Billiards

Rules

The original, English game of Billiards should not be confused with the generic term 'billiards', which has become incorporated into the names of several other 'cue and ball' games with greatly different rules. Some variations appear later on this page.

Equipment: Billiards, known as English Billiards in the USA, is played on a special table by two players or pairs. Three balls are used: white, spot white and red.

Players use a cue, to propel their cue ball across the table, to score points by a) pocketing balls (hazards), or b) hitting both other balls (cannons).

Figure 1

The table is a slate bed, covered with green baize. The dimensions shown in Figure 1 are those of the standard-sized table. Scaled-down tables are sometimes used. 1 cushion - width 2 inches (51 mm). 2 top pocket - width 3½ inches (89 mm). 3 centre pocket - width 4 inches (102 mm). 4 bottom pocket - width 3½ inches (89 mm). 5 the spot. 6 centre spot. 7 pyramid spot. 8 baulk line. 9 baulk line spot. 10 the "D". 11 the baulk. 12 long butt cue - length 9 feet (2743 mm), half butt cue - 7 feet (2134 mm), and rest - 8 feet (2438 mm). 13 half butt rest - 5 feet (1524 mm). Balls: The white and spot white are the cue balls, one used by each player (or pair of players). The red ball is never touched with a cue; it is hit only by knocking other balls against it.

Lighting: Billiard tables must be well lit, and special lighting equipment is normally used.

Officials: In tournaments a referee controls the game, and is the sole judge of fair play. He may be assisted by the marker, who keeps the score.

Duration: Play lasts for an agreed length of time, or until one player or side reaches an agreed number of points. A game is known as a frame.

Stringing: Players string for choice of balls and order of play, i.e., each plays a cue ball up the table from the "D", and the choice goes to the player, whose ball stops nearer to the bottom cushion. Playing order is kept throughout the game.

Start: The red ball is placed on the spot, and the striker places his cue ball at any point in the "D", and plays the first shot. When his turn is ended, the second player brings his cue ball into play. When bringing a cue ball into play, no shot may be made directly at any ball within the baulk area. If both balls are in this area, the cue ball must strike a cushion outside the baulk before it can touch either ball.

Making a shot: The striker uses the tip of his cue to hit his cue ball in the direction of another ball. Chalk is applied to the cue to improve contact. The cue ball must be struck, and not pushed; and, at the moment of striking, the player must have a foot on the floor.

Balls must not be forced off the table.

Rests: Players may use a rest to support the cue for a shot.

Distraction: The non-striker must not do anything to distract the striker.

Making a break: The shots comprising a player’s turn are called a break. Each time a player scores from a shot, he is entitled to another shot. Only when he fails to score does he forfeit his turn. All points scored up to that time are scored for the break.

Balls touching: If the striker’s ball comes to rest against another ball, the red ball is replaced on the spot. The non-striker’s ball, if on the table, is placed on the centre spot; if off the table, it is left off, and the striker plays from the "D".

Pocketed balls: If the non-striker’s cue ball is pocketed during a break, it remains off the table until the break ends. When the red ball is sunk, it is immediately replaced on the spot. When the cue ball is pocketed, the striker brings it back into play by playing from the "D".

Fouls and penalties: A striker, who makes any foul shot, loses his turn and any score he has made in that break. In addition, he concedes points to his opponent for the following fouls:
Touching his ball more than once in a stroke - 1 point;
Forcinga ball off the table - 3 points;
Not playing out of baulk from the "D" correctly - 1 point;
Making a push shot - 1 point.
The following fouls incur no penalty points:
Playing with both feet off the floor; playing the balls before they are still; striking the ball with anything but the cue; playing the wrong ball; playing out of turn; playing from outside the "D", when required to play from within it.

Figure 2

The cue must be of traditional shape, and not less than 3 feet (914 mm) long. The balls must all be of equal size and weight: 2 1/16 inches (53 mm) in diameter (Figure 2).

Scoring: The striker scores points for winning hazards, losing hazards and cannons. All points accumulated in a shot are counted.

Points to non-striker:
1 point, if the striker's cue ball fails to hit another ball;
3 points, if the cue ball goes into a pocket after a miss.

Equipment: Carom Billiards is played on a billiard table with no pockets. It is played with three balls: red, white and spot white.

Cue: A Carom Billiards cue is similar in size and shape to an English Billiards cue.

Balls: Carom Billiards is played with one red object ball, a white ball, and a white ball with two small spots. Each player or side has one of the white balls for a cue ball.

Figure 9

The table has a slate base, covered with green baize. There are no pockets. The dimensions of a Carom Billiards table can be 5 feet (1.52m) by 10 feet (3.05m), 4½ feet (1.37m) by 9 feet (2.74m), or 4 feet (1.22m) by 8 feet (2.44m). 1 foot cushion. 2 foot string. 3 foot spot. 4 centre string. 5 centre spot. 6 head string. 7 head spot. 8 head cushion. 9 side rails. 10 diamond. 11 red ball (first object ball). 12 white object ball. 13 cue ball. (Strings are imaginary lines through the spots and parallel to the ends of the table.)

