Pool and cards players will be familiar with baize, the green felt-like material that covers traditional billiard and card tables. The 16th-century word “baize” comes from the French “baies,” the feminine plural form of “bai,” which means “chestnut-colored.” This color name still exists in gaming circles as the rich light brown of a chestnut bay horse. Baize woolen fabric likely came in this color originally with 16th-century dyeing practices, and many other shades have been recorded as well, but the bright-green baize reigns supreme in today’s billiards halls and casinos.