From the Middle Ages to the present day, legends have been formed about billiards all over the world; it is glorified in poetry and prose, in fine arts and in cinema. This game is written about in encyclopedias, the word “billiards” itself has become firmly established in dictionaries in many countries, and, surprisingly, it sounds almost equally beautiful in many languages ​​of the world. Without exaggeration, we can say this about billiards: it is a wonderful, noble game that worthily represents the cultural heritage of ancient civilizations in the 21st century.

Billiards appeared in Russia during the reign of Peter the Great. Over the 300 years of development of this game in our country, it has become a significant phenomenon in the cultural and sports life of Russians. Without exaggeration, we can say that it has recently supplanted many traditional games and rightfully occupies its rightful place in the sports and culture of our society. Billiards has a special place in Russian history.

According to available sources, while being part of the Russian embassy in Western European countries in 1697 - 1698, Peter I, studying the latest technologies in the military field, borrowed a lot from the social life of Europeans, including the entertaining game of billiards. It is also known that the sovereign not only himself learned to play this “overseas battle” well, but over time legitimized its spread in “human assemblies” by issuing a special decree on “assemblies” in 1718. At these assemblies, as historians of those times testify, the Russian emperor himself played the billiart enthusiastically and more than decently. He played in the houses and palaces of St. Petersburg, as well as Moscow. In Peter’s famous “Marching Journal” of 1720, the following entry was preserved: “His Majesty was in the Admiralty shipyard near the ships, and was in the soap shop; We ate at home and played chess and billiart.” It is curious that, at the behest of Peter I, his son Alexei and grandson, the future Emperor Peter II, studied billiard games from childhood, along with other sciences and entertainment.

In the first half of the 18th century, billiards in Russia became even more popular. During the reign of Anna Ioannovna and Elizaveta Petrovna, this game was widespread not only in private residences and palaces, but also in public places, in taverns and hotels, and later in officer meetings, noble and merchant clubs, and landowner estates. In 1750, Elizabeth was the first to legislate billiards in St. Petersburg and Kronstadt as one of the most important entertainments for visiting foreigners and “all ranks of Russian people” in “herbergs and tavern houses.” And Catherine II, by her decree in 1780, spread “the pleasures of playing billiards” throughout all provincial cities and districts.

These traditions were continued by the following emperors of Russia - Paul I, who specially studied billiards from the age of 10, Alexander I, who had the best billiard room in Russia at that time in his palace, as well as other rulers of the Romanov dynasty. Nicholas II had a special passion for billiards as an entertainment and sport, who, as can be seen from his surviving diary entries, almost daily held meetings and conversations with courtiers and military leaders at the billiard tables of the Winter Palace and Tsarskoye Selo. State affairs were often decided at the royal billiard tables.

History shows that at the end of the 18th century - the second half of the 19th century, billiards became increasingly accessible to wide sections of the people. It was no longer played only for entertainment, but also developed as a sports game. By this time, Russia already had its first billiard champions. Among the supporters of sports billiards were government and military figures: Count G. Orlov, Academician M. Lomonosov, generals I. Skobelev, A. Osterman - Tolstoy, D. Bibikov, Count I. Vorontsov - Dashkov, writer and the first theorist of Russian billiards A. Leman and many others. Famous figures of Russian literature and art were also fond of billiards: A. Pushkin, N. Gogol, N. Nekrasov, L. Tolstoy, I. Turgenev, A. Kuprin, F. Chaliapin, V. Mayakovsky and others. It was they who glorified the magical power and attractiveness of billiards in Rus' in their work. Billiards could make anyone famous, regardless of rank and wealth. Thus, among the outstanding Russian players of that time were the porcelain magnate Gardner, and the student Markin with the marker Tyurey, to whom Nekrasov dedicated the beautiful poem “Govorun”. Already at that time, especially in Moscow, ordinary people played billiards competitively.

