How to Play 9 Ball Pool
Choose teams., Decide who goes first., Set up nine balls inside the rack., Break., Take your turn until you fail to pocket a ball., Know your objective., Aim for the lowest-numbered ball., Avoid soft hits., Place the ball anywhere if your opponent...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Choose teams.
9-Ball is usually played one-on-one.
If you have more than two people, divide into two teams.
In a friendly game, you can play with three or more teams.
This is not recommended if some of you are much better at pool than others. -
Step 2: Decide who goes first.
You can just flip a coin, but "lagging" is a more entertaining way to decide the first player.
On an empty table, every player places a ball just behind the head string.
Each player hits his ball at the same time.
The goal is to have your ball touch the far end of the table, then bounce back as far as possible without touching the near end or the sides.
Whoever gets closest gets to break (see below).Try again if two of the balls touch each other, or if no one manages to hit the end without touching another side. , Pick out the nine balls numbered 1 through 9, and place them inside the rack.
Arrange them in a diamond shape, with the 9-ball in the center and the 1-ball closest to the shooter.
Place balls in the rest of the diamond at random.
The rack goes in the usual place, with the closest point on top of the foot spot.
If you can find a diamond-shaped 9-ball rack, use it.
If you have to use a triangular 15-ball rack, just make the diamond shape as tightly packed as you can. , Have the first player set down the white cue ball anywhere behind the head string.
That player hits the cue ball at the 1-ball to break.
The break should pocket one ball, and/or send at least three balls to any rail (side).If neither of these happens, set up the rack again and let the next player break instead. , Whenever you pocket a ball, you get to take another shot.
Continue taking shots until you fail to pocket a ball, or you foul.
When this happens, play passes to the next player.
This includes the break: if the person who broke pocketed a ball, they get to take another shot.
Just like 8-ball, you can only hit the cue ball, usually a white ball with no numbers. , In 9-ball pool, whoever pockets the 9-ball wins the game.
You can even win on the break this way! Of course, there are other rules that makes this goal harder than it sounds. , Every time you take a shot, the cue ball must hit the lowest-numbered ball still on the table, before it hits any other balls.
If it hits a different ball first, or if it doesn't hit any balls, the shot is a foul. (See below for more info on fouls.) You can pocket any numbered ball without a penalty.
For example, the cue ball can hit the 1-ball, then bounce off and knock the 7-ball into a pocket.
This is a legal shot.
You can even pocket the 9-ball this way to win the game. , After hitting the lowest-numbered ball, at least one ball must hit a rail or enter a pocket.
If this does not happen, the shot is a foul., If a player commits a foul, the next player picks up the cue ball and places it anywhere on the table before making her shot.As mentioned above, fouls include hitting the wrong ball first, or failing to drive any ball into a pocket or rail. , Standard pool fouls also apply: knocking a ball off a table, pocketing the cue ball ("scratching"), touching a moving ball, or hitting the cue ball out of turn are all fouls.
The next player gets to move the cue ball anywhere on the table.
If the 9-ball is knocked off or pocketed during a foul, "spot" it back to the foot spot, or as close behind the foot spot as possible.Other numbered balls that leave the table illegally stay out of play.
Accidentally touching a non-moving ball is not a foul, but the other players get to decide whether to leave it in the new position or move it back. , Compared to other types of pool, 9-ball plays ends quickly.
Typically, the players agree to play until one person or team has won a certain number of games.
Try playing first to three games if you are new pool players, or first to seven if you are intermediate or advanced. , The push out rule gives the players a little more control over the starting position following the break.
This adds more strategy to competitive matches.
In a friendly game involving beginner pool players, this rule is not necessary. , The push out rule only applies on the first shot following a break.
The player about to take the second shot can choose to announce a "push out." If he does not announce it, then play proceeds as usual.
If the shooter pocketed a ball on the break, he may announce a push out, since he's about to take another shot.
If he did not pocket a ball, the next player gets the option to push out instead. , On an announced push out shot, the shooter does not have to hit the lowest-numbered ball, and does not have to send a ball at a rail or pocket.If the push out pockets a 9-ball, "spot" it back to the foot spot.
Any other numbered ball stays in the pocket.
Other foul rules still apply. , After the push-out, the next player chooses whether to play or to pass the turn.
She gets to make this decision even if the "push out" pocketed a ball.
After this decision, play proceeds as usual.
If a foul occurred on the push out, follow the usual foul rules instead.
The next player places the cue ball anywhere and takes a shot. -
Step 3: Set up nine balls inside the rack.
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Step 4: Break.
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Step 5: Take your turn until you fail to pocket a ball.
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Step 6: Know your objective.
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Step 7: Aim for the lowest-numbered ball.
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Step 8: Avoