Billiards

Vocabulary

Billiards brings into play balls on a table . This table, formerly in oak or limestone, consists today of a slate covered with a cloth felted. The edges are delimited by elastic bands covered with the same cloth.

The table can have pockets , or blouses. The balls are empochées when they fall there.

One plays using a tail , generally in Bois of maple, which can be cast solid or in two parts, more of the accessories making it possible to lengthen it, in particular with the Snooker. It is made up of a heel to avoid damaging it, of a was and of a arrow connected by a pivot in the case of dismountable tails.

At the end of the arrow a ring is on which is stuck or screwed a proceeded . It is generally a disc of Cuir, of a diameter adapted to the ring, ranging between 9 and 14 mm according to the size of the balls, the mode of play and/or the preferences of the player.

The balls in the beginning were manufactured in Ivoire, but the plastic matters replaced natural material.

Human aspect

Billiards knows a very sharp passion in certain countries (in particular in Great Britain where the competitions of Snooker are diffused on television), by the spectacular side of certain modes of play, and the discipline necessary to its control.

A spectacle

The observation of the many competitions of billiards shows that the play can be complex and call upon worked out techniques, as those of the effect of rotation on itself which one gives to a ball, whose one can note some applications:

to modify the natural Trajectory to return in place after having struck another ball or to reach a desired zone ( effect retrogresses , or retro , cast , side effect);
to give to the struck ball a effect in its turn, the effect being reflected at the time of a shock according to the principle of the Gears;
to give to the ball of attack a trajectory curves to reach a zone “hidden” by other balls ( massed ).

The habit wanting in addition that the player does not put the feet on the billiard table, the angle of attack necessary to certain blows also requires also techniques of handling of the tail, sometimes spectacular (for example in the back).

Billiards rests on simple laws, but their control requires a rigor, a precision and an intelligence which go beyond the snuffed more or less spectacular effects of the public.

A discipline

Physical qualities

the eye: for obvious reasons of aiming.
the arm: the movement having to be perfectly controlled in force, Speed and direction. A physical fine shape is one more, even a need, for a perfect control of the gesture. Once places from there, having defined all the parameters of its blow, an informed player can carry out his blow the closed eyes.
the Human body as a whole: he plays of course in the control of the gesture. That it is on a precise blow, or generally throughout a competition. Billiards does not require a particular force, but a certain resistance, the competitions being very long, and a certain dynamics to manage alternations chair/table.

“Steel nerves”

concentration: the “reading” of a table is paramount before the action itself. The time necessary varies according to the players and from their experiment.
patience: the higher the level is, the more the player is likely “to make chair”, in light to remain sitted while its adversary works. Certain players do not look at what the adversary does, others follow attentively. Each one develops its own method to remain “in the part” and to be able to give best oneself once called to the table.
tenacity: as in any sport/play, it is inevitable to make some errors, or at the very least some inaccuracies. The player must be able to surmount that. Billiards is a combat against oneself, before being a face-to-face discussion with the adversary.

Technical side

The goal is not empocher a ball, but all. In the same way with the French Billiards, the goal is not to make a point, but a given number of points. The control of the displacement of any ball moving is the key.

Whatever the mode of play, the address is not the master word. Of course, it is necessary to be skilful for empocher a ball or to carry out a particular blow, but if one does not reflect after, that does not lead to nothing. The preliminary reflection is thus essential, the mechanical of the gesture is only the prolongation.

This mechanics depends on several things, including inter alia the position of the body compared to billiards and with the ball of attack. All must be made so that the directing eye is in the axis of aiming, that the front armlever holding the barrel can have a movement of beam on this same unconstrained axis. There is no really “academic” position, essence being that it is stable and pleasant. In the same way for the rest , i.e. the position of the hand posed on billiards which must be stable and guide the arrow.

Billiards rests on very simple physical laws, the spherical balls being perfectly , the rectilinear and perpendicular tapes, and the supposed carpet to oppose a constant resistance to the movement.

To know these principles makes it possible to envisage the direction taken by the ball of attack after a shock. While exploiting various parameters, one can modify this direction and make it more favourable with the continuation of the objective.

Concept of quantity

The quantity of ball is the term used to quantify the aiming. The goal is here to have points of reference, i.e. to know the behavior in precise cases, in order to extrapolate the behavior of it in practice.

Let us regard the white ball as ball of shock. The diagram represents what one can see while placing the eye (directing) on the axis of aiming, which passes by the Center of gravity of white according to a vector parallel with the table. The quantity of ball intrinsically expresses the report/ratio of the transfer of energy at the time of the shock between the two balls.

Viser “full ball” amounts aligning the axis on the 2 centres of gravity. The mass transfer at the time of the shock is whole, the ball of aiming inheriting all the force
Viser “3/4 of ball” amounts aligning the center of the ball of shock with a point located at half of the ray of the ball of aiming. She inherits the 3/4 of the force, 1/4 remainder with white the
Viser “1/2 of ball” aligns the axis of aiming on the tangent of the ball concerned. The transfer is equivalent
Viser “1/4 of ball” amounts aligning the center of the ball of shock with a point located outside the ball of aiming, remotely of a half ray. The report/ratio is this time 1/4 for the aiming, 3/4 for the ball of shock.
Viser “Smoothness” aligns the center of the ball of shock with a point outside the ball of remote aiming of a ray (in practice a little less in order to guarantee the contact). Only an minor amount of force is transmitted to the ball of aiming.