Thus, at the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th centuries. The billiard game gradually acquired the sporting character characteristic of it now. Russian players have always preferred carom games and the manner of putting balls into pockets with a sure shot. The fate of billiards in Russia after the October Revolution was somewhat different. Since it was recognized by the new government as a bourgeois form of entertainment, if the game retained its sporting character, it was mainly in the army. This was facilitated by many factors, including such as the personal example of military leaders of a new formation, but of the old school, among whom in 1920 - 40. One can name A. Bubnov, M. Frunze, K. Voroshilov, S. Budyonny, G. Zhukov, R. Malinovsky, as well as other people from the tsarist army and the “old” intelligentsia. Many state leaders were great admirers of billiards in those years: I. Stalin, V. Molotov, V. Malenkov, G. Krzhizhanovsky, A. Lunacharsky and others. With their blessing, in 1929 the first special “Resolution on the tasks of the Houses” was published Red Army", which officially prescribed the creation and activation of billiard rooms among the officers. And already in the thirties, according to the Regulations specially issued in the Red Army, billiard rooms were established in all newly built Officers' Houses and soldiers' clubs, as well as in military rest homes and sanatoriums. The best billiard rooms in Moscow of that period were at the CDKA and in the Park of Culture and Leisure named after. M. Gorky.

The beginning of mass competitions among the military and civilian intelligentsia was laid in 1935, when the Moscow Championship in Russian billiards was played in Moscow in the club named after F.E. Dzerzhinsky, and then in the CDKA and other cultural and educational institutions. The winners of the competition for the national billiards championship were outstanding masters N. Berezin, N. Kobzev and A. Milyaev. For the first time in the history of this game in Russia, they were awarded the title of master of sports in billiards. This time is marked by the names of the strongest players L. Zaitsev, V. Kochatkov, P. Rebyakh, V. Gorodilov.

Shortly before World War II, V. Chkalov, M. Gromov, A. Arkhangelsky, I. Kamanin and others were recognized as the best billiards players. Later, the traditions of their billiard game were continued by the USSR cosmonauts Yu. Gagarin, G. Titov, A. Leonov, A. Nikolaev, P. Popovich, A. Gubarev, V. Lyakhov and many others.

Unfortunately, in the post-war years until the mid-70s, official billiards competitions on a national scale were held very rarely. Basically, the sport of billiards was cultivated in clubs of enterprises, in the homes of creative workers, in sanatoriums, at sports centers and among professional athletes.

A new milestone in the history of the development of Russian billiards as a mass sports discipline in our country was the Decree of the USSR State Sports Committee No. 6/5 of September 29, 1989 “On the development of billiard sports in the USSR.” It is symbolic that the first leaders of the revival of billiards as a sport in the late 80s were very authoritative officers, mostly from aviation backgrounds and representatives of the Moscow creative intelligentsia. This can be confirmed by the fact that as soon as the Organizing Bureau for the creation of the Billiard Sports Federation was approved, pilot-cosmonaut of the USSR, twice Hero of the Soviet Union V.I. Lyakhov was elected its first honorary chairman, and People's Artist of the USSR Elina was elected vice president Bystritskaya. In 1991, in connection with the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the All-Russian Billiard Sports Federation was created, a representative of the Air Force was also elected as its head for the first time - Honored Test Pilot, Aviation Major General L. V. Fomenko, and E. Bystritskaya became his deputy.

The Federation of Billiard Sports of Russia (FBSR) is a public organization involved in sports billiards, and has more than 60 regional offices throughout the country, including in Moscow. To revive the glorious traditions of Russian billiards, to develop modern types of this game, to introduce youth, women, and people with disabilities to the sport of billiards, to master the production of high-quality tables, cues and balls for which Russia was famous at the beginning of the last century - these are just some of the goals of the Federation.

Since the end of the 80s, a new era in the development of billiards began. Russian athletes entered the international arena of large billiard competitions throughout the country and beyond. At the end of 1988, in the Leningrad District House of Officers named after. S. M. Kirov, the first international match in the history of domestic billiards was played. Our team was made up of Muscovites Vladimir Levitin, Ashot Potikyan, Vladimir Simonich, Leningrader Mikhail Anshelevich and an athlete from the Moscow region Yuri Panteleev and won this first international billiards tournament. This time remembered the names of G. Mitasov, M. Shakhnazarov, A. Dzhamelashvili, G. Mamuladze, G. Anfimiadi, N. Kvasrolyashvili, Yu. Sosnin, R. Sadriev and others.

