Billiard Congress America (1995–2005) A Brief History of the Noble Game of Billiards Archived 27 January 2007 at the Wayback Machine by Mike Shamos.

A foul is committed if the player fails to strike the free ball either first by itself, or simultaneously with the actual ball on. With topspin, the cue will hit the ball just about its center and the higher you hit this target, the more spin you’ll achieve. In the eponymous game of balkline billiards, there are eight balks defined by perpendicular balklines, in which only a set number of caroms may be scored before at least one ball must leave the area. Drag your fingeron the table to aim your billiard cue, then drag your finger on the power meter to the right of the table to set the power.Controlling the cue ball is a fundamental skill to learn in the game of pool and we’ve answered some commonly asked questions about how to get it right.

If the first player scores on his opening shot, he may select either white ball as cue ball on his second shot.If the opposition somehow fouled trying to pot pink, and illegitimately snookered the striker with the black, then it is fair for the striker to snooker the opposition "back" with the free black ball. Instead of just hitting the cue ball hard and hoping you get a lucky ricochet, try placing the ball in an area that won’t give your opponent a good look at sinking any shots. The scoring for a shot in which both the free ball and the actual ball on are potted depends on the point in the game at which it occurs.