- This article is about the various cue sports. In the United States, Billiards often denotes the gamut of cue games. Sometimes, however, "billiards" standing alone will refer to carom games played on a pocketless table, while games played on tables with pockets are referred to as pocket billiards or "pool". By contrast, in some countries, "billiards" refers unambiguously to a specific game. For instance, in the United Kingdom, "billiards" denotes English billiards exclusively. Likewise, in the Netherlands, billiards refers solely to Carambole billiards.
 Billiards in early 19th century Germany Billiards is a family of games played on a table, with a stick, known as a cue stick, which is used to strike balls, moving them around the table. A snooker table English billiards is a form of billiards played on a 6 X 12 rectangular table with pockets in the four corners and in the middle of the long sides (see Snooker for markings and a diagram). ...
Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2590x1799, 2096 KB) Tuebingen Students playing billiards - Tübinger Studenten beim Billardspiel, frühes 19. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2590x1799, 2096 KB) Tuebingen Students playing billiards - Tübinger Studenten beim Billardspiel, frühes 19. ...
A pool table with a cue stick at the right A cue stick or simply cue, is an item of sporting equipment essential to the games of billiards, pool and snooker. ...
All billiard games are generally regarded to have evolved into indoor games from outdoor stick and ball games.[1] The word "billiard" may have evolved from the French word billart, meaning "mace", an implement, similar to a golf club, which was the forerunner to the modern cue.
The word "pool" generally refers to pocket billiard games such as 8-ball, 9-ball, straight pool and one-pocket. The word "pool" comes from "poolrooms," where people gambled off track on horse races. They were called poolrooms as money was "pooled" to determine the odds. Because such rooms commonly provided billiard tables, pool became synonymous with billiards by association. The terms "pool" and "pocket billiards" are now interchangeable. For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
A correct Nine ball rack Nine ball is a contemporary variation of pocket billiards, with historical beginnings rooted in the United States and traceable to the 1920s. ...
Straight Pool, also called 14. ...
Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
Equipment
Billiard balls The number, type, diameter, color, and pattern of billiard balls differ depending upon the specific billiards game being played. In eight ball, straight pool, and related games, 16 balls are employed: fifteen colored "object balls" and one white "cue ball". Object balls 1-7 are solid-colored, and are respectively colored yellow, blue, red, purple, orange, green, and dark red or brown. Balls 9-15 are white, each with a single wide colored stripe that matches the corresponding solid ball; the 9-ball has a yellow stripe, the 10-ball a blue stripe, and so on. The 8-ball is solid black. In the game of 9-ball, only object balls 1-9 are used. Regulation balls are 21⁄4 inches (57.15 mm) in diameter and weigh between 51⁄2 and 6 ounces (156 to 170 g). British pool also uses 16 balls, but they are not numbered, with the "suits" being divided into reds and yellows instead of stripes and solids (and shots are not "called" since there is no way to identify particular balls to be pocketed); the balls and the pockets on the table are usually slightly smaller (though larger than those of snooker (see below). Download high resolution version (1024x768, 147 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
Download high resolution version (1024x768, 147 KB) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ...
A close-up picture of pool balls // US Billiard balls In the US, Billiard balls are balls used to play the game of US billiards. ...
For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Straight Pool, also called 14. ...
The following is an incomplete list of traditional terms used in the game of billiards. ...
The following is an incomplete list of traditional terms used in the game of billiards. ...
Nine ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 9 colored object balls, numbered 1 through 9. ...
Other specific properties such as hardness, friction coefficient and resilience are very important. Such requirement are met today with balls cast from phenolic resin. Historically, balls were often made of clay and even elephant ivory for a period (see below for more detail). Coin-operated pool tables historically have often used either a larger ("grapefruit") or denser ("rock", typically ceramic) cue ball, such that its extra weight makes it easy to separate it from object balls (which are captured until the game ends and the table is paid again for another game) so that the cue ball can be returned for further play, should it be accidentally pocketed. Modern tables usually employ a magnetic ball of regulation or near-regulation size and weight, since players have rightly complained for many decades that the heavy and often over-sized cue balls do not "play" correctly. This article is about the resistive force. ...
Phenolic resin can include any of various synthetic thermosetting resins, obtained by the reaction of phenols with simple aldehydes and used to make molded products, including pool and snooker balls, and as coatings and adhesives. ...
Some balls used in televised pool games are colored differently to make them distinguishable on television monitors. The 4 ball used in such games is colored pink instead of purple, while the 7 ball is colored sienna (or a lighter shade of brown) rather than brown. The stripes on the 12 and 15 balls are colored the same way. Likewise, cue balls used for televised matches may depart from the norm by having spots or stripes on their surface so that spin placed on them is evident to viewers.