Balls: The white and spot white are the cue balls, one used by each player. The red ball is never touched with a cue; it is hit only by knocking other balls against it.

Scoring: A carom, scoring 1 point, is made when the cue ball glances off one object ball on to the other.

Duration: The first player to reach an agreed number of points wins the game.

Figure 10

Playing order: If there are more than two players, the order may be decided by lot. If there are two players or two teams, the order is decided by lagging. In lagging, the red ball is placed on the foot spot. Each player takes a cue ball, and plays it against the foot cushion from behind the head string. One player lags to the right, and the other to the left, of the red ball. Choice of playing order and cue ball goes to the player whose cue ball at the lag comes to rest nearest the head of the table. Cue balls may touch the side rails during lagging. A player loses the lag, if his cue ball interferes with the red ball on the foot spot, or is clearly out of line, and interferes with his opponent's ball. The lag is repeated, if both players are in error, or if the result is a tie.

Figure 11

Break shot: The break, or opening shot is made with the red ball on the foot spot, and the white object ball on the head spot. The cue ball is played from the head string, within 6in (152mm), centre to centre, from the white object ball. The cue ball must contact the red ball first.

Rules of play: In any shot but a break shot, a player’s cue ball may contact either of the object balls first. A player’s turn continues until he fails to score, when he also loses 1 point, if his last shot was not a successful safety.

Officials: The officials are a referee and a scorekeeper.

Figure 12

Scoring a carom: A carom count, or carom score, of 1 point is gained, when the cue ball glances from one object ball to the other. It may do so directly, or by way of touching a cushion.

Figure 13

Safety: A safety shot allows a player to end his turn without penalty. The cue ball must either contact a cushion after striking an object ball, or drive an object ball to a cushion. Safety shots are generally not permitted in consecutive innings. Playing from safety: It is a foul, if a player fails to make an obvious attempt to score on his return to the table after a safety shot. There is a 1-point penalty, and the player loses his turn. Rules on playing from safety continue to apply, until the player opens a turn with a deliberate attempt to score. Additional 1-point penalties are incurred for each infraction.

Playing out of turn: If the offending player fails to score, it is a foul. The offender loses one point, and ends his turn, and the incoming player must accept the balls in position. If the offending player scores, his opponent must detect the error before a second shot is played. If the error is detected in time, the offender loses one point, and ends his turn. If the error is not detected in time, all points scored count and the player’s turn continues until he misses. The offending player must wait for his next turn until all the other players have had a turn, and the new playing order is then retained throughout the game.

Kiss shots: Kiss shots are all counted, whether they assist in a score, or deprive a player of points. The cue ball may kiss from one object ball to another. An object ball already struck by the cue ball may kiss the second object ball, either into or away from the path of the cue ball.

Figure 14

Jumped balls: If his cue ball jumps off the table, the player loses 1 point, and ends his turn. The cue ball is placed on the head spot, or, if it is occupied, on the foot spot. If both are occupied, the cue ball is placed on the centre spot. If the red ball jumps off the table, it is replaced on the foot spot. If the white object ball jumps off the table, it is replaced on the head spot. Any score made before either or both object balls jump off the table is counted, and the player continues shooting. If all the balls jump off the table, it is a foul. The offending player loses 1 point, and ends his turn. The incoming player makes a break shot.

Bounce on rail: The cue ball remains in play, if it bounces onto, and rides, the rail, and then returns to the table. It is treated as a jumped ball, if it remains on the rail.

Frozen balls: Frozen balls are balls that are touching each other or a cushion. Frozen object balls remain in play as they are. If his cue ball is frozen, a player can shoot away from the frozen object ball, or have the balls spotted for a break shot. Failure to do either is a foul (resulting in the loss of 1 point, and the end of a turn). If his cue ball is frozen against a cushion, it may be played first against that cushion.

Figure 15

Fouls: All fouls cause the loss of 1 point and the end of the offender’s turn. The following constitute a foul: Balls in motion: Making a shot when any ball is in motion. Cueing ball: Touching the cue ball during 'warm up' stroking. The offender may not claim that the touch was his stroke. Push or shove shot: Making a push or shove shot, which is defined as a shot in which the cue tip remains in contact with the cue ball after the cue ball has struck an object ball. Double stroke: Making a double stroke, defined as one in which the cue tip contacts the cue ball again, after the cue ball has struck an object ball.

Cue and object ball: Touching an object ball with the cue.
Wrong cue ball: Shooting the wrong cue ball; the incoming player must accept the balls in position.
Foot on floor: Not having one foot touching the floor, when making a shot.
Interference: It is a foul, if any player causes interference. The offender loses a point, and the incoming player must accept the balls in position.
Miscue: A miscue is not a foul.

From 'The Official World Encyclopedia of Sports and Games'
© Diagram Visual Information Ltd 1979