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Whether it’s a game of 8 ball, 9 ball, straight pool or trick shots, billiards provides entertainment for all different skill levels. The game of billiards consists of hitting a rack of 15 balls into six evenly spaced pockets on the billiards table. Depending on what type of game is being played the order of balls to be hit may change. A complete rack of billiards balls contains 7 striped balls, 7 solid balls and the 8 ball. In a game of straight pool, or 8 ball, the object of the game is for one player to hit all of one type of ball into the pockets before winning the game by hitting the 8 ball in. If the 8 ball is hit in before any of the other balls, then that player loses the game. There are many different variations of billiards that can be played. When playing 9 ball, only the balls 1-9 are used in a specialized rack, and the balls must be hit into the pockets in order. Trick shots are also very entertaining and can consist of spinning the ball, banking the ball, or curving the ball. Professional billiards players must master many different types of shots as well as have a understanding of angles on the table.