Cue sports

“Billiards” redirects here. For other uses, see Billiard.
Illustration of a three ball pocket billiards game in early 19th century Tübingen, Germany, using a table much longer than the modern type.

Cue sports (sometimes spelled cuesports) are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber cushions.

Historically, the umbrella term was billiards. While that familiar name is still employed by some as a generic label for all such games, the word’s usage has splintered into more exclusive competing meanings among certain groups and geographic regions. In the United Kingdom, “billiards” refers exclusively to English billiards, while in the United States it is sometimes used to refer to a particular game or class of games, or to all cue games in general, depending upon dialect and context.

There are three major subdivisions of games within cue sports:

* Carom billiards, referring to games played on tables without pockets, including among others balkline and straight rail, cushion caroms, three-cushion billiards and artistic billiards
* Pocket billiards (or “pool”) generally played on a table with six pockets, including among others eight-ball (the world’s most widely played cue sport), nine-ball, straight pool, one-pocket and bank pool.
* Snooker, which while technically a pocket billiards game, is generally classified separately based on its historic divergence from other games, as well as a separate culture and terminology that characterize its play.

More obscurely, there are games that make use of obstacles and targets, and table-top games played with disks instead of balls.

Billiards has a long and rich history stretching from its inception in the 15th century; to the wrapping of the body of Mary, Queen of Scots in her billiard table cover in 1586; through its many mentions in the works of Shakespeare, including the famous line “let us to billiards” in Antony and Cleopatra (1606–07); to the dome on Thomas Jefferson’s home Monticello, which conceals a billiard room he hid, as billiards was illegal in Virginia at that time; and through the many famous enthusiasts of the sport including, Mozart, Louis XIV of France, Marie Antoinette, Immanuel Kant, Napoleon, Abraham Lincoln, Mark Twain, George Washington, French president Jules Grévy, Charles Dickens, George Armstrong Custer, Theodore Roosevelt, Lewis Carroll, W.C. Fields, Babe Ruth, Bob Hope, Jackie Gleason, and many others.

BILLIARDS: Significant win keeps title race

CROWLAND B kept the Spalding and District League title race alive by beating leaders Crowland A.
Rob Childs (O200) and Derek Tinkler (O20) were both victorious for the B side in a 5-2 win, cutting the gap at the top to just six points.

Cue ace Childs overcame a mammoth 300 handicap to beat Alan Readshaw (R100) 200-175, making breaks of 54, 46
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and 45.

Tinkler’s 200-181 win over Marian Lee (R110) saw him make a 28 break – and made Tom Lee’s (R90) win over Roger Goodliffe (R80) pure consolation.

But the fortunes were reversed in the KO Shield two days later, Crowland’s A team cruising past Pyramid A 541-497 while the B team were being dumped out by Holbeach 523-538.

Gosberton A missed the chance to make up ground at the top.

Consti C beat them 5-2, with Peter Tingle (R100) and Mick Peet (R120) picking up wins.

Their slip-up allowed Pyramid C to move alongside them on 69 points, thanks to a 5-2 derby win over Pyramid A.

John Templeman (R40) made a 40 break for the A team, but Max Ayliff’s (R70) 29 helped guide the C team to glory.

Both they and Consti C are nine points off the pace.

Meanwhile, BSC veteran Hugh Pinner (150) comfortably made the top break of the week in his side’s 5-2 home triumph over Pyramid B.

Pinner racked up a huge 116 as he sunk James Sharpe (R80), with Brian Bowell (R20) also on winning form.

Darrell Read (R50) won to secure two points for the Bourne side, making breaks of 21 and 20.

It was a good week for Read, as he went on to net the decisive points in Pyramid B’s 563-411 Shield win over Consti B.

The week wasn’t all bad for Consti B, as Mick Johnson (O150) won a thrilling clash with Alan Nichols (R110) to clinch a 5-2 win over Gosberton.

Johnson made breaks of 74, 40 and 23 en route to edging a 200-198 win.

Its now the 12th and the weekends over

I went out this weekend to a local pub and played pool with a couple of friends of mine and you know i noticed is that if you own your pool cue your expected to be a pro player, its not like if i bring a basket ball to a basket ball court im expected to dunk ill admit i do use a very nice pool cue Click The Link to see the one i personaly own.

