Billiard table ivory balls from warping. The first use of electric heating was for an 18.2 balkline tournament held in December 1927 between Welker Cochran and Jacob Schaefer, Jr. The New York Times announced it with fanfare: "For the first time in the history of world's championship balkline billiards a heated table will be used..." A pool table, or pocket billiards table, has six – one at each corner of the table () and one at the midpoint of each of the longer sides ( or ). Pool tables come in different sizes, typically referred to as , , , or tables.
Billiard table marked by a drawn on the cloth across the width of the table at 29 inches (737 mm) from and parallel to the face of the . A semicircle with a radius of 11.5 inches (292 mm) centered on this line within baulk forms in which the cue ball must be placed when breaking or after the cue ball has been or shot off the table. The position of four of are marked along the (lengthwise centre) of the table, perpendicular to the baulk line: the , 12.75 inches (324 mm) from the ; the or , located at the