Apparatus for Playing the Game of Pool

World Eight-Ball Pool Playing Rules

A The Spirit of the Game

The Game is known as Eight-Ball Pool. It is expected that players will always play the game in the true spirit and in a sporting manner. The Referee will take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the spirit and rules of the game are observed.

B Equipment

The Game of Eight-Ball Pool is played with:-

(1) A “Cue Ball” – being a white ball.

(2) Fifteen “Object Balls” – consisting of:-

(a) “Colours” – being a group of seven red balls, (or balls numbered 1 to 7) and a group of seven yellow balls (or balls numbered 9 to 15).

(b) The “Eight-Ball” – being a black ball marked with a number “8”.

(3) A six pocket rectangular Pool Table with general characteristics as follows:-

(a) The cloth will be marked with a “Spot” at the position where a straight line drawn diagonally from the centre of a side pocket to the centre of a corner pocket would intersect with a straight line drawn diagonally from the centre of the opposite side pocket to the centre of the other corner pocket.

(b) The cloth will be marked with a “Baulk Line”, being a straight line, drawn from cushion to cushion, parallel to, and one fifth of the length of the table from, the face of the cushion that lies the greatest distance from the Spot.

C Definitions

(1) Shot: A “Shot” begins when all balls stop moving from the previous Shot.

A player “Plays a Shot” by striking the Cue Ball with the tip of the cue.

A “Shot” ends when all balls stop moving from the current Shot.

(2) Play: To “Play” an Object Ball is to play a shot that results in the Cue Ball’s first contact with another ball to be with that Object Ball.

To “Play” the Cue Ball is to strike it with the tip of the cue.

(3) Ball On: At any time during a frame, a ball “On” is any Object Ball that the player may play without incurring a penalty.

(4) Pot: A ball is “Potted” when it leaves the bed of the table, enters a pocket and remains in that pocket.

(5) Visit: A “Visit” comprises one shot or a series of shots. Each visit lasts until the player fails to pot a ball “On”. (Or until a foul is committed or the frame ends)

(6) Turn: A players “Turn” at the table comprises one visit or, after most fouls committed by the opponent, two visits.

(7) Frame: (a) A Frame is one game of Eight-Ball Pool between two players or two pairs of players. A Frame is played from the opening break and usually through until the Eight-Ball is potted.

(b) A player may concede a frame at any time.

(Note: there are other ways that a frame may end – see “Loss of Frame”)

(8) Match: A Match is a predetermined number of frames of Eight-Ball Pool between two players, two pairs of players or two teams of players.

(9) Player in Control: A player (and the player’s partner in doubles) is deemed to be “In Control” of the frame from the time that the balls stop moving from the final shot of an opponent’s turn until the balls stop moving from the final shot of the player’s turn. There can be no instance, once a frame has commenced, that someone is not in control.

D Object of the Game

(1) The object of the game is to win by being the first player to Pot a group of Colours in any order and in any pockets and then Pot the Eight-Ball in any pocket.

(2) When “On” a group of Colours, potting more than one ball of that Colour in the same shot is allowed. But a separate shot must be played to pot the Eight-Ball and win the game.

E Playing from Baulk

(1) Baulk is the rectangular area of the table that is bordered by the Baulk Line and the three cushions at that end of the table.

(2) When playing from Baulk:-

(a) The centre point of the Cue Ball must be in Baulk when a shot is played. (If the centre point of the Cue Ball is directly on the Baulk Line it is not deemed to be in Baulk.)

(b) The Cue Ball can be moved into position by hand or with the shaft of the cue, but when touched by the tip of the cue, a shot is deemed to have been played.

(c) The Cue Ball may be played in any direction.

(d) If a player wishes to play from Baulk after a “Foul Snooker”, “Foul Jaw Snooker” or “Time Foul”:-

The player must verbally advise the referee of this choice and the referee will then recover the Cue Ball and hand it to the player or place it on top of, and in the centre of, the cushion at the Baulk end of the table for the player to retrieve by hand.

(e) After an “In Off”, “Foul Snooker”, “Foul Jaw Snooker” or “Time Foul” the player must endeavour to position the Cue Ball so as not to create a Foul Snooker. If the player claims a Foul Snooker from Baulk, the referee may choose to move the Cue Ball around to determine if there is any position in Baulk where the player would not be Foul Snookered. Whether such a position is found or not, the referee will announce the result and hand the Cue Ball back to the player or place it on top of, and in the centre of, the cushion at the Baulk end of the table for the player to retrieve by hand.

Apparatus for Playing the Game of Pool