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Thread: Bar Billiards, anyone?

  1. #1
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    Default Bar Billiards, anyone?

    I used to play this a lot, when one of the local pubs of my youth had a bar billiards table. Since then I've rarely found one, and been rather hankering for the traditional pub game I used to love...

    Recently I came across this bar billiards aficionados' website and forum http://barbilliards.proboards.com, where they also have been striving to maintain a map of all public venues which have bar billiards tables - click on the AEBBA link near the top of the page and enter that site to get to the map. Having recently introduced my good lady to the game, this site has been really helpful in finding pubs with bar billiards tables in areas we've visited.

    I thought I'd share this as some other PuG members might have an interest in bar billiards and find it useful if wanting to find a table somewhere you go. Equally, the bar billiards table map is a labour of love for its webmasters - though some areas don't have bar billiards leagues and those are likely to be less up to date than others - so if anyone wants to submit updates on tables they find (or have disappeared) then I'm sure that would be appreciated. I've had a very warm welcome from the site myself.

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  2. #2
    Between pubs sheffield hatter's Avatar
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    I used to play at my local in Hemel Hempstead when I was a lad, and last played at the Golden Ball in York when I was on a crawl there last year with some mates from Luton. On that same trip I came across a table at The Waggon & Horses which is not listed on the AEBBA map. (It's mentioned in my review of 13/03/11.) I don't think I'll be joining the site, so if you want to update it with this info, please go ahead.

    Cheers
    Come On You Hatters!

  3. #3
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    Thanks SH, will pass that on
    'Immanuel Kant was a real pissant who was very rarely stable' - Python

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    This Space For Hire gillhalfpint's Avatar
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    I've wanted to learn to play bar billiards since I watched a couple playing a game in Wye Valley brewery bar. They have one in the Post Office Vaults in Birmingham, but as Ray isn't keen I would have to have a go on my own and play right hand against left hand. I used to play darts that way till I could hit a double just as easily whether playing left or right handed.

    There's a table in the Gardeners Rest in Sheffield too, but we are usually concentrating on the beer then moving on when in there.
    Alcohol doesn't solve problems .... but then again, neither does milk.

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    We're not really 'ere! trainman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gillhalfpint View Post
    till I could hit a double just as easily whether playing left or right handed.
    !!!

    Something for our footballers to learn here, methinks!
    Though we'd need to explain with a football, not with darts...

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    Quote Originally Posted by gillhalfpint View Post
    I've wanted to learn to play bar billiards since I watched a couple playing a game in Wye Valley brewery bar. They have one in the Post Office Vaults in Birmingham, but as Ray isn't keen I would have to have a go on my own and play right hand against left hand. I used to play darts that way till I could hit a double just as easily whether playing left or right handed.

    There's a table in the Gardeners Rest in Sheffield too, but we are usually concentrating on the beer then moving on when in there.
    Many thanks Gill, have asked for those to be added to the map. Particularly good to hear about the Post Office Vaults as they didn't have anywhere listed in all of Brum.

    I'd be more than happy to teach you to play bar billiards, if I finally manage to make it to a PuG meet-up and there is a table available somewhere. I'm useless at playing left handed so if you wanted to give me a handicap that would be a very good way to do it!
    'Immanuel Kant was a real pissant who was very rarely stable' - Python

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    Old & Bitter oldboots's Avatar
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    This is the best guide I've found on t'internet to the rules of bar billiards. It's just about how we used to play when I was a lad in 'ampshire and mispending time in various pubs. Other rules are available but as one site says there's no official Bar Billliards body to set the rules so it's a father to son thing. Last time I saw a table was in the Hopback pub in Reading. Is it a southern thing?

  8. #8
    Get some gravy on it. Maldenman's Avatar
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    Having just had a look through those rules, the game seems fairly straightforward, so I may well have a go next time I see a table (providing there aren't too many people about!).
    In Chester recently I saw a Bagatelle table, similar but with a curved end and more upright pins. It's good to see these traditional old games still surviving in the electronic age, I recall one from my youth with nine small skittles set on a plinth which you had to knock over by swinging a small ball on a chain in a circular motion around an upright pole, anyone know this game?
    Also, Lewes pubs have a rather robust game, I think it is called "bat and trap"?

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maldenman View Post
    Having just had a look through those rules, the game seems fairly straightforward, so I may well have a go next time I see a table (providing there aren't too many people about!).
    In Chester recently I saw a Bagatelle table, similar but with a curved end and more upright pins. It's good to see these traditional old games still surviving in the electronic age, I recall one from my youth with nine small skittles set on a plinth which you had to knock over by swinging a small ball on a chain in a circular motion around an upright pole, anyone know this game?
    Also, Lewes pubs have a rather robust game, I think it is called "bat and trap"?
    The game with the pole and small skittles on a table is called Table Skittles,i used to play for a pub team in a league.

    It was quite a popular game in the Nottingham and Ilkeston areas

  10. #10
    Get some gravy on it. Maldenman's Avatar
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    Oh, ok Al, thought it might have some sort of archaic quaint old name! Table skittles rings a bell though.

    Without wishing to go too far off topic, I also recently encountered a London 5s dartboard, where all numbers are divisible by 5, and repeat around the board, ie 5 10 15 and 20. I assume the bull remains at 25. The game starts from 505.

    Anyone remember the old Manchester dartboard, nicknamed a "log-end"?

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