View source for Pyramid pool

{{Short description|Historical precursor to snooker}}
[[File:Beautiful game.jpg|thumb|Setup for pyramid pool]]

'''Pyramid pool''', or simply '''pyramids''', is a form of [[Pool (cue sports)|pool]] that was played mainly in the 19th century. It was one of several pool games that were popular at this time, and was forerunner to modern games such as [[eight-ball]], [[Blackball (pool)|blackball]], [[straight pool]], and [[Russian pyramid]].  Along with [[black pool]], it was one of the progenitor [[cue sports]] of [[snooker]].

==Rules==
{{Cuegloss|object ball|Object balls}} were racked in a triangle with any remaining balls placed at the back of the triangle. It could be played by several players, with an agreed stake per ball pocketed, or with just two players in which case the winner is the one to first sink over half the balls. Teams were also allowed if there were an even number of players. In early versions of the game, when one object ball remained, the game shifted so one player took possession of the original cue ball, while the other used the object ball, as they attempted to sink the other player's designated ball.<ref name="Baumann" /><ref name="Kentfield" /><ref>{{EB1911|noprescript=1|wstitle=Billiards}}</ref> This rule was dropped in the United States during the late 19th century. An early version of pyramid pool awarded the entire pool to the player that sank the last ball.<ref name="Kentfield" /><ref name="Shamos 1999">{{Shamos 1999}}</ref>{{rp|120-121}} Originally, balls did not need be to {{Cuegloss|call shot|called}}. The calling of shots was added in the early 1880s in the United States.

==History==
[[File:Aan het biljart-Catchpenny print-Borms 0090.jpeg|thumb|Cartoon by [[Adolf Oberländer]]]]
The earliest rules were recorded in Vienna in 1795 under the name ''à la Figaro'' or ''à la pyramide''.<ref name="Baumann">{{cite book |last1=Baumann |first1=Anton |title=Gründlicher Unterricht und Regeln des Billard-Spieles |date=1795 |publisher=Anton Baumann |location=Vienna |pages=79–84 |edition=1st |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=irdhAAAAcAAJ&q=figaro%20billarde&pg=PA79 |access-date=2 October 2019 |ref=Baumann}}</ref><ref name="Gerold">{{cite book |last1=Gerold |first1=Joseph |title=Der beliebte Weltmensch, welcher lehret die üblichsten Arten der Spiele |date=1795 |publisher=Joseph Gerold |location=Vienna |pages=90–94 |edition=1st |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-_1dAAAAcAAJ&q=figaro%20billarde&pg=PA90 |access-date=2 October 2019 |ref=Gerold}}</ref> In Continental Europe, the game was played with a red cue ball and unnumbered white object balls. Any number of object balls could be used, but the earliest minimum was twelve with later rule books recommending fifteen,<ref name="Alvensleben">{{cite book |last1=von Alvensleben |first1=Ludwig |author-link=Ludwig von Alvensleben|title=Encyclopädie der Spiele |date=1855 |publisher=Otto Wigand |location=Leipzig |pages=81–82 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UlZeAAAAcAAJ&q=pyramide%20billard&pg=PA81 |access-date=2 October 2019 |ref=Alvensleben}}</ref> twenty-one,<ref name="Vanderheid">{{cite book |last1=Vanderheid |first1=Christian |title=Der Billardspieler in seiner größten Ausbildung |date=1866 |publisher=Albert A. Wenedikt |location=Vienna |page=19 |edition=2nd |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IqMcNS-W7rEC&q=billardspiel&pg=PA19 |access-date=2 October 2019 |ref=Vanderheid}}</ref> or twenty-four balls.<ref name="Bonnier">{{cite book |last1=Bonnier |first1=David Felix |title=Ny och fullständig Svensk Spelbok |date=1847 |publisher=D.F. Bonniers |location=Gothenburg |pages=323–324 |edition=1st |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NykVAAAAYAAJ&q=pyramid%20biljard&pg=PA323 |access-date=2 October 2019 |ref=Bonnier}}</ref> The game arrived in English-speaking countries by 1850 but the colours were reversed with the cue ball being white and the object balls red.<ref name="Kentfield">{{cite book |last1=Kentfield |first1=Edwin |title=The Game of Billiards |date=1850 |publisher=Smith, Elder, and Co. |location=London |pages=48–50 |edition=5th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gp8NAAAAQAAJ&q=kentfield%20billiards&pg=PA48 |ref=Kentfield}}</ref>

==Legacy==
In 1875, this game combined with [[black pool]] to form [[snooker]].<ref name="Shamos 1994">{{cite book |last1=Shamos |first1=Mike |title=Pool |url=https://archive.org/details/poolhistorystrat0000sham |url-access=registration |date=1994 |publisher=Friedman Fairfax |location=New York City |ref=Shamos 1994}}</ref>{{rp|50}} In the United States, pyramid pool developed into [[fifteen-ball pool]], a precursor to [[Rotation (pool)|rotation]] and [[straight pool]]. Since the middle of the 20th century, the American version of pyramid pool has been known as '''basic pool''' or '''basic pocket billiards''' which now uses modern pool balls.

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*{{Shamos 1999}}

{{Cue sports nav}}

[[Category:Pool (cue sports)]]
[[Category:History of snooker]]


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