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🔊 Listen to this These series of “Game Rules’ provide rules of many different games for the pool table. The rules here have been simplified from the official versions – to make them a little easier to understand.

There are other games that have been invented, copyrighted and generally available to the playing public. Web searches will turn these up and the rules printed out for use.

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9 Ball

These are the common set of rules used for the majority of versions of 9 Ball.

Object

Pocket the 9 ball to win. Rotation – lowest numbered ball on the table.

Opponents

Two players.

Balls

Set of balls (1-9) plus the cue ball.

Racking

Standard 9 ball rack.

Breaking

9 ball on a break wins.

Starting player determined by local rules (coin, lag, card draw, etc.)

Legal break is four balls to the rail or ball pocketed.

Ball off the table is end of turn.

Regular play

Not call ball and pocket. Slop works.

Lowest ball on table must be contacted first.

(optional) Push out allowed.

Fouls

Penalty is end of turn and incoming player has ball in hand. (Option: cue ball fouls only – ball in hand)

• No legal shot
• Ball off the table
• Scratch
• Illegal ball touching (optional – moved balls can be replaced with opponent’s approval and play continues with no penalty)

If 9 ball pocketed during a foul, it is re-spotted.