description Carom Billiards Overview
Played without pockets, carom billiards rewards control of the cue ball's route rather than the ability to sink a shot. This family of cue sports is generally traced to eighteenth-century France and is now played internationally. A conventional setup uses a cloth-covered table, often heated and typically ten feet long for major competition, with three balls: a red object ball and two distinguishable cue balls. In three-cushion carom, a prominent variant, the player's cue ball must contact both other balls and touch at least three cushions before reaching the second object ball.
Those requirements turn each point into a problem of angles and spin. The Union Mondiale de Billard governs international competition. Carom suits players drawn to measured precision and positional calculation, with the absence of pockets placing particular emphasis on predicting rebounds and controlling speed.
help Carom Billiards FAQ
How is carom billiards different from regular pool?
Unlike regular pool (or pocket billiards), carom billiards is played on a pocketless table. The objective is not to sink balls into pockets, but rather to hit the opponent's cue ball and the object ball with your own cue ball in a single shot to score a 'carom'.
What size table is used for carom billiards?
Carom billiards is typically played on a large, 10-foot by 5-foot heated table, which is larger than a standard pool table. The heating system reduces moisture on the cloth, allowing the balls to roll much faster and straighter.
What are the most popular variations of carom billiards?
The three most popular disciplines are straight rail, three-cushion billiards, and artistic billiards. Three-cushion billiards is particularly famous internationally and requires the cue ball to hit at least three rail cushions before striking the other balls.
How many balls are used in a game of carom billiards?
A standard game of carom billiards uses exactly three balls: one red object ball and two cue balls. Traditionally, one cue ball is plain white, and the other is marked with a spot or colored to help players tell them apart.
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