Billiards, also known as table tennis or pinball, is a ball sport. It is a recreational activity where players use cues longer than 91.4 cm to strike the cue ball against object balls according to certain rules.
There are two different theories about the origin of billiards: one is that it originated in England in the 14th century; the other is that it originated in France in 1510. Billiards first became popular in 18th-century France. From the early 20th century, billiards gradually became a competitive sport. In 1927, the first World Professional Snooker Championship was successfully held in London. On March 13, 2021, the Asian Billiards Federation (ACBS) announced that billiards would be part of the 2030 Doha Asian Games.
The highest governing body for billiards is the World Billiards Federation, founded in 1990. The highest governing body for billiards in China is the Chinese Billiards Association, founded on December 15, 1986. Notable figures include Joe Davis, Ronnie O'Sullivan, and Ding Junhui. On November 24, 2024, in the first round of the 2024 UK Snooker Championship, Ding Junhui defeated Robert Milkins 6-5 to advance to the last 16.
