How to Play Billiards Pool

Pool, as it is more commonly named, is a game of billiards. Billiard balls, or pool-balls are shot into pockets aligned around the table. There are many different variations of pool, but the most common billiard game is that of 8-ball. The premise of 8-ball is to be the first one to make all of her type of balls and then the 8-ball in order to win.

Things You'll Need

  • Pool table
  • Full set of pool balls
  • Pool stick
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Instructions

    • 1

      Practice the correct way to shoot using the pool stick. The left hand acts as the guide, while your right hand smoothly pushes the stick forward. Everyone has a different style, you just have to find the one that you are comfortable with and that works for you.

    • 2

      Rack the pool balls to begin playing. The rack is the plastic triangle that is used to prepare the balls for the break. The balls should be arranges in opposite order so that no two strips or solids are directly next to each other. The 8-ball gets placed in the center.

    • 3

      Place the cue ball on the opposite side of the table and shoot the cue ball towards the rack of balls to perform the break. The cue ball must be anywhere behind the second dot on the table for it to be a legal break. If the cue ball goes into one of the pockets after the break, the shooter automatically loses the game.

    • 4

      Figure out who is stripes and who is solids. If the person who shot the break gets a ball in on that shot, then she is whichever type of ball she made. However, if each type of ball is made on the break, the table is still open, and the first person to make another ball sets the type that each will be shooting at.

    • 5

      Continue alternating turns after each player fails to get a ball in the pocket. For it to be a legal shot, the player must hit the cue ball into another ball resulting in a made shot.

    • 6

      Alternate to the next players turn if at any time the shooter scratches, or knocks the cue ball into a pocket. The other player then takes the cue ball to the side of the table from which the break was performed, making sure to remain behind the second dot, and shoots forward toward another ball.

    • 7

      Win the game by making all of your balls and the 8-ball. To win, a player must make the 8-ball without scratching. If he scratches on the shot, he automatically loses. Typically, a player must call this shot, as well, indicating beforehand which pocket he is aiming for.