In snooker, there are fifteen red balls, six colored balls (yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, and black), and one white cue ball. The red balls are typically not numbered, though the six colored balls often are, and can easily be mistaken at first glace for pool balls (the design is similar, but the number does not match pool's scheme). Snooker balls are normally 21⁄16 inches (52.4 mm) in diameter. Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 × 6) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
In the carom games such as straight billiards ("straight rail"), three-cushion billiards and balkline, as well as English billiards, there are two cue balls and a red ball. One of the cue balls is typically white and the other one is either yellow or white with a red dot. These balls are normally 23⁄4 inches (69.9 mm) in diameter. Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ...
Billiard balls were originally made from ivory, imported from Africa. In the mid-19th century, in an amazing bit of accidental environmentalism, the billiard industry realized that the supply of elephants (their primary source of ivory) was limited. They challenged inventors to come up with an alternative material that could be manufactured. John Wesley Hyatt answered the call by inventing cellulose nitrate in 1870, branded under the name celluloid, the earliest industrial plastic. Subsequently, to fix the problem of cellulose nitrate instability, the industry experimented with various other synthetic materials for billiards balls such as bakelite and other plastic compounds. Eventually phenolic resin became the industry standard and is virtually the only billiard ball material used today. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into environmentalist. ...
John Wesley Hyatt (November 28, 1837 – 1920) was a U.S. inventor. ...
Cellulose (C6H10O5)n is a long-chain polymeric polysaccharide carbohydrate, of beta-glucose. ...
Bakelite is a brand named material based on the thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, developed in 1907-1909 by Dr. Leo Baekeland. ...
Phenolic resin can include any of various synthetic thermosetting resins, obtained by the reaction of phenols with simple aldehydes and used to make molded products, including pool and snooker balls, and as coatings and adhesives. ...
 Pool table with equipment I took this picture May 8, 2004--only modification is cropping. ...
I took this picture May 8, 2004--only modification is cropping. ...
Tables There are many sizes and styles of pool and billiard tables. Generally, tables are perfect rectangles — twice as long as they are wide. Most pool tables are known as 7-, 8-, or 9-footers, referring to the length of the table's long side. Snooker and English billiard tables are 12 feet long on the longest side. Pool halls tend to have 9-foot tables and cater to the serious pool player. Bars will typically use 7-foot tables which are often coin-operated. Formerly, 10-foot tables were common, but such tables are now considered antique collectors items; a few, usually from the late 1800s, can be found in up-scale pool halls from time to time. A billiards table with 6 pockets A billiards table or billiard table is a table on which carom billiards games are played such as three cushion billiards, straight rail (carambole) and balkline. ...
In geometry, a rectangle is a defined as a quadrilateral polygon in which all four angles are right angles. ...
A pool halll is a place where people get together for playing pool, snooker or billiards. ...
The length of the pool table will typically be a function of space, with many homeowners purchasing an 8-foot table as a compromise. High quality tables are mostly 9-footers, with a bed made of three pieces of thick slate to prevent warping and changes due to humidity. Smaller bar tables are most commonly made with a single piece of slate. Pocket billiards tables normally have six pockets, three on each side (four corner pockets, and two side pockets).
All types of tables are covered with billiard cloth (often called "felt", but actually a woven wool or wool/nylon blend called baize). Bar or tavern tables, which get a lot of play, use "slower", more durable cloth. Good quality pool cloth is "faster" (i.e. provides less friction, allowing the balls to roll farther), and the best quality pool cloth is made from worsted wool. Snooker table cloth traditionally has a nap (consistent fiber directionality) and balls behave differently when rolling against the direction of the nap. The cloth of the billiard table is typically green reflecting its origin[2] (and thus the name of the pool movie The Color of Money--adapted from the Walter Tevis novel of the same name--referring to the color of American currency notes). Baize is a coarse woollen or cotton cloth, often coloured red or green. ...
Worsted is the name of both a yarn, usually made from wool, and the cloth made from this yarn. ...
The Color of Money was a 1984 novel by American writer Walter Tevis, continuing the story of Fast Eddie Felson from The Hustler (1959). ...
Walter Stone Tevis (February 28, 1928 - August 8, 1984) was an American author. ...
 Women playing on an elaborately-decorated green-covered table in an early 1880s advertising poster Image File history File links Download high resolution version (963x664, 402 KB) Summary Early 1880s chromolithograph poster for the J.M. Brunswick and Balke Company (printed in Chicago), depicting three ladies playing billiards while wearing the tight dress styles of ca. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (963x664, 402 KB) Summary Early 1880s chromolithograph poster for the J.M. Brunswick and Balke Company (printed in Chicago), depicting three ladies playing billiards while wearing the tight dress styles of ca. ...
Rack A rack is the name given to a frame (usually wood or plastic) used to organize billiard balls at the beginning of a game. A rack is the name given to a frame (usually wood or plastic) used to organize billiard balls at the beginning of a game. ...
WOOD is a pair of radio stations in Grand Rapids, Michigan owned by Clear Channel on the frequencies of 1300 AM and 105. ...
Plastic covers a range of synthetic or semisynthetic polymerization products. ...
