SLOW-HAND POOL

FAST LOOKS

Depending on if you have the time and the patience, Pool, from Heartland Software, may be your game.

This billiards game for the PC offers colorful graphics, easy playing instructions, simple commands, and a variety of game scenarios. But if you decide to play, bring something else to do because, without the suggested math coprocessor, shooting the cue ball is new adventure in waiting.

Pool comes with a brief instruction book, but it's hardly necessary. Commands at the bottom of the screen tell you pretty much all you need to know. You can choose either eightball or nineball pool or one of several practice screens.

In the normal game mode, you choose the difficulty level of your game, your shot, the angle, and the ball speed, and you can add English. Commands to aim your shot are handled by the directional arrows. Your shooting strength ranges from a soft touch, I on the keyboard, to a stronger 5. The strongest shot, used mostly in breaking, is 0. Press the F9 key and you can play Iowa Fats, the computer opponent.

Heartland Software recommends a math coprocessor or a fast 286 or 386 for fast action. I played the game on a 12-MHz 286 machine. Breaking for a game of eightball regularly took more than a minute as the computer calculated angles and speed. As the game progressed and balls were eliminated, waiting time decreased. Although Pool has realistic play, the pool-hall feel is lost during the long delay.

JEFF SLOAN