Original: Carom billiards , sometimes called carambole billiards or simply carambole ( and in some cases used as a synonym for the game of straight rail from which many carom games derive ) , is the overarching title of a family of billiards games generally played on cloth-covered , 5 by 10 feet ( approximately 1.5 Ã -- 3 m ) pocketless tables , which often feature heated slate beds .
Simplified: Carom billiards , sometimes called carambole billiards or simply carambole ( and sometimes used as another word for a game called '' straight rail '' ) are a family of billiards games played on cloth-covered tables .