#CAROM BILLIARDS CHICAGO HOW TO#

The order does not matter during play, but you must contact the object ball first during the break shot. The objective is to score a “count” by hitting both the object ball and the other cue ball in one stroke. Straight rail is the simplest of all Carom billiard games. You can only score 2 points in each space, and then at least one ball must leave the area to continue scoring. For instance, if you are playing the popular 18.2 balkline, the lines will be 18 inches from the rail. The number of points you can score on each balk space depends on the specific balkline game. This was the most popular Carom billiard game from the 1880s to the 1930s.Ī balkline table will have 6 or 9 balk spaces. Once the points are attained, at least one of the balls must leave the particular balk space. Here is an overview of each variation’s objective, rules, and scoring system:īalkline divides the table into balk spaces and defines the number of points allowed in each. There are several Carom billiard games that exist, but the 4 most popular ones are Balkline, Straight Rail, 3-cushion, and 1-cushion. Heating the slate bed is mandatory for international Carom tournaments. Heating keeps the cloth moisture-free, ensuring more consistent ball rebound and roll. For example, many Carom tables used by amateur players tend to be slightly larger, typically 10 by 5 ft.Ĭarom billiard tables typically have a slate bed that should be heated to around 9☏ above room temperature. But, like pool tables, several other size variations exist. The international standard Carom billiards table is 9.3 by 4.7 ft when measured from one rail cushion to the other. Pockets are not needed in Carom, because the objective is not to sink balls, but ricochet off of them. One key element that sets Carom billiards apart from other cue sports is the playing surface – a no-pocket pool table. For instance, when playing the popular 3-cushion Carom billiard variations, the cue ball must bounce off 3 cushions before hitting the last ball. Specific Carom billiards rules depend on the game variation you are playing. After that, players can score when they hit the red ball (the object ball) or the opponent’s cue ball first. When starting play, the cue ball must hit the red ball first for the break shot. The game is typically played with 3 balls: 1 red ball, 1 white ball, and 1 white ball with a spot.

In its most basic form, the objective of Carom is to score points, which is what players refer to as “counts.” You do this by bouncing (caroming) your cue ball off the opponent’s cue ball and the object ball in one shot. Carom and it’s variations are most popular in Western Europe, but are now played all over the world.Ĭarom is also very popular in Asian countries like the Philippines, Vietnam and Japan, but not as common in the USA due to the popularity of games like 8-ball and 9-ball.

Like most other cue sports, Carom evolved from lawn games like croquet and became very popular over time. But it is generally believed that the sport originated in France in the 18th century, which also explains the name “French billiards.” Specifics aren’t clear on how and when Carom was invented. Many pool players also refer to Carom as “Carambole billiards” or “French billiards.” What is Carom Billiards?Ĭarom is a variation of billiards played on a no-pocket pool table with 3 balls instead of 16.

#CAROM BILLIARDS CHICAGO HOW TO#

In this article, we’ll help explain exactly what Carom is, variations of Carom games, its rules, how to play, the type of table it’s played on, and how it differs from regular pool. One great variation of billiards is the French-born game of Carom. From 8-ball and 10-ball to straight pool and cutthroat, players have so many options. It has currently 11 members, which are responsible for the tournaments at the national level, like the national championships.The world of billiards is great for many reasons, one of them being that there is such a wide variety of games we can play. The ACBC is responsible for the organisation of international tournaments in Asia. The Asian Carom Billiard Confederation (ACBC) is the Asian governing body of carom billiards and is affiliated to the world federation Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB).

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