Goriziana

Goriziana or nine-pin billiards (also known as nine-pins, 9-pins, etc.) is a carom billiards game, especially popular in Italy.

Like the cue sport most closely related to it, five-pin billiards, goriziana is played on a 284 cm by 142 cm table.

Rules

Nine-pins table

In goriziana, nine pins sit in the center of the table. It is played by two teams of 1 or 2 players. Three balls are used, of which two are cue balls. Each team (or each player) aims to hit their opponent's ball and, from there, score points by striking the red ball and by making the opponent's and/or the red ball knock over the pins.

Unlike in many games, shots are always taken in rotation – the same player or team never shoots twice in a row even if they have scored. Except if the opponent fouled before actually shooting when their turn came up, such as by moving one of the balls accidentally. Play continues until one player or team wins by being the first to achieve or exceed a specific number of points (usually 200 or 300), either agreed upon beforehand by the players.

The main difference between five-pins and nine-pins is in scoring. Accumulated or lost points are doubled in the five-pin game.

Scoring and fouls

Scoring:

• 2 points for every external pin knocked;
• 8 points for every internal pin knocked;
• 10 points for knocking red central pin together with one or more white pins;
• 30 points for knocking red central pin only;
• 6 points if after regularly hitting the ball of the opponents, the later hits the red ball;
• 6 points if after regularly hitting the ball of the opponents, the former hits the red ball

In case of a foul 2 points are deducted besides nullify any points the shooter would have earned on the foul shot. Examples of fouls:

• Failure to hit the shooter's own cue ball the right way;
• Failure to hit the opponent's cue ball at all with the shooter's own;
• Knocking over pins with the shooter's own cue ball before hitting the opponent's cue ball;
• Hitting the red ball before hitting the opponent's cue ball.

Variants

Goriziana is primarily popular in Italy, and amateur players there have developed many variants of the game. Some of these variants are played in tournaments.

Goriziana ×2

This variant, also called tutti doppi ("all-doubled"), is officially recognized by the Italian Federation of Billiard Sports (FIBiS). The point values in the normal game are doubled in this version:

• 4 points for every external pin knocked;
• 16 points for every internal pin knocked;
• 20 points for knocking red central pin together with one or more white pins;
• 60 points for knocking red central pin only;
• 12 points if after regularly hitting the ball of the opponents, the later hits the red ball;
• 12 points if after regularly hitting the ball of the opponents, the former hits the red ball;
• -2 points if failing to hit the opponent's cue ball at all with the shooter's own

Filotto

This variant is the same as goriziana ×2 except for the difference of earning 80 points (instead of 60) if hitting the red pin alone and 80 points can be earned also if five pins are hit in vertical or horizontal line of the so called castle in the middle.

External links

Italian Federation of Billiard Sport (FIBIS)