Pocket billiards at a pub in Groningen, Netherlands

8 ball pool in Beijing, China

Pocket billiards, most commonly referred to as pool, is the general term for a family of games played on a specific class of billiards table, having 6 receptacles called pockets (or "holes") along the rails, in which balls are deposited as the main goal of play. Cue sports that are played on pocketless tables are generally referred to as carom billiards. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article or section is not written in the formal tone expected of an encyclopedia article. ... Coordinates: Country Netherlands Province Groningen Area (2006)  - Municipality 83. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3888 × 2592 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3888 × 2592 pixel, file size: 3. ... Beijing (Chinese: 北京; pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; IPA: ;  ), a metropolis in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ... Illustration of a three ball pocket billiards game in early 19th century Tübingen, Germany, using a table much longer than the modern type. ... Larger tables may require multiple lamps to properly light the playing surface. ... A close-up picture of American-style pool balls Billiard balls are used in cue sports, such as carom billiards, pool, and snooker. ... 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. ...

History

Outside the cue sports industry, pocket billiards is almost exclusively referred to as "pool," due to a perhaps unfortunate association with the "poolrooms" where gamblers "pooled" their money to bet remotely ("off-track") on horse races. Because these venues often provided billiard tables, the term "pool" became synonymous with billiards, and though the original "pool" game was played on a pocketless table, the name stuck to pocket billiards as it gained in popularity. Though the traditional view of billiards as a refined and noble pastime did not blend well with the low-class connotations of gambling, the billiards industry's attempts to distance itself from the term "pool" beginning in the late 19th century were largely unsuccessful. Caravaggio, The Cardsharps, c. ... This does not cite any references or sources. ... A leather shake bottle and plastic pills or peas as used in Kelly pool. ... Upper class refers to the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. ... Nobility is a traditional hereditary status (see hereditary titles) that exists today in many countries (mainly present or former monarchies). ... A social class is, at its most basic, a group of people that have similar social status. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

There are hundreds of pocket billiards games. Some of the more well known include eight-ball, nine-ball, straight pool, and one-pocket. The game of snooker is played on a table with pockets but is considered to be its own cue sport discipline and is governed internationally by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association/World Snooker Association (professional) and International Billiards and Snooker Federation (amateur). There are also hybrid games combining aspects of both pocket and carom billiards, such as English billiards, American four-ball billiards, cowboy pool and bottle pool. Eight ball players 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. ... A straight pool rack, right before the opening break. ... Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a large baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. ... Illustration of a three ball pocket billiards game in early 19th century Tübingen, Germany, using a table much longer than the modern type. ... The World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA, also known as the World Snooker Association), founded in 1968 as the Professional Billiard Players Association, is the governing body for the professional game. ... IBSF logo The International Billiards & Snooker Federation (IBSF) is the organisation that governs non-professional Snooker and English billiards around the world. ... A snooker table English Billiards is a form of billiards played on a 6 × 12 rectangular table with pockets in the four corners and in the middle of the long sides (see Snooker for markings and a diagram). ... A pocket billiards game, circa 1800s Germany Cowboy pool, sometimes just called cowboy, is a hybrid pool game combining elements of English billiards through an intermediary game, with more standard pocket billiards characteristics. ... The leather shake bottle used as a carom target in bottle pool. ...

Pocket billiards is more popular than carom billiards in most countries of the world.^{[citation needed]} Carom billiard games thrive in *[[[Asia]], Europe and Latin America, but pool (especially in the form of nine-ball and eight-ball) and snooker are gradually taking over as the most widely played cue games.^{[citation needed]} World map showing the location of Europe. ... Latin America consists of the countries of South America and some of North America (including Central America and some the islands of the Caribbean) whose inhabitants mostly speak Romance languages, although Native American languages are also spoken. ...

As a competitive sport, pocket billiards is governed internationally by the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA), which has national affiliates such as the US Billiard Congress of America (BCA), and which represents pocket billiards in the World Confederation of Billiard Sports which in turn represents all forms of cue sports in the International Olympic Committee. World Pool-Billiard Association logo The World Pool-Billiard Association is the international governing body for billiards. ... The Billiard Congress of America was established in 1948. ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... Stamp The International Olympic Committee (French: Comité International Olympique) is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas on June 23, 1894. ...

Equipment

Pocket billiards uses different equipment from carom billiards.. Other than the table having pockets, the balls for pocket billiards are generally smaller and range from 2.25 inches in diameter to 2.375 inches in diameter. (By comparison Carom billiard balls are generally 2-3/8 (2.4) in., or 61.5mm.^[1] While UMB, the International Olympic Committee-recognized world carom billiards authority, permits balls as small as 61.0 mm, no major manufacturer produces such balls any longer, and the de facto standard is 61.5 mm. Modern pocket billiard tables range in size from 3.5 by 7 feet, to 4.5 by 9 feet. Modern cues are generally 58.5 inches long for pocket billiards while cues prior to 1980 were designed for straight pool and had an average length of 57.5 inches, while carom billiards cues are generally 56 inches long.^{[citation needed]} Stamp The International Olympic Committee (French: Comité International Olympique) is an organization based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin and Demetrios Vikelas on June 23, 1894. ...

"Slang" use

In British slang, "pocket billiards" (or "trouser billiards") is used as a euphemism for a man scratching his genitals (or even masturbating) through his trouser pocket.^[2][3] The equivalent Americanism is "pocket pool".^{[citation needed]}

References

• Oficial rules for European countries (which are the same like for USA and other)*[1]

The Union Mondial de Billard is the world governing body for carom billiards (carambole) billiard games. ... Geography Country Belgium Community Flemish Community Region Flemish Region Province East Flanders Arrondissement Ghent Coordinates , , Area 14. ... is the 1st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the day. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 107th day of the year (108th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Directory of pool leagues around the world
• CueTable — Free layout diagramming webware for online communication, practice training and studies of strategy
• Inside Pool magazine — pool news and information

v • d • e Cue sports
Pocket billiards (pool)	Nine-ball • Eight-ball • One-pocket • Straight pool • Bank pool • Blackball • Baseball pocket billiards • Bottle pool • Chicago • Cowboy pool • Cribbage pool • Golf pool • Kelly pool • Rotation • Ten-ball • Three-ball • more
Carom billiards	Three-cushion • Artistic billiards • Five-pins • Balkline & straight rail • Cushion caroms • Four-ball • more
Other games	Snooker • English billiards • Russian pyramid • Bumper pool • Bagatelle • Carrom • Novuss • more
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