Here you can find the general rules of pocket billiard
games. These rules are used in all pool games played on
pocketed tables including 8-ball pool, 9-ball pool, straight
pool and one-pocket. Reading about pocket billiards general
rules can help you understand the basics of all pool games.
All pocket billiard games take place on a special table with
six pockets. Other necessary equipment is a set of billiard
balls and a cue stick. Each pool game occupies different
number of balls but all of them use one cue ball.
Before any pool game initiates, the balls have to be racked
in a triangle with the apex ball located on the foot spot.
Only the tip of the cue stick is allowed to strike the cue
ball. Striking the cue ball with any other part of the cue
stick, with the body or any other equipment is considered a
foul in all pool games.
Each time a player fails in sending a ball into a pocket
legally, his turn at the table must end and the other
player's turn may begin.
In official pool matches, the player who would perform the
opening break shot is nominated in a procedure known as lag
for break. In lag for break, both players are having balls
in hand behind the head string in different sides of the
table. The players have to shoot the balls at the same time
towards the foot cushion and then back to the head end of
the table. The winner of the lag will be the player whose
ball has reached closer to the edge of the head cushion.
The player who has won the lag can either break open the
game by performing the opening break shot or move this
assignment to his opponent.
In all pocket billiard games, the opening break shot is
taken with"the cue ball in hand behind the head string. However,
the position of the object balls changes from one pool game
to another.
The moment the tip of the cue stick contacts the cue ball on
the opening break shot, the pool game has officially begun.
In some pocket billiard games, when a player scratches on
the opening break shot, his opponent gets a cue ball in hand
behind the head string. In that case, the incoming player is
entitled to place the cue ball anywhere on the table as long
as it is behind the head string and shoot at any object ball
providing its base is not above the head string. Placing the
cue ball outside the kitchen and then shooting the cue ball,
is a foul. The cue ball remains in hand until it is being
stroke with the cue tip. Therefore, the player may use his
hand, or any part of the cue stick to adjust the cue ball on
the table. If the shooter fails in contacting a legal object
ball or in moving the cue ball over the head string, the
shot is a foul and then his opponent will get the cue ball
in hand.
Only when an object ball sinks into a pocket and stays there
following a legal shot it is considered a pocketed ball. In
any other case, including if a ball has been returned from
the pocket onto the bed of the table or falls off to ball
return system to the floor, the ball will not be counted as
a pocketed ball.
A player, who shoots at balls while they are still in
movement, commits a foul. In addition, a strike will not be
counted until all the balls have stopped spinning on the
table.
In all pool games, when a player commits a foul, not only
his inning ends but also, if the foul was on a strike, nor
the strike neither the pocketed balls are counted. Whether
the pocketed balls are re-spotted or not following a foul,
depends on the specific pool game rules.
When the cue ball does not make the first contact with a
legal object ball, it is a foul.
According to pocket billiards rules, a legal shot has to end
with a pocketed ball or with either a cue ball or a numbered
ball touching the cushion. Otherwise, the shot will be
considered a foul.
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