From Peter I to the State order

The senior in family of billiard games – карамболь. And the table brought in 1698 by Peter I from the Netherlands, was also безлузным, карамбольным. The inquisitive thought of the Russian masters hazardously worked on «an overseas wonder». In the twenties a XIX-th century карамбольный the table has acquired billiard pockets and own rules. So on light there was the new version of billiards including a number of games which have received the collective name «Russian billiards». And only after almost quarter of the century in billiard family there was a replenishment: there was a pool in America, and снукер in England. Today they keep in the lead position in the world. It is insulting, certainly. However active development of domestic billiards last years gives hope that Russian pyramid thanks to the program developed by the International committee on "Pyramid", will take shortly more worthy place.

Let's return nevertheless to sources. Charles Schultz became the pioneer in manufacturing лузных billiards, one of which ancestors has opened the factory first in Russia on manufacture of billiards at Peter I. Such tables of huge money – 200-300 roubles gold cost, and them changed at times one to one for thoroughbred Arabian racers. But neither the high price, nor multimonthly turn did not frighten off customers – the Russian nobility wished to be on fashion peak.

In a XIX-th century it is possible to judge popularity of billiards and by quantity of the manufacturers producing tables and accessories. Besides the father and the son Schultzs, it is possible to recollect Sholtsa, Frejberga, Gotsa, Zazulina, Trofimova, Erykalova, brothers of Bogomolovyh. Tables were made on a stone, richly decorated by a carving from mahogany. Spheres for them were turned from an ivory.

The special place among masters was occupied with A.Frejberg operating billiard factory in Petersburg and very good player. He in 1850 has created the sample Russian шестилузного billiards which satisfied all requirements of experts on game. Фрейберг the first in Russia has defined the best profile of a board, has reduced length of a mouth of a billiard pocket, has established its optimum width (74-76 mm) and the size of spheres (68-70 mm). On фрейберговским to curves billiard pockets at all billiard factories of Russia of those times were cut.

In the XX-th century in a circle of experts and the present admirers of billiards the name of Russian master Andrey Petrovicha Chemodanova became widely known: чемодановский кий, чемодановский a table, чемодановские spheres. Today these products became the standard and at any auction are quoted under the higher category.

But the parity of the parties 2:1 (a game square) for Russian table always remains invariable. As well as that the best tables always became on slate.

The Deserved trainer of Russia, the Head coach of a Russian national team on a pyramid, the vice-president of Federation of billiard sports of Russia G.S.Mitasov recollects: «in Kazakhstan, near Semipalatinsk, there is a small open-cast mine where flaky slate was extracted. In Russia for manufacturing of a basis of a game field of billiards it have started to use earlier, than Italian ардезию. Still Charles Schultz used also flaky plates, and ардезией. But the best and then flaky Russian plates were considered.

In the middle of the XX-th century the mankind has stepped in space. Also it was found out that flaky slate is simply irreplaceable in space branch. And the deposit has appeared very small. Therefore slate have forbidden to use at billiard factories. Certainly, for its big chiefs nevertheless took. For example, such great Russian master of the beginning of the XX-th century as Suitcases did tables to the people holding the highest posts of the Soviet state, since Stalin, on plates from аспида ».

In a Soviet period under the State order began to let out and more democratic billiards, and wide enough dimensional number: from small nurseries to the big 12-foot tables for armed forces. Masters, whose youth has had for that time, say that such tables stood practically in all military colleges, in Officers' Clubs, in all parts, associations and regiments – in the Soviet army billiards was included into the list enough responsible disciplines, obligatory to studying. In one only Smolensk under Voroshilov's decree in 1931 let out ten thousand tables. For a wide range of factory consumers did tables on plywood, «ворошиловские» - on ferro-concrete. Sometimes and now there are these "relicts" from the first parties, and plates have remained pretty well.

Vladimir Svetozarov, one of the oldest players of Soviet Union, recollects: «At the USSR there were basically tables on marble, asfalto-concrete and pig-iron plates. Tables on marble quickly failed. Caustic marble behaved at times worse plywood – from sphere blows were formed« щербины », сколы and cracks. Therefore in highest level receptions stood, as a rule, tables with« strengthened »double plywood which terribly roared and vibrated. But then it was prestigious. Ourselves collected tables on pig-iron plates. The plate тяжеленная, rough to collect very inconveniently, юстировать it was necessary wooden pegs. Modern billiards, even Chinese, - a miracle in comparison with them».

From old factories of the Soviet period specialising on manufacture of sports stock, billiard tables are let out till now only by""Dynamo"in Minsk. Others – and them was much – could not sustain a competition with come to this sector of the market the new manufacturers who more operatively have responded to a conjuncture.

