How to play 8-ball pool: rules for beginners, from the break to potting the 8

TUREFF• •0

8-ball is the pool game most people play first, in bars, clubs and on holiday. The basic idea is simple: pot your group of balls, then pot the 8 to win. The details, though, vary a lot between rule sets, which is where most arguments start. This guide covers the common core and flags where rules differ.

Rule sets you may meet

WPA 8-ball: the international rules for American-style pool, with solids and stripes and ball in hand after a foul.
Blackball and other UK pub pool rules: played on smaller tables with reds and yellows. Foul penalties are different, often involving a free shot and an extra visit rather than simple ball in hand.
House and league rules: many pubs and leagues have their own versions.

Before you play anyone new, agree the rules. It saves a lot of grief.

The equipment

15 object balls and a white cue ball
In American-style sets: solids (1 to 7), stripes (9 to 15) and the black 8
In UK sets: seven reds, seven yellows and a black

Racking

The balls are racked in a triangle, with the 8 (black) in the middle of the third row. Most rule sets ask for a mix of groups in the rack, often with one of each group in the back corners. Check the arrangement your rules require.

The break

The player breaking plays from behind the head string (baulk line on UK tables) into the rack. For a legal break, rule sets generally require you either to pot a ball or to drive a minimum number of balls to the cushions. A weak break that does neither is usually a foul or gives your opponent options. What happens if the 8 goes down on the break varies a lot by rule set. In some it is a re-rack or a choice for the breaker; it is not usually an instant loss, but check your rules.

Open table and choosing groups

After the break, in many rule sets the table is open: no one has a group yet. Your group is decided when you legally pot a ball from it after the break. Under some rules, potting a ball on the break settles groups; under WPA rules the table stays open after the break.

Playing your turn

On each shot you must hit a ball from your own group first (or any ball except the 8 on an open table).
If you pot one of your balls legally, you keep shooting.
If you miss, or pot only your opponent's ball, your turn ends.
After the cue ball hits your ball, something usually has to happen: a ball goes into a pocket, or the cue ball or an object ball reaches a cushion. If nothing does, it is a foul.

Calling shots

In WPA rules and many leagues, you call your shot, naming the ball and pocket, at least for shots that are not obvious. In casual play and many pub rules, anything that goes down counts. The 8 is nearly always called.

Common fouls

Potting the cue ball (a scratch or in-off)
Hitting your opponent's ball or the 8 first
No ball reaching a cushion after contact
Touching a ball with anything other than the cue tip
Shooting with no foot on the floor
Hitting the cue ball twice, or pushing it

The penalty varies: ball in hand (your opponent places the cue ball anywhere) under WPA rules; a free shot and extra visits under many UK rule sets.

Winning and losing on the 8

Once your group is cleared, you play for the 8 and must pot it in the pocket you call. You usually lose the game if you:

pot the 8 before clearing your group
pot the 8 in the wrong pocket
foul while potting the 8, such as scratching on the same shot

Beginner tips

Play safe when you have no good shot: leave the cue ball where your opponent struggles.
Do not pot balls just because you can; plan two or three shots ahead.
Clear clusters early, while you still have other options.
Learn the rules your league uses, and keep a copy handy.

Which 8-ball rules do you play by, and which ones cause the most arguments at your table? Share your questions and stories in the comments below.