How Was Billiards Invented, and How Did It Become Popular?

August 16, 2022

Billiards was originally a lawn game played outdoors in the grass, similar to croquet. It was played this way until some time in the 1400s when northern Europeans, probably the French, moved the game play to the tabletop. King Louis XI of France (1423-1483) is the first person in history definitively known to have had an indoor billiards table. Originally, the tabletop game featured croquet-like hoops for the balls to go through above each pocket. Rather than striking the balls with a cue, players would shove the balls using a stick called a mace. Because the mace was difficult to maneuver, players would sometimes turn it backwards and move the balls with the tail or “queue” in French. The cue stick came along in the 17th century, named after the mace’s queue. How Did Billiards Become Popular? Judging by Louis XI’s billiards table from the mid-1400s, it seems that the game became popular within its first 100 years. When Shakespeare wrote “Antony and Cleopatra” in 1606, he made reference to the game. No one is sure when the first billiards game was imported to the United States, but George Washington (1732-1799) was known to play billiards. The game’s popularity in...

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5 Tips to Become a Whiz at Billiards

July 26, 2022

Do you like playing billiards? Whether for fun or as a competitive sport, improving your skills can make the game more enjoyable. We will discuss tips that will help you get better at playing billiards. We’ll cover everything from the basics of the game to more advanced techniques. So whether you’re just starting or you’ve been playing for a while and want to hone your skills, read on for some helpful tips. 1. Practice, Practice, Practice This is probably the most important tip on this list. The more you play, the better you’ll get. If you can find a local pool hall or billiards league to join, that’s great. But even if you just set up a table at home and practice by yourself, it will still help you improve your skills. 2. Pay Attention to Your Form A big part of playing well is good form. Watch professional players, and see how they hold the cue stick and strike the ball. Then, try to mimic their form as best you can. It might take some time to get used to, but it will be worth it in the long run. 3. Use a Consistent Stroke When taking your shot,...

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Should You Replace Your Billiards Balls?

June 16, 2022

Updated: January 31, 2024 When it comes to owning and playing the most popular game in the world – billiards – nothing is more essential than adequately maintaining equipment. While steel balls are the standard, other materials have their place in the best billiards balls. This article will look at why you should replace your billiards balls every couple of months instead of buying more. What Is a Billiards Ball? A billiards ball is used to bowl or at the pool. Deciding where to buy your billiards balls can be a challenging decision. If you’re playing pool in a neighborhood with other billiards enthusiasts, you might start to notice that different people like different types of balls. One type of billiards ball is the traditional steel ball. Steel balls are heavier than other standard billiards materials and bounce more. Different billiards balls are carbon, ceramic, and graphite; each has unique properties and uses. Things to Consider When Making a Billiards Ball Change If you play pool a lot, you may want to consider changing your billiards ball more frequently. Here are a few things to keep in mind: Will the new ball perform better than the old one? Will the...

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What’s Inside My Billiard Balls?

May 17, 2022

Pool is a recognizable cue sport that requires a specific table, billiard balls, and cue stick. The rules and equipment used in pool have dramatically changed from their original creation centuries ago. Even the materials used to make the iconic billiard balls have changed over time. Billiard Balls Early billiard balls were often made of clay or wood that could easily be procured and molded. Higher-class players would use strong animal bones or ivory, which led to the balls being called ivories for some time. However, due to excessive elephant hunting and the minimal number of balls able to be made from elephant tusks, players soon looked for other more accessible materials. The billiard industry in the mid to late 1800s challenged scientists and inventors to come up with improved alternative materials. It was the efforts of these intelligent creators that eventually led to the billiard balls in use today. Inventors of the time created preliminary plastics that would eventually be modified and adjusted over time to create durable and resistant pool balls. Common materials used in billiard balls today include Bakelite, phenolic resin, and clear acrylic. Some pool balls are even made of a form of polyester material like...

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Types of Billiard Racks

April 11, 2022

Updated: February 9, 2024 Billiard racks are sporting equipment made of wood, plastic, or metal and are used to rack the billiard balls into the desired playing formation before starting a game. Although there are different types of pool games, the concept of starting the game is the same. The following are different types of billiard racks for pool games. 8-Ball Billiard Rack The 8-ball billiard rack is the most common equipment used in racking balls for billiard games. It is a triangular rack with an inner width of 11.25 inches and a height of 10 inches. When using the 8-ball billiard rack to play, 15 balls are put inside the frame, with the 8 ball placed in the middle. In addition, an apex ball is placed at the tip of the triangular rack facing the head of the pool table. Apart from the 8 ball, any ball can be used as the apex ball. A solid ball is placed on one corner of the rack, and a stripe ball is placed on the remaining corner. The other balls are placed randomly throughout the billiard rack in the remaining spaces. 9-Ball Billiard Rack Besides the 8-ball rack, the 9-ball billiard...