In May - June 1989, the first Moscow Open Championship took place in one of our most common games - the dynamic and interesting “American”. This tournament took place in the Moscow Sports Palace “Wings of the Soviets” and actually became an unofficial national championship. 32 best players from nine cities - winners or prize-winners of club competitions - entered the competition.

At the same time, the Russian Billiard Sports Federation became a full member of the World Billiard Sports Confederation and the World Pool Association, and since January 1997 - a member of the Russian Olympic Committee. Developing all types of billiard sports, the FBSR pays special attention to Russian billiards - one of our few national sports.

More attention was paid to the training of specialists in the field of this sport. Since 1997, at the St. Petersburg State Academy of Physical Culture named after. P.F. Lesgaft, and since 1998, at the Russian State Academy of Physical Culture in Moscow, a specialization in “Billiard Sports” has been conducted, where qualified billiard coaching staff are trained. More than twenty all-Russian competitions are held annually in the country, in which not only famous champions of Russia, masters of this sport, but also boys and girls, war and labor veterans, and disabled people participate.

In recent years, Russian billiards has made significant steps in its development, including its advancement into the international arena. On the initiative of the FBI and the Russian Olympic Committee, in June 1998 in Moscow, during the World Youth Games, demonstration performances were held by the strongest billiard players, representatives of all types of billiards, which were attended by IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch. This event certainly contributed to the growth of the popularity and authority of Russian billiards. Foreign guests were able to see how interesting and unique Russian billiards is. The result of such active work was the decision of the World Billiard Sports Confederation to create the International Pyramid Committee (IPC) within the framework of the World Pool Association. The MKP holds official World and European championships in Russian billiards and is involved in the popularization of this type of billiards throughout the world. The committee has existed since January 1999. In the same year, under the auspices of the ITUC, the first official international Pyramid tournament was held, in which 34 athletes from 22 countries took part.

A directorate of professional Russian billiards has been created under the Committee, which holds World Cups among professionals. The directorate is headed by S. V. Loktev. The main goal of the MKP is the development and popularization of Russian billiards, that is, “Pyramid”, in the world.

A truly significant historical event in the history of Russian billiards occurred in 2000 in Germany (Kirkel), where from June 7 to 9, under the auspices of the World Billiard Sports Confederation, the first official World Pyramid Championship was held. 62 athletes from 28 countries took part in it. It is noteworthy that the first World Champion in “Pyramid” was the representative of the Russian Federation, international master of sports, Muscovite Evgeniy Stalev.

In 2001, the second Pyramid World Championship was held in Vilnius (Republic of Lithuania), where the champion title was won by the Kazakh athlete Kanybek Sagyndykov.

On February 8, 2002, the World Championship moved again to Germany. And this time the Russian team turned out to be the best of the 24 participating countries. In the individual competition, the first place of the Championship was won by the Russian, international master of sports Ilya Kirichkov. The Russian team also took first place, scoring 146 points in the team competition and being 78 points ahead of its closest rival - the Kazakhstan team!

In May 2003, the fourth World Pyramid Championship took place in St. Petersburg, timed to coincide with the celebration of the 300th anniversary of the northern capital. The event is all the more significant because, thanks to Peter the Great, it was from this city that billiards began to spread throughout Russia. The best this time was the Ukrainian athlete - Yaroslav Vinokur, who beat the Russian Vladimir Petushkov in the semi-finals, and in the final, in an incredible fight, he defeated the championship favorite - Evgeniy Stalev, who took second place. It is pleasant to note that this time the Russian team took first place in the team competition.

As regular Russian championships and major international tournaments took place, new names of talented players appeared: A. Buzoev, E. Galyants. E. Sozykin, K. Anishchenko, E. Mudarisov, G. Akopov, A. Mertsalov, B. Grigoriev, M. Mikhalin, Y. Tebetov, D. Bogushevsky, M. Vartiks, S. Tuzov, V. Loktev, P. Mekhovov, I. Rudakov, V. Kurylenko, Y. Pashchinsky.

The glorious historical past and bright present of Russian sports billiards indicate that it has enormous potential and excellent prospects for development both as a sport and as an industry.

