Billiards, also CAROM BILLIARDS, or FRENCH BILLIARDS, a game played with three balls (two white and one red) on a table wtthout pockets, in which the object is to score carorns by driving one of the white bails into both of the other balls, counting one point for each carom. The standard table is 5 by 10 feet (152 by 305 centimetres), although smaller tables of similar proportions are used. The table is marked with three spots, one near its head, one at its centre, and one near its foot. To begin play, each player or side chooses one of the white balls to use as a cue ball throughout the game. The red ball is spotted on the foot spot, the white on the head spot, and the first player’s cue ball within six inches directly to either side of the white object ball. The cue ball must contact the red ball first on the break (first) shot; on subsequent shots either red or white may be the first ball hit. When a player fails to score, he yields to his opponent, who plays the balls as they have been left.

If the cue ball is knocked off the table, the striker loses a point, the ball is respotted, and his opponent takes over play. if an object ball leaves the table, it is respotted with no penalty other than loss of turn if no score was made; if a score was made before the ball left the table, the ball is respotted and the striker continues to play. Knocking all balls off the table is a foul and results in loss of one point and turn at play; the balls are respotted as at the beginning of the game, and the opponent makes the break shot. Other penalties, all of one point, are incurredfor touching an object ball with the cue, touching the ëue ball twice with the cue on a single stroke, shooting out of turn, shooting the wrong cue ball, and interference with an opponent’s play. A game is usually continued until one player scores an agreed number of points, often 50.

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