HOW TO PLAY 8 BALL POOL: RULES MADE SIMPLE
Solids, stripes, the break, and when potting the 8 ball wins or loses the game: the rules of 8 ball pool without the arguments.
The goal
8 ball is played with a cue ball, seven solids (1 to 7), seven stripes (9 to 15) and the black 8 ball. Pot your entire group first, then legally pot the 8 ball to win.
The break
One player breaks by striking the racked balls with the cue ball. If a ball drops on the break, the breaker usually keeps the table and may choose a group; otherwise the table is open and the first legally potted ball decides who is solids and who is stripes.
Taking turns
You keep shooting as long as you legally pot one of your own balls. Miss, or foul, and the turn passes. The rhythm of 8 ball is building runs: lining up your next shot before you take the current one.
Fouls to avoid
- Scratching: potting the cue ball, or knocking it off the table.
- Wrong ball first: your cue ball must touch your own group first (or the 8 when it is your legal target).
- No rail: after contact, some ball must hit a cushion or drop, or it is a foul.
A foul typically hands your opponent ball in hand: they place the cue ball anywhere. Against a decent player, that usually costs the game.
The 8 ball: win and lose
Clear your group, then pot the 8 to win. But be careful: potting the 8 early, or scratching while shooting the 8, loses instantly. More games are thrown away on the black than won on it.
Three habits that raise your game fast
- Play position. The pot is only half the shot; where the cue ball stops is the other half.
- Solve problem balls early. A ball glued to a cushion will not get easier while the table empties.
- Think defence. When no pot is on, leave the cue ball somewhere horrible instead of donating the table.
Rack them up
Play 8 ball pool online free against real opponents, or set up a match against a friend.