A close-up picture of pool balls // US Billiard balls In the US, Billiard balls are balls used to play the game of US billiards. ...
Cues (See also Cue stick) A pool table with a cue stick at the right A cue stick or simply cue, is an item of sporting equipment essential to the games of billiards, pool and snooker. ...
Billiards games are played with a stick known as a cue. A cue is usually either a one piece tapered stick or a two piece stick divided in the middle by a joint of metal or phenolic resin. High quality cues are generally two pieces and are made of a hardwood, generally maple for billiards and ash for snooker.
The "butt" end of the cue is of larger circumference and is intended to be gripped by a player's hand. The "shaft" of the cue is of smaller circumference, usually tapering to an 11-14 millimeter terminus called a ferrule, where a leather tip is affixed to make final contact with balls. The leather tip, in conjunction with chalk, can be used to impart spin to the cue ball when not being hit in its center.
Cheap cues are generally one piece cues made of ramin or other low quality wood with inferior tips of various materials (usually plastic). A quality cue can be expensive and may be made of exotic woods and other expensive materials which are artfully inlaid in decorative patterns. Skilled players may use more than one cue during a game, including a separate cue for the opening break shot and another, shorter cue with a special tip for jump shots.
The mechanical bridge The mechanical bridge, sometimes called a "rake" or simply "bridge" and known as a "rest" in the UK, is used to extend a player's reach on a shot where the cue ball is too far away for normal hand bridging. It consists of a stick with a grooved metal or plastic head which the cue slides on. Many amateurs refuse to use the mechanical bridge based on the perception that to do so is unmanly. However, many aficionados and professionals employ the bridge whenever the intended shot so requires. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 327 KB) Description: Billiard chalk, photo taken in Sweden Source: Photo taken by Jonas Bergsten using a Canon PowerShot G3. ...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2272x1704, 327 KB) Description: Billiard chalk, photo taken in Sweden Source: Photo taken by Jonas Bergsten using a Canon PowerShot G3. ...
Chalk Chalk is applied to the tip of the cue stick, ideally between every shot, to increase the tip's friction coefficient so that when it impacts the cue ball on a non-center hit, no miscue (unintentional slippage between the cue tip and the struck ball) occurs. The quality of chalk varies greatly from brand to brand, which can significantly affect play. High humidity can also impair the effectiveness of chalk. Cuetip chalk is often not actually the substance typically referred to as "chalk", but some proprietary compound, frequently with a silicate base. "Chalk" may also refer to hand chalk, used to lubricate the cue and bridge hand during shooting (many players prefer talcum powder or a slick pool glove because of the long-term abrasive effect of actual carbonate chalk on the shaft of the cue). The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...
In chemistry, a silicate is a compound consisting of silicon and oxygen (SixOy), one or more metals, and possibly hydrogen. ...
Position play In both carom and pocket billiards, an immensely important part of the game on each shot is the exercise of control over the final resting position of the cue ball.
In carom games an advanced player's aim on most shots is to leave the cue ball and the object balls in position such that the next shot is of a less difficult variety to make the requisite carom, and so that the next shot is in position to be manipulated in turn for yet another shot; ad infinitum.
Similarly, in many pocket billiard games, an advanced player's aim is often to manipulate the cue ball so that it is in position to pocket a chosen next ball and so that that next shot can also be manipulated for the next shot; ad infinitum. Whereas in the carom games, manipulation of the object balls position is crucial as well, in pool this is normally not as large a factor, as, on a successful shot, the ball has left the table's playing surface. Many shots in the game of one-pocket, however, have this same added object ball control factor.
If a player is not attempting to score or pocket, depending on the game, then the goal is usually to exercise control over the cue ball to leave some type of safety to make it more difficult for the opponent to score or pocket. The following is an incomplete list of traditional terms used in the game of billiards. ...
In order to control the cue ball on a shot, a player must master a wide variety of techniques, and have a well-founded conceptual grasp of the mechanics involved.
As stated by George Fels, 'pool's poet laureate': "The mere pocketing of a ball isn't that hard; in fact, it's relatively simple. What drives many, many players to distraction is the unpredictability of the cueball's path of travel...the game of billiards requires you to drive a ball someplace; pool, in any form, mostly asks you to stop a ball someplace. In either case, you'll fare much better when you understand the how and why of a ball's getting from one place to another." [3]
Shooting techniques/mechanics Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1110, 188 KB) Description: Title: de: Nachtcafé Technique: de: Öl auf Leinwand Dimensions: de: 70 × 89 cm Country of origin: de: Niederlande und Frankreich Current location (city): de: New Haven (Connecticut) Current location (gallery): de: Yale University Art Gallery Other notes...
Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1110, 188 KB) Description: Title: de: Nachtcafé Technique: de: Öl auf Leinwand Dimensions: de: 70 × 89 cm Country of origin: de: Niederlande und Frankreich Current location (city): de: New Haven (Connecticut) Current location (gallery): de: Yale University Art Gallery Other notes...