Modern technologies and accessories

Less than for 10 years in Russia there were new manufacturers, whose tables correspond to all requirements of modern game. Among them G.S.Mitasov especially allocates Novosibirsk factory "Start", Belarus "RuptuR", master Alexey Yurkin with its exclusive series "Peter I". As well as at the time of Schultz, Frejberga or Chemodanova, tables are made with attention to each detail, and to the aid of skill the newest scientific workings out come.

«In general I like Factory" Start "tables . It is really visible that people who did these tables, play and well understand billiards. Because all wishes of sportsmen» are considered, - the two-multiple champion of Russia of Anastas Luppova speaks. It and is clear: these tables have been developed design office "Start" together with leading Russian billiard-players, taking into account their recommendations and councils. As the main adviser in work G.S.Mitasov acted.

Siberians in general give attention to development of technologies much. So, to the full metal skeleton invented by them reinforcing not only a frame, but also support of tables of a superprofessional series, alternative are not present for today. металлокаркас allows to reduce to a minimum "leads" of tables on large tournaments which for convenience of spectators quite often pass not in billiard clubs, and in usual sports halls. More often on basketball platforms with a springing timber floor. Such floor non-uniformly gives under weight of a massive professional table with the slate plate which weight reaches one and a half tons, and it can essentially change tolerance of a game field. (That spheres did not deviate the set trajectory, the limit of a longitudinal inclination of a game surface concerning a horizon plane should not exceed 0.5 mm, and cross-section - 0.25 mm – from requirements ФБСР, a comment ред.) To deduce ideal level it will not turn out, what miracles of skill and an ingenuity did not show collectors. And even in clubs where the floor is levelled specially, because of vibration at blows sooner or later the table all the same to a greater or lesser extent "will move". And "leads" affect geometry of billiard pockets. As consequence, it becomes impossible to count a trajectory of movement of a sphere, and billiard pockets start to "have a snack". The reinforced table – a design more rigid at the expense of what resists to warps more successfully. According to the Champion of the world-2005 Jury Pashchinskogo if the championships were played such tables, the accident factor influenced result much less. Besides a reinforcing metal design, they are supplied by unique system юстировки that allows to achieve an ideal game surface and to keep it during long time.

For elimination of vibration of a board and increase of accuracy of reflexion of a sphere of KB of "Start" it is developed and introduced double (in horizontal and vertical planes) board fastening to plates of a basis of a game field. Thanks to it the board so strongly keeps on a plate that became with it literally monolithic so, its vibration at the moment of blow of spheres about a board is eliminated, accuracy of reflexion raises.

Factory "Start" unique uses expensive экструдерную rubber from Longoni, made in Europe firm NordItalia: it practically does not dry and keeps the technical characteristics till 10 years and more. By request of Siberians rubber is specially developed for professional billiards Start Super Pro which as well as экструдерная is approved and recommended ФБСР as both these marks have optimum elasticity for Russian billiard table and rigidity.

Plates for Russian tables too become on спецзаказу – and ORERO, and Italian Ardesit. It allows to provide an ideal game square – an indispensable condition for "Russian" table. And the multistage monitoring system of quality guarantees ideally equal surface.

The good table can be made not only at factory, but also at the private master. This tradition since Charles Schultz remains to this day. Alexey Yurkin – one of such masters. About ten years it makes exclusive billiard tables "Peter I" for the Russian elite. «In a table design it is necessary to consider quality of all without an exception of elements», - Alexey speaks.

Special requirements in Russian billiards are shown to cloth. The wool and synthetics parity, the size of pile, density – all influences behaviour of a sphere. Choosing an audiosystem, we do not try to save on динамиках, after all quality of a sound depends on it. In the same way, choosing a billiard table, it is not necessary to refuse that at first sight can seem an excess. The sphere peal on tables with a basis of a game field from the natural slate covered with the Belgian cloth «Ivan Simonis» (and professional tournament tables are by all means completed only with it) considerably differs from a peal on tables with other covering is a statement of professional players and trainers.« The more a wool, the better, - master Yurkin speaks. – however without addition of synthetics cloth will be fragile. But at the same time its excessive quantity in structure and absence of pile will lead to too strong peal and uncontrollability of a sphere. Cloth Simonis specially for Russian billiards now is issued. It developed with the assistance of Federation of billiard sports of Russia. I also put it on the tables ».

Cast скобы billiard pockets in an ideal should be from a brass and are sheathed by a skin: they are very strong and durable, for years do not lose the qualities, do not break, so, will not demand frequent repair.

