Billiards has been a popular sport for more than a thousand years. It was invented in Europe around the 15th century and was played indoors using a cue ball. Billiards can be played in many different ways today. The aim of most billiards is to get a higher score than your opponent before it runs out. There are many variations of billiards games. Each game has its own rules.
Billiards are played in many forms, including pool, English billiards, carom billiards, and snooker. Each game has its own cues and balls that players can use to score points. Players can foul to earn less points.
The most played game in the United States, and many parts of the UK, is pool. A table, balls, and cues are required for each of these games. The table is usually a rectangular structure made of polished slate and woolen cloth. There are six pockets on a table. Sometimes, there are seven or eight. Each pocket is assigned a number to ensure that the ball is placed in the right numerical order.
One-Pocket was the first game of billiards. This game was initially played on a one-pocket table. Players occupied the left and right sides of the pocket, and they used a curved wooden mace on the other side of the table. This was believed to be the original beginning of billiards.
Pocket billiards has become a very popular game in Canada and the United States. Pocket billiards allows you to make a combination shot, by placing the balls into numerical order. Some of the more advanced versions of the game involve very tight pockets.
Carom billiards is a game that is also widely played across the globe. Carom billiards is a game where players try to catch their opponent's cue ball. It is typically 7 feet in length and heated.
English billiards can be described as a combination of carom and pocket pool. This game is most commonly played on a single table. The cue can be made of wood, fiberglass, or plastic. The player must reach the cushion closest to win.
Snooker and pool are two of the most well-known billiards in the United States. Pool is a game where you play with two other balls and a red object. To gain points, players must pocket the red object ball. You may also be permitted to foul, depending on how the game is played. If the cueball hits a cushion or other object, the player will need to make a "lag". The opponent may choose to return the ball to the original spot if the player is unable to pocket it.
18.2 balkline ranks among the most difficult billiards titles. Balkline is an extremely difficult game that is played in many billiards tournaments. The ball must be struck on either the right or left side of straight pool, unlike straight pool which can only be played with the cueball.