Pool in Chhattisgarh

Verified profileAchievements, tournaments, coaches and scholarships on this page are compiled from federation and government sources (Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (bsfi.net), The Tribune — Pankaj Advani 9-ball title coverage (2026), Wikipedia — WPA World Nine-ball Championship, WPA World Eight-ball Championship, Raj Hundal, Totally Snookered — 2025 IEPF World 8-Ball Championship coverage).

Overview

Governing body: BSFI
Origin: Modern USA
Olympic discipline: No
Category: Precision
Total players listed: …

Pool is one of India's most-followed disciplines. The BSFI oversees national federation activity, talent identification and Olympic qualification pathways. Major support flows in through TOPS and Khelo India for athletes who clear federation benchmarks.

Pool is not currently on the Olympic programme, but it sits firmly inside India's broader sporting ecosystem. The discipline receives support through the Khelo India movement, multi-sport events such as the National Games and Asian Games trials wherever the sport is contested, and dedicated league or championship structures run by the federation. Sponsorship, broadcast deals and private academies often fill the gap that direct government funding leaves, and several state governments offer cash awards, government jobs and land grants to medallists at the National Games and recognised world championships.

Pool sits in the precision-sport category, where mental skill, repetition and equipment matter as much as raw athletic ability. The BSFI runs a rigorous national calendar that doubles as an international selection trial, and Indian competitors have a strong record at Asian, Commonwealth and World level. Private clubs and ranges supply most of the entry-level infrastructure, while SAI and dedicated national academies handle elite training.

At the grassroots, the route into Pool typically starts at school under the School Games Federation of India (SGFI), at the inter-university level under the Association of Indian Universities (AIU), or through a private academy registered with the state association. The Khelo India Youth Games and Khelo India University Games are the largest single discovery platforms — athletes who reach the podium at these events become eligible for the Khelo India Talent Development scheme, which funds boarding, coaching, kit, education and a monthly stipend at accredited centres. State sports awards and central government jobs under the sports quota remain a powerful incentive for athletes from smaller towns.

Pool originated in Modern USA, and in India it has developed a distinct character shaped by the country's geography, demographics and sporting culture. Whether you want to compete, coach, sponsor, write about or simply follow Pool, the practical starting point is the same: connect with your state association under the BSFI, identify the nearest SAI centre or accredited academy, and track the Khelo India and federation calendars for the events that decide selection at every level. Pool is played and developed across India under the BSFI, with grassroots programmes, state associations and national-level competition pathways.

History

How pool evolved globally and took root in India.

Pool traces its modern origins to Modern USA. Codified rules, standard equipment and international competition took shape as the sport spread beyond its birthplace, and BSFI is the body that carried it into organised Indian competition.

In India, pool grew through princely-state patronage, defence-service teams, universities and state associations. Post-independence, the discipline was formalised under BSFI, national championships were instituted, and the Sports Authority of India (SAI) later brought it into the centralised high-performance system with dedicated centres, coaching cadres and sports-science support.

Pool sits outside the Olympic programme but is firmly part of India's Asian Games, Commonwealth and National Games map, with state governments backing medallists through cash awards, jobs and land grants.

Indian Players

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Rules

Pool is played on a 9ft x 4.5ft (or 8ft) table with six pockets, a white cue ball and 15 numbered object balls — solids 1-8 and stripes 9-15. In 8-ball, the table is split between solids and stripes after the break and a player must clear their own group before legally potting the black 8-ball in a nominated pocket. In 9-ball, only balls 1-9 are used and the lowest-numbered ball on the table must always be struck first, with the game won by potting the 9 at any legal point — including off a combination. 10-ball follows the same rotation logic with ten balls and stricter call-shot rules. Fouls (missing the ball on, potting the cue ball, no cushion contact) usually hand the opponent ball-in-hand anywhere on the table, which makes safety play and cue-ball control decisive. Matches are contested as a race to a set number of racks rather than over time.

Authoritative rulebook: BSFI. Age-group and school-level variations are published by SGFI and the state associations each season.

Positions

Key roles, events or positions inside a pool squad or competition.

Rifle / pistol events
10m air, 25m and 50m disciplines shot to an electronic target.
Shotgun events
Trap and skeet — moving clay targets scored on hits.
Archery — recurve & compound
Ranking round and head-to-head elimination matches.
Team events
Three-athlete team formats contested at Asian, Commonwealth, World and Olympic level.

Equipment

Standard kit and infrastructure required to train and compete in pool at a federation-recognised event.

