Pocketless table: three balls, cushion rebounds, and points for precise contacts — pure stroke geometry.
Carom billiards is a family of games on a pocketless table. Points are scored for cue-ball contacts with object balls counting cushion rebounds; balls stay on the table until the end of the inning.
The table is shorter than pyramid, cloth is faster — angle, speed, and position matter. Three-cushion is on continental and world championship programs.
Pick a game — each page has the full ruleset, history, and discipline notes.
Carom · Olympic program discipline
Cue ball contacts two object balls and rebounds from cushions at least three times. The highest class of carom geometry.
Read rules →Carom · two balls per stroke
One point when cue ball contacts both other balls in one stroke. Cushion rebounds not required — easier entry into carom.
Read rules →Carom · zone play
Points only for contacts inside a marked zone on the table. Strokes from the "box" — maximum precision.
Read rules →Tournament standard — 10 ft per Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB) rules. Clubs often use 9 ft tables; small deviations are acceptable for training.
| Parameter | 10 ft (tournament) | 9 ft (club) |
|---|---|---|
| Playing surface | 2840 × 1420 mm | 2540 × 1270 mm |
| Overall table size | ≈ 3200 × 1700 mm | ≈ 2900 × 1550 mm |
| Height from floor | ≈ 800 mm | ≈ 800 mm |
| Markings | D-zone, baulk line, center spot | Same elements |
| Cloth | Fast, low nap | Halls — unified standard |
| Ball | Qty | Role |
|---|---|---|
| White (player A) | 1 | First player's cue ball |
| Spotted white (player B) | 1 | Second player's cue ball; distinct from plain white |
| Red | 1 | Object ball, shared by both |
| Diameter | 61.5 mm | ≈ 205 g; heavier than pool balls |
| Material | Phenolic resin | Set uniformity required |
| Element | Feature | |
|---|---|---|
| Pockets | None | Balls are not potted — contacts only |
| Corners | Cut "bags" | Rebounds more predictable than on old tables |
| Middle spots | Marks on cushions | For setup and cadre |
| D-zone | Semicircle at baulk line | Starting cue-ball position |
Before a match, check cloth flatness, cushion condition, and ball uniformity. Red and both whites must be easily distinguishable on the table.
Go through these at the table — fewer disputes about rules and equipment.
Discipline confirmed
Three-cushion, straight rail, or cadre — per tournament card or agreement.
Inning format
To 15, 25, 40, or 50 points; match to N games — in event description on billiard.guru.
Whose cue ball
Plain white and spotted white — assign to players before the lot.
Starting setup
Red on center spot; cue ball in D-zone or on baulk line per regulations.
Scoring rule
Three-cushion: 3 cushions + 2 balls; straight rail: 2 balls; cadre: zone on table.
Time limit
Per shot or per inning — at pro events often 40–45 seconds per shot.
Change of innings
No point or foul — turn passes; break continues after scoring stroke.
Referee and scoreboard
Score on display; disputed contacts decided by referee or video replay per regulations.
Penalties and ball-in-hand depend on the tournament regulations — confirm with the referee before the match.
Carom billiards — pocketless table, three balls, cushion rebounds, geometry of the stroke. Below — French roots of the 18th–19th centuries, Belgian–Dutch three-cushion, UMB, and the Asian breakthrough in the 21st century.
Carom billiards (fr. carambole) originated in France in the 18th–19th centuries as a game on a rectangular pocketless table with three balls. The name comes from the carom stroke: cue ball rebounds off a cushion and contacts the second object ball.
No single "inventor" is recorded; the game evolved from earlier European billiard games on pocketless tables. France, Belgium, and the Netherlands are the cradle of the disciplines.
Straight rail (contacting two balls) preceded three-cushion. Cadre — play in a limited zone on the same table.
| Period | Event |
|---|---|
| 18th–19th century | Carom in France and Benelux; pocketless tables |
| Late 19th century | Three-cushion — requirement of three cushion contacts |
| 1958 | UMB (Union Mondiale de Billard) founded — world carom federation |
| 20th century | Dominance of Belgium, Netherlands, France; later Turkey, Egypt |
| 2000s — present | Asia: Korea, Vietnam, Japan — champions and prize money |
| Present | Three-cushion at World Games; not Olympic, but with UMB World Championship |
Union Mondiale de Billard (UMB) unites carom billiards and coordinates rules with WPA for pool. 10 ft table (≈ 2.84 × 1.42 m) — no pockets; three balls (cue ball + two object balls, usually white and yellow/red).
On one table players compete in three-cushion, straight rail, and cadre — different scoring rules and playing zones.
| Discipline | Scoring | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|
| Three-cushion | Cue ball contacts 3+ cushions and two object balls | Highest; UMB world championships |
| Straight rail | Contact with two object balls | Basic; training, clubs |
| Cadre | Points only inside a rectangular zone on the table | European specialty |
| Region | Level | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium, Netherlands | Very high | Three-cushion school; club tradition for centuries |
| France, Spain, Portugal | High | Cadre, straight rail, national tours |
| Turkey, Egypt | High | Strong national teams, world champions |
| Korea, Vietnam, Japan | Medium–high | Asian breakthrough in three-cushion from the 1990s |
| Russia | Niche | Individual tables, sections, enthusiasts |
| USA | Niche | Historical carom diaspora |
Carom is "mathematical" billiards: trajectories, systems, spin. No pockets — no "lucky" ball drop; every miss is visible immediately.
In Russia carom is seen as "European" billiards; mass halls focus on pyramid and pool. 10 ft pocketless tables are rare. On billiard.guru carom is a separate table type.
UMB broadcasts, trajectory video analysis, and stroke simulators — part of modern three-cushion culture.