25 Carambole Resources, Suppliers, Tables & Cues

CAROM BILLIARDS, sometimes called carambole billiards or simply carambole (and in some cases used as a synonym for the game of straight rail from which many carom games derive), is the overarching title of a family of billiards games generally played on cloth-covered, 1.5-by-3.0-metre (5 by 10 ft) pocketless tables, which often feature heated slate beds. In its simplest form, the object of the game is to score points or "counts" by caroming one's own cue ball off both the opponent's cue ball and the object ball(s) on a single shot. The invention as well as the exact date of origin of carom billiards is somewhat obscure but is thought to be traceable to 18th-century France.

There is a large array of carom billiards disciplines. Some of the more prevalent today and historically are (chronologically by apparent date of development): straight rail, cushion caroms, balkline, three-cushion billiards and artistic billiards. There are many other carom billiards games, predominantly intermediary or offshoot games combining elements of those already listed, such as the champion's game, an intermediary game between straight rail and balkline, as well as games which are hybrids of carom billiards and pocket billiards, such as English billiards played on a snooker table and its descendant games, American four-ball billiards, and cowboy pool.

Carambole Billiards Resources

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• Alfredo de Oro - (1863-1948). Cuban professional carom billiards and pool player who several times held the world title in both three-cushion billiards and straight pool simultaneously.
• BILLIARD CONGRESS OF AMERICA - established in 1948.
• BILLIARD WORLD MAGAZINE - since 1996. "Tips, stories and trick shots."
• CARAMBOLE BILLIARDS - Wikipedia.
• Chevillotte Billiards - since 1860. "In 2007 Chevillotte recreated the King's Billard Table, an exceptional piece designed ... in the image of King Louis XVI's billiard table in the Palace of Versailles."
• CUE STICK - Wikipedia.
• GEORGE BALABUSHKA - "the Stradivarius of cuemakers".
• Hersey & Son - sterling silver chalk holder.
• Lemonade stroke - an intentionally amateurish stroke to disguise one's ability to play.
• MOZART AND BILLIARDS - a billiard table with five balls and 12 cues was among Mozart's estate when he died in 1791.
• Nurse Shot - Wikipedia.
• Palace of Versailles: The King's Billiard Table - YouTube 9:32.
• RAYMOND CEULEMANS - (1937-). "Worldwide billiards legend 'Mister 100'."
• Sandbagging - in billiards and other games, deliberately playing below one's actual ability in order to fool opponents into accepting higher stakes bets, or to lower one's competitive rating in order to play in a future event with a higher handicap and consequently have a better chance to win; the term has spread to chess, go and other such games. Also known as hustling.
• Three-cushion billiards - Wikipedia.
• UNION MONDIALE DE BILLARD - since 1959. "The world governing body for carom (carambole) billiard games."

Carambole Billiards Tables & Cues

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• ASKA BILLIARDS - pool billiard cue sticks and cases. Famous brands: McDermott, Viking, Falcon, Mezz, Joss, Schon, Lucasi, Players, Aska, Pechauer, Predator.
• Balabushka pool cues - Billiard Warehouse.
• BRUNSWICK BILLIARDS - billiards tables and accessories since 1845.
• Budget Billiards - "Name Brand Pool Cues at Budget Prices!" The #1 Meucci Retailer Worldwide.
• LONGONI CAROM CUES - made in Italy since 1945.
• POOLDAWG - since 2003. Pool cues, billiards, pool cue cases.
• RAYMOND CEULEMANS CUES - Cues HQ.
• VIKING POOL CUES - "Handcrafting cues since 1965."