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3 Signs It’s Time to Refelt Your Pool Table

March 17, 2022

Updated: February 9, 2024 Over time, the felt on your pool table gets damaged, and it no longer looks or functions as it did when it was new and pristine. Between the friction of the balls as they careen across the felt and the nicks and scratches that happen during intense play, it’s nearly impossible to keep a pool table in like-new condition. The good news is that a simple refelting will restore beauty and full function to your piece. These are three signs it’s time that your pool table gets a little TLC. 1. Play Is Impacted Though an unattractive pool table is a bummer, it isn’t a deal breaker. However, poor performance and impacted play is. If you’ve noticed that the ball seems to roll slowly or to catch in places, refelting will be necessary to correct this issue. Another problem that can happen is the ball tending to change direction suddenly, which is a sign of damage beneath the top layer of felt. 2. It’s Visibly Damaged A few nicks here and there aren’t sufficient reasons to rush for a felt replacement, but a pool table that’s full of nicks, scars, rips, and tracking marks would most...

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4 Excellent Tips on How to Create Your Game Room

February 16, 2022

Creating a game room in your home can be a fun and exciting project. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or just getting into the hobby, there are some things to consider when creating your game room. Here are four tips for creating your game room. 1. Evaluate the Available Space The size of your game room will be a major factor in what type of gaming equipment you can install. Make sure to measure the space and plan accordingly. The nice thing about a game room is that it can be of any size. If you have a small space, there are plenty of compact gaming options available. Just make sure to plan accordingly and don’t overcrowd the room. Contrary, if you have a large space, go all out! Install multiple televisions, gaming consoles, and seating. Just be sure to leave enough room for people to move around. 2. Think About the Lighting Poor lighting can be a major distraction when gaming. Make sure you have plenty of light in your game room, especially if you’re playing during the evening or night. There are a few different ways to achieve good lighting in your game room. You can install multiple...

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Basic Pool Table Maintenance Tips

January 10, 2022

If you take care of your pool table, it will last longer and make playing games on it more fun. Pool tables are expensive, so taking care of yours is a perfect idea. Felt Care The felt on the table is the most important thing to take care of. It’s also the most easily damaged, both during play and otherwise. Keep the felt free of dust and make sure everyone chalks their cues away from the table. Damaged felt interferes with play and is unsightly. Brush the felt in one direction toward the pockets. The brush should be either nylon or horse bristle, as they are gentle and won’t damage the felt. Use a large brush so you get the job done faster. Brush the table after every 10 hours of play or at least once a week. If you don’t cover your table when not in use, you may need to brush it more frequently. Vacuuming You can vacuum your pool table but use one that has a low power setting. Vacuuming can remove stubborn chalk, dust, pet hair and other debris. Use the brush attachment so you don’t damage the felt. Only use a vacuum on your pool...

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New Pool Tables Games for Your Holiday Guests

December 20, 2021

Updated: January 31, 2024 While pool tables are typically used to play eight-ball, they can have unlimited uses during the holiday season. When thinking of entertainment options for your holiday get-togethers, consider these fun activities that can make your pool table the star of the show. Themed Eight-Ball Every level of pool player can play this traditional singles or doubles game. Red, green or gold felt can be cut and laid out on the pool table to add holiday flare. The billiard balls can be painted with temporary, washable paint to look like ornaments or other holiday figures. This classic pool game can be easily themed to match the holiday with some safe paint and swaths of felt. White Elephant Add more incentive to any active pool game by having players win gifts. Assemble up to six piles of White Elephant gifts and label each pool table pocket with a number that corresponds to the gifts. Players will need to get the ball into a certain pocket to pick a gift from that pile. White Elephant gifts can have a variety of value and be as practical as headphones or as funny as an empty box. Kelly Pool This pool...

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Is It Pool or Billiards?

November 18, 2021

Certainly, a question for the ages, are pool and billiards the same thing? No doubt this has been debated over many a bar argument, but the quick answer actually is no. Instead, pool and billiards refer to different games. Let’s explore why pool and billiards aren’t the same. The Games Technically, the term billiards includes pool as one of the games, but billiards is far more than just pool. Billiards games are separated into carom billiards and pocket billiards. Further, pocket billiards is divided into pool, snooker, and English billiards. Therefore, billiards can be considered the term for all games that are played with a cue stick and cue ball. So, pool is actually a subcategory of billiard games, also known as cue games. The Tables Billiard games are played on different types of tables differing in size, color, and number of pockets. While a pool table is usually about seven to nine feet long, other billiard tables can be larger, perhaps up to 10 or 12 feet. A billiard table can have up to four or six pocket cushions. Meanwhile, a pool table is taller than other tables, and its surface is generally colored to differentiate it from other...

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