How to Rack Pool Tables

When playing a game of pool, before you can show off your long bank shot, your impressive masse or your 90-degree cut, the balls have to be racked. A good rack can help make a good break, spreading the balls over the table, and there are a couple of rules for the placement of the balls in the rack.

Things You'll Need

  • Pool table
  • Balls (15 for 8 Ball, nine for 9 Ball)
  • Triangular rack for 8 Ball, diamond-shaped rack for 9 Ball
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Instructions

    • 1

      If you're playing 8 Ball, gather the 15 object balls and put them in the triangle. The only official rules, according to the World Pool-Billiard Association, are that the eight ball (the black ball) has to be in the center of the other balls---the middle ball in the third row down---and one of bottom corners of the triangle must have a solid while the other has a stripe. The main reason for this is that occasionally the person making the break shot will pocket both of those bottom corner balls. If they are both solids or both stripes, your opponent is already ahead by two balls.

      For the game of 9 Ball, you need only balls one through nine. In this case, the nine ball has to be in the center of the diamond-shaped rack, and the ball in the top point of the diamond has to be the one ball (the solid yellow ball).

    • 2

      Once the balls are in place, roll the rack back and forth a bit. Then position the rack such that the ball in the top point of the rack is on the "point" of the table. Most tables have a small dot to tell you exactly where this is, but even if the dot has worn off, there will probably be a faded spot where the top ball should go.

    • 3

      Before lifting the rack, put a few fingers in the spaces between the balls and the rack to push the balls more tightly together, toward the ball on the point. Lift the rack carefully, and make sure that the balls don't move or separate at all. If you see them move, try again.

    • 4

      If you have problems keeping the rack tight when you lift the triangle or the diamond, try taking the eight ball or nine ball (depending on which game you're playing) out of its place and on top of the row of balls underneath its empty space. Roll the rack back and forth again, push the balls together with your fingers in the spaces, and position the top ball on the point. Just before removing the rack, push the eight or nine ball back into its place. This helps achieve a tight rack.