But anyways i play a game with a guy thats in this pub and he does a pretty good job of spanking me he was actually pretty good but he brings up the fact that i own my pool cue and i dont know how to play wich im not terrible but im not the greatest player in the world but im far from the worst so anyways i give him another oportunity to play again and i just wallup him i get him pretty good but anyways im not really sure what the point of my story is just thought i would say what i say.

‘Billiards Idol’ Getting bigger with more talent tell us what you think

New billiard talents have already signed up and more are expected to join the Search for the New Billiards Idol, which kicks its second season on January 18 at the Superman Sports Bar in Libis, Quezon City.

A report posted on BilliardPhilippines.com described the event, organized by the Billiards Managers and Players Association of the Philippines (BMPAP), as the premier grassroots development program of the local pool scene.

Among the aspirants shooting for the Billiards Idol event is Johann “Bubwit” Chua of the Bugsy stable.

“This is our commitment, and we’re doing it in the absence of a program from those who are supposed to do it,” said BMPAP co-founder Perry Mariano.

“Billiards Idol” has attracted some 300 wannabes during its inaugural run in 2008. It stretched into 15 preliminary legs, including provincial stops in Davao and Bacolod, and a Grand Finals featuring 27 top performers from the preliminaries.

Mike “the Lightning Kid” Takayama, a 19-year-old Fil-Japanese, was hailed as the New Billiards Idol in 2008, winning the P40,000 cash prize plus a seeding in all Villar Cup tournaments in 2009.

I thnk its really great to see any type of exposer from new areas that we havent really seen up to this date.
but beyond that billiards idol is coming we will stay tuned i am excited to hopefuly get to see some of the action.

I found this interesting – Billiard layoffs get positive spin

Friday, January 09, 2009
By ANGELA CARBONE
acarbone@repub.com
WEST SPRINGFIELD – The closing of Boston Billiard Club on Sunday has had some positive spin-off.

Some of the 42 laid-off employees have already found other work, and Boston Billiard already has located a potential buyer for the club at 885 Riverdale St.

Donald J. Robert, manager of Maximum Capacity at 116 School St., Chicopee, which has been in business for more than four years, said he has received applications from Boston Billiard employees and has hired several.

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“It is always sad to see this happen,” Robert said of the Riverdale Street club closing.

“We have been in family business for over 20 years, so we feel for the whole staff and hope that we can help as many of them out as possible, and give people a fun and safe environment to go to,” he said.

Maximum Capacity is adding four pool tables to the current six and is remodeling the place, Robert said.

“We were already planning on it, but (the closing of Boston Billiard) gave us a sense of urgency,” he said.

Brian E. Hanify, a spokesman for Boston Billiard, said the company shut down three other locations on Sunday. The clubs in Danbury, Conn., Warwick, R.I., as well as the flagship club in Boston were closed, Hanify said. The only clubs open are in Worcester and Nashua, N.H.

The crisis in the banks has had a major impact. “It’s another small business that’s a victim of the banking industry,” he said.

Boston Billiard owners are looking to find interested buyers for its properties, and in most cases, the company is optimistic that buyers will be found.

“We have identified a buyer for the West Springfield site, and the plan is to reopen in the next couple of weeks” if everything goes well, he said.

“Our number one goal is to help our employees,” he said. The club, which offered league play, and a full menu and bar, as well as individual billiards play, employed 42 full- and part-time employees.

Before it closed, the club, which has been on Riverdale since 1993, had 32 pool tables.

Boston Billiard Club President Kurt J. Mathias issued the following statement upon the closing, “We are very sad to be closing our West Springfield location. We appreciate the tremendous hard work of our staff and the loyalty of our Western Massachusetts customers.”

According to the city assessors Web site, the current assessed value of the property is $1,308,900. The site contains 2.55 acres.

The Nintendo Wii may have hit a home run with- Pool Revolution Review

Im so excited to check out this billiards game.

CueSports – Pool Revolution Review

We take a look at WiiWare’s next download billiards game.

by Mark Bozon

showUSloc=(checkLocale(‘uk’)||checkLocale(‘au’));document.writeln(showUSloc ? ‘<strong>US, </strong>’ : ”); January 7, 2009 – In the past few months, Hudson has put out a few pretty good WiiWare games for fans of Nintendo’s download service. The latest on the list, CueSports – Pool Revolution is a classic game of pool that mixes the same “pretty decent, but not outstanding by any right” interface that Hudson used in games like Bomberman already, and some decent, but very simplistic gameplay.