Vincent Willem van Gogh (March 30, 1853–July 29, 1890) was a Dutch painter, classified as a Post-Impressionist. ...
English English (called "side" in the United Kingdom and sometimes simply called "left" or "right") normally refers to sidespin put on a cue ball by hitting it to the left or right of center. Generally, english is used to change the angle of deflection of the cue ball after it contacts a rail. English also affects the direction an object ball takes on impact (the "throw" effect), as well as the path of travel of the cue ball after impact with a cue ("deflection" or "squirt").
Sometimes english is conflated to refer as well to spin imparted on the vertical axis of the cue ball. However, an above center hit is more precisely referred to as "follow," and a below center hit, as "draw." Any time the cue ball is not struck directly in the center, some spin will be imparted, whether left or right english, follow or draw. Unintentional sidespin is a common source of missed shots. Spin is not always placed on the cue ball by the shooter; spin is naturally imparted to the cue ball from contact with pool cloth on the bed of the table and on the table's rails.
Follow Follow, sometimes called top spin or simply "top", is spin in the direction of travel of the cue ball, such that it is spinning faster than it would from its natural roll. If the cue ball has top spin on it, the cue ball, after making contact dead-on with the object ball, rather than stopping abruptly, will resume rolling forward and follow the struck ball.
Top spin is imparted to a ball by hitting it above the midpoint of its vertical plane as it faces the shooter. Top spin is spin in the direction a ball naturally "wants" to take in reaction to friction from contact with the pool cloth. Because of this, a ball sliding on the cloth will rapidly pick up follow. Likewise, a ball struck so that it is spinning backwards (with draw — see below) immediately starts losing that spin, and if it travels far enough, will reach a sliding point (no spin), soon graduating to natural follow.
Follow applied to a non-dead-on shot will cause the angle of departure of the cue ball from the object ball to widen shortly after impact; the thicker the hit on the object ball, the more this effect will be noticeable (on very thin cut shots it practically does not exist). Similarly, top spin will cause a widening of the cue ball's rebound angle after impact with a rail cushion.
Follow also increases the rate of cue ball travel, both before and after object-ball impact, and actually imparts a small amount of draw to the object ball.
Draw Draw, sometimes called back spin or "bottom", is backward spin applied to the cue ball by hitting it below the midpoint of its vertical plane as it faces the shooter. If the cue ball is hit with draw, and if that spin remains on the cue ball at the moment of impact with an object ball, the cue ball will reverse direction on a dead-on or center-to-center hit, and "draw" backwards. Draw is referred to in the United Kingdom as "screw".
Draw applied to a non-dead-on shot will cause the angle of departure of the cue ball from the object ball to narrow shortly after impact. Similarly, it will cause a narrowing of the cue ball's rebound angle after impact with a rail cushion.
Draw also slows the rate of cue ball travel, both before and after object-ball impact, and actually imparts a small amount of follow to the object ball.
Slide Slide refers to a cue ball that is sliding across the cloth with no follow or draw spin. To illustrate this principle, if a ball was marked with a single red dot on it which faced the ceiling at the time the cue ball was struck, an observer would see the cue ball traveling with that red dot remaining fixed at the top of the ball, and observe the bottom of the ball "sliding" over the cloth.
In order to initially achieve a sliding cue ball, a middle ball hit is employed. The more speed with which the cue ball is hit in this manner, the longer the cue ball will slide before picking up natural forward roll from cloth friction. However, because of this tendency of the cue ball to acquire follow from cloth friction, in order to deliver a sliding cueball to an object ball at distance, the cue ball must be precisely hit with the necessary degree of draw so that by the time it reaches that object ball, the draw has dissipated, and the cue ball is sliding at the moment of impact.
The stop and stun shots When a sliding cue ball contacts an object ball dead-on (a center-to-center hit), the cue ball and object ball are of the same mass, and neither follow nor draw is on the cue ball at the moment of impact, the cue ball will transfer all of its momentum to the object ball and come to a complete stop. If the sliding cue ball in the preceding scenario has sidespin on it when it contacts an object ball dead on, it will come to a complete stop but spin in place at that position until the sidespin dissipates. If the cue ball and object ball contact is not dead-on but still very full, the result will often be a "stun" shot, where the cue ball departs the object ball in the expected direction but travels only a short distance. The stun effect can often be enhanced with a minimal amount of draw, to reduce cue ball speed before impact with the object ball.
The tangent line If a cue ball is sliding at the time it contacts an object ball at an angle (i.e. a cut shot — not a center-to-center impact), the cue ball will travel in a line tangential to the point of impact between both balls--the "tangent line." Because Billiard balls are not inelastic, the resulting tangent line is slightly less than 90° from perpendicular to a line formed by the contact point between the balls.
