BILLIARD GAME

 

 

                           

 

Billiards is a table game that has been played

 since the 15th century. The game involves

 players taking a long wooden stick (known as a "cue stick")

 and using a "cue ball" to hit billiard balls around a

cloth-covered table. Over the centuries, people

 have created and played hundreds of varieties of

 Billiards games. Most variations involve the

number of balls on a table, whether or not there

 are pockets and the way the balls must be hit.

 The following is a partial list of popular Billiards games.

Carom Billards

• Carom Billiards is classified as the most basic

•  example of billiards. In the game, three balls are

• placed on the table. A player must attempt to hit

•  one ball so that it makes contact with the other

•  two balls. Any time this happens, the player

•  scores a point. The first player to reach a

•  predetermined number of points is the winner.

 

Pool

• Pool is a type of Billiards game that has become

•  incredibly popular in North America since its

•  inception. In this game, 15 balls and a cue ball are

•  placed on a table, and balls must be hit into one of

•  the six pockets on the table. Each ball pocketed

•  earns the player a point. There are several variations

•  on the pool game, including nine-ball and eight-ball.

 

 

 

 

  

Artisitc Billiards

• Artistic Billiards is a version of Billiards that depends

• entirely on trick shots to score points. The player

• must attempt 76 preset shots, and points are

•  rewarded based on accuracy of the shot. After

• all 76 shots have been attempted by the players,

• scores are calculated; and the player with the

• highest total score is the winner.

  

Artisitc Billiards

• Artistic Billiards is a version of Billiards that

•  depends entirely on trick shots to score points.

•  The player must attempt 76 preset shots, and

•  points are rewarded based on accuracy of the

•  shot. After all 76 shots have been attempted

• by the players, scores are calculated; and

• player with the highest total score is the winner.

 

The Rules of Billiards and Snooker

The following is a basic set of instructions for the

 friendly play of the game of Billiards and Snooker

 including additional comments designed to assist

with the understanding of the game. Note: 1 foot = 30.48 cm

Billiards

Equipment

A full-size Billiards table measures twelve feet by

six feet, one and a half inches and has a

 baize-covered slate bed. The four edges of the

 table feature rubber edges covered in baize called

 "cushions". Six "pockets" are situated one at each

corner plus one at the centre of each long side of

the table into which the balls can drop. The six

 pockets normally have a net or a small collecting

 channel to catch the balls. Two feet, five inches

 from one end, a line is drawn across the table

 called the "baulk" line. Any ball between the baulk

line and the nearest end is generally referred to as

 being "in baulk". A semi-circle is inscribed within

the baulk area with is axis as the middlepoint of the

baulk line and with a radius of eleven and a half inches.

 This semi-circle is termed the "D". At the other end

 of the table, twelve and three-quarter inches from

the end cushion, a spot is centrally inscribed as a

 starting point for the red ball.

The cue ball is struck with tapered sticks featuring

a striking tip called "cues". The cue tips are chalked

 to prevent a slippery contact with the ball. There is

 almost always an additional accessory available

 called a "rest" which is like a cue with a cross on

 the end upon which the cue can be rested to

extend its playing length. Quite often, a "full-butt"

 and a "half-butt" are also available - these are

much longer rests with arched fixments on the end

 that come with their own long cues for playing

very long shots.

Billiards is played with one red ball and two white

cue balls, one with a small black spot and one without.

The Start

A doubles game is occasionally played but the

 game is usually singles. One player chooses to

 play with the white cue ball and the other the

spotted white cue ball. To begin with, players

 play their cue ball from within the D down the

table so that it bounces back up the table and

comes to rest in baulk. The player whose ball

is closest to the baulk cushion chooses to go

 first or second. Most players prefer to go

second because the first turn occurs with only

 two balls on the table - a severe limitation.

The game starts with the red ball on it's spot

and the cue ball of the starting player placed

 in the D at the front of the table. Players agree

 how many points will constitute a game and the

objective is merely to be the first to score than

number. A typical number for expert players might

be 1000 points - professionals regularly score more

than this in a single break. Beginners might consider

 150 as a more appropriate target.

Basic Play

Each turn is called a "break" and consists of a

 series of strikes of the cue ball that come to

an end when a player makes a non-scoring strike

or a foul stroke. Scoring is achieved by "potting"

 balls, by "cannons", and by going "in off". A ball

is "potted" when the cue ball knocks it into a pocket.

 A "cannon" is when the cue ball strikes first one ball

 and then the other. A player's ball goes "in off"

 when it falls into a pocket having first "kissed"

(struck) another ball.

Whenever the red ball is potted, it is immediately

returned to the red spot for the next strike. Whenever

 the cue ball goes in off, it is immediately returned

to the player who can position it anywhere within

the D for the next strike. If the opponents ball is

 potted, it remains out of play until the end of that

player's break. In this case, the opponent starts the

next turn by positioning his ball anywhere within the D.

 Otherwise the opponent starts the next turn by

striking the ball from wherever it ends up. Potting

the opponents ball is usually to be avoided since

scoring is much harder with only two balls on the table.

Foul shots

A foul occurs when a player's ball hits no other

 balls in which case 1 point is added to the opponent's

 score or when the player's ball goes directly into a

pocket without hitting any other ball whereupon 3 points

are given to the opponent. It will quickly be seen, however,

 that the size of these penalties are trivial compared to

the injury suffered merely as a result of allowing the

opponent onto the table.....

Scoring

• 3 points for potting or going in off the red ball.
• 2 points for potting or going in off the opponents ball.
• 2 points for a cannon.

Scoring is cumulative within a single strike so for

instance, a common play is to both pot and go in

off the red ball, thus scoring 6 points. The cue ball is

 deemed to go in off the first ball that it comes into

contact with. So if the player strikes the opponents ball,

 cannons onto the red ball and then goes in off, 4

points are scored. The largest score possible in one strike

 is 10 points although, since this requires the opponents

 ball to be potted, it is is normally a bitter-sweet achievement.