Crotching - Billiard Term Definition

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Definition of Crotching

Crotching is a billiards term that is a part of Billiard Technique Terminology.

In carom billiards game of straight rail, the technique of crotching, involves freezing two balls into the corner (the crotch) where the rails meet. The crotching technique was once used to vastly increase counts. By moving the two object balls into the crotch, a player could endlessly score off of them, all the while keeping them immobilized in that corner.

At straight rail's inception there was no restriction on the way in which a player could score. In 1862, the crotching technique resulted in a rule which allowed only three counts before at least one ball had to be driven out of the crotch. At this time, the crotch was defined as the triangular area defined by connecting a line between the points measuring four and one half inches down each rail forming the corner.

The crotching restriction was also known as "crotch prohibition" or "crotching prohibition", and is still in place today.

Crotching may also be referred to as "herding".

See: crotch, nurse for more on the meaning of "Crotching".

Crotching - Usage

Melvin Foster, in four-ball, scored 1000 balls by "crotching out" in one inning versus George T. Stone in Breed's Hall, Norwich, CT on Aug. 4, 1869.

Billiards - Crotching

• Billiard Technique Glossary of Terms
• Billiard Terms Glossary

• Title: Crotching
• Author: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)
• Published: 9/23/2016 6:48:36 AM
• Last Updated: 9/23/2016 7:40:22 AM
• Last Updated By: billiardsforum

Crotching Comments

1. Steven Rockwell from NJ, United States on 2/27/2009 9:40:43 PM

   "Crotching" or "herding" is in no way a cheat! Both players may try to "poss" to the crotch with a propensity for laying where they feel they are more comfortable.

   It is similar to pulling trump in bridge or "stealing" a race by sprinting to the lead and trying to hold.

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