If the cue ball hits an object ball at an angle and has follow on it, the cue ball will first travel on the tangent line and then parabolically arc forward from the tangent line in the direction of cue ball travel. By the same token, when such impact is made and the cue ball has draw on it, the cue ball will first travel on the tangent line and then parabolically arc backward from the tangent line in the opposite direction of cue ball travel. Whether follow or draw is on the cue ball, the faster the cue ball is traveling at the moment of impact, the farther it will travel on the tangent line before arcing forward or backward. Wikisource has an original article from the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica about: Parabola A parabola The parabola (from the Greek: παÏαβολή) is a conic section generated by the intersection of a right circular conical surface and a plane parallel to a generating straight line of that surface. ...
Throw Throw refers to an object ball's motion away from the impact line due to relative sideways sliding motion between the cue ball and object ball caused by sidespin or a cut angle.
When a ball with english (sidespin) on it hits an object ball with a degree of fullness, the object ball will be "thrown" in the opposite direction of the side of the cue ball the english was applied. Thus, a cue ball with left hand english on it will "throw" a hit object ball to the right.
 Intermeshing gears in motion This effect is sometimes overarchingly referred to as "the gear system;" so-called because the interaction of the cogwork gears of a clock — each circular gear is interlocked with an abutting circular gear and each spins in the opposite direction of its neighbor in a series. English on the cue ball can cause a very similar effect. If the cue ball with left hand english in the preceding scenario contacts an object ball relatively full and that object ball is frozen to another, the first object ball is thrown to the right and the second to the left, exactly as the name implies. Gears. ...
Throw is also imparted to a ball by collision from a cue ball with no english on it through friction. This is sometimes called "collision-induced throw." The direction of the throw depends entirely on the direction the cue ball hits the object ball from. Unlike throw cause by spin, friction from a collision induced throw "pushes" the cue ball in the same direction as the cue ball was traveling before impact. Thus, a cue ball traveling from the left will cause an impacted object ball to be thrown slightly to the left of the natural angle it would otherwise be sent.
Both varieties of throw are highly influenced by speed. Generally, the less momentum the cue ball possesses at the time of impact, the more throw will affect the object ball's resultant path of travel.
The semi-massé ("curve" or "swerve") shot A cue ball can be made to curve in its path of travel. This is usually employed for the purpose of avoiding an interfering ball or balls. In order to achieve a curve, a player's cue stick must be elevated and the cue ball struck with english. A curve to the left is accomplished by hitting the cue ball with an elevated cue and left-hand english. A curve to the right is accomplished by hitting the cue ball with an elevated cue and right-hand english. The higher the elevation of the cue, the more steep the degree of curve. The more speed a cue ball is hit with the farther it will travel in the direction it was hit before beginning to curve.
Such shots are typically referred to as "curve shots" by North Americans and "swerve shots" by the British.
Very steep curves and even reversal of the cue ball path of direction a few moments after being struck can be accomplished by elevating the cue stick to a high degree of elevation. Such large scale curves and reversals of direction are much more difficult and are referred to as massé shots (see below).
The massé shot Massé refers to imparting a high degree of spin along both the vertical and horizontal axes of the cue ball so that it sharply curves or even reverses direction without having to contact another ball or rail. A massé is performed by hitting the cue ball with a highly elevated cue stick (compare semi-massé). In general, the degree of the curve depends upon the elevation of the cue butt (the more elevated it is, the more the ball curves). The "delay" between the time that the ball is hit and the time that it starts curving is determined by the distance from the center of the ball that the contact is made (the further from the center that the tip contacts the cue ball, the sooner the ball will began to curve). Massés are quite difficult and are not allowed in some venues, as the table's cloth can be easily damaged by unskilled players.
Swerve effect Whenever a pool ball is struck with any degree of english, and with a cue that is not perfectly level, a curve results. In the two immediately-preceding sections, intentional curves of lesser and greater degrees were described. However, because in most billiards shots, the cue is slightly elevated, if english is employed, an unintentional (and imperceptible to the naked eye) curve results. This is known as "swerve" or "the swerve effect". The farther away an intended target is from the cue ball's original shooting position, the more swerve of the cue ball will affect where the cue ball arrives. For this reason, use of english (and unintentional english) are complicating factors in billiards and swerve must be compensated for. The swerve effect should not be confused with a swerve shot, previously defined as commonwealth terminology for a curve shot.
Deflection (squirt) Deflection can be described as displacement of the cue ball from the aimed direction in the opposite direction of the side english was applied. Like the swerve effect, deflection is an unwanted complicating factor in pool, present whenever english is employed.
The physics of deflection has been studied extensively. Basically, when english is used, the cue ball will always begin its travel in a direction not exactly as aimed; it will "squirt" off of the line parallel with the cue's direction. Deflection increases the faster your cue stick is traveling at impact and the more english attempting to be applied.
Deflection can be decreased by the type of cue used, and at the high levels, players will often select a personal playing cue based on the amount of squirt the cue imparts (the less the better).
Because swerve and deflection (for very different reasons) each cause the cue ball to take a different path than aimed, but each does so in the opposite direction of the other, under the right conditions swerve and deflection can cancel each other out.
