Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Mastering the rules
• Part 2 of 3: Mastering your cue and your position
• Part 3 of 3: Experimenting with strategy and game variants
• Tips

Billiards are divided into 2 types: carom variants, which are played on a table without holes and where the aim is to get the ball to bounce off other balls or the tires of the table, and variants with holes, which are played on a table with holes and where the goal is to spot the colored balls by hitting them with the white ball. If you want to play billiards with holes, wikiHow has a great article about it: Playing Pool Billiards. But here, in addition to using material and strategy, we will delve deeper into the basis of carambole variants. Carom requires considerable skill as you often have to make use of angles and resort to trick shots. If you already know a little about pool, carom is the next step!

To step

Part 1 of 3: Mastering the rules

1. Find a partner and a pool table. Variants of carom require two players. It can be played with a third person, but by default there are two players. You need a standard pool table - 1.05 by 2.10 (bar billiards), 1.15 by 2.30 (club billiards) and 1.42 by 2.84 (competition billiards), without holes. This "no" aspect is very important. You could play on a pool table, but you will soon find that the holes get in the way of the game. Here's everything you need to know (and some things not to know) about the table:
   • The diamonds are there to be used by you! If you know a thing or two about geometry, you can use them to direct your shot. We will discuss this in the next section (strategy).
   • The band along which the first player starts is called the short or main band. The opposite band is called the foot band and the side bands are called the long bands.
   • The place where you start, so behind the break or dots on which the balls are placed, is also called the "small zone".
   • Professional players play on heated billiard tables. The heat makes the balls roll much better.
   • The table is green so that you can look at it for a long time. Apparently people can tolerate green much better than any other color.
2. Decide who starts. To do this, both of you place a ball near the short band you are starting from and push the ball across in an attempt to get back as close to the starting band as possible. The game hasn't even started yet and your skills are already being put to the test!
   • If you hit the other player's ball, you lose the opportunity to start. If you do win this first punch, it is usually assumed that you will play as "second." The player who starts usually loses a turn by lining up the balls and not taking a strategic shot.
3. Set up the game. You both need a cue (you had one before the first shot, right?) Billiard cues are usually shorter and lighter than pool cues, with a short neck (the white part near the end) and a thicker base. You also need three balls - a white ball, a white ball with a black dot, and a red ball. Sometimes a yellow ball is used instead of a white ball with a dot.
   • The person who wins the first shot chooses which ball that person wants to play with, the white or the ball with the dot (or the yellow ball). This is a matter of personal preference. The red ball is then placed on the furthest dot. By the way, this is the place where the triangle would be placed in pole. The opponent's bunting ball is placed on the center dot of the starting tire, where you would normally start in pool. The starting player's bunting ball is placed on the right spot on the starting tire (on the same line with the opponent's ball). There must be at least 15 cm between the two balls.
     • So because your ball is on the same line as your opponent's, it is obviously very difficult to hit both balls on the table. So when you win the first punch, it is often smart to choose to play second.
4. Determine the rules that you and your opponent will follow. As with any game that has been around for centuries, there are all kinds of variations. Some make the game easier, some more difficult and some add a faster or slower aspect. How much time do you have to play? And how good are you?
   • Know that you score a point for each type of carom by hitting both other balls on the table. It's the way that differs:
     • In free play you get a point as long as you hit both balls. This is the easiest variant.
     • In one cushion, you must hit a tire (one side of the table) before hitting the second ball.
     • In three cushion you have to hit three tires before the last ball is hit.
     • Kader takes the only possible flaw from this game. If you manage to get both balls into one corner, you could hit them over and over again. Frame ensures that you do not score points when both balls are next to each other (often the table is divided into 8 sections for this).
   • Once you decide how to score points, you have to decide when the game is over. With one cushion this is usually with a score of 8. However, three cushion is so difficult that you might want to lower the bar a bit!
5. Play the game! Smoothly move your arm back and then forward with a swing-like motion. The rest of your body should stay still when you hit the punch and the cue should come to a natural stop. And there you have it - all you have to do is hit both balls to score a point. But here are some more details:
   • The player who starts must first hit the red ball (after all, the other option would be a bit strange)
   • If you score a point, you can keep playing
   • Scoring a point unintentionally is usually considered illegal
   • Keep one foot on the ground at all times
   • Jumping the ball is a foul, as is hitting a ball while it is still in motion
6. Find a place on the punch ball to hit with the tip of your cue. You can do this while aiming. Try to line up the cue with where you want to hit the ball. Try to hit that spot.
   • Usually you will want to hit the ball exactly in the middle. However, sometimes it can be interesting to hit the ball on one side to add effect so that the ball rolls to one side. Sometimes you can also choose to hit the ball below the center so that it climbs over a ball that you do not want to move and hits the ball that you want to hit.

