Regent Snooker Lounge

by The Library of Congress

Article by Ernie Reynolds

The game of billiards evolved from a lawn game much like croquet in Europe in the 1500′s. The game was moved indoors at some point and played on a table covered in green cloth, presumably, to simulate a lawn.

The first balls are believed to be stone, eventually being replaced by balls made of wood and clay. Rails were mounted around the edge of the table to prevent the balls from falling off. The balls were shoved around the table by a wooden stick called a mace.

In the 1600′s, elephant ivory became the material of choice for billiard balls. Affordable only to the rich and affluent at that time, it offered a glossy, attractive appearance and good performance. The common people of the time used the less expensive wood or clay for their billiard balls.

Ivory balls were expensive and time-consuming to manufacture however. Only 4 or 5 balls could be made from a single ivory tusk, and these tusks had to be imported from Africa or Asia.

The tusks were cut into rough blanks and turned into over-sized balls. These blank balls had to aged for 2 to 3 years to stabilize so they wouldn’t crack and distort when played.

These aged balls were then hand-turned by skilled craftsman to perfectly round balls of just the right size and weight. Many balls were rejected because they were the wrong weight due to different densities of ivory, or the craftsman who made them didn’t make them perfectly round.

Eventually the supply of elephants began to thin out as there were thousands killed to supply the world appetite for billiard balls. Because of this scarcity, ivory balls became even more expensive.

Even with all these faults, ivory billiard balls were still popular by the early 1800s. Due to the limited amounts of elephant ivory available, a contest was held in 1865 by the Phelan and Collender Company of New York City to find a replacement material to make the balls from.

John Wesley Hyatt won a ,000 prize and was granted US patent US50359 for his contribution of Celluloid as the replacement material to build billiard balls. This industrial plastic was used for a while but it had a bad tendency to explode during the manufacturing process.

In more recent times, phenolic resin, polyester, and acrylic have replaced the materials formerly used in billiard balls. These materials offer great strength and are highly resistant to chipping and cracking.

About the Author

Ernie Reynolds is a long–time pool and billiards player. His sites — http://www.Pool-and-Pocket-Billiards-Resource.com, http://www.Pool-For-Beginners.com, and http://www.Pool-Is-Cool.com are evidence of his love for the game and his desire to share the wealth of knowledge he and others have acquired over the years. His websites are a reference for pool and pocket billiards players, where game descriptions, equipment care and mainten

Related Billiards Articles

by The Library of Congress

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.

by The Library of Congress

Article by Adam Gold

Man I can’t wait to have enough money to buy my own pool table! Why you ask? Simple. It’s hard to find good billiards halls these days. What’s wrong with them? Well I’m glad you asked!

#1 – Get out the way please!

This is probably the most annoying thing when playing in billiards halls. The owner puts the tables so closely together, that you can’t run a single game without bumping into a player or two from an adjacent table. So you either have to wait until your neighbor plays, or you have to rush into making your shot to clear the path for him. BLAH!

#2 – Waiter! Can I get some chalk to my table please?

Also very annoying. Many halls keep a very small supply of this blue chalk we all know and love, and the ones they do have in stock are often of low quality. That is just frustrating… How can you get any English (aka action/spin) on your ball like this? That’s right, you can’t!

#3 – It’s going… It’s going.. It’s… drifting?

Man… You know that feeling when you make a perfect high-sensitive shot, apply just about the right amount of strength to make the target ball slip into the pocket, only to watch it drift away from it’s course because the table is crooked? Well I do, and I really don’t love it when it happens… Do you?

#4 – Manager! Can I get a waiter here please?

This has nothing to do with the gaming aspect of billiards. Now I don’t know about you, but I don’t like my throat to be left high and dry when I play. Am I right? Right. Which brings us to the next thing on our list.

#5 – Damn you cue stick, Stop slipping from my hand! Maybe if I wasn’t sweating so much…

I understand that the billiards halls owners turn the heat up because they want to maximize profits by encouraging us to buy drinks, but what’s the use? You can’t get any service anyhow! And really, I have nothing against making money, but toasting people for a living doesn’t sound like a legitimate business to me!

So am I alone in this?

What is your experience with your local billiards halls? Do you agree with what I’ve said? Or maybe you already own a private table. Either way, I would love it if you’ll share your thoughts and feelings with the rest of us.

Here’s to a better billiard playing experience!

About the Author

Want more? Go to http://professional-pool-billiard.com/ and get your FREE copy of 5 simple steps for playing billiard like a pro.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Billiards-Halls—Top-5-Annoying-Things-When-Playing-in-a-Hall-of-Billiards&id=3829913

by National Library of Scotland

A billiard room is a great room for you, your family, and your guests to have fun. Billiards, or pool, is a very popular game with family members of all ages too, so it can even keep the kids quiet while they learn and master a new game. The billiard room itself is a unique space in the house that requires good lighting, a decent table, plenty of room, and even a bar for a more authentic feel. The design of the room itself will be down to your personal preference but here are some factors you need to consider.

Measuring The Room

When measuring the room to buy a pool table, always remember that there needs to be room to stand by the table and play the shot. This means being able to draw the cue back without hitting it against the wall. Pool tables are available in 7 foot, 8 foot, or 9 foot models and while 9 foot is the standard regulation size it is more common for the home billiard room to include an 8 foot table because this usually allows players to comfortably take their shots.

Choosing The Lighting

Lighting is also important. Generally, the lights should be placed directly above the table and as centrally as possible. This helps to ensure that there are no shadows cast on the table either by other objects in the room or by the rail of the table itself. With lower ceilings it may be possible to opt for lights fixed into the ceiling, but higher rooms may require a hanging light as is often seen in bars and pool halls. Hanging lights like these enable you to control the light in the rest of the room independently of the pool table light so you can illuminate the billiard table without having to blind everybody in the room.

Slate Beds

Most players, professionals, and even novices advise the purchase of a slate bed table but if you do buy wooden or synthetic materials then you should consider the moisture and atmospheric conditions in the room. Tables with a wooden bed can easily warp and disfigure if it is not kept in the proper conditions.

Billiard Table Covers

Regardless of the material used, it is always advised that a pool table be covered when not in used. This helps the integrity of the felt on the table so that you can continue to enjoy a good looking table that allows you to play the best possible shots. The cover itself should ideally be mostly opaque so that the cover and the rest of the table is protected from light as well as from dust and other debris.

Cleaning Your Table

Some pool tables come with an accessory kit that includes items like felt brushes. If your table comes with a felt brush then be sure to use it regularly. Small pieces of debris not only interact with the balls but can lead to damaged cloth and balls. Brush the table before and after each use and cover it when not in use. Never chalk the cue tip over the table because chalking the tip always leads to some chalk trail being left behind and, again, this can lead to damaged cloth or damaged balls. It’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to damage the slate but this isn’t the only aspect of a billiard table that needs to remain in good condition.