English billiards – a game of angles

East Kildonan

Winnipeg is known for many things, but did you know it is home to what could be the largest English billiards league in the Western Hemisphere?

The Winnipeg Veterans’ English Billiards League is 104 years old and, while it is very popular, league president Jon Miller and member Kevin Augusta said there is always room for more members.

The Winnipeg Veterans’ English Billiards League plays on Wednesday and Thursday nights at ANAF 283 (3584 Portage Ave.) and at four Royal Canadian Legions – the St. James, South Osborne, Norwood and Elmwood-Kildonan locations.

Miller and Augusta said the league has a unique history, preserved through detailed record-keeping. Soldiers returning to Canada following the First World War brought back this interesting game, which they had learned from British service members. Other Empire veterans brought it back to Australia, India and other locations.

English billiards is played with three balls on the table – one for each of the two players, and a neutral third ball. Points are scored for hitting balls in different combinations. Strategy and ball placement are key parts of the game.

“The origins, in my understanding, are that British royalty played outdoors on a field with three balls and a mallet,” Miller said. “Eventually, a snooker table came into play and had no pockets. It evolved and became carom billiards. Then they put more balls on the tables, and snooker came in.”

The Winnipeg Veterans’ English Billiards League welcomes players of all skill levels. It employs a closely monitored handicap system to keep games competitive. While games are played to 200 points, a new player may only have to reach 150 (a +50 handicap), while more seasoned players may have to reach 350 (a -150 handicap)

“It’s amazing how close it makes games,” Augusta said. “We adjust handicaps every night. It tends to level out.”

The league has documented 684 players throughout its century-plus history, and Miller and Augusta want to see the total increase. They are looking for more people to join a team or to start a new one. If you’ve played pool but not specifically English billiards, Miller and Augusta invite you to stop by, meet some members, and watch the action. Members are very willing to help newer players learn the game’s intricacies.

Joining now will get you in before what should be an exciting 2026 season. The Winnipeg Veterans’ English Billiards League will play host to the the Pan Am Cup and Vimy Ridge Classic from Aug. 24-31, featuring many of the world’s best players from Australia, India, the United Kingdom and elsewhere. Some of the star players will conduct clinics and all are very approachable. This will be the fifth time Winnipeg has hosted the event, a sign of the city’s prominent standing in the game.

“One guy from India has been to all the previous four,” Augusta said. “Winnipeg is probably the only centre for English billiards in the entire Western Hemisphere. Our league is the oldest and biggest English billiards league in the world.”

To learn more about the Winnipeg Veterans’ English Billiards League, email info-desk@wvebl.comor visit www.wvebl.com/home, or the league’s social media pages.