The Rules of Play (Effective 15/3/16) – Download PDF 1.1 Player’s Responsibility The following General Rules apply to all the games covered by these rules except when contradicted by specific game rules. In addition, the Regulations of Pool Billiards cover 1.1 Player’s Responsibility It is the player’s responsibility to be aware of all rules, regulations and schedules applying to Back to General Rules heading 1.2 Lagging to Determine Order of Play The lag is the first shot of the match and determines order of play. The player who wins the Back to General Rules heading 1.3 Player’s Use of Equipment (a) Cue Stick – The player is permitted to switch between cue sticks during the match, such as Back to General Rules heading Back to General Rules heading 1.5 Cue Ball in Hand Back to General Rules heading 1.6 Standard Call Shot In games in which the shooter is required to call shots, the intended ball and pocket must be Back to General Rules heading 1.7 Balls Settling A ball may settle slightly after it appears to have stopped, possibly due to slight imperfections Back to General Rules heading 1.8 Restoring a Position When necessary for balls to be restored or cleaned, the referee will restore disturbed balls to Back to General Rules heading 1.9 Outside Interference When outside interference occurs during a shot that has an effect on the outcome of that shot, Back to General Rules heading 1.10 Prompting Calls and Protesting Rulings If a player feels that the referee has made an error in judgment, he may ask the referee to Back to General Rules heading 1.11 Concession If a player concedes, he loses the match. For example, if a player unscrews his jointed playing Back to General Rules heading 1.12 Stalemate If the referee observes that no progress is being made towards a conclusion, he will announce 2.1 Determining the Break Nine ball is played with nine object balls numbered one through nine and the cue ball. The 2.1 Determining the Break The player who wins the lag chooses who will break the first rack. (See 1.2 Lagging to Back to 9-Ball heading 2.2 Nine Ball Rack Back to 9-Ball heading 2.3 Legal Break Shot Back to 9-Ball heading 2.4 Second Shot of the Rack – Push Out Back to 9-Ball heading 2.5 Continuing Play Back to 9-Ball heading 2.6 Spotting Balls If the nine ball is pocketed on a foul or push out, or driven off the table, it is spotted. (See 1.4 Back to 9-Ball heading 2.7 Standard Fouls The following are standard fouls at nine ball: 6.1 Cue Ball Scratch or off the Table Back to 9-Ball heading 2.8 Serious Fouls Back to 9-Ball heading 2.9 Stalemate 3. Eight Ball3.1 Determining First Break Eight ball is played with fifteen numbered object balls and the cue ball. The shooter’s group 3.1 Determining
First Break Back to 8-Ball heading 3.2 Eight Ball Rack The fifteen object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a triangle, with the apex ball on the Back to 8-Ball heading Back to 8-Ball heading Before groups are determined, the table is said to be “open,” and before each shot, the shooter Back to 8-Ball heading 3.5 Continuing Play Back to 8-Ball heading 3.6 Shots Required to Be Called On each shot except
the break, shots must be called as explained in 1.6 Standard Call Shot. Back to 8-Ball heading 3.7 Spotting Balls If the eight ball is pocketed or driven off the table on the break, it will be spotted or the balls Back to 8-Ball heading 3.8 Losing the Rack The shooter loses if he Back to 8-Ball heading 3.9 Standard Fouls The following are standard fouls at eight ball: Back to 8-Ball heading 3.10 Serious Fouls The fouls listed under 3.8 Losing
the Rack are penalized by the loss of the current rack. For Back to 8-Ball heading 3.11 Stalemate Back to 8-Ball heading 4. 14.1 Continuous Pool4.1 Lagging for the Break 14.1 Continuous Pool, also known as straight pool, is played with fifteen numbered balls and 4.1 Lagging for the Break Players lag to determine who will shoot first. (See 1.2 Lagging to Determine Order of Play) Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.2 The 14.1 Rack For an opening break shot, the fifteen balls are racked in a triangle with the apex ball on the Back to Continuous Pool heading The following rules apply to the opening break shot: Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.4 Continuing Play and Winning the Game The shooter remains at the table as long as he continues to legally pocket called balls or
wins Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.5 Shots Required to Be Called Shots must be called as explained in
