Russian pyramid

Russian pyramid, also known simply as pyramid or pyramids (пирами́да, piramida) and often called Russian billiards (Russian: ру́сский билья́рд, russky bilyard) or Russian pool, is a cue sport that has several differences from Western pool, although game play is still dominated by attempts to pocket (pot) billiard balls.

It is played in countries of the former Soviet Union and a variant of it, kaisa is popular in Finland.There are several variations of Russian billiards, but the three most common are free (or "American") pyramid, combined (or Moscow) pyramid and dynamic (or Petersburg) pyramid.

All games start with fifteen numbered white balls racked in a pyramid, as in straight pool. The first player breaks the rack with the cue ball from the baulk line. The object of the games is to pocket eight balls to win the frame. In free pyramid at all times any ball may be used as a cue ball. In combined and dynamic pyramid only one ball is a cue ball.

After pocketing the cue ball, the scorer must choose a white ball to be taken off the table. In combined pyramid, then the player places the cue ball in the baulk area. Balls can be pocketed in side and far corner pockets only. In dynamic pyramid, the player places the cue ball at any area of the table, but may not pocket the cue ball.