Pocket (Pool) Billiards
The game of table Billiards, a cue sport for two players on a green baize cloth covered table with pockets, has various forms from the 15th century in Europe. But what is known is that the first book of billiard rules was in English by Charles Cotton in 1647.
Charles Cotton 1647
The game was already very popular in England with commoners and within the Royal houses of England.
Even Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, in 1609 in Act II, Scene 5, Cleopatra says: "Let's to billiards. Come, Charmian."
Beginings of Modern Rules
The first governing body of the game, the English Billiards Association, was formed in the UK in 1885. Later to become the Billiards and Snooker Control Council
There are a number of pocket billiard games directly descended from English billiards:
- Snooker
- Pool (pocket billiards)
- Nine-Ball
- Cowboy Pool