Material for historical reference taken from the book “His Majesty Billiards” by I. A. Barskov

To the question: Who was the first to come up with an interesting game of billiards? In what year and where did the first wonderful table appear? given by the author Aerostatics the best answer is Until now, it has not been possible to reliably establish the time of the appearance of billiards as a game. Today we only know the fact that billiards, just like chess, appeared a very long time ago and its homeland is one of the countries of Asia. There is an assumption that this is India or China. Today, only one thing can be said with certainty: various games with balls and balls were among the first invented by mankind.
In European countries - England, France - the first Asian billiards appeared in the 15th-16th centuries. But games that were organized on the principle of modern billiards were known to Europeans much earlier.
There is no consensus on the name of the billiards game. John Wilk, an English researcher, noted that the billiard game was originally called "ball-yerds", composed of two words of Old Saxon origin: "ball" (ball) and "yerd" (stick). Other researchers point out that the word "billiards" comes from the French word "bille", meaning "ball", or from the word "billart", meaning a wooden stick.
Two versions of the origin of the game of billiards are most widespread in Europe. Supporters of the first version cite as an argument a letter from Mary Stuart to the Archbishop of Glasgow, written on the day of her execution on February 17, 1587. The dethroned Scottish queen and unsuccessful pretender to the English throne mentions her billiard table and asks to prepare a place for it in another room. By the way, the game table itself used to be called billiards.
Proponents of the second version - the French - give completely different arguments, recalling King Louis XI of France (reigned from 1461 to 1483), who once ordered a billiard table to be installed in his apartment. Other authors attribute the invention of billiards to his compatriot Henry Deligne, who lived during the reign of King Charles IX (1560-1574), who himself, according to French historians, was a passionate lover of this game.
The first billiard tables were not perfect: the sides of the tables were not elastic and therefore the balls did not bounce off them. The cues were very rough in shape, and looked more like miniature clubs, and therefore, it was impossible to give the balls lateral rotation with them. The base of the table on which the balls were rolled was uneven and unsteady, and this led to the fact that the table surface very quickly became unusable, bending the directions of movement of the balls. In general, we can say that the game of billiards in ancient times was very primitive.
In a later period, from the end of the 16th century to the beginning of the 17th century, there was a gradual improvement of the billiard table. The holes in the sides of the table for pocketing balls - pockets - were equipped with pockets made of a special mesh. Gradually the number of such pockets decreased. The sides of the table began to be covered with wool, and later they began to be edged with rubber so that the balls would bounce better.
As for the general design of the table, it was considered sufficient to have 6 pockets on the table. The billiard table began to be made more carefully, and both the boards and the sides began to be covered with cloth. Gradually, the short hammer stick gave way to a long cue.

Disputes about the time and place of the birth of billiards as a game continue to this day. Back in the 15th century, thanks to the Genoese merchants, Europe learned this game, so Indochina can rightfully be considered the birthplace of billiards.
However, games considered to be some prototypes of billiards can be found in many European countries before billiards from China appeared there. Balkespiel, for example, a game played in Germany, was played on a table made of wood, with small edges around the edge and several indentations on the surface of the table. During the game, you had to use a baton to roll stone balls into the recess of the table. Pall-Mallspill, beloved by the British, was also vaguely reminiscent of billiards; the game was played on a well-compacted piece of ground in the garden, where balls had to be rolled into a special small gate in a certain number.

Many different opinions are expressed on the question of where the word billiards came from in history. For example, an English researcher, John Wilk, suggested that this game was originally called “ball-yerds.” It was based on two words, which literally translated from the ancient Saxon language meant ball - ball and yerd - stick. Many other researchers are more inclined to the variant of French origin, taking into account the roots of the name, like bille - ball, or billart - wooden stick.

The first tables in the history of billiards were not perfect; the sides on the tables were not elastic, so the balls did not fly off them. In addition, the cue was rather rough in shape, and looked more like a club, and despite all this, billiards rightfully bears the title of a royal game. For many centuries, it was the reigning persons who, through their influence, significantly contributed to the development and promotion of the game in society. Anything could happen, the English King George II imposed a ban on the game, and such great people as Napoleon, Charles IX and Peter I tried to arouse interest among their subjects and by personal example contributed in every possible way to the popularity of billiards. According to stories, Queen Mary Stuart of Scots wrote to the Archbishop of Glasgow on the threshold of her execution asking that her table be preserved for billiards.

