The game employed diagonal lines-balklines-at the table 's corners to regions where counts were restricted , thus `` cutting off four triangular spaces in the four corners , ( taking ) away 711 mm ( 28 in ) of the ` nursing ' surface of the end rails and 1,422 mm ( 56 in ) on the long rails . ''
The game uses diagonal lines-balklines-drawn at the table 's corners to indicate that if balls were inside those lines , points could not be scored , thus `` cutting off four triangular spaces in the four corners , ( taking ) away 28 inches ( 711 mm ) of the ` nursing ' surface of the end rails and 56 inches ( 1422 mm ) on the long rails . ''