The concept behind CueSports is about as straightforward as you can get. Up to four players can select from a few different tables, pool ball sets, and settings, and jump into a game of billiards, similar to what we’ve seen before on WiiWare already with Midnight Pool, and the billiards game included in Wii Play. The graphics are extremely simple, but the 3D is well done, the ball physics work well (a little slow on the table, but well designed), and the controls are manageable, though not very ambitious.

CueSports doesn’t look bad for a WiiWare title,

but there’s only so much you can do a with pool

game without adding your own unique style to it.

First off, this is a 500 point WiiWare game, and it shows. Everything works, but the entire package has a very budget feel to it, including everything from the stacked (but IR-enabled) simple interface and options, to the uneventful sinking of a ball with no real player feedback along the way. The visuals are plain, options are as simple as “table one, two, three…” without showing the layout of that table before you’re in the game, and while things like Mii usage and online are included, along with a unique create-a-trickshot mode, all of it has this very closed off, simple feel. It has a lot of options, the control itself isn’t bad, but it’s a very “by the books”, almost soulless offering.

On the table, controls are a bit odd, but they get the job done; especially if you’re willing to just sit back and ignore the motion control, which plays a minimal part. Aiming the ball can be done with the d-pad or by moving the cursor to the edge of the screen in the right view mode, a ball guide arrow (showing where the shot will go) can be turned on and off with the “2” button, and when ready to shoot, it’s as simple as pointing to the cue ball and hitting A. If you press it while the cursor is aiming near the top of the ball, you’ll add top spin. Near the bottom, and the ball will roll back with bottom spin. Pretty simple.

The motion used for shooting isn’t too hot though. Once A is pressed, you pull back (quickly) with the Wii-mote to set your shot, and then shove forward to determine shot power. Everthing is a bit too subtle though, so you’ll need to really shove to get good speed on the ball, and there’s no 1:1 cue movement like in Wii Play, so you can’t really judge a shot based on pulling the cue farther or shorter back, or getting a real “feel” for the shot. Instead, I personally just hit the minus button, and set the power bar with the d-pad when playing. It’s more accurate, though it defeats the purpose of it being WiiWare and not just a flash game online, or any other version of virtual pool out there.

Online is a nice addition though, and it works well against worldwide or friends (via friend codes, of course). Simply go on, set the rules, and play. With the trick shot mode, players can save a few dozen of their own created shots, or try to complete all 50 of the game’s included challenges. For amazing shots in both trick and regular games, you can save down replays and watch them later; not a bad feature.

Closing Comments
CueSports – Pool Revolution isn’t a bad package for 500 points, but it’s also an average, run-of-the-mill pool game with no real style of its own to back it. The game is as fun compilation of online, some creative elements, and the ability to play 9-ball, 8-ball, snooker, and “rotation” pool, but with the general gameplay as generic as it is, it’ll take a serious billiards nut to get into everything the game has to offer. At the same time, it’s a 500 point game, and it can be played with four players off a single Wii remote. Not a bad little game to have should the mood strike you, but those uncertain about this one can find much better pool games out there, and a heck of a lot of NES games that’ll trump this equally-priced WiiWare title in the gameplay department. Charming, but certainly not for everyone.

Billiards Star – Hundal Joins Dragon Promotions

Raj Hundal has signed on with the Dragon Promotions to be exclusively represented by the growing event production firm as one of pool’s rising stars.

Hundal, known as “The Hitman,” has to be a force to be reckoned with. He first turned heads in 2005 when he defeated top-seeded Yang Ching-Shun of Taiwan at the World 9-Ball Championship. He then shocked the field at the 2005 World Pool Masters by taking down veteran Rodney Morris in the finals.

“Raj has an enormous amount of confidence in himself, and that’s going to take him a long way in this game,” commented Charlie Williams, founder of Dragon Promotions. “He never gets down on himself and he has a smooth, fast-paced game that fans enjoy watching. Plus, he has a ton of charm and a witty sense of humor that makes people from all over root for him.”