Obvious consequence:

Let us apply a force to the ball of shock, theoretically allowing him to traverse one meter. In so far as no effect is put, by aiming full ball, the ball of shock stops, and the ball of aiming traverses one meter. By aiming half ball, the two balls should traverse each one 50 centimetres, etc

Effects

The ball is put moving by the contact with the process. To modify the contact point induces a Rotation ball.

To strike the ball apart from the yellow zone is risky and useless. The process is likely to slip on the ball, modifying the trajectory completely, and generally causing a fault of play. In order to avoid that, the player applies to the process of the Craie, more commonly called “blue”. It is a powder conditioned in cube which increases the Adhérence process when it comes into contact with the ball of shock. Without the use of chalk, the handling of the effects would be impossible.

Frapper in the center is known as without effect or ball at the head ;
Frapper under the L2 line gives a retro , effect contrary with the movement of the ball;
Frapper above the L2 line gives a cast , effect favorable to the movement;
To strike on the left or on the right L1 line induces a side effect.

The force of the blow between also concerned. The effect is opposed to the resistance of the carpet, and thus loses Puissance gradually. One can regard besides a blow in the weak center of power as light cast, the ball taking a natural effect due to his movement. On the other hand if the blow is strong, the blow is indeed without effect since the ball does not rotate, but slips on the carpet.

The blow of tail is paramount, and must be adapted. This term gathers the power of the blow, the horizontality of the tail, the accompaniment or not of the movement, the fluidity of the gesture, etc a “penetrating” blow is generally preferable with a dry blow, it indeed makes it possible to obtain better a output between the printed effect and the speed of the ball.

Generally, the use of effects complicates the things, since one adds a factor to the equation. When that is not necessary, it is preferable to avoid it while being based on the following principles.

Natural bursting

One calls “bursting” the resultant of the shock between two balls. Theoretically a natural shock (without effect) modifies the trajectory of the ball of attack and induces a trajectory with the ball aimed such as their directions form a Angle 90°.

This angle of 90° can be modified by the effects. An effect retro gives an opposite rotation within the meaning of displacement. The ball thus tends to return on itself. This effect increases the angle of bursting. The cast gives a rotation in the direction of displacement, the ball thus tends to continue on its initial trajectory after the shock. This effect decreases the angle of bursting. The side effects do not affect any the bursting, with share in certain extreme cases.

It is always the trajectory of the ball of attack which is modified by these effects, that of the ball of aiming being only defined by the point of impact.

Reaction of the bands

While playing without effect, the angle of reflection equalizes the angle of incidence, as in optical. The side effects as well as the retro and cast effects modify the angle of reflection. The force of the blow as well as the quality and the height of the bands modify the reflection slightly.

Setting in correlation of the principles

Let us consider a simple shock:

if one applies an effect retro or cast to the ball of shock (cf preceding chapters), one modifies the distance which she traverses and the direction that she takes after the shock, but in any way direction and the distance covered by the ball concerned. If one applies a side effect to the ball of shock one modifies as for the rétros effects and cast the distance which she traverses and the direction which she takes after the shock as well as the direction of the ball concerned.
more the quantity of ball is weak, less the retro one and the cast one has of influence on the direction of the ball of shock. It is necessary of “the support” so that these effects are effective. The more the original movement of the ball is opposed, the more the effect at the time of being expressed, since it goes against the original movement. A small quantity of ball modifies the trajectory of origin little.

Quantity of band

the preceding remark can be transposed to the side effects after a shock to the band. The more the angle of incidence is raised, the less frank the support on the tape is, and consequently the less effective effect.

Successive shocks

During any change of trajectory, a ball tends to mainly take a natural effect due to resistance to the movement of cloth. It is rather commonplace, the ball being Sphérique. One can easily note this behavior on several successive tapes.
Any effect of the ball of shock induces an opposite effect on the ball of aiming, according to the principle of the Engrenage. If the ball of aiming touches a band (or another ball) after the initial bursting, its natural trajectory can be modified about it. Of course the “losses” due to the various shocks and the resistance of cloth are important. The “induced” effect is thus decreased compared to that printed with the ball of shock, until progressively becoming negligible of time and/or the successive shocks.

Appraise and chance

It is noted that if the basic principles are very simple, the practice can become very complex so much the parameters are numerous. Let us add to that the material factors, for example the differences of resistance of cloths, of elasticity of the bands, the potential impurities being able to deviate a trajectory etc One quickly imagines the control necessary to the informed players, and includes/understands the material requirements of the champions, as in any sport.

These principles are independent of the mode of play, their knowledge is useful to all.

