Carom Billiards

Welcome to the the World of Carom Billiards!

About Carom Billiards

Carom billiards (sometimes called French billiards) is played on a pocket-less table and points are scored by getting caroms (hitting your cue ball off either your opponents cue ball or red ball and then striking the other ball). A carom is sometimes called a “combination” shot. While somewhat popular in Europe it can be hard to find a table in the US.
Another type of this game is 3 cushion billiards, where strinking off 3 cushions is also required.

Setting Up

Carom Billiards is played using the same colored balls as used in billiards. A red object ball and two white cue balls, one of which is plain and the other spotted (this can be swapped for a solid or spotted yellow ball). The red ball is placed on the spot at the top of the table, a cue ball is placed on the head spot and the other cue ball within 6 inches either side of the first cue ball.

The scoring system for carom billiards is as follows:

A carom is when you hit your cue ball off either your opponents cue ball or red ball and then strike the other ball).
Successfully striking carom is called a “count” and scores 1 point.
The first player to reach a points target set at the beginning of the game is the winner.

How to play carom billiards

To start a game a player is chosen to break off by lagging. On the first shot the player must strike the red ball first, after the first shot any color ball may be struck first.
If a carom is succsefully struck on the break off shot that player can choose which cue ball will be theirs for the rest of the game.
You earn 1 point for each successful carom. A points target is set at the beginning of the game and the first player to reach that number wins.
If you fail to make a carom your turn is ended and the opposing player takes a turn.
Striking your opponents cue ball instead of your cue ball will incur the loss of your turn and 1 point is added to your opponents score.

Can’t find a table?

Convert your table with this handy set!

Sale!

Carom Converters

Original price was: $150.00.Current price is: $100.00.

Turn your regular pool table into a carom billiard table with these easy to use inserts!
No need to spend a lot of money on a carom table. No need to make space for a second table.