Dragon Promotions will be expanding into India in 2009, with the goal of promoting the growth of billiards in the world’s second most populous country. DP has been involved in other markets, such as Korea and the United States. Recently, DP reached an agreement with Brunswick Billiards, who will be a partner in the firm’s expansion into India. Both of Hundal’s parents were born in India, and he is confident of India’s future and potential.

“Dragon Promotions is a great company that I would have loved to join regardless, but when I heard about the expansion into India it gave me a boost of electricity!” Hundal said. “My roots are in India and though I lived in London awhile, I’ve been to India enough to know the sport could become massive there.”

Cue sports round-up

DEFENDING champion Ryan Clark is on course to take yet another treble, after reaching the Blindcraft-sponsored Hartlepool Junior Cue Sports League Snooker Cup final.

His semi-final against Cameron O’Connor started in controversial fashion, as mid-way through the first frame, O’Connor’s phone rang and, as per league rules, the frame was awarded against him, giving Clark a 1-0 lead.

He added the second frame with a 28 break, but O’Connor responded well by taking the next 57-25, but Clark was too strong and breaks of 23 and 20 helped seal his place in the final.

The second semi saw Michael Williams defeat Division One leader Sam Higgins 3-0 in a match that was much closer than the final score suggested.

Both snooker and billiard cup finals will take place on January 7 (7pm) at the Blytheholme Social Club in Stockton.

KEITH Kinnersley came from 2-1 down to defeat Martin Pygott 3-2 in the Premier Division final snooker game of the season, ensuring his highest finish of fourth place in the table.

The final week’s games, all billiards, were played at the same time, as the title was still in the balance.

Ben Wanley, 14, produced the biggest shock of the season when he defeated English Under-16 and Under-19 billiards champion Ryan Clark 200-188, making a break of 28 in process.

Clark then had to hope that nearest rival Johnathon Buglass would not get maximum points in his game with Williams, by beating him by more than 125.

It had looked very doubtful after Williams was first out of the blocks, with breaks of 48 and 28, but once Buglass realised Clark was in trouble on the other table, he started motoring.

Breaks of 66, 35, 23 and 51 (unfinished) gave Buglass a 200-131 win, just short of enough points to win the league, meaning Clark won the title by one point.

Christopher Dyer, playing his final game in the league before joining the RAF early in the New Year, started well against Martin Pygott, with a break of 28. But Pygott made his highest ever match break of 53 to win the game 200-167.

The final game saw Keith Kinnersley defeat Cameron O’Connor 200-147, with breaks of 25 from Keith, and 22 from Cameron.

MICHAEL CORNELIUS has narrowed the gap to just two points at the top of the Division One table after taking maximum points from Darion Cockrill.

A break of 28 in the final frame helped Micky to a 3-0 win.

Table topper Sam Higgins dropped another point, after taking a 2-0 lead over Luke Blakey, he lost the final frame 27-59.

At billiards, Cockrill recorded his first ever league victory, defeating 14-year-old Jack Dixon 100-94, while Luke Blakey was a 100-82 winner over Tom Higgins.

SALTBURN CONS drew 3-3 with Guisborough Cons B, for whom whose Curt Iceton made a break of 55, in Division One of the Cleveland Billiards and Snooker League.

Redcar Lakes B (Gary Beckett 53) lost 4-2 to Redcar Cons B while leaders Redcar Unionists A defeated Carlin How A 5-1, with breaks of 32 from Barry Chapman, 31 from Tony Buckle, and 32, 45 and 48 from Richard Beckham.

Lune Street A recorded an excellent 4-2 home win over New Marske Institute.

In Division Two, Staithes Athletic defeated Lune Steet B 5-1.

Redcar Lakes D fought out a 3-3 draw with Marske WMC A. Dan Hardesty (RL) made a 30 break.

Redcar Unionists B travelled to Carlin How B and also drew 3-3.

Marske WMC B hosted Redcar Lakes C and were defeated 4-2.

Also beaten 4-2 at home were Guisborough Cons A, losing to Redcar Citz B with Mark Watson making a break of 31.

Leaders Guisborough Quoit B travelled to Redcar Citz A and won 4-2. Mike Collantine (GQ) made a 30 break while team-mate Alan Bringloe made a break of 32.