To please their masters, the court nobility tried in every possible way to imitate them; billiards was no exception, a hobby that helped some of them make a career; one can recall Michel Chamillard, for example, who served Louis XIV, King of France, at court.

The history of billiards remembers how, having mastered the game perfectly, this courtier was chosen by the king as his permanent partner. From time to time, allowing Louis to beat himself, he received all sorts of praise from him, with which the king generously rewarded Chamillard, getting into a complacent mood from the next win. Then, Chamillard was promoted from clerk to financial controller, but his career did not stop there; a little later, the entire royal court recognized him as the Minister of War. Around the same time, in Lyon, the first rules of the game became known; they were formulated by another Frenchman named Etienne Liazon.

The history of Russian billiards is also interesting and controversial. This game was brought to Russia by Peter I, who is known to be a passionate admirer of all kinds of European manners; in 1698 he returned home from Holland, where he became acquainted with billiards. Peter installed a gaming table in the palace, and soon, so as not to contradict the king, all the palace courtiers had an overseas toy. After some time, billiard tables were registered on the estates of merchants and landowners. The game became more widespread during the reign of Empress Anna Ioannovna, a passionate fan of the game, who opened a billiard hall in the palace. There were gaming tables in army barracks, teahouses and taverns. The history of billiards began in Russia.

Legends circulating at that time told about Osterman-Tolstoy, Skobelev and Bibikov - this trio of Russian generals, wounded on the battlefield, by the will of fate remained one-armed. But not wanting to see pity for themselves, the generals systematically trained and became real masters of the game. This once again proves how quickly this game gained wide popularity in Russia.

Meanwhile, scientific research conducted on the principles of the billiard game is expanding in Europe. Euler published a book in 1078 entitled “Studies on the Motion of a Ball in a Horizontal Plane.” The inventor of cue leather stickers and billiards legend Mengo published the book “The Noble Game of Billiards” in 1828.

Keeping pace with Europe, in Russia they are translating the publications mentioned above, and the works of Bakastov, Lehman and the famous Freiberg, whose factory was engaged in the production of gaming tables, were also published. A. Freyberg worked mainly for Russian market buyers; one of his inventions is the “strict table”, a distinctive feature of which is medium-elastic sides and narrow pockets. To get the ball into such a pocket on this table, you need a particularly accurate shot. This largely contributed to the emergence of classic “Russian” billiards.

Gradually, other types of billiard games also changed: English snooker in the Russian version is played with smaller balls, but the pockets are larger, American pool is played on a smaller table, and carom in the French version does not have pockets. By the end of the 19th century, the game acquired features characteristic of sports competitions; billiards athletes helped to reveal the sporting qualities inherent in billiards. Already at the beginning of the 20th century, France for the first time hosted participants in an international tournament with a prize fund that was quite impressive in size.

Today, billiards from an ordinary sports game has turned into a real culture, where there are its own rules for playing billiards, certain rituals, traditions and a rich history that has developed over centuries. Most truly great people have long noticed that billiards not only helps train the body, but also helps to gain composure, special thinking and determination.

From the Middle Ages to the present day, legends have been formed about billiards all over the world; it is glorified in poetry and prose, in fine arts and in cinema. This game is written about in encyclopedias, the word “billiards” itself has become firmly established in dictionaries in many countries, and, surprisingly, it sounds almost equally beautiful in many languages ​​of the world. Without exaggeration, we can say this about billiards: it is a wonderful, noble game that worthily represents the cultural heritage of ancient civilizations in the 21st century.

