How To Play Billiards

Introduction

The basics on how to play billiards is not rocket science, but the average billiards game is more then just knocking a few colored balls into a few leather pockets. After learning a billiards rule or two you will see not only improvement in your billiards game, but respect from the rest of the guys in the billiards parlor.

It doesn't hurt to have a billiards trick shot up your sleeve but knowing the basics of the billiards game is all you need to set the tone of your play, keep focused, and be one step ahead of those guys reading the "billiards for dummy" books.

As Vince Lombardi is famous for saying "Gentlemen, this is a football" you heed to hear "Sir, this is your billiard cue".
 

The Rack

Before game even begins the balls must be racked; that is, setup in the proper initial configuration.

In 8-Ball, all fifteen balls are used: seven stripes, seven solids, and the 8-Ball. The eight ball is placed in the center and a solid and stripe are each placed in the lower two corners. The rest of the balls are random. Most commonly, the 1-Ball is placed in the head position for aesthetics but is not mandatory. For both 8-Ball and 9-ball though, the head ball (a.k.a the apex ball) is centered directly over the foot spot on one side of the table.

In 9-Ball only the eight solid balls plus the 9-ball are racked in a diamond shape. The 9-ball is placed in the center of the rack.

 

 

 

A note on racking: the tighter the rack, the better the break. The goal is to have every ball perfectly touching each adjacent ball without any space between them.
 

One of the best pieces of equipment I have ever bought for my personal billiards parlor and can't say enough about is the Sardo Tight Rack With the Sardo you can rack the balls tightly and consistently each and every time you play. It's amazing!  My main billiards buddy, Bob, and I more often than not, consistently sink the 1-ball with each and every break when we rack with the Sardo Tight Rack.

Object of the Games

You will find that the game of 8-ball is popular because of its simplicity. The game of 9-ball is appealing because of its strategy.

In 8-ball, the object of the game is to first pocket your seven solid or stripe balls, and then pocket the 8-Ball. The player who pockets the 8-Ball is the winner.

In 9-Ball, the goal is to pocket the 9-ball. On each shot, the cue ball must contact the lowest numbered ball first, but the balls do not need to be pocketed in order. For example, if the 2 is the lowest numbered ball on the table, you may

• hit the 2 and attempt to pocket it
• hit the 2, using the 2 to pocket any other ball (optimally the 9-Ball)
• hit the 2, changing the direction of the cue ball, allowing the cue ball to pocket another ball (optimally the 9-Ball)

Basics of Play

8-Ball is a call-shot game where you need to "call" your shot, indicating to your opponent the ball you plan to hit, and the pocket you intend it to place it in. i.e. "4 ball in the side pocket". Shots that are obvious need not be called, but depending on the attitude of your opponent, it's better to be safe than sorry.

In 8-Ball the first ball the cue comes into contact with must be one of your balls. So, if you have stripes, you can't hit a solid first. You can, however, contact an opponent's ball after first contact, in a combination or carom once the cue first makes contact with your ball.

A "scratch" is when you accidentally pocket the cue ball. Your opponent may then take his shot after placing the cue ball anywhere he wishes behind the second marker at the head of the table but he cannot aim at any of his balls behind that marker line unless he hits a rail outside that line.

The Break
The player who breaks the rack to start a game is determined randomly. The break will then rotate between players in future games at the same table, regardless of who won that last game. For a break to be considered legal, the player who breaks must strike the rack with the cue ball. If the player makes an illegal break, the turn rotates to his/her opponent. Any balls pocketed on the break remain pocketed.

 

If the player that breaks pockets a ball, other than the 8-ball or cue ball, his/her turn continues. If no balls are pocketed on the break, the turn rotates to the next player. Regardless of whether a ball is pocketed or not on the break, the table is still considered "open" (i.e., the choice of playing solids or stripes is still up for grabs).

Choice of Solids or Stripes
The choice of stripes or solids is not determined on the break. The choice is determined only when a player legally pockets the first ball after a break. If the player pockets both a solid and a stripe in the same shot, he/she must choose which group of balls they wish to play. If the table is open and a player strikes the 8-ball first, this is considered a foul and the turn rotates to the next player who gets ball in hand. If any balls were pocketed on this foul, they remain pocketed and the table is still considered "open." As always, if the 8-ball is pocketed when it is not a legal shot the game ends and the player who illegally pocketed the 8-ball loses the game.

Once solids and stripes have been assigned, it's considered a foul to strike the other player's ball before your own. If this happens, the player's turn is over and any balls pocketed remain pocketed. The next player also gains ball in hand.

Legal vs. Illegal Shots
In these rules we have talked a lot about legal and illegal shots. What exactly constitutes a legal or illegal shot?

The following are the rules for what is a legal vs. an illegal shot.

Legal:

• A shooter must hit a ball that belongs to his group of balls before the 8-ball is struck or a ball in their opponent's group is struck (unless the table is open or the 8-ball is the only legal shot).
• It is legal to have the cue ball make contact with a rail before striking a ball in your group.

Illegal:

• Pocketing the cue ball - this is a scratch.
• The cue ball strikes the 8-ball first (unless it is the only legal shot).
• The cue ball strikes one of your opponent's object balls first.
• The cue ball does not strike a rail or a legal object ball.

Ball In Hand, Fouls, and Illegally Pocketed Balls
What happens when a player commits an illegal shot? Most of the time, it is a foul and the opposing player would get ball in hand. (Ball in hand means the player can place the cue ball anywhere on the table and shoot in any direction.) When a player is granted ball in hand after an illegal break, the ball may only be placed behind the head string and only shot forward.

Remember, if an object ball is illegally pocketed the ball remains in the pocket.

Playing the 8-Ball
When the 8-ball is the legal shot for a player, a scratch or foul does NOT result in a loss of game if the 8-ball is not pocketed. However, the next player would have ball in hand. Remember, when playing the 8-ball you must designate a pocket.

Turns
A player's turn can span one or many shots. A player's turn continues as long as he/she legally pockets legal object balls. A player's turn ends when he/she takes a shot that is illegal and deemed a foul, fails to pocket a legal object ball, or pockets a ball of his/her opponent's group. If a player pockets a ball from his/her opponent's group, the player's opponent would only gain ball in hand if the ball had been pocketed illegally. It is not illegal or considered a foul to pocket his/her ball on your turn if the cue ball strikes a legal object ball first. It just ends the turn.

Loss of Game
A player loses the game by committing any of the following:

• Foul when pocketing the 8-Ball.
• Pocketing the 8-ball in a pocket other than the one he/she designated.
• Pocketing the 8-Ball when it is not the legal object ball.
• Pocketing the 8-ball on the same shot as the last of his/her group of balls.

Note: It is not a loss of game if you scratch or foul when playing the 8-ball as long as the 8-ball is not pocketed.