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Franzi | Games
Franzi | Games 
Billiards at MERKUR Arcades
MERKUR is more than just slots: Play billiards at the MERKUR Arcades!
approx. 1 min.
Billiards at MERKUR Arcades
Not only rolls
Where can I play billiards at MERKUR?
You can find out which MERKUR Arcade offers billiard tables by using the location finder . Simply search for MERKUR Arcades near you and look out for the billiard ball symbol under the branch name and address.
Please remember to bring your ID card with you when you visit. This is mandatory for entry into our MERKUR Arcades. Once you have paid for the billiard table per hour, the game can begin!
But how does a game of billiards actually work?
This is the 8-ball variant:
Two players compete against each other. The balls are set up in a triangle, and the first shot (“break”) spreads them across the table. The balls are divided by colour: one player takes the solid balls (numbers 1–7), the other the striped balls (numbers 9–15). The break decides who plays which set of balls, depending on which ball is correctly potted first.
How is a game of billiards played?
The goal of your billiards match is simple: the first player to pot all of their balls then gets to pot the black eight – and by doing so, wins the game.
Using the white cue ball, you must always strike one of your own balls – ideally in a way that pots it into a pocket. Once all your balls are cleared, you can go for the black eight. Whoever pots the eight correctly wins. Whoever pots it too early, by mistake, or in the wrong way, loses.
Further pool billiards variants:
- 9-ball: This version is faster and more exciting, which is why it is often played in tournaments. There are no solids or stripes: you must always hit the lowest-numbered ball on the table first, but you may pot other balls through combinations. The player who legally pots the 9 wins. This can also happen if, for example, you hit the 1 first and it then knocks the 9 into a pocket (a so-called “combo”).
- 10-ball: If you are already an experienced billiards player, this variant might be just right for you. The game starts similarly to 9-ball, but it comes with more rules: it is played with balls 1 to 10, in order, and with a call shot. That means you must declare in advance which ball you will pocket and into which pocket. In addition, lucky shots do not count! This makes 10-ball the “serious” version for players who want to prove their skill.
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