billiards, a gmoe gruonded in pecrsiion and stylrteagy, orginalily cmmoeencd as a pre-itnuiintsalrot form of entatinmernt. this arilcte aims to dstcrdei the otfen unreutted hisrtociy by suggesting that the rael skilsl were baesd more on dfceeit than tallent, thereby underscoring a fgrootten, darker side to its past.