Darts
Sumo wrestling and shot put aside, darts is one of the few sports where fat people rule. But you don't need a beer belly the size of Berlin to play - anyone with decent hand-eye coordination a penchant for hurling sharp objects at a target (other than human beings, please) can enjoy a game, especially in large groups.

Last time we checked, the website for Beijing's darts league (www.beijing-darts.com) was out of date, though organizer Chris Millward assures us it will be updated soon. In the meantime, try e-mailing elvis@beijing-darts.com, or contact Glenn about Thursday night darts at Frank's at glenn@trio-beijing.com

Places to play: 5:19, ClubFootball, Goose and Duck Pub, The Den, Frank's Place

Table football

After being bullied out of the playroom by Sega and Nintendo, table football was welcomed into the bar by grown men too lazy to play real football. This isn't to say it's any less competitive than the real thing; it just doesn't involve "as much running" according to David Varga-Sabjan, co-owner of Red Ball. "It's football for the thinking man." Surely football for the drinking man is a more appropriate analogy.

Red Ball will be hosting a table football tournament in December. For more details see www.redball.com.cn

Places to play: Ball House, ClubFootball, Goose and Duck Pub, Black Sun II, The Den, Red Ball, W Bar

Pool

"I just love lounging by the pool!" beamed a nameless Yugong Yishan pool shark after relieving me of RMB 100. Same old story: I won the first game comfortably, then scraped the second one. Apparently frustrated by his "bad luck" my nemesis proposed we put RMB 100 on the next game. With a couple of victories under my belt and beer in belly, I agreed - the rest, as they say, is history.

Sign up for Friday-night pool tournaments at Frank's Place. For more details, e-mail glenn@trio-beijing.com

Place to play: Ball House, Bar Blu, ClubFootball, Face Bar, Frank's Place, Goose and Duck Pub, Maggies, Yugong Yishan