Pool

Overview

These are the rules for 8-ball, the most widely played form of pool. Pocket your group of seven, then the 8-ball, in a called pocket.

Checked against the World Pool-Billiard Association's Rules of Play, effective 15 September 2025. Section numbers below refer to it. Pub and bar rules often differ, so agree them first. The WPA's own Blackball rules, for the UK-style game, are summarised in section 7.

1. Setup

Fifteen object balls: 1–7 (solids), the 8-ball, and 9–15 (stripes).

Rack them tightly in a triangle with the apex ball on the foot spot, the 8-ball directly below the apex ball, and one ball from each group on the two back corners (4.2).

2. The break

The cue ball starts in hand behind the head string. Nothing is called, and it needn't hit any particular ball (4.3).

• A legal break must pocket a ball, or drive at least four object balls to a rail. If not, the opponent chooses: take the table as it is, re-rack and break, or have the breaker break again.
• Pocketing the 8-ball on a legal break isn't a loss. The breaker either spots it and plays on, or re-breaks.
• If the breaker fouls, such as scratching the cue ball, the opponent takes the table as it is or ball in hand behind the head string.
• If the breaker pockets a ball without fouling, they keep shooting and the table stays open.

3. Choosing groups

While the table is open, you call a ball before each shot. Legally pocket the called ball and its group is yours (4.4). You may hit any ball first except the 8-ball.

4. Play

Every shot except the break is called: the ball and pocket, when they aren't obvious (1.7, 4.6). How it gets there doesn't matter. You may call "safety" instead, and your turn ends after the shot.

You stay at the table while you legally pocket balls from your group (4.5).

Fouls (4.9) include scratching the cue ball, hitting a ball not in your group first, and, when nothing is pocketed, no ball reaching a rail after contact. After a foul the opponent gets ball in hand anywhere on the table.

5. Winning and losing

Clear your group, then call and pocket the 8-ball. You lose the rack if you (4.8):

• pocket the 8-ball and foul on the same shot;
• pocket the 8-ball before your group is cleared;
• pocket it in a pocket you didn't call; or
• drive it off the table.

None of these applies on the break.

6. Stalemate

If the game can't progress, the original breaker breaks again (4.11).

7. Blackball (WPA rules)

The WPA's Blackball rules (section 8) differ from its 8-ball rules:

• Shots aren't called.
• The black ball is racked on the foot spot, and you break from baulk. A legal break pockets a ball or sends at least two balls past the centre.
• Black potted on the break: re-rack, and the same player breaks again.
• Groups are decided when a player pots balls from only one group on a normal shot.
• After a foul, the opponent gets one free shot: they may hit any ball first and may play from where the cue ball is or from anywhere in baulk.
• You lose the rack for potting the black on an illegal shot or with your own balls still on the table, deliberately hitting the wrong ball first, or not trying to hit a ball on.

Pub blackball rules vary, and many give two visits after a foul. That isn't in the WPA's rules.

Commonly argued

• The 8 on the break doesn't lose. Spot it or re-break.
• A foul on the break gives ball in hand behind the head string, not anywhere.
• You must hit your own group first.
• Shots are called in WPA 8-ball, except the break.
• The 8-ball must go in the called pocket. Anywhere else, you lose.
• WPA Blackball gives one free shot after a foul, not two visits.