Talk:Pool

Neelix's "Safety"
When Neelix does his safety in, he hits the white ball into an area where Tuvok would have to bounce it off the cushion but he doesn't hit any of his balls in the process. I could be wrong but don't you have to hit one of your balls in a turn? I thought that if the white ball didn't hit any of your balls or it hits your opponents first, it is a foul? TrekFan 21:42, 29 July 2008 (UTC)
 * According to the | World Standardized Rules (section 4.12), Neelix would have had to pocket a ball to call a safety, so it wasn't really a safety. Also, you are correct in that the cue ball (the white one) must come in contact with one of the player's balls and either pocket the ball or cause one of the numbered balls (player's or opponent's) to hit one of the rails, or vice versa. So, either way, Neelix was in the wrong and fouled. Of course, billiards rules could have changed in the next couple of hundred years :)  Willie LLAP 13:07, 30 July 2008 (UTC)

Pool v. Billiards
Kirk and Rayna playing "Pool" in is not quite correct. They are playing the very old game of three cushion "Billiards". Unlike Pool or Pocket Billiards, Billiards does not have pockets and is played with only three balls. Points are scored by contacting three or more rails and caroming off of both of the other balls with the shooter's cue ball. Any combination of rail and ball is permitted except contacting both balls first. Completing a successful combination of banks and caroms yields one point and the privilege to shoot again. Rayna successfully completes one of the most basic three cushion billiard shots to show Kirk how it is played.