You know how to play pool now but that doesn't mean you know what to expect when you start playing in public places. There are pool halls all over the world now, from the bare essential room of tables and snack bars, to the glitz and glamour of mood lighting, shopping malls, and trendy bar stools.

Some pool halls are gigantic spaces with floor after floor of tables, restaurants, and bars that snake around the poolroom floor. You can get lost in the ambiance of some of these spectacular clubs. But what are you really doing there? Playing pool, of course! But at the same time you will be socializing — making new friends — and learning a whole new set of manners.

Pool is the art of course, but so too is the etiquette of the pool hall. Even if it's a casual game in a crowded bar, you will find that there are general rules of thumb that most people tend to follow. You'll know who is new to the game (or possibly not new and just plain rude) when you see people not adhering to at least basic pool politeness and sportsmanship.

You may be thinking, “I'm a polite person” or “I'm not going to cause any kind of ruckus in a poolroom.” But that's not really what this is about.

Of course you don't intend to shout across the room to your friends to deliberately throw a player who is concentrating on a shot, but remember, this is also a social environment — so you may not mean to do anything rude, but it can happen, and you should know why someone is shooting a dirty look in your direction.