The jump shot A jump shot describes any shot where the cue ball is intentionally driven into the air in a legal manner. It is not permissible in some games (e.g. Snooker) and may be frowned upon or even forbidden in some venues as attempts at it by unskilled players may cause damage to a table's cloth. A legal jump shot requires that the cue ball be hit above center, driving it down into the table, such that the ball will leave the table surface on a rebound. All authoritative rule sources deem it illegal to "scoop" under the cue ball with the tip of the cue to fling it into the air (technically because it is illegal to contact the cue ball with the ferrule of the cue, and because the cue ball is struck twice, both of which are classic fouls).
Unintentional small jumps are ubiquitous to billiards. In most billiards shots, a player's cue is slightly elevated. Whenever a ball is struck with an elevated cue, a jump, no matter how slight, occurs. An oft-used way to illustrate this principle is to lay a coin on the table approximately an inch in front of the cue ball. When shot very softly, the player will audibly hear the coin being struck and see the cue ball's reaction to that collision. When the same shot is performed with any degree of speed no sound or collision is evident, and it is clear that the coin is being jumped.
Types of games (carom and pocket) There are two main varieties of billiard games: carom and pocket. The main carom billiards games are straight billiards, balkline and three cushion billiards. All are played on a pocketless table with three balls; two cue balls and one object ball. In all, players shoot a cue ball so that it makes contact with the opponent's cue ball as well as the object ball.
The most popular of the large variety of pocket games are Eight-ball, 9-ball, one-pocket, bank pool and snooker. In 8-ball and 9-ball the object is to sink a designated ball to win. In 8-ball, players must pocket a group of balls, either the solids or the stripes, before they can pocket the eight for the win. In both one-pocket and bank pool the players must sink a set number of balls; respectively, all in a particular pocket, and all by banking. In 9-ball, players must shoot the balls in order, from one through nine. In snooker, players score points by alternating shooting red balls and balls of a different colour. Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Nine ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 9 colored object balls, numbered 1 through 9. ...
Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...
This article is about the various cue sports. ...
Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 × 6) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Straight billiards or straight rail In straight billiards, a player scores a point and may continue shooting each time his cue ball makes contact with both other balls.
Although a difficult and subtle game, some of the best players of straight billiards developed the skill to drive both balls into a corner and from that position were able to score a seemingly limitless number of points.
The first straight billiards professional tournament was held in 1879 where Jacob Schaefer, Sr. scored 690 points in a single turn[4] (that is, 690 separate strokes without a miss). With the balls barely moving and repetitively hit, there was little for the fans to watch.
Balkline In light of these phenomenal skill developments in straight rail, the game of balkline soon developed to make it impossible for a player to keep balls in a corner for an interminable period. A balkline is a line parallel to one end of a billiard table. In the games of balkline--balkline 18.1 and 18.2--the players have to drive either one ball or two balls (respectively) past a balkline set at 18 inches from the rail after a fixed number of shots.
Three cushion billiards - Main article: three cushion billiards
A more elegant solution was three cushion billiards, which requires a player to make contact with the other two balls on the table and contact three rail cushions in the process. This is difficult enough that even the best players can only manage to average one to two points a turn. Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ...
Eight ball - Main article: Eight ball
In the United States, the most commonly played game is 8-ball played on tables that are 7 feet long. In the United Kingdom the game is commonly played in pubs and it is competitively played in leagues. It is also played as a world championship tournament run by the International Pool Association For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
Nine ball - Main article: Nine ball
9-Ball is a rotation game where the 1-9 balls are used. The player at the table must make a legal shot on the lowest numbered ball on the table or forfeit his/her turn. The game is won by legally pocketing the nine ball. 9-Ball is the predominant professional game. There are many local and regional tours and tournaments that are contested with 9-Ball. There is no particular governing body of 9-ball. Most places play with a version of "Texas Express" or WPA (World Pool Association) rules. The largest 9-ball tournaments are the independent US Open and the World 9-Ball Championships for men and women. Male professionals have a rather fragmented schedule of professional 9-Ball tournaments at this time (2005). Female professionals have a steady professional circuit that is governed by the Women's Professional Billiard Association. A correct Nine ball rack Nine ball is a contemporary variation of pocket billiards, with historical beginnings rooted in the United States and traceable to the 1920s. ...
One pocket - Main article: One pocket
One pocket is a strategic game for two players. Each player is assigned one of the corner pockets on the table. This is the only pocket into which he can legally pocket balls. The first player to pocket the majority of the balls (8) in his pocket wins the game. The game requires far more defensive strategy than offensive strategy, much unlike 8-ball, 9-ball, or straight pool. It has been said that if 8-ball is checkers, one-pocket is chess. Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...
