Dear Russians - was there ever Russian chalk?

[hunger strike]

Out of dozens of photos of Russians playing Russian billiards throughout the Soviet era, none that I have seen showed chalk on the rail or being used. Ebay is overrun by sellers from Russia and Ukraine selling those awful Soviet-era cream colored ball sets. I have never seen a chalk mark on the cueball. Does anyone here have knowledge on this? I knew a Russian chalk collector who had never found old Russian chalk either. None of the surrounding countries seem to have used chalk either, except Bulgaria.

 

[FairladyZ]

"Magic Chalk" was the only one I am aware of. It's good chalk.

 

[skogstokig]

would be impossible to play without it though

 

[Vahmurka]

Out of dozens of photos of Russians playing Russian billiards throughout the Soviet era, none that I have seen showed chalk on the rail or being used. Ebay is overrun by sellers from Russia and Ukraine selling those awful Soviet-era cream colored ball sets. I have never seen a chalk mark on the cueball. Does anyone here have knowledge on this? I knew a Russian chalk collector who had never found old Russian chalk either. None of the surrounding countries seem to have used chalk either, except Bulgaria.

It is only for several years ex-USSR (Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakhstan, etc.) makers started producing their own formulas. The impact they got after Kamui 0.98 and such appeared. Until then there was hardly any mass production locally, most probably billiard chalk was imported. "Russian Magic Chalk" is just a brand, a fancy naming - AFAIK, it has never been of Russian origin.

Currently, there are brands that were/still are popular, like Sniper, SuperDiamond, and some chalks made by local cuemakers.

 

[Vahmurka]

As for chalk on the rail missing on multiple photos, that's an interesting question. Maybe chalk was attached somewhere aside, so that it had not ever ended up being on the table rails?

 

[maha]

they are indeed russin to shoot fast so keep the chalk with them.

really though people use way more chalk then needed. its an involuntary thing of grinding your tip with chalk.
except those with 25 dollar special pieces of chalk . lasts them much longer. guess why?

 

[kingwang]

It is only for several years ex-USSR (Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakhstan, etc.) makers started producing their own formulas. The impact they got after Kamui 0.98 and such appeared. Until then there was hardly any mass production locally, most probably billiard chalk was imported. "Russian Magic Chalk" is just a brand, a fancy naming - AFAIK, it has never been of Russian origin.

Currently, there are brands that were/still are popular, like Sniper, SuperDiamond, and some chalks made by local cuemakers.

Russian Magic Chalk was made in Russia. It was only in recent years that they moved manufacturing to Mexico due to geopolitical issues.

 

[The Old Jaybird]

As for chalk on the rail missing on multiple photos, that's an interesting question. Maybe chalk was attached somewhere aside, so that it had not ever ended up being on the table rails?

my old school pool room had chalk in holders suspended from the ceiling on strings. reach up, pull it down, chalk your cue, release and it snapped back up. Now this was an old system, and there was also chalk on the tables. But the "old-timey" suspended chalk mechanism was still there.

 

[3kushn]

In the carom world, players aren't allowed to leave chalk on the rail.
They can place it near themselves while lining up and shooting, but have to pick it up before walking to their chair after a miss.

It's a rule, so that a player doesn't use his chalk as an aiming aid.

Maybe the case or a tradition in Russia???

 

[David in FL]

Where's Russian Kenney when we need him?!

 

[skogstokig]

In the carom world, players aren't allowed to leave chalk on the rail.
They can place it near themselves while lining up and shooting, but have to pick it up before walking to their chair after a miss.

It's a rule, so that a player doesn't use his chalk as an aiming aid.

Maybe the case or a tradition in Russia???

in the matches i've seen they have their chalk in the waistcoat pocket, like snooker players

 

[Frosty]

I traveled for a long time, to a lot of different countries playing this game. In my experience, it seemed that leaving chalk on the rail was something that is exclusively American in nature.