Few burglars can afford to risk exposure during the time required to pick even relatively easy locks, and unexplained possession of lock picking tools is often considered prima facia evidence of criminal intent. Perhaps it reminds them of their first game, an ancestral home, or even their favorite sports team. A key that is bitted to the wrong depth in even one pin position will not operate the lock. The root words are either 'billart' which is one of the sticks or 'bille,' which means ball. Now words like "ball-in-hand" and "behind the head string" are being thrown around, and you’re left wondering what’s next. As a general rule, locks mounted on the left side of a door open clockwise, while locks on the right side of a door open counterclockwise. But choosing the right size table for the available space is essential. There’s a pool table felt color for every player and every purpose -choosing the right oneis more about what you’re after than anything else. If the pool table is set in a social environment, like a home recreation room or pub, the color can influence interpersonal dynamics. If the pool table is meant to be a decorative addition to your home that you only play the occasional game on, it won’t matter too much what color the cloth is, as long as it agrees with your aesthetic taste and goes nicely with the room and the colors of the table.

Diamonds are being placed all around the table at a certain distance and with some numbering. Some wafter lock cylinders (especially certain Chicago-brand locks) are double bitted, with some wafers making contact with the key at the top of the keyway and others at the bottom. Lever locks employ a set of "lever" tumblers raised to a specific height by the key bitting. High-security locks often incorporate one or more secondary locking mechanisms beyond that provided by the conventional pin tumblers. Keep in mind that there are many different types of billiard games and each one has its own set of balls. When a player pockets the cue ball, there are two common outcomes as a result of the foul. All of the sides, or rails, of the table are bound in cushions and no pockets are present. A scratch is broadly defined as a cue ball driven off the table or pocketed. Cue balls like this are very effective teachers. In general, however, brighter colors do better with less light, darker colors need a little more to help visibility, and colors like green, blue, and tan tend to look good in just about any lighting. Wood tables, particularly those made of MDF, are more susceptible to warping from environmental conditions like humidity and temperature changes.

Now that we’ve discussed the big ones, here are a few other ways to tell if a pool table is slate or wood. So, depending on the rules of the particular game, two common outcomes are practiced after a table scratch. For most of the game, these actions are considered standard fouls and result in ball-in-hand for the opponent either on the entire table or behind the head string. These guides offer insights into other aspects of the game, what is billiards helping you become a more knowledgeable and skilled player. We also cover how to maintain it, and offer tips on insulation, dehumidifiers, AC units, and heaters to keep your table in top condition. The width is usually half the length of the table. Practice English first across the width of the table and then across the length. This is hard to do at first, but you can master it with practice. For example, the method it calls "scrubbing" is called "raking" by almost everyone else (it's not something I suggest you spend much time on, at least at first, by the way).

Most of the time carom balls are not numbered. The objective of a billiards game is to score a fixed amount of points, or to score the highest number of points within a set time limit that is agreed upon at the beginning of the game. The consequence is the immediate forfeiture of the game in favor of your opponent. When a player commits a scratch, their opponent often receives what’s known as "ball-in-hand." This penalty grants the non-offending player the ability to place the cue ball anywhere on the table. Applicable Rule: In accordance with the established rule, your opponent is awarded ball in hand. When you hold a cylinder in your hand you get different feedback from the pins than you do on a real door. If a player commits a table scratch, the opposing player takes over with ball in hand anywhere on the table. If the shooter doesn’t have any object balls on the opposite side of the head string, he or she must bounce the cue ball off of one or more cushions at the opposite end of the table before it’s able to legally contact an object ball in the kitchen.