Almost half a century a table Koltakovsky was the only thing in this southern country. The second table has appeared in Almaty in 1928. The disgraced Bolshevik was left Trotsky is banished here and has thus managed to result the whole car of personal things and including the billiards complete set.

Triumphal procession of billiards also has begun with it across Kazakhstan. Game has got extraordinary popularity in spite of the fact that people of tables accessible to a wide range practically were not. Basically played rest houses of writers, actors, scientific, in Officers' Clubs. In public places of billiards was not, except park of Bitter, there stood about 20 tables, and the lion's share their share was in the most pitiable condition. On the worldly-wise equipment nobody changed coverings, and only 2-3 tables were in tolerable quality and intended for the elite. One table stood in park of Guardsmen Panfilovtsev. There came to play not so much, how many to look at how giant Uvajs Ahtaev who was the highest basketball player in Soviet Union plays. At growth it easily got of 2,32 m кием from one end of a table to another along a long board. Played this table till late autumn, and «for сугреву» Ahtaevu, happened, submitted in a beer mug коньячок. This mug vanished at it in a palm. To look at giant game half of city came.

Long time, as well as in all Soviet Union, billiards was considered as the semicriminal game, any relation to sports not having. But people played, played actively and much.

 

All has begun that to Kazakhstan began to deliver a lot of stock: at first wooden tables with dsp-plates, then tables pig-iron, following step became Hungarian снукерные tables which altered under Russian billiards. The billiard boom has begun, billiard rooms began to open. Today in one Almaty is about 600 tables, and the signboard «Billiard club» can be seen in any end of a city. The clubs of different level calculated on visitors of a different prosperity, are located, apparently, everywhere: in separate buildings, on the ground floors of usual inhabited high-rise buildings, in trading-entertaining complexes. Is in Kazakhstan and "highlight": many small clubs adjoin about HUNDRED, car washes and filling stations. Probably, that clients did not miss, while experts put in order their cars. Having passed on several clubs Monday afternoon, the correspondent «БМ» has been much surprised: Practically in all game places the para-three of tables necessarily was is occupied, despite not time absolutely convenient for game.

Billiards in Kazakhstan – pleasure not from cheap. On the average, hour behind a table costs 800 tenges (200 руб) that at average wages in the same Almaty, a component 15 000 tenges (3 750 руб) the sum rather impressive. And evenings of Friday, Saturday and Sunday of the price for game rise to 1 500 tenges (375 руб). As owners of clubs speak, in the price policy the considerable role is played by the tax to tables which is defined by the city authorities in each concrete settlement.« Plug »the tax rather impressive. If in Dzhambul for one game table in a month it is necessary to give 2 500 tenges of the tax, in Kaskilene – 5 000, in Astana already 10 000, and to Almaty and all 25 000 tenges. The authorities motivate heavy taxes with that consider billiards not as sports part, and a part of game business. By the way, since April, 2007 billiards is a unique part of game business to which existence in territory of settlements whereas the casino and slot machines are transferred to game zones especially taken away under them is authorised. Most likely, boundary position between sports and business also has allowed billiards to remain there where it and was any more one ten years. And nevertheless it is necessary clubs hardly and they search for ways of a survival. One of such ways is sale of spirits in premises of clubs that legislatively it is not forbidden. Some owners of clubs simply limit time frameworks, for example, in the afternoon when teenagers can play, alcohol it is forbidden to sell, and in the evening when adult players come, alcohol – on free sale.  

In Kazakhstan Russian billiards, пуловские uses the greatest popularity, and the it is more снукерные tables is far not in all clubs. Sometimes meet пуловские the tables fitted by cloth for Russian billiards. It means that the American variant of billiards has very few admirers in this Asian country. But Russian billiards, seemingly, love and know practically all. Almost in each number of local newspapers and magazines it is possible to see a photo with кием local celebrities: politicians, actors, sportsmen. It is said that behind party the important questions of business and a policy here are solved. In 2006 the Federation of billiard sports of Kazakhstan held tournament among power structures in which all ministries of the government, an order of 20 commands participated. Officials have shown high enough level of game and have decided that such tournament becomes annual.

Age categories of fans of billiards in Kazakhstan are rather extensive. Here play both 80-year-old aged men, and absolutely young boys. In some clubs in the afternoon for children special preferential quotations, and children, on the way from school home are established, come here and with pleasure drive spheres for the minimum payment. Play billiards and women, for their excommunication from кия in Kazakhstan there are no either national, or religious preconditions.

 

Club hall one of the greatest halls of Almaty, and unique where it is possible to look games, without leaving a banquet room.

18 tables for Russian billiards,

3 tables for English снукера  

10 tables for the American pool

Unique in Almaty billiard school

Here apartments of Federation of billiards of Republic are located