1.6 Standard Call Shot. The shooter may call “safety” in Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.6 Spotting Balls All balls pocketed on fouls, or on safeties, or without a called ball having been pocketed, and Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.7 Scoring The shooter scores one point for legally pocketing a called shot. Each additional ball pocketed Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.8 Special Racking Situations When the cue ball or fifteenth object ball interferes with racking fourteen balls for a new rack, Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.9 Standard Fouls The following are standard fouls at 14.1: Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.10 Breaking Foul A breaking foul is penalized by the loss of two points as mentioned under 4.3 Opening Break Back to Continuous Pool heading
4.11 Serious Fouls Back to Continuous Pool heading 4.12 Stalemate If a stalemate occurs (see 1.12 Stalemate), the players will lag again to determine who will Back to Continuous Pool heading 5. Blackball5.1 Definitions Black ball is played with 15 colored object balls and the cue ball. The object balls are two 5.1 Definitions In addition to definitions defined in
8. Definitions Used in the Rules, the following Free shot Baulk Snookered Ball On Back to Blackball heading 5.3 Determining First Break The player winning the lag has the option to determine who has to execute the first break shot. Back to Blackball heading 5.4 Black Ball Rack Back to Blackball heading 5.5 Break Shot Back to Blackball heading 5.6 Open Table / Choosing Groups The table is said to be “open” when the players’ groups have not been decided. The table is Back to Blackball heading 5.7 Continuing Play The shooter remains at the table as long as he continues to legally pocket balls or the rack Back to Blackball heading 5.8 Cue Ball in Hand in Baulk When the player has the cue ball in hand, he may place it by hand anywhere in baulk. The Back to Blackball heading 5.9 Touching Balls If the cue ball is touching an object ball, the shooter must not play the cue ball in the direction Back to Blackball heading 5.10 Playing from a Snooker When the shooter is snookered, Rule 6.3 No Rail after Contact is suspended for the shot. Back to Blackball heading Object balls driven off the table are spotted on the long string. If several balls are to be Back to Blackball heading 5.12 Stalemate In case of a stalemate due to lack of progress towards a conclusion, the breaker of the rack Back to Blackball heading 5.13 Standard Fouls If the shooter commits a foul, play passes to his opponent. The incoming player has one free The following are standard fouls at black ball: The following additional situations are fouls at blackball: Back to Blackball heading 5.14 Loss of Rack Fouls The player loses the rack if he: Back to Blackball heading 6. Fouls6.1 Cue Ball Scratch or off the Table The following actions are fouls at pool when included in the specific rules of the game being 6.1 Cue Ball Scratch or off the Table Back to Fouls heading 6.2 Wrong Ball First Back to Fouls heading 6.3 No Rail after Contact Back to Fouls heading 6.4 No Foot on Floor Back to Fouls heading 6.5 Ball Driven off the Table Back to Fouls heading 6.6 Touched Ball It is a foul to touch, move or change the path of any object ball except by the normal ball-toball Back to Fouls heading 6.7 Double Hit / Frozen Balls If the cue stick contacts the cue ball more than once on a shot, the shot is a foul. If the cue ball However, if the cue ball is touching an object ball at the start of the shot, it is legal to shoot The cue ball is assumed not to be touching any ball unless it is declared touching by the Back to Fouls heading 6.8 Push Shot Back to Fouls heading 6.9 Balls Still Moving Back to Fouls heading 6.10 Bad Cue Ball Placement Back to Fouls heading 6.11 Bad Play from Behind the Head String When the cue ball is in hand behind the head string, and the first ball the cue ball contacts is Back to Fouls heading 6.12 Cue Stick on the Table Back to Fouls heading 6.13 Playing out of Turn It is a standard foul to unintentionally play out of turn. Normally, the balls will be played from Back to Fouls heading 6.14 Three Consecutive Fouls If a player fouls three times without making an intervening legal shot, it is a serious foul. In Back to Fouls heading 6.15 Slow Play If the referee feels that a player is playing too slowly, he may advise that player to speed up Back to Fouls heading 6.16 Ball Rack Template Foul It is a foul when a Ball Rack Template, removed from the playing surface,