When "import" does not mean "best"

Certainly, foreign manufacturers also do not wish to lose the Russian market, it is quite natural. However both American, and western, and the South Asian billiards hardly completely correspond to those requirements which are shown by Russian pyramid to tables. «There are tables"Rally"which too are popular at us in Grew-these, - tells Anastas, - but I did not see any meeting the requirements of a pyramid"." E.J.Riley »Nevertheless снукерная mark, and it is difficult to foreign manufacturers not playing Russian billiards to understand, how much rules and geometry of this game rigidly dictate parametres of a game field, technical characteristics of shock-absorbers of boards, cloth mark, requirements to billiard pockets and other accessories are how much strict. Certainly, to do tables for a pyramid on снукерной to a plate is cheaper and easier – after all these plates stand« on a stream ». But proportions of a game field after installation of boards as adjust at assemblage, will not correspond to requirements of Russian billiards by definition: the length by all means appears more. And it should correspond strictly to a parity 2:1. Hence, the geometry of blows is broken. For the person playing time in half a year in billiard club after кружечки of beer, a little that tell these nuances. But the skilled player knows that trifles in billiards do not happen.

«Such infringement of proportions affects productivity of game. Because there is a muscular memory. For example, distant brothers-in-law are played with certain force of blow, and even some centimetres matter». This opinion of Nasti Luppovoj is supported also by other professional players.

Certainly, "another" not always means "bad", however good billiards will as differ from a cheap hand-made article, as the Egyptian pyramid from a heap of cobble-stones. And first of all the price which affects also which reflects all: quality of a plate and a tree, cloth structure, fastening of boards, and still «one thousand and one trifle». Getting a table, you expect to take pleasure in game, from beautiful blows and successful combinations. And for certain plan to use it many long years: after all it not a games hookup which can be thrown out or changed for the new with a sincere heart.

Manufacturers with a name and experience make each detail of the durable materials steady at the right time and mechanical influences. The table bought from them many long years will serve not only to you, but also your children and grandsons.

Qualitative material of which the game surface – a basis of good billiards is made. It is considered the best the Italian natural slate ардезит. It is allocated from all variety of natural and artificial materials: soft enough for processing, does not crumble and gives ideally equal surface after industrial polishing. Cost of a 12-foot table with ардезитовой a plate is high enough, as this slate in the only thing in the world a deposit in Ligurijsky area of Italy, in a place of Ardezija is extracted. Plates «ORERO» from the Chinese natural slate can become excellent replacement to the favourite.

Quality of polishing of a plate concerns the same "fatal" nuances also. Even differences of tolerance invisible to an eye and roughness of manual polishing can become the reason of inadequate behaviour of spheres. With it the Chinese manufacturers quite often sin.

Yes, their tables are cheap enough. Enterprising Chineses always and with pleasure are ready to come to the rescue of the most economical buyers, having collected together in ostensibly "Russian" table not calibrated billiard pockets, снукерную a plate, cheap rubber, пуловское cloth. And all it «заретушировать» a magnificent carving from enough soft wood which the unsophisticated inhabitant without ceremony can accept for the mahogany declared in the passport of a product.

Be cautious, some Russian and western firms declaring as manufacturers, as a matter of fact, appear the intermediaries selling the same Chinese tables, but under the trade mark. Fake first sign – the cheap wood having the same relation to noble mahogany, as a field mushroom to ceps. Эндемик, growing in South East Asia and given out for present redwood, is softer, порист and гигроскопичен. On it there will be scratches and dents. The tree sensitively reacts to humidity level, because of усадки, inevitable in ours more an arid climate, in due course there will be backlashes in places of joints. An easy wooden frame too, most likely, will fairly move through pair-three months, and feet can non-uniformly "dry out".

The present mahogany would allow to avoid these problems, but it is expensive enough. And that the billiards got «in an economy effort» should not be regulated constantly, to choose a material from the geographical zone is better. For a good Russian billiard table experts consider as classics an oak and an ash-tree. Their firm, dense wood is very durable, steady against mechanical damages. The oak or ashen board has the raised rigidity thanks to what vibrates less and more precisely reflects a sphere.

Examination on "professional suitability"

In general, if to ponder, get a table for game in Russian pyramid at the foreign manufacturer – an act rather strange. Where, how not in the homeland of this fine game, know, what should be correct billiards for game in a pyramid?

The federation of billiard sports of Russia has developed uniform requirements to тунирным to tables for Russian pyramid and has published on a site www.billiard-info.ru. Considering that tables of very few manufacturers, both Russian, and foreign, completely correspond to these requirements, ФБСР nevertheless makes a compromise, declaring: «At competitions in regional federations of billiard sports tables, spheres, кии and the equipment, different from the declared standards are sometimes used. It is caused also by search of new decisions in billiard sports, and absence of possibilities for acquisition of the equipment of leading firms-manufacturers by which is guided ФБСР».

