What Carom Means
Carom describes a shot in cue sports where one ball strikes another and then rebounds — essentially a collision followed by a return. In cue-sport terminology, the term highlights use of the table’s cushions to continue play rather than relying on pockets.
How It Differs From Pool
Pool generally refers to billiard games played on a table with pockets (for example, eight-ball and nine-ball). By contrast, carom-style games are played on pocketless tables where points are scored by bouncing balls off the cushions and making contact in specific sequences. In short, cushions are the scoring tool in carom, while pockets are the scoring focus in pool.
Popular Online Option with Chat
A top suggested alternative is 3D Live Pool — Free Carom 3D, an online, multi-player billiards title that includes in-game chat. The game uses advanced 3D graphics to recreate the feel of different cue-sport formats, supports real-time matches against other players, and emphasizes realistic ball physics and cushion interaction.
Game Variants Included
- 9-ball
- 8-ball
- 6-ball
- Other cue-sport formats and rule sets
Technical
- Windows
- Free