Nicky Meintjies asked:


A billiard table is rectangular shaped. The surface of the table is covered with green cloth. Though there are variations in the shape of billiard table and novelty tables are found in hexagonal, round, and zigzag shapes, the traditional rectangular shape is the most popular one. The rails of the table are raised and cushioned to facilitate the rebounding of the balls. There are two types of billiard tables: tables with pockets and tables without pockets. Tables with pockets are referred to as pocket billiard tables and these tables usually have six pockets that collect the balls. Of the six pockets four are found on the four corners of the rectangular table and two pockets are found facing each other in the middle of the longer sides of the table. The pockets in the corner are referred to as corner pockets and pockets in the middle of the longer sides are known as the side pockets. Pocket less billiard tables are used for a type of billiard known as carom, usually played with three balls.

The arrangement of billiard balls on the green bed of a pool table just before the break shot is sheer beauty. No other ball game offers so much color and variety as billiards does. In the game of Carom, a type of billiards played without pockets on the table, only three balls are used. One is a red ball and the other two are white balls with one of the white balls marked with a black dot. Sometimes a yellow ball is used instead of a white ball. The red ball is known as the “object ball”. The white ball is the “cue ball” for the first player. The yellow or the dotted white ball is the cue ball of the second player.

Billiard tables come in various sizes: 3.5 feet by 7 feet, 4ft by 8ft, 4.5ft by 9 ft, 5ft by 10ft, and 6ft by 12 ft. For tournament play 4.5 ft by 9ft tables are preferred. Billiard bars and halls use 3.5 ft by 7 ft tables to cope with space constraint. Pool and snooker games use 10ft and 12ft long tables. The height of the table is such that it allows for a person of average height to bend over the table at the waist level and play shots comfortably. The side railings of the table are raised a few inches above the table surface, and they are cushioned with vulcanized rubber so that when the balls hit the railings they rebound allowing for amazing angles of stroke play. A green cloth covers the entire surface and the railings of the table.

The pockets of a billiard table are rimmed with leather or plastic. The balls are collected in a plastic or leather net and are channelled to a collection chamber through ball return troughs inside the table. Carom billiard tables don’t have pockets. The surface of a carom billiard table is made up of slate, and often it is heated above room temperature to allow for faster play. International carom rules mandate that the bed of the table be heated for competition games.



Donna

Josy Kinney asked:


The term “Billiard tables” is certainly very popular among most people and they are best known as the Billiard pool tables. But you do however get different types of Billiard tables. Here we will discuss all the different types of Billiard tables and their use.

The traditional shape of a billiards table is a square, but it is not uncommon to see variations to this shape. You will find pool tables that are circular, hexagonal and even zig zag shaped. The other variations is in the color of the cloth used to coat the surface of the table. Traditionally the cloth is green but you will also find them in other colors like red and blue. Regardless of the shape of the table, the rails of the table are raised and cushioned. This stops them from rolling off and helps them to bounce back. The table are available in pocketed and without pocket version. The ones with pockets are used to play pocket billiards and they have six pockets – one on each corner and two that face each other on the sides of the table. The pockets in the corner are called corner pockets while the ones in the middle are called side pockets. The table without pockets is specifically used to play a game called Carom which is usually played with three balls.

The sizes also vary, starting at 3.5 feet by seven feet and going up to 6 ft by 12 ft. They are also available in 4 ft by 8 ft, 4ft by 9 ft and 5 ft by 10 ft. For professional competitions a 4.5 ft by 9 ft table is used. Pool parlors and Billiard Halls usually use a 3.5.ft by 7 ft table so that they can accommodate more tables in a limited amount of space. But the hugest tables are reserved for pool and snooker games which are 10ft by 12 ft in size. The height of the table is just perfect for a for a person with average height to use the pool table comfortably without having to bend too much. The side railings of the table are lined with vulcanized rubber and are a few inches above the surface of the table. The cushioning helps the balls to bounce back, letting players enjoy an amazing angle of stroke play. The cloth which is used to cover the surface is also used on the railings.

The pockets of the pool table are made out of leather or plastic. Once the balls enter the pockets they are collected in a leather or plastic net and then they are led to a collection area through a trough inside the table. But the pool tables used for Carom don’t have pockets. The surface of a billiard table used for Carom is made out clay that has been heated above room temperature. This aids in faster play. According to the international Carom regulations, the boards used in the game necessarily need to have a surface that has been heated.



Lauren

Josephine Thunder asked:


8-ball is the most popular billiard game in the world. It is so popular, that 8-ball pool is almost a synonym for billiards. However, 8-ball is only a part of a one big happy family of billiard games.

8-ball pool, 9-ball pool, snooker, one pocket, balkline are all cue sports games. They all share a rectangular cloth-covered table, a long cue stick, a set of balls and an ambition to score, but they differ in their rules, objects, and even their terminology.

Generally, billiard games divide into two types: pocket billiard games and carom billiard games. Pocket billiard games, usually referred to as pool games, are the type of billiard played on a table that has six pockets. In pocket billiard games, the players aspire to sink the balls into the table pockets, according to specific games rules.

Carom billiard games, on the other hand, are played on pocketless tables. Only three billiard balls are involved in the carom games. The purpose of the players in most carom games is to maneuver their cue ball so it will carom off the other two balls, again, according to the specific requirements of the game.

8-ball pool is a pocket billiard game. Other popular pocket billiard games include 9-ball pool, 14.1 continuous (formerly known as straight pool) and even snooker. Snooker is the most popular cue sports in the UK. Even though snooker is played on a pocketed pool table, it is not governed by the same association that administrates pocket billiard rules. Therefore, pocket billiard general rules do not apply to snooker.

The equipment used in snooker games is also different from the one used in pocket billiard tournaments. For example, the snooker table is a bit larger than the standard pool table plus its pockets are narrower. The terminology used in both billiard games is different as well. While pool players’ goal is to “pocket” the “object balls”, snooker players aim to “pot” the “red” or the “on-ball”.



Cathy