Bank pool Bank pool has been gaining popularity in recent years. Bank pool can be played with a full rack, but is more typically played with nine balls (sometimes called "9-ball bank") — the balls are racked in 9-ball formation, but in no particular order. The object of the game is simple: to be the first player to bank 5 balls in any order. Bank pool is one of the "cleanest" (no "slop") billiards games — no "kick" shots (you must hit the object ball directly without hitting the rail first); no caroms (you must hit the object ball directly without hitting another ball first); no combinations (cue ball to the object ball then object ball to the called pocket); the object ball can't hit another ball on the way (no "kisses"). Any ball pocketed on a foul, or in the wrong pocket, is spotted. If the cue ball is sunk (or knocked off the table), you must spot (place on or as nearly behind the head spot as possible) any balls that were sunk on that shot, and you "owe" a ball which you must spot as well. If you scratch and you haven't made a ball, you will owe the next one you sink. After a scratch, the cue ball must be shot from behind the headstring. Any ball sunk other than the object ball is spotted after your turn. Technically, fouling during three successive turns means a loss of game, but that rule is largely ignored (players are advised to make sure the rules are clear and agreed-upon before play begins).
 Snooker table in starting position Image File history File links Snooker. ...
Image File history File links Snooker. ...
Snooker - Main article: Snooker
A pocket billiards game originated by British Officers stationed in India during the 19th century. The name of the game became generalized to also describe of one of its prime strategies; to 'snooker'. That is, when necessary, one will attempt to 'snooker' the opposing player, to cause that player to foul or leave an opening to be exploited (see Glossary of pool, billiards and snooker terms - "Snooker) . Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 × 6) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
The following is an incomplete list of traditional terms used in the game of billiards. ...
The following is an incomplete list of traditional terms used in the game of billiards. ...
In the United Kingdom, Snooker is by far the most popular form of billiards at the competitive level. It is played in many other countries as well. Snooker is far rarer in the U.S., where pocket billiards games such as eight ball and nine ball dominate.
Carom and pocket billiards games
Carom Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game possibly developed in the 18th century in France, though the exact date of invention is not clear. ...
There are two similar yet distinct carom billiard games known as 4-ball. ...
Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game developed in the 18th century in France. ...
Carambole billiards (or carom) is a billiards game developed in the 18th century in France. ...
Pocket Bank Pool Bank Pool has been gaining popularity in recent years. ...
Chinese Eight Ball is a two-player pocket billiards game which combines the play of Eight Ball with the shooting style of carom games. ...
Cutthroat is a three-player billiards game, played on a pool table using cue sticks. ...
For the Dan Clowes comic, see Eightball Eight ball is a billiards game played with a cue ball and 15 billiard balls on a pool table with 6 pockets. ...
A snooker table English billiards is a form of billiards played on a 6 X 12 rectangular table with pockets in the four corners and in the middle of the long sides (see Snooker for markings and a diagram). ...
Golf is a pool game usually played for money. ...
A correct Nine ball rack Nine ball is a contemporary variation of pocket billiards, with historical beginnings rooted in the United States and traceable to the 1920s. ...
Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...
Russian billiards uses fifteen white balls and one red. ...
Snooker is a billiards sport that is played on a large (12 × 6) baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ...
Straight Pool, also called 14. ...
10-Ball is basically 9-Ball with the number 10 ball added to the game. ...
Other variants Bar billiards is a form of billiards which was possibly initially based on the traditional game of bagatelle. ...
Bumper pool is a casual billiards game played on an octagonal or rectangular table with two holes on opposite ends and 12 bumpers. ...
A typical faceoff at centre ice A faceoff is the method used to begin play in ice hockey. ...
Hexapool, also known as Hexagonal Pool, a variation of Billiards. ...
Notable pool and billiards enthusiasts This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
For other uses of the name Abraham Lincoln, see Abraham Lincoln (disambiguation) Abraham Lincoln (February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865), sometimes called Abe Lincoln and nicknamed Honest Abe, the Rail Splitter, and the Great Emancipator, was the 16th President of the United States (1861 to 1865), and the first president...
Mary I of Scotland (Mary Stuart, better known as Mary, Queen of Scots; December 8, 1542 – February 8, 1587) was the Queen of Scots (the monarch of the Kingdom of Scotland) from December 14, 1542 to July 24, 1567 and Queen Consort of France from July 10, 1559 to December...
Louis XIV King of France and Navarre By Hyacinthe Rigaud (1701) Louis XIV (Louis-Dieudonné) (September 5, 1638–September 1, 1715) reigned as King of France and King of Navarre from May 14, 1643 until his death. ...
Marie-Antoinette, Queen of France and Archduchess of Austria (born November 1755 – executed 16 October 1793) Daughter of Maria Theresa of Austria, wife of Louis XVI and mother of Louis XVII. She was guillotined at the height of the French Revolution. ...
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American humorist, novelist, writer, and lecturer. ...
George Armstrong Custer George Armstrong Custer (December 5, 1839 - June 25, 1876) was an American cavalry commander in the Civil War and the Indian Wars who is best remembered for his defeat and death at the Battle of the Little Bighorn against a coalition of Native American tribes, led by...
