Eight Ball

The game of billiards is ripe with game variations that provide the players to choose from a veritable laundry list of options. One of the most popular tournament style billiards games is that of “eight ball”. In eight ball billiards you are to split the balls into two halves for each player, one plays balls 1-7 while the other plays balls 9-15, the first player to pocket all his/her balls and then legally pocket the eight ball wins the game. Here’s a few rules to keep in mind:

*   When calling shots in this type of billiards it is not necessary to indicate the pocket and ball when the shot is clear. However, bank shots or combinations are not considered clear “eight ball” billiards shots and must be declared prior to the shot. *   If a ball that is the object of a shot jumps off the table then the shot is a foul and the opponent has a choice: accept the table and take a shot or shoot after taking the cue ball in hand and getting behind the head string. *   For a shot to be legal it has to hit a group of the shooters billiard balls and either pocket a numbered ball or cause the cue ball or a numbered ball to end up in a pocket. This is for all shots except the break shot or shot after a table is declared open. *   For a billiards table to be declared open it must have had a break shot that did not result in groups being determined. In other words, the break shot did not determine who is stripes and who is solids. *   A game may be acknowledged as a stalemate when six turns (three for each player) are taken consecutively and the next shot will result in a loss of game. At this point the game would be reracked with the original breaker taking the break shot again.

To play a successful game of eight-ball billiards you must be willing to follow and learn these rules. However, these aren’t the only rules of eight-ball billiards, consulting the official rulebook to ensure your confidence.