interferes with the Back to Fouls heading 6.17 Unsportsmanlike Conduct The normal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as for a serious foul, but the Back to Fouls heading 7. Rules/Regulations for Wheelchair Competition7.1 Player’s Eligibility 7.1 Player’s Eligibility Back to Wheelchair Competition heading 7.2 Violations Resulting in Fouls Back to Wheelchair Competition heading 7.3 Wheelchair Requirements No standing wheelchairs may be used in the standing position. A player’s wheelchair should Back to Wheelchair Competition heading 8. Definitions Used in the Rules8.1 Parts of the Table The following definitions apply throughout these rules. 8.1 Parts of the Table The following definitions of parts of the table refer to the accompanying diagram. Some The cushions, tops of the rails, pockets and pocket liners are parts of the rails. Back to Definitions heading A shot begins when the tip contacts the cue ball due to a forward stroke motion of the cue Back to Definitions heading 8.3 Ball Pocketed A ball is pocketed if it comes to rest in a pocket below the playing surface or enters the ball Back to Definitions heading 8.4 Driven to a Rail A ball is said to be driven to a rail if it is not touching that rail and then touches that rail. A Back to Definitions heading 8.5 Driven off the Table A ball is considered driven off the table if it comes to rest other than on the playing surface A ball that contacts the top of the rail is not considered to have been driven off the table if it Back to Definitions heading 8.6 Scratch A shot on which the cue ball is pocketed is called a scratch. Back to Definitions heading 8.7 Cue Ball The cue ball is the ball that is struck by the shooter at the beginning of a shot. It is Back to Definitions heading 8.8 Object Balls The object balls are struck by the cue ball with the usual intent of driving them into pockets. Back to Definitions heading 8.9 Set In some matches, the match is divided into parts called sets, with a certain number of sets won Back to Definitions heading 8.10 Rack The rack is the framing device, typically triangular, used to arrange the object balls for the Back to Definitions heading 8.11 Break A break shot is the opening shot of a match or rack, depending on the game. It happens when Back to Definitions heading 8.12 Inning An inning is a player’s turn at the table. It begins when it is legal for him to take a shot, and Back to Definitions heading 8.13 Position of Balls The position of a ball is determined by the projection of its center vertically downward onto Back to Definitions heading Back to Definitions heading 8.15 Restoring a Position Back to Definitions heading 8.16 Jump Shot A jump shot is one in which the cue ball is made to go over an intervening obstacle such as an Back to Definitions heading 8.17 Safety Shot A shot is said to be a safety shot if the game in play is a call shot game and the shooter Back to Definitions heading 8.18 Miscue Back to Definitions heading 9. Ten Ball9.1 Determining the Break Ten ball is a call shot game played with ten object balls numbered one through ten and the cue 9.1 Determining the Break The player who wins the lag chooses who will break the first rack. (See 1.2 Lagging to Back to 10-Ball heading 9.2 Ten Ball Rack The object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a triangular shape, with the one ball at the Back to 10-Ball heading 9.3 Legal Break Shot The following rules apply to the break shot: Back to 10-Ball heading 9.4 Second Shot of the Rack – Push Out If no foul is committed on
the break shot, the shooter may choose to play a “push out” as his Back to 10-Ball heading 9.5 Call Shots & Pocketing Balls Whenever the shooter is attempting to pocket a ball (except the break) he is required to call Back to 10-Ball heading 9.6 Safety The shooter,
after the break at anytime may call “safety” which permits him to make contact Back to 10-Ball heading 9.7 Wrongfully Pocketed Balls If a player misses his intended ball and pocket, and either makes the nominated ball in the Back to 10-Ball heading 9.8 Continuing Play If the shooter legally pockets a called/nominated ball on a shot (except a push out, see 9.4 Back to 10-Ball heading 9.9 Spotting Balls If the ten ball is pocketed on a foul or push out, or accidentally in the wrong pocket, or driven Back to 10-Ball heading 9.10 Standard Fouls If the shooter commits a standard foul, play passes to his opponent. The cue ball is in hand, The following are standard fouls at ten ball: Back to 10-Ball heading 9.11 Serious Fouls For 6.14 Three Consecutive Fouls, the penalty is loss of the current rack. For 6.17 Back to 10-Ball heading 9.12 Stalemate If a stalemate occurs the original breaker of the rack will break again. (See 1.12 Stalemate.) Back to 10-Ball heading What is the best break in 8ball pool?The easiest hit for a break is to hit the nose of the rack, which is the center ball on the foot spot of the table. For this hit to work, place the cue ball at a point that is halfway from the center and the side of the table.
Where is the best place to break in 8As shown below, a good power option for the 8-ball break is to position the CB slightly off center, and hit the lead ball squarely. As with the 10-ball break, the 2nd-row balls tend to head toward the side pockets, and the corner balls can go four rails to the corners.
Who is the No 1 player in 8 ball pool?1. Willie Mosconi. An all-time champion of the sport, Willie Mosconi's name was among the first to be introduced in the American Hall of Fame for Billiards Congress.
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