Billiards appeared in Russia during the reign of Peter the Great. Over the 300 years of development of this game in our country, it has become a significant phenomenon in the cultural and sports life of Russians. Without exaggeration, we can say that it has recently supplanted many traditional games and rightfully occupies its rightful place in the sports and culture of our society. Billiards has a special place in Russian history.
According to available sources, while being part of the Russian embassy in Western Europe in 1697-1698, Peter I, while studying the latest technologies in the military field, borrowed a lot from the social life of Europeans, including an entertaining game of billiards. It is also known that the sovereign himself not only learned to play this “overseas battle” well, but over time legitimized its spread in “human assemblies” by issuing a special decree on “assemblies” in 1718. At these assemblies, as historians of those times testify, the Russian emperor himself played the billiart enthusiastically and more than decently. He played in houses and palaces of St. Petersburg, as well as Moscow. In Peter’s famous “Marching Journal” of 1720, the following entry was preserved: “His Majesty was in the Admiralty shipyard near the ships, and was in the soap shop; We ate at home and played chess and billiart.” It is curious that, at the behest of Peter I, his son Alexei and grandson, the future Emperor Peter, were taught billiard games from childhood, along with other sciences and entertainment.
In the first half of the 18th century, billiards in Russia became even more popular. During the reign of Anna Ioannovna and Elizaveta Petrovna, this game was widespread not only in private residences and palaces, but also in public places, in taverns and hotels, and later in officer meetings, noble and merchant clubs, and landowner estates. In 1750, Elizabeth was the first to legally approve billiards in St. Petersburg and Kronstadt as one of the most important entertainments for visiting foreigners and “all ranks of Russian people” in “gerbergs and tavern houses.” And Catherine II, by her decree in 1780, spread “the pleasures of playing billiards” throughout all provincial cities and districts.

These traditions were continued by the following emperors of Russia - Paul I, who specially studied billiards from the age of 10, Alexander I, who had the best billiard room in Russia at that time in his palace, as well as other rulers of the Romanov dynasty. Nikolai II was distinguished by a special passion for billiards as an entertainment and sport, who, as can be seen from his surviving diary entries, almost daily held meetings and conversations with courtiers and military leaders at the billiard tables of the Winter Palace and Tsarskoe Selo. affairs.

History shows that at the end of the 18th century - the second half of the 19th century, billiards became increasingly accessible to wide sections of the people. It was no longer played only for entertainment, but also developed as a sports game. By this time, Russia already had its first billiard champions. Among the supporters of sports billiards were government and military figures: Count G. Orlov, academician M. Lomonosov, generals I. Skobelev, A. Osterman-Tolstoy, D. Bibikov, Count I. Vorontsov-Dashkov, writer and the first theorist of Russian billiards A. Leman and many others. Famous figures of Russian literature and art were also fond of billiards: A. Pushkin, N. Gogol, N. Nekrasov, L. Tolstoy, I. Turgenev, A. Kuprin, F. Chaliapin, V. Mayakovsky and others. It was they who glorified in their work the magical power and attractiveness of billiards in Rus'; Billiards could make anyone famous, regardless of rank and wealth. Thus, among the outstanding Russian players of that time were the porcelain magnate Gardner, and the student Markin with the marker Tyurey, to whom Nekrasov dedicated the beautiful poem “Govorun”. Already at that time, especially in Moscow, ordinary people played billiards competitively.

Billiards. History in pictures.

A game of billiards.Drawn by Adriaen van de Venne .1620-1626
If you look closely, you can see that they play not with a cue, but with clubs, and on the table there is a croquet type goal.


Formerly attributed to Georg Daniel Heumann.1720-1740

Late 19th century.

Putti deprive a bird of air in a vacuum experiment, one plays at billiards, another plays with magnetized keys, while outside a storm rages: representing physics. Etching by B. Picart, 1729, after himself.
1729 By: Bernard Picart

1674 illustration-The Billiard Table

Louis XIV 1638-1715 playing billiards with Philippe I (1640-1701) Duke of Orleans, the Count of Toulouse, the Duke of Vendome, Monsieur dArmagnac and Monsieur de Chamillard, 1694
Antoine Trouvain
1656-1700

Three gentlemen playing a billiard game with maces, c.1730
Date
Circa 1730

Originally it was played with two balls on a table with a hoop similar to a croquet wicket and a stick used vertically as a target. In the eighteenth century, hoops and targets gradually disappeared, leaving only balls and pockets, which were most likely added in the late 1700s.

Billiards developed during the reign of Louis XIII and Louis XIV. Business people of that era became interested in the game of billiards, and they began to equip public halls for this game. The state was also interested in having billiard tables installed in public places, because it brought income to the treasury through taxes.

The Sons of Louis XIV Playing Billiards

Louis XIV was extremely fond of playing billiards. He was proud of how well he handled the balls and how graceful he was while doing it. The king was considered a very good billiards player.