Beer Buckle, Delta-13 billiard triangle racks, Justin’s Nut Butter, Sprig Toys

The Beer Buckle
As a recent college grad from South Texas, Jay Kriner found himself carousing many a night with nary a place to put his beer.

“I would always rest my bottle on my belt buckle,” he said. Inspiration struck when Kriner realized a built-in shelf with a drink holder would in fact be a better belt buckle, and he went to work.

“I studied a little bit of engineering in college, but I actually designed the blueprints on Microsoft Paint,” he said. “It’s pretty basic geometry.”

The result: The flashy star-and-pistol-clad buckle folds down into a shelf, and a spring-loaded ring pops up to accommodate the wearer’s can or bottle. (Magnets hold it up in between beers.) Kriner debuted his invention at last October’s Great American Beer Fest and got a great reaction from both drinkers and brewers interested in their own private-label buckles.

“I just about sold out of what I produced. We have a lot of local support.”
$25 retail. Made by the Beer Clothing Co., Central City, www.thebeerbuckle.com.

Delta-13 triangle racks
Terry Taggart had been in the precision machining business for more than 20 years, making components for medical device, computer and aerospace companies before getting into the billiards industry last year.

Company manager and pool fanatic Charlie Dittrick inspired an aluminum rack that makes for the tightest and only perfect triangle on the market. “The balls just explode on the break,” said Taggart of the patented Delta-13, now the official rack of the United States Poolplayers Association and available in standard and elite varieties.

“Our rack won’t bend or bow,” he guaranteed. “It’s being featured on five ESPN tournaments — it’s in pretty high demand.” $79.95 to $134.95 retail.
Made by Executive Billiards (a dba for Taggart Enterprises Inc.), Parker, (866) 915-2058, www.delta-13.com.

Justin’s Nut Butter
“It basically started with a food processor in my kitchen,” said Justin Gold of Justin’s Nut Butter origins. The vegetarian and avid mountain biker had a constant hunger for protein, but was unimpressed with the selection of nut butters on the retail shelves.

Bay City co. builds pool tables fit for The King

BAY CITY, Mich. –

Elvis may have left the building long ago, but a Bay City company plans to put him back in rec rooms across the country.

Game-table maker Shelti Inc. is producing a line of Elvis-themed pool tables with the blessing of Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc.

The tables feature wrap-around graphics of The King performing in his “White Jumpsuit” Las Vegas show days. The images also show casinos and the Las Vegas welcome sign.

The unusual new product has led to a few Elvis quips around the office, according to Annette Jeske, customer service representative for Shelti. Such as whether or not to use the company intercom to announce “Elvis has left the building” – a catch phrase once used at the end of Elvis concerts – every time a table ships, she said.

Jeske said Shelti plans to make 500 of the limited-edition tables under contract with Lordsvale Sales USA, a New Jersey company.

Lordsvale President Freddy Bailey said his company chose Shelti to make the tables because of the company’s reputation for quality. Bailey said he remembers Shelti when it operated as the former Valley Recreation Products in Bay City.

“For me, it was a natural thing to come to Bay City, a city that has been associated with the coin-operated pool industry since the creation of the American coin-operated pool table in the mid-1950s,” Bailey said in an e-mail.

Shelti was founded in 2001 at the same site in Bay City after the closure of Valley Recreation.

About two dozen Elvis tables have rolled off the production line at Shelti since late November, and the remainder likely will be finished in 2009, Jeske said. The tables are for home use and don’t require coins to operate.

Each table features burgundy felt on the playing surface and anchors a larger Elvis pool-table package. The set includes a Tiffany style lamp with Elvis images and his name in large letters, an Elvis pool cue rack with cues and a serial number with name plate for the purchaser.

The package will retail for $5,995, and Shelti is offering a discount to local buyers this month, Jeske said.

Jeske said Shelti has made pool tables featuring sports team logos in the past, but the Elvis model is the first time it has made a table based on a person.

Elvis himself was a pool player, and his Graceland mansion features a billiards room that still contains his personal table. Now, Shelti hopes others will want to rack ‘em up with The King.

“We know there’s a niche for it, because Elvis is the No. 1 money making dead person,” she said. “His audience is age 8 to 80.”

Elvis died in 1977 at the age of 42. His estate earned $52 million in the past year, tops among dead celebrities, according to Forbes.com.