George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was the Commander in Chief of American forces in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783), and, later, the first President of the United States, an office he held from 1789 to 1797. ...
Bonaparte as general Napoleon Bonaparte ( 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821) was a general of the French Revolution and was the ruler of France as First Consul (Premier Consul) of the French Republic from November 11, 1799 to May 18, 1804, then as Emperor of the French (Empereur des Français...
Dickens redirects here. ...
Lewis Carroll. ...
Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 N.S. – July 4, 1826) was the third President of the United States (1801–1809), principal author of the Declaration of Independence (1776), and an influential Founding Father of the United States. ...
W. C. Fields (January 29, 1880 - December 25, 1946) was an American comedian and actor. ...
This article or section seems not to be written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia entry. ...
Pierino Ronaldo Perry Como (May 18, 1912 – May 12, 2001) was an Italian American crooner during the latter half of the 20th century. ...
Bob Hope KBE, KCSG, (May 29, 1903–July 27, 2003), born Leslie Townes Hope, was a famous British-American entertainer who appeared in vaudeville, on Broadway, on radio and television, in movies, and in performing tours for U.S. Army personnel. ...
For the band named Babe Ruth, see Babe Ruth (band). ...
Fred Astaire Fred Astaire (May 10, 1899 – June 22, 1987), born Frederick Austerlitz in Omaha, Nebraska, was an American film and Broadway stage dancer, choreographer, singer and actor. ...
Humphrey DeForest Bogart (25 December 1899 – January 14, 1957), an American actor of legendary fame. ...
Paul Sorvino Paul Sorvino (born April 13, 1939 in Brooklyn, New York City) is a heavy-set Italian American character actor whose career has largely been the portrayal of authority figures, both as legal enforcer and criminal, in television, stage, and film. ...
Jerry Orbach as Detective Lennie Briscoe in Law & Order Jerome Bernard Orbach (October 20, 1935 – December 28, 2004) was an American actor best known for his starring role as wisecracking NYPD Detective Lennie Briscoe in the Law & Order television series, and for his musical theater roles. ...
Sir Donald George Bradman (August 27, 1908 - February 25, 2001) was an Australian cricket player who is universally regarded as the greatest batsman of all time, and one of Australias greatest popular heroes. ...
Spencer Herbert Gollan, was born at Ahuriri in New Zealand, he was famous as a race horse owner. ...
Immanuel Kant (22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804), was a German philosopher from Königsberg in East Prussia (now Kaliningrad, Russia). ...
More information The following is an incomplete list of traditional terms used in the game of billiards. ...
This is the list of people inducted into the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame. ...
Pool hustling is generally defined as the art of playing pool for money, often times using deception. ...
IWGA logo The World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event, meant for sports that are not contested in the Olympic Games. ...
Duisburg is a German city and port in the western part of the Ruhr Area (Ruhrgebiet) in North Rhine-Westphalia. ...
References - ^ Stein, Victor and Rubino, Paul (1996). The Billiard Encyclopedia - An Illustrated History of the Sport (2nd ed.). Blue Book Publications, June 1996. ISBN 1886768064., Specific page reference needs to be filled in!
- ^ Shamos, Mike (1991). Pool. Hotho & Co., June, 1991. ISBN 9993870439., Specific page reference needs to be filled in! (also the reference should be added to indicate what the origin of green originally was)
- ^ Harris, Walt (1991). The Billiard Atlas on Systems & Techniques. Cocoa Beach, Florida: Billiard Atlas, December 1991. ISBN 0963120409., Introduction at XVII.
- ^ Shamos, Mike (1991). Pool. Hotho & Co., June, 1991. ISBN 9993870439., Specific page reference needs to be filled in! (also the reference should be added to indicate what the origin of green originally was)
- Byrne, Robert. 1998. Byrne's New Standard Book of Pool and Billiards. ISBN 0156005549.
1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...
1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Walt Harris (born November 9, 1946 in South San Francisco, California) is the head coach of the football team at Stanford University. ...
1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Cocoa Beach is a city located in Brevard County, Florida. ...
1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Patents - U.S. Patent 0050359 -- Billiard ball c.1865
- U.S. Patent 0076765 -- Billiard ball c.1868
- U.S. Patent 0088634 -- Billiard ball c.1869
- U.S. Patent 0114945 -- Billiard ball c.1871
External links - Billiard Congress of America - The official website of The Billiard Congress of America--The governing body of pool in the United States.
- easypooltutor.com - Offering billiards lessons and helpful tips.
- The Billiard Resource: Pool Games Forum - A forum discussing billiard games and their rules.
- The A to Z of Billiards and Pool - A forum of cue enthusiasts and makers - a great base of knowledge
- A History of Billiards
- Billiards Games (fr)
- A Brief History of the Noble Game of Billiards
- The Billiards Family
- Physics of Pool - How-to-play tutorial with Flash animations
- CueTable- A free layout diagramming tool for online communication, practice training and studies of strategy
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