Billiard Games for 1 Player

Owning or having access to a billiards table can provide hours of fun, but most known games require two or more players. To get more out of your billiards table, learn how to play some solo games. Playing by yourself is a great way to improve your game and to get more out of your billiards table. Here are some suggested solitaire games to try out.

Baca Ball

This is an unofficial variation of 9-Ball, adapted for solo play. In regular 9-Ball, the objective is to get each of the nine balls in ascending numerical order, with the winner being the player who sinks the 9 ball. In Baca Ball, rather than competing against an opponent, you strive to get the lowest score possible. You give yourself 10 points to begin with. As you try to sink each ball in the correct order, you deduct a point each time you scratch, miss or fowl. If you successfully play a "safety," you get the ball in hand. Play 10 rounds with the potential of 10 points per round and see how close you can get to a perfect 100.

Three Ball

As the name would suggest, Three Ball is played with just three balls, set up using either a standard triangle or diamond rack. This game can be played either solo or with any number of players. For serious players wanting to improve their game, using the 7, 8 and 9 balls is recommended because they tend to give players the most difficulty. The concept of Three Ball is simple. You must get all three balls into the pockets of the table in as few shots as possible. Neither the opening shot nor missed shots count as actual shots. Any fouls count as an additional shot, but the rules are simplified from the traditional billiards game so that most traditional fouls are disregarded. The only fowls in this game are moving any ball with your hand or cue, shooting the cue ball off the table, making jump shots or push shots, or having a double hit on the cue ball. Because the last three balls are generally the most important and stressful shots of any pool game, playing three ball can really develop your mental game as well as your shot accuracy.

The Ultimate Pool Challenge Game

The Ultimate Pool Challenge game is a card game that can be purchased online, featuring 52 cards, each with a picture of a challenging shot to take. You set your billiard balls up to match the picture and try to make the shot. Each card also gives useful tips to help you sharpen your skills and improve your game strategy. To make it more challenging, play against the clock, racing to beat your previous times, or keep track of how many shots you make on your first try.