Fidel Student Center
Game Room
575/835-5927
( or via Auxiliary Services 575/835-5050)
Socorro, NM 87801, USA .
Learn more about the Billy Aardd's
Club at the New Mexico
Institute of Mining and Technology.
You can also view the Billy Aardd's Club
constitution, and the club's
operating procedures.
Video and Books available for use in the game room. The VCR/DVD player in the office can show the videos on the monitor near the carom table.
Check out:
(If this information seems outdated checking with the game room attendant is always an option.)
We welcome new players (come by and pick up a few tips).
Wednesdays during Fall and Spring semester starting around 7:00pm. Business, when it happens, usually doesn't take very long.
Officers:
Are needing to be elected once the Fall semester gets here.
Aside from the occasional business that needs to be conducted the meetings offer opportunity for:
Our first reunion (2014) went quite well. We had two game room sessions and a group dinner.
Here are some photos from the reunion (2014), and a BBQ in the courtyard of the SUB (some time around 2001?).
For those curious about their 14.1 ladder matches you can look at: Original 50-point 14.1, or Second 50-point 14.1, or Current 44-point 14.1.
Sign up on the round sheet (posted on the right wing of the rightmost white board) of which ever ladder you want to play on. Be sure to leave your name (first and last), your conditional rating (CLBPI, CPPI, ...), your phone number, and an email address (preferably one from Tech). Please check with one of the players on the ladder your are interested in for setting your conditional rating.
If you'd like to play on a ladder that is not currently running know that we need at least six people to start it (it would work better with eight though). Check with others to see if they would also sign up for it.
CAUTION: Note that ladder play can eat up your time and so it is recommended that you limit participation to two (or at most three) ladders at a time.
In September of 2011 we started running a 44-pt Handicapped 14.1 Continuous Ladder. This ladder uses a 105% handicap, limits the minimum LBPI for spots to a 0.550, and has a maximum spot of 130-balls.
Our original 50-pt Handicapped 14.1 Continuous Ladder was started in the Summer of 1983 by John Hagstrom following an idea to set up some sort of ladder for people interested in regularly scheduled competitive play. It uses a 100% handicap system, with a minimum LBPI (ladder balls per inning) for spot calculations of 0.400, and a maximum spot of 200-balls. It is currently suspended in favor of the 44-pt ladder.
Handicapped 14.1 elimination tournaments based on a player's career LBPI started a bit more than a year and a half after the first 14.1 ladder began.
In February of 1997 we started running a 75-pt, 3-per-rung Handicapped 14.1 Continuous Ladder having three players per rung. This ladder uses a 60% handicap, limits the minimum LBPI for spots to a 1.000, and has a maximum spot of 125-balls. (It folded when we didn't have enough people on the ladder for good movement. If we get enough interest, say nine players, we could start it up again.)
In February of 1999 we started running a different 75-pt Handicapped 14.1 Continuous Ladder. This ladder goes back to two players per rung. It uses a 60% handicap, limits the minimum LBPI for spots to a 1.000, and has a maximum spot of 125-balls. (It folded when we didn't have enough people on the ladder for good movement. If we get enough interest, say eight players, we could start it up again.)
Started in the Fall of 2013.
If you're interested in playing please stop by the game room and add your name to the list on the east white board. Also ask for help establishing your skill rating as you will need that before playing your first match.
The Team 9-ball (handicapped) ladder started being organized in the Spring of 2007. Aside from getting more people playing it was hoped we could get some inter-departmental competition going. If there is sufficient interest in this again we can take another go at it later.
The individual's 9-ball (handicapped) ladder (which started in the Fall of 2007) is suspended for lack of activity. If there is sufficient interest this can be started up again.
Starting this Spring (2018).
If you're interested in playing please stop by the game room and add your name to the list on the east white board. Also ask for help establishing the skill rating that you will need before playing your first match.
Has started up again.
If you wish to join please add your name (and contact info) to the current round sheet posted in the game room.
Ran in Spring of 2001. Straight rail is currently the carom ladder of choice.
Suspended for lack of activity. If there is sufficient interest this can be started up again.
If you wish to join please add your name (and contact info) to the white board in the game room (noting which ladder you want to join).
If you wish to join please sign up on the Snooker rungs sheet (right wing of the rightmost white board) leaving you name and NMT email address. You will need to supply your scores from three recent games of American Snooker so we can set your initial match handicap.
House Rules
Other Rule Sets
Brunswick Balke Collender rules of billiards, from 1914.
World Pool-Billiard Association.
VNEA (Valley National 8-Ball League Association).
UPA (US Professional Poolplayers Association).
Tenball is a shooter's game mix of snooker and pool.
Cannonball Pool is a variation of Eight-ball that allows more variety in shot selection.
poolshark.com has an interesting collection of rules (unfortunately many links have gone stale).
Mouse Ball Pool. While the table dimensions are a bit strange it seems to be doable.
A single page copy of the Alan Hopkin's Q-Skill rating system scorecard and rules.
Some history and billiard table layouts.
If you want a wider view on the topic Google pool table plans.