ever spent. used to play this in my local in the 70's and never dreamt i would own one. had the intention of bringing it back to the UK but its not a cheapo lightweight pub style, i'm sure its a Sams brothers one and very similar to yours. it's in the garage of our cottage and we have now had several competitions on it with friends and locals. all thats missing is the timer but then theres no hurry to find one. so...... if you need a challenge some time, feel free to pop over (there is a free camper parking with all the services required just up the end of our road)

Thank you very much Michael , very informative for an old favourite , I would love to bye one myself 👍🏻

I do remember a Bar Billiards table in the Sgt's Mess at RAF Kinloss and in the Cpl's Club at Raf Marham (in the Bar), they had Snooker tables as well (in other rooms) and a Pool Table for the unrefined visitors or junior members (also in the Rough Bar). :-)

There is a bar billiards table in The Pembroke Arms, Hackney. Going there tonight so this video was very helpful!

I adore Bar Billiards. Beautiful table. Thanks for this video.

Really helpful; ended up in a rented house with a bar billiards table and no clue how to play! Until we saw this.

well explained mate, always wondered how to play this game, never seen it in the flesh

If you ever want to sell it I'd buy it. Absolutely loved playing this when I was younger.

Great video, I really enjoyed it. Never heard of this game, but it looks very fun and challenging

Always used to see them in the pubs in the early 80s when I started going in but they were soon replaced by Space Invaders etc.

well I learnt something new today, I feel like my generation of British pub goers have missed a simple yet cool game to play over a pint. Thanks for sharing Michael!

Thanks for the explanation!👍

Great video. Thanks Michael. Need to find somewhere to give it a go now…!

Remember this with Fred Trueman, during the 70's.

Most enlightening. Thank you.

I saw this table in a video game and was curious as id never seen it before. now i want one 😅

There's a few pubs near me that have these tables. They're so fun!

Wow. Thanks for showing us all the rules. I have seen it still in two local pubs. I always thought that once the timer kicks in, you place the pegs in the adjacent holes then, and play with the remaining balls - at least that’s what I saw with two people playing it one time ; hey, maybe they got it wrong.

great video. I'm very lucky due to the fact my local has one of these tables, I love having a couple of beers and beating my friends at this!

Really clear explanation..thank you.

I don't think I've ever come across that game before Michael. It was very interesting but I'd probably be sending those pins flying around the room like leathal weapons. David.

Yes,it would be really 👍👍👍 if more Bar Billiards was played these days 😊😊😊

Thanks for the explanation. I stumbled across this game in a London pub last night, I'm a keen 8ball/9ball player but had no idea how to play the game and had not seen one in person before and trying to read the rules online was a bit confusing. Next time I'll know the proper rules of play. Thank you

I haven’t played this for at least 27 years ago, if not longer. I’ve only ever seen it once, in a backstreet pub in Norwich where I used to occasionally drink. Shame, as it’s actually a fun game to play

I'm 32 years old and I remember playing billiards as a teen in the pubs with my dad. I wish there were more billiards tables in pubs in Britain

Nice tutorial video, you certainly haven't lost your touch. It's such a shame that pool has made bar billiards pretty much obsolete. I can't find a table anywhere in any of the boozers I frequent

Great explanation

Very enlightening and interesting. Many thanks.

Being teetotal I'm not much of a 'pubber', but there was one pub in our town that had a Bar Billiard table, and I used to love playing this game.

What a great game, thank you for the video very helpful

Hi Mike, great video. I just purchased a very used French 8 hole table in the US and it's missing the baulk line. I'd like to mark it as accurately as possible, would you mind measuring how far the baulk line extends down the cushion, it appears to be approximately 4 inches, but I'd like to be sure. Thank you!

Great video! Thank you!

Hey John boy, just wanted to say you have a great grip on the shaft. Is that how everybody plays billiards can you do a more transition shaft grip / anti John boy grip?

very interesting game, i've never seen one of these in person (I live in the UK)

Very interesting thanks for sharing

My father and I recently picked one of these up for free! It belonged to a man who I think had a pub on the island we live on, and the table was in there. He moved to a barn and put the table upstairs in a farm house. When he moved out, he didn’t take the table with him so it was there when new people moved in. It has sat up there for years covered up with stuff on it. The owners recently decided to give it away so someone can enjoy it so my father and I picked it up. The wood needs some treating and it needs to be re-baized. Plus the timer and bar are missing (I’m assuming it was removed ages ago as the game was a coin-op so the mechanics were probably all removed to try and make it free to play). My dad and I are going to have fun doing it up and playing it! If anyone knows where we can source a bar and timer I would be extremely grateful!

Great video. Your table is a post war Jelkes with octagonal legs. Pre war they had round legs. Mark.

Nice video ! Thank you.

i wondered how the game was played, and i got my answer....thank you

I'd love to try this game. One question - if the ball used as the cue ball on a shot goes straight into a hole without touching the object ball, is that classed as a foul and is there any specific penalty for doing so?

Great video.

I have just bought a Riley table, the game is fascinating and very skillful, I am still searching for a concise rule book!

Thanks. Great video

Love the game. I am fantastic at it. Sadly not many pubs local to me have 1

Thank you very much !

I would love a table 👍

This may please you to know we have a proper league around where I’m from in the East Anglia where myself plays for a team along with a group of mates and we’re fairly young so you never know. There’s a chance for a comeback although where I’m from it’s a tiny bit different as we have 4 pins rather than 3. The two end holes at the back are 10 instead of 30 and the tables are a lot more narrow. Defiantly worth checking out I’d say

Great video Michael. I am looking for a table like this, please do let me know if you would consider selling it. Thank you. Mark.

I’ve wanted to find a machine but I’ve not had the pleasure of giving it a go yet

thank you, i just bought a 100 year old table for in my bar, and couldnt find any rules.

Where shouts did u manage to buy this table from as they are pretty rare to find these days

Very interesting, I only know pool an carambolage, but terribly bad with both. Greetings Andy

I can't imagine a bunch of drunk people trying to keep score and follow all those rules

What came first bar billiards or skittle pool? I only have room you one and want to get the better game

Great video, Its the sort of game that requires the wearing of a crivat or a bow tie one feels... Even if one is wearing womans knickers and wellies 🙉

thanks!

Pink or red ball?

The only pub near me that had a bar billiards machine closed down last year when the owner died. I wish I'd asked his wife if she'd be up for selling the machine.

I think the Bar Billiards firm in Ascot ceased trading a few years ago . Their premises were just off the High St and quite close to Ascot racecourse. I used to play in a weekly bar billiards league . Happy days , 50 years ago now. I wasn’t very good !

Bumper pool on steroids no?

ma gli omini hanno le braccine ? XD