9ft x 4.5ft (or 8ft) pool table with slate bed, worsted cloth and six pockets
Set of 16 balls (57.2mm): white cue ball plus solids 1-8 and stripes 9-15
Playing cue with a harder tip than snooker, plus a dedicated break cue and jump cue
Triangle or diamond rack, chalk, glove and mechanical bridge
Overhead lighting rig and shot clock for professional play
Tip shaper, cloth brush and table cover

Governing body

National federation

BSFI

BSFI is the recognised national body for Pool in India. It sets the domestic calendar, selection norms, coaching curriculum and anti-doping compliance, and is affiliated to the international federation for pool. State associations under BSFI run age-group competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Origin: Modern USA
Olympic: No
Category: Precision

All federations →

Major Indian Events

Domestic championships, Khelo India events, National Games and franchise leagues that shape the pool calendar in India.

National Pool Championship (8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball)
Organized by the Billiards and Snooker Federation of India (BSFI — the same body governing billiards and snooker), most recently as the Manisha Constructions National Pool Championship (2026). Pankaj Advani — already a 28-time world billiards and snooker champion — won the men's 9-ball title on his tournament debut in 2026, defeating Nitin Sharma 11-5 after a tied start, extending his dominance across cue-sports disciplines.

International Events

Continental and world-level competitions where India competes in pool.

Heyball World Championship
India will host the 2026 edition in Pune (12-16 August 2026) — a major hosting credential for Indian cue sports.
IEPF World 8-Ball Pool Championship
Guvy Gill competed at the 2025 edition in Ireland.
Related note
Raj Hundal, an English-born player of Indian heritage, won the 2005 World Pool Masters, though he represented Europe rather than India at events like the Mosconi Cup — a related but distinct thread from India's own national pool programme.

Leagues

No dedicated professional league is currently catalogued for pool. The national championship under BSFI remains the top domestic competition.

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International Players

Globally recognised pool athletes to know outside India.

Kim Woo-jin (South Korea)
Olympic and World archery champion.
Jean Quiquampoix (France)
Olympic 25m rapid-fire pistol champion.
Amber Rutter (Great Britain)
Olympic skeet medallist.
Kim Ye-ji (South Korea)
Olympic 25m pistol medallist.

Records

Where to find India's official pool record book.

Olympic medalsN/A
Pool is not on the Olympic programme, so India records this discipline through Asian Games, Commonwealth, World and Continental championships instead.
Asian Games medalsTracked
India's Asian Games results in pool are compiled by the Indian Olympic Association and the BSFI.
Commonwealth medalsTracked
Commonwealth Games and Commonwealth Championship medals in pool are maintained by the BSFI.
World Championship medalsTracked
Senior, junior and youth World Championship medal records are held by the international federation for pool and mirrored by BSFI.
National record holdersFederation register
BSFI publishes the current senior, junior and sub-junior national records and updates them after every ratified event.

Career Options

Ways to build a career in pool — on the field, on the sidelines and behind the scenes.

Pool shares infrastructure and governance with billiards and snooker in India through BSFI, meaning cross-discipline athletes like Advani can compete at the highest domestic level across all three cue sports
Playing pathway through BSFI's National Championship and trials
Young players like Manasvi Bhoi (Top 8 finish, National 9-Ball Championship, Ludhiana) have credited direct interaction with senior champions like Advani at these events as valuable development exposure
Coaching and refereeing certification through BSFI

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Related academies

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No pool academies are catalogued in the directory yet. Browse the full academy list or list your academy to appear here.

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Government Schemes

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Central and state schemes that fund training, stipends and awards for pool athletes and academies.

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FAQs

Common questions about pool in India.

Who governs Pool in India?▾

BSFI is the recognised national federation for Pool in India. State associations under BSFI run age-group and state-level competition and feed the national talent pipeline.

Is Pool an Olympic sport?▾

Pool is not currently on the Olympic programme, but India competes at Asian Games, Commonwealth Games (where recognised), World Championships and other continental events sanctioned by BSFI.

How do I start playing Pool in India?▾

Join a school team under SGFI, a college team under AIU, or a private academy affiliated to your state association. From there, age-group state championships and Khelo India events are the standard route into the national pipeline.

What government schemes support Pool athletes?▾

The core schemes are Khelo India (talent development stipends, scholarships and boarding at accredited centres), TOPS (funding for elite athletes preparing for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games), and state-government cash awards, jobs and land grants for medallists. Federation-specific schemes may also apply.

Where can I train for Pool?▾

Sports Authority of India (SAI) national centres of excellence, Khelo India accredited academies, state sports institutes and private academies registered with the state association are the standard training venues. The Academies section on this page lists options.

How are Indian Pool athletes selected for international events?▾

BSFI runs selection trials — typically the senior national championship, a dedicated trial event, or ranking-based selection — and publishes the selection policy each season. Objective criteria (times, distances, ranking points, weight-class results) dominate at the elite level.

Pool in every state & UT

Dedicated pages for Pool in each Indian state and Union Territory — academies, schemes, athletes and how to start.

Pool