Really, at the regional and commercial competitions which are passing in clubs, requirements to the equipment softer: tournaments after all pass not every day, and the simple inhabitant not so understands game subtleties to be fastidious. However such "economy" of pleasure from game to participants of sports matches, spectators does not add. As Olga Prokhorov has told a member of a Russian national team, «results from blow turn out not predicted – wait for one, and spheres behave absolutely differently. Also there is an uncertainty in забитии spheres, and even what for a long time confidently you hammer. And after all there are factors which should not disturb to game: it кий, a table, inwardness. And when there is a position, the person should realise it as much as possible».

Rather annoyingly, when professionals, in perfection owning кием, lost games, and even meetings because of the flaws admitted by manufacturers and collectors. «Tables at times very strongly differ, – world champion Anna Mazhirina speaks, – One is more free, other postphysiognomy. Plus spheres often jam. I not the master on tables, cannot precisely tell, assemblage by fault or a table. But such basically should not be!»

One of the reasons of such problem, according to Alexey Yurkin, can become wrong зарезка billiard pockets: «Having got to a billiard pocket zone, the sphere should not повибрировать and stop. If blow is exact, the sphere should fall in a grid. If it is not exact – to be rolled away from a billiard pocket. Запилить a billiard pocket it is necessary so that it was strictly symmetric concerning a line passing through its centre. It is possible to achieve an exact input in the sizes in a billiard pocket, but at the same time to displace a billiard pocket aside from the central line. Then it will turn out that the sphere which slides on one board, will fall in a billiard pocket. And on another - will jump aside back along the same board. At the same time important strictly to observe geometry скобы and it is correct крепить it to a board».

And consequently «the feeling of deep satisfaction» with which sportsmen have met words of the head of a direction "pool" ФБСР, vice-president ФБС of St.-Petersburg Alexander Puhlenko is clear: «In last World championship on« the Pyramid »very important decision was accepted: tables for all events МКП and the championships of Russia will prepare in advance, to gather, be run in and then already to be brought to any point wherever took place tournament. It is important to make everything to provide qualitative good game, let it and will cost dearer on pair thousand dollars. To such conclusion have come both Vladimir Nikiforov, and heads of national federations. This serious, become painful, and it it is necessary to solve a question – the moment» has come.

The decision it архиважное as billiard tournaments are even more often broadcast on television channels, including the central. Staginess, beauty, accuracy and virtuosity involve new admirers of Russian billiards. Hardly it is interesting to fans to look, how at players spheres in billiard pockets over and over again jam. Therefore knowingly many competitions specified in calendar ФБСР, it has been decided to spend on tables of Russian factory "Start". And knowingly the European committee on a pyramid tries to spend eurorounds and the European championships on company "РуптуР" tables. It will allow, as Olga Prokhorov has told, «to beat positions, to supervise spheres, not to be afraid to play beautifully, with an exit».

However, according to Alexander Puhlenko, on tournaments in any case there should be a brigade of collectors to check and юстировать tables every morning before meetings. «It is necessary to provide a maximum of comfort to players», – he has declared.

Billiard table – not a board for chess

Quality of billiards very strongly depends also on that, is correct or not assemblage has been made. Its technology cardinally differs from procedure of connection and навешивания details of kitchen furniture so services of the neighbour – Jacks of all trades here will be out of place. Process is similar to piano adjustment more likely. Ideal geometry of "glade" (so professional players often name a game field – a comment ред.) Depends on a large quantity of details, will consider all to the nonprofessional simply not under force. Even the ideal table on quality can be spoilt, having admitted to it uncle Vanju, for which favourite hammer – the universal tool on all cases. A lot of time will leave on adapting one detail for another without the big losses for quality. As a result badly built geometry of billiard pockets can become the reason of such discomfort in game that after party-other you with the partner will reflect, instead of whether to be thrown better on this table in cards, than to kick it in punishment for whimsical customs.

If to get a table in firm salon installation will be made by the collector who has passed training at billiard factory and well familiar with specificity of table chosen by you. Process of correct assemblage, a coupler, шпаклевки, polishings, прибивки, will occupy options of not less than six hours. And the pleasure in this case is guaranteed against game.

Certainly, the set of subtleties of a question remains behind frameworks of this article. But if you were seriously puzzled with purchase of good billiards, I will remind you words of the Seneki-senior: «the gold bridle will not make a jade a trotter». Whatever grandiose was the furnish, it will not transform a mediocre table into the elite. A billiard table – not a board for chess. The qualitative accessories doing billiards by expensive pleasure, not a whim, and necessity. And that the table served many long years, and game delivered истиное pleasure, to buy it better from the experts knowing and loving the business!