Billiards is exactly what it sounds like. You hit a ball with a stick. It is a game built on physics and geometry. To win, you have to master the gear.
The setup is simple. You need a cue. This is a tapered rod. It has a cushioned tip. You use it to strike the balls. You also need balls. Every variation of the game uses them. The goal is always the same. You hit a ball. You move it.
Then there is the table. This is where the action happens. The surface matters. Some tables have pockets. Others do not.
Games with pockets are usually called pool or snooker. If there are no pockets, you are likely playing carom. This is the most common pocketless version.
Billiards relies on the fundamentals of physics and geometry.
The playing surface itself is interesting. It is smooth. It is flat. It is designed for precision.
The history here is messy. We do not know exactly where it started. We do know King Louis XIV had a table in the 15th century. William Shakespeare mentioned the game in Antony and Cleopatra. Charles Cotton wrote about it in The Compleat Gamester in 1674.
Many historians think billiards came from croquet. That was an outdoor game. Billiards moved indoors.
The equipment has not changed much. The core elements remain. A cue. Balls. A table.