Part 2 of 3: Mastering your cue and your position

1. Hold the cue correctly. Your punch hand should hold the base of the cue in a loose, relaxed manner, with your thumb for support and your index, middle, and ring fingers gripping the stick. Your wrist should be pointed straight down so that it doesn't move sideways when you punch.
   • Your punch hand should usually hold the cue about 6 inches from the cue's balance point. If you are not tall you can hold your hand to this point; when you grow up, it is possible to hold your hand a little further back.
2. Place the fingers of your other hand around the top to form a bridge. This prevents your cue from moving sideways when hitting. There are 3 main handles: the closed bridge, the open bridge and the band bridge.
   • With a closed bridge, run your index finger around the cue and use your other fingers to keep your hand stable. This allows for more control over the cue, especially with a powerful forward thrust.
3. With an open bridge, you form a V-groove with your thumb and index finger. This will cause the cue to slide and you must use your remaining fingers to keep the cue from moving sideways. The open bridge is better for softer punches and is favored by players who have difficulty making a closed bridge. A variation of the open bridge is the raised bridge, where you raise your hand to hoist the cue stick over an obstructing ball when hitting a ball.
   • Use the band bridge when the ball is too close to the band to place your hand behind it. Place your cue over the band and hold it firmly with your other hand.
4. Line up your body with the punch. Align yourself with the bunting ball and the ball you want to hit. The foot corresponding to your punch hand (right foot if you are right-handed, left foot if you are left-handed) should touch this line at a 45 degree angle. Your other foot should be a comfortable distance in front of the foot that matches your punch hand.
5. Stand at a comfortable distance. This depends on 3 things: your height, your reach and the location of the punch. The farther the punch ball is from your side of the table, the further you will have to stretch.
   • Most billiard variations require you to keep at least one foot on the ground while punching. If you can't do this comfortably, you will either have to choose a different punch or use a mechanical bridge to rest the top of your cue on when you hit it.
6. Position yourself vertically to the punch. Your chin should hang slightly over the table so that you see the cue as horizontal and comfortable as possible. If you are tall, you have to bend your front knee or both knees to get into position. You should also bend your hips forward a bit.
   • The center of your head or your dominant eye should line up with the center of your cue without bending. However, some professional players do bow their heads.
   • Most players who play billiards with holes keep their head 2.5 to 15 cm above the cue, but snooker players (almost) touch the cue with their head. The closer you get to your head, the greater your accuracy, but you will get less range for your backward and forward thrust.

Part 3 of 3: Experimenting with strategy and game variants

1. Find your best punch. This depends on where the ball is on the table. With carambole varieties that allow this, you should try to punch so that the balls come together. For example, you can score points repeatedly by bouncing from one ball to another (in other words, not with "Frame"). Take a look at the angles and how everything turns out. If necessary, also take the tires into account!
   • Sometimes your best shot is not to score (offensive shot), but to place the shot where your opponent has trouble scoring a point (defensive shot).
   • Do a few practice shots if you see fit. This will warm up your arm for the actual punch.
2. Get to know the "diamond system". Mathematics, indeed. But once you get it, it's relatively simple. Every diamond has a number. Take the number of the diamond that the cue would originally hit (called the position of the cue) and then subtract the natural angle (the number of the diamond on the short band). Now you get a number - the number of the diamond you should aim for!
3. Play "Artistic Billiards". Indeed, this exists. In doing so, players try to complete 76 variations, all with different difficulty. So when you're done playing, you can have some trick shots ready for yourself (and your friend). Who can complete the hardest?
   • If one tire thrust works, try going for two tires. Three is extremely difficult, even for professional players! If you can handle two tires, consider playing for money!
4. Hit the bunting ball in different ways. The direction of the other ball can be determined by the way it is hit by the bunting ball. This effect can be caused by the angle at which the punch strikes the other ball, how much effect was applied to the punch, or both. Billiards players who have studied and practiced how to make an impact on their punch use this when playing pool.
   • Take some time to experiment! The more you see how many options you have, the better you will become and the more fun the game will be. Use your carom skills to play pool, 9-ball, 8-ball or even snooker!

Tips

• While punching, keep your punching arm parallel to the line of your punch and perpendicular to the table. There are some professional players who don't, but they have found a way to compensate.
• More experienced billiards players use one of the tires or another ball to hit more balls or work into a hole. Some billiard tables are marked with diamonds on the sides that you can use to better aim such punches.