Download Article Show Download Article 8-ball pool is played with one white "cue ball" and 15 numbered balls – including one black "8-ball." One player is trying to pocket the solid-colored balls ("solids," numbered 1-7) while the other player tries to knock in the striped balls ("stripes," numbered 9-15). A player cannot sink the 8-ball until he or she has pocketed all of the appropriate balls (stripes or solids). The first player to pocket the 8-ball wins the game.
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Show More Tips Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement ReferencesAbout This ArticleArticle SummaryX 8-ball pool is a classic pool game that’s played with a white cue ball, a black 8 ball, and 14 other colored “object” balls. To play 8-ball pool, you’ll need two players. One player will try to sink the solid-colored balls, numbered 1 through 7, while the other will work with the striped balls, numbered 9 through 15. The goal is for each player to knock all of their balls into the pockets around the pool table, then sink the 8 ball. To set up the game, place the cue ball on the head spot, which is a small dot or triangle marked on the pool table about a quarter of the way from one end of the table. Put a triangular pool rack on the opposite end of the table and load the object balls inside, with one point of the triangle facing the cue ball. You can rack the balls in any order, but put the 8 ball as close to the middle as you can. Remove the triangular rack and have one of the players use their cue to knock the cue ball into the racked balls at the other end of the table. This is called the break. In order for the break to be legal, at least one ball needs to go into a pocket, or at least 4 balls need to hit one of the rails around the edges of the table. Otherwise, the break is a foul. In this case, the next player can either work with the balls as they are or re-rack them and break again. After the break, the table is “open,” meaning it hasn’t yet been determined who will sink which balls. To sink a ball, use the cue to knock the cue ball into it and make it roll into one of the pockets around the edges of the table. You can also use the cue ball to create chain reactions. For instance, you might hit the 1 ball with the cue ball, causing the 1 ball to hit the 7 ball so that it rolls into a pocket. The first player to successfully sink a ball will then focus on sinking the other balls in that group. For instance, if the first ball you sink is striped, then you will be playing the striped balls for the rest of the game. Your turn keeps going until you fail to sink a ball, then it passes to the other player. As you play, call the shots to let the other player know what you’re trying to do. For example, you might say, “12 ball, side pocket.” Once you’ve sunk all your balls, try to sink the 8 ball before the other player does. If you pocket the 8 ball, you win the game. Keep reading to learn how to call your shots while you’re playing! Did this summary help you? Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 655,586 times. Reader Success Stories
Did this article help you?Can you win a pool game in one shot?No, because you have 3 degrees of freedom at most: how hard you strike the cue, direction and some amount of spin. Even if you had absolute freedom over each ball's interaction with each other ball, there must be at least one scenario you can build out of your cue + 4 balls that you can't hit.
How do you win at pool game?8 Ball pool is won when one of the following occurs: A player pots all of their designated balls and then legally pockets the 8 ball into their nominated pocket. The opposing player illegally pots the 8 ball before clearing their own set of balls. The 8 ball is knocked of the table by the opposition.
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