Two Venetian Noblemen Playing Billiards
Jan van Grevenbroeck
1731-1807

From Western Europe, the game of billiards gradually spread to more eastern countries, including Russia. And with the beginning of colonization, billiards became widespread in the colony. However, not as fast as in Europe. For example, America was discovered by Columbus in 1492, and the spread of billiards in America dates back more than two hundred years from the date of the legendary discovery.

In the early 1800s, pool tables had candles with trays to keep wax from getting on the table. Later they began to be placed on top. Then they were replaced by kerosene lamps, and in the 1860s by gas lighting.

A Game of Billiards, c.1720-26
Jean-Baptiste-Simeon Chardin

Formerly attributed to Georg Daniel Heumann
1720-1740 (c)
A group of callot figures in a room playing billiard; man barbecuing a fish and root vegetables seated on the ground in the foreground to right.

Philippe Meusnier (1655-1734)
Elegant Company Playing Billiards
Oil on canvas

---------------------

Januarius Zick
Die Familie Remy
Year 1776

LANCRET, Nicholas
Billiard Players
Oil on panel, 32 x 27 cm
Private collection

Jean Beraud (1849-1936)
La Partie De Billard
Oil on panel

The Game of Billiards
Charles Edouard Boutibonne
(1816-1897)

Vincent van Gogh

Paul Gauguin

After Henry William Bunbury
Date
1780

After Robert Dayton
1775
A group of eight men (caricatured) round a billiard table.

Published by Hannah Humphrey
Date
1787

Print made by James Bretherton
Date
1781


Life in Paris / "Life" in a billiard Room, or Dick Wildfire & Squire Jenkins "au fait" (awake) to the Parisian Sharpers.
Print made by George Cruikshank
Date
1822

Political billiards
Print made by William Heath
Date
1829

Billiards-A Double Carom
1874(1874)

Yuri Popkov. Billiards V Crimea.

The game of balls is one of the first games about which there is historical information. Many researchers believe that it was the games that originated in Asia that became the basis for the emergence of billiards. It is believed that Chinese merchants brought the simple game of bowls to England during the Middle Ages. And the British, having improved it, became the founders of billiards. At that time, the British played Pall-Mall, the essence of which was to move several balls along a compacted earthen area. Also, in favor of the fact that the world owes the game of billiards to England is the origin of the word billiards from the English ball (ball) and yeard (stick). And even the great Shakespeare, in one of his plays, mentions that Cleopatra played billiards with her eunuch Mardyan. However, other experts refute these theories.

The emergence of billiards would correctly be attributed to the historical period when balls began to be moved using cue-like devices on a flat surface raised above the floor or ground. Therefore, another version says that billiards originated in France, since the first mention of it was found in the inventory of King Louis XI , and dates back to 1470.

The first billiard players were the crowned heads and nobles of Western Europe. It was they who had access to an expensive billiard table and a large hall for it. There is historical evidence that in 1588, the imprisoned Queen of Scotland, Mary Stuart, spent a lot of time playing billiards.

An important stage in the development of billiards is its spread among other social strata of the population. Billiards received such a development during the reign of the French kings Louis XIII and Louis XIV. Business people of that era became interested in the game of billiards, and they began to equip public halls for this game. The state was also interested in having billiard tables installed in public places, because it brought income to the treasury through taxes. So I walked across Europe with a confident step.

Louis XIV loved to play billiards . He was proud of how well he handled the balls and how graceful he was while doing it. The king was considered a very good billiards player, and his constant partner was Chamillard, who had the reputation of being a very strong player. He lost to the king on purpose, but sometimes he won. They say that it was thanks to billiards that Chamillard made a brilliant career - from a clerk to a minister of war.

From Western Europe the game billiards gradually spread to countries more eastern, including Russia. And with the beginning of colonization, billiards became widespread in the colony. However, not as fast as in Europe. For example, America was discovered by Columbus in 1492, and the spread of billiards in America dates back more than two hundred years from the date of the legendary discovery.

Who actually invented billiards and in what country may remain unknown. Yes, it's probably not too important. The important thing is that this wonderful, smart and gambling game is so loved by many today.