Is The Cue Ball Of The Same Size As The Other Billiards Balls?

Among all the balls we carry along with our billiard accessories, the most distinctive ball is the cue ball, not only because of its white color but sometimes also due to its size.

Yeah, if you ever wondered while holding a cue ball in your hand that its size is little different from other balls, then your instincts were right.

So, now the question is, Is the cue smaller or bigger than the rest of the balls?

If yes, then why.

Or, if both types of balls are of the same size? Curious to learn more?

Giddy up, because in this article, we are going to discuss everything regarding the size of cue ball and other balls.

We’ll also shed some light on snooker and pool balls, and if the cue balls used in snooker and pool are the same or not.

Cue Ball Size vs Other Billiards Balls Size

In general, pool balls and other billiards balls are of the same size.

Now, I don’t want to make things complex for you. There could be many reasons why you found your cue ball bigger or smaller than other balls.

• Unless you are playing on a bar box or coin operated table.
• It could be the case that the owner of the pool table changed the color balls but not the cue ball, that’s why not it’s smaller than the rest. Or vice versa.

And that’s why you might have felt that one of the two types of balls was smaller than the other.

• Another reason could be that you purchased a cue ball from one brand and other balls from another. As brands can have slightly different ball sizes, it turns out that your cue ball and other balls have minor differences in terms of size.

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On a coin operated table, the size of the cue ball is normally bigger than the other balls due to its mechanism.

Lets learn about them:

Cue Ball Is Slightly Larger On A Coin Operated Table

When the cue ball is of the same size in other instances then why is the cue ball slightly bigger than the other balls on a coin operated table? As said earlier, due to its mechanism.

Let me explain to you.

• Such tables are mostly found in bars. They have a series of mechanisms beneath the table that separates the cue ball from the object balls, once they have been pocketed.
• All objects balls, once pocketed, go into a holding chute until the start of the next game with coins/tokens – or whatever you might call them.
• Since the cue ball remains on the table, you need a way to get it back if it has been pocketed by any player.
• So when the cue ball is slightly bigger than the other balls, the table redirects it to an exit – in other words, due to its bigger size, the table recognizes it and gives it an exit.

Cue Ball Size in Snooker & Pool

If you have played both snooker and pool, you might have questioned yourself is the cue ball smaller in snooker?

Snooker cue ball and other balls are normally 4.5mm smaller than the pool balls.

Cue balls in snooker and pool can be of different sizes, that’s because of the size of their other companions.

• Pool balls normally weigh between 5 1⁄2 to 6.0 oz (160–170 g) with a diameter of 2 1⁄4 in (57 mm). As said earlier, cue balls and other balls are normally the same size.
• While for snooker balls, no standard weight has been set but their size is standardized at 52.5 mm (2.07 in) in diameter.

While in terms of weight, the most notable difference in Pool vs snooker cue ball is that pool cue ball and other balls have a standard size while snooker balls don’t have any.

Playing With A Large White Ball vs Small One

So now you know that white balls are heavier in the pool than snooker.

What difference would you notice in playing with a larger cue ball?

If you know a little bit of physics, you know what happens when an object with greater mass hits the one with smaller mass?

The same is the case here.

• Because of its bigger size and mass, a heavier white ball results in some extra forward roll. But that is only the case when other balls are small.
• When both balls are of the same size, there is no leverage or loss.

So that brings us to another question,

Are there any Pros and cons of a smaller cue ball?

There are no pros of playing with a smaller ball but only cons.

• It is not recommended to play with a smaller and lighter cue ball, if your other balls are of a different size.
• In normal circumstances, you must ensure that your cue ball is of the same size as the other balls.

Note: If one of the two types start wearing, replace them with the new one and make sure the new ones are of the same size.

Conclusion

So in this article, we discussed a common issue among billiard players who are confused by the sizes of the cue balls. And if it makes any difference to their gameplay or not.

So if we conclude things, yes, cue ball size and weight can vary with the passage of time but it’s your responsibility to ensure that your all balls are of the same size, be it snooker or pool.

Since, now you have learnt all about the standard sizes and weights of snooker and pool balls, it’d be easier for you to make your next purchases.