Russian pyramid, also known as Russian billiards (, russky bilyard), is a form of billiards played on a large billiard table with narrow pockets. It is played across Russia and several former Soviet/Eastern Bloc countries. In the West, the game is known as pyramid billiards, or simply pyramid.

Equipment

Rule variations

There are several rule variations of Russian pyramid. All games begin with fifteen numbered white balls in a , as in straight pool, eight-ball, and blackball. Players may pocket any object balls on the table regardless of number, and the first player to pocket eight or more balls wins the. In addition, shots do not have to be. Depending on the game variant, some specific balls may have to be in specific positions within the rack. The first player firmly s the rack with the from just in front of the. The most common varieties are the following, each of which has slight local variations on the rules:

In popular culture

Versions of the game have featured prominently in notable Russian films such as The Meeting Place Cannot Be Changed (1979) and The New Adventures of the Elusive Avengers (1968). An episode of the popular animated television series Kikoriki has two characters playing the game. The main characters of Dead Man's Bluff, or Zhmurki (Russian: Жмурки) play Russian pool in the bar scene. A Russian pool configuration can be seen in “Tulsa King” starring Sylvester Stallone in Season 1, episode 5, while making a phone call, he walks around a pool table with all-white balls racked, and a white cue ball. Russian pyramid has been adapted into video games, both in stand-alone form and as a play mode in multi-cue-sports video games. Many recent releases have been mobile games for Android and iOS.

"Russian pool"

Colored numbered balls for playing eight-ball, nine-ball, and other pool games on Russian billiards tables are also produced. The balls are 68 mm (2 11/16 in) in diameter, like the standard ones for Russian pyramid, and thus much larger than the American-style balls they are patterned after.

WPA World Pyramid Championship

Sanctioned by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA).