Billiard table all six pockets), with rounded entrances and nearly parallel sides, like those on a snooker table. One tactical consequence of this design difference is that the jaws of the WPA-type pocket are often used exactly like a horizontal version of the backboard of a basketball goal, to rebound the ball into the pocket; this technique does not work on blackball tables, and even shots down the cushion into a corner pocket are more difficult. For tournament competition under WPA world-standardized rules (and league play under derived rulesets), the bed of the pocket billiard table must be made of slate no
Billiard table with baize cloth, traditionally green, though many other colors are now available. The thickness of this cloth determines the table's (lack of friction) and responsiveness to , thicker cloths being longer lasting but slower and less responsive. The nap of the cloth can affect the run of the balls, especially on slower shots and shots played with applied to the . A snooker table traditionally has the nap running from the baulk to the top end and is brushed and ironed in this direction. Other types of billiard tables are used for specific games, such as Russian pyramid which uses