On the other hand their application can vary from one billiards to another, mainly because of the material. The cloth of a Snooker is not of the same type as that of a French Billard, the heating of billiards influences the bearing and the catch of the effects, in the same way the quality of the bands, even of the billes.
The points of reference as for the force and with the effects thus vary from one table to another, even for billiards of size, marks and model identical. It is necessary to adapt its play in function.

; Is there a share of chance to billiards?

Of course. If the player can control all the parameters on a particular blow, it cannot it on the whole of the blows of a partie.
However, more the level is raised, less the chance enters in account. What can pass for chance to the eyes of the neophyte is often for a good player the fruit of his experiment and its réflexion.
One will speak rather about “success”, when a player tries a blow in a reflected way, but a blow which it would not be able to reproduce with the identique.
At the time of the competitions of very high level, following the example much of another sports or plays of address, the tables are recent, cloths, bands and balls new and are cleaned during and/or between the parts, this in order to avoid the strokes of luck or bad luck related to the material. In the world of professional billiards, a stroke of luck to billiards (in particular when it is a question of putting the black ball at the end of the part) is called " a blow of panda ".

; Notice

As in much of disciplines, by looking at a competition of very high level one can have an impression of facility. It is necessary nevertheless to keep in mind that generally, plus the control of the player is high, less it is visible. In the ideal case of a perfectly controlled part, one will not see a spectacular blow. A blow out of the commun run is generally the result of a preceding evil carried out, an error of judgment or a defensive action of the adversary.

Origin

Myth or reality?

The name of billiards would come from its inventor, an English tailor living in London in 1560, fore-mentioned Bill which had as a practice to play with the three balls which composed its ensign by pushing them on its counter using its meter of dressmaker: from where the name given to the play: Bill' S yard (literally: “the meter of Bill”). This anecdote, reported by a journalist in the Intermediary of the Researchers and Curieux under the inventive title about History of billiards, was quickly dismounted, because the play had existed already for three centuries and the tables had appeared in 1469.

In France, the first billiard tables would have appeared because of the climate. The noble followers of the Croquet wanting to play whatever the time would have introduced a version of the play adapted inside the buildings, and thereafter developed a version on table by pushing the balls either with the head of the canes of crocket, but with the end of the handle. The word “billiards” is attested in French as of the 14th century, it derives from “ball” (in the direction of “piece of wood”, word of Gallic origin) and it is initially employed to indicate “a stick bent to push the balls”. The modern directions (“play”, “table”, then “house where the play is held” develop as from the 16th century. The term thus does not derive from the word “ball” (small ball) as one could think it.

In France

The first orders of billiard tables of which there remains trace date from the 15th century, under the reign of Louis XI. It is told that it is this king who, suffering of pain of back, would have ordered from his cabinetmaker a table to play croquet with breast height. Held a long time with the nobility, it seems to be popularized during the 18th century in public rooms. It is however well far from current billiards.

At the 19th century, novel methods bring it closer a little its current structure, and the modes of play which we know.

It takes its rise after 1950, and leaves the dark rooms little by little to conquer the living rooms of the private individuals.

So in the past billiards rimait with glaucous room, smoked out and more or less malfamée, it is not any more the case nowadays.

Substitution of the ivory by the celluloid

In 1865, John Wesley Hyatt took a patent for the Celluloïd substituent the Ivoire of the balls.

Billiards and art

Billiards is frequently used as an element of decoration, in particular in the cinema. The room of billiards of a private individual is an element of statute underlining its abundance of cash. It is often the decoration of tended discussions. The room of billiards smoked out of a bar is on the contrary often a place of relaxation, the occasion of discussions between friends. Billiards makes it possible to underline qualities or the frame of mind of a character:

its coolness, its precision in the case of a successful blow;
its febrility, its surprise in the case of a missed blow.

The part of billiards perhaps used as a dramatic spring: it is the subject of a bet. Several films treat billiards, generally under the angle of the professional players and the bets:

the Swindler ( The Hustler ) of Robert Rossen, 1961;
the Color of the money ( The Color off Money ) of Martin Scorsese, 1986.

The rule of the White one

One often intends to say that the white ball must be returned in 3 bands, after the black one, to declare the player victorious and the finished part. This erroneous rule would come owing to the fact that the majority of coffee billiards go to coin, not making it possible to play more than one part. The players would have set up this system to benefit the maximum of the play, thus exploiting the totality of the balls. One thus recognizes the inexperienced players who will preach this rule in the form of absolute truth whereas it is completely contrary with the rules in force…

Curious anecdote

Here a mischievous quatrain of Victor Hugo:

“I played yesterday, I do not know where,
With billiards of strange kind:
the balls remain with the door,
And canes it between in the hole. ”

“To pass on billiards”

This expression, meaning to pass on the operating table, dates from the First World War, where, operating table lack, one put the casualties on requisitioned billiards.

SEDAN 1870 coffee of Soquettes. During the war of 1870, it was transformed into provisional hospital. Casualties of the battle field, whose marshal Mac-Mahon, were neat on the billiard tables of the restaurant. From there was born perhaps the expression “to pass on billiards”…

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