Billiards (including pocket billiards, or pool) is the third most popular participant sport in the United States (trailing only bowling and basketball), and is a subject rich in history, game variations, rules, strategy, and personalities -- that is, a subject that demands a full encyclopedia. And here it is. With over two thousand entries and two hundred illustrations, this is the most comprehensive book on pool, billiards, snooker, and other cue sports. From a cheval (a referee's balkline call in biliards) to zigzag ball (with decorative borders that help aim) and everything in between, this treasure trove covers the entire range of subjects through anecdotal, accessible, and entertaining entries -- the opposite of what an encyclopedia usually offers. Recognized as the foremost authority since its original publication in 1993, this exhaustive volume has been augmented with hundreds of entirely new entries with new records, rules, players, and statistics.