Bumper Pool – A Game For All Times
During the 1500’s there were many games that were created to pass the time. Most of the games chosen were outdoor games also known as lawn games. One game that was created as an indoor game was bumper pool. It is believed, that bumper pool is a table version of the game croquet. Like croquet, your goal is to get your ball to the other side of the field before your opponent. The game of course has obstacles in which you have to get by and then on to the finishing line. As with bumper pool you have obstacles in which you must get around and in the end get to the finish line at your opponents side of the table.
The game originated in Europe and is known to be played mostly in France. The bumper pool table is shorter than a standard billiards table, this helps with those wanting to enjoy a table game but don’t have enough space for a standard size table. Although the game is more commonly found in Europe, it is not uncommon to find the game among the New England states. Many people will call the game Snooker, which is actually a different game but also played on smaller tables. Although the game of bumper pool has not picked up in popularity like that of standard billiards and the game snooker, it is still equally enjoyed by many people.
Now that the history of billiards has been explained it is time to delve into the meet of the subject of bumper-pool. No one is quite sure who developed the concept of bumper-pool or when. It is still one game that has a lot of hidden mysteries to discover.
A bumper pool table can come in different sizes to fit almost any space for those who want to enjoy a game of billiards. The playing field of the bumper-pool tables consists of 2 pockets and between 12 and 16 bumpers. The number of bumpers is determined by the size of the table. For the smaller tables there are 8 bumpers in the middle and then 2 on each side of the pockets. As the tables become larger, you have more bumpers added to guard the pockets. There are a total of 10 balls used in the game of bumper-pool, you have 5 red and 5 white. One ball of each color is marked with a spot in the opposite color. This is typically the ball in which is used to start the game.
The bumper pool tables can be found in two different shapes. Many people may think that the standard rectangle is all that can be found. This is not so, you can also find octagon shaped bumper-pool tables. This style of table is typically found with another game. The popular game of poker is the top portion of the octagon tables. The tops can be found in different variations from a felted or leather top to a nice wood finish. You can find pockets carved into the tops for poker chips and cards to be held. When the top is lifted you find the surprise, bumper pool.
To play a game, each player takes a turn at making an initial shot into their opponents pocket. If someone makes a shot then that person starts the game. Turns alternate from there. Typically, most tables come with a set of instructions to help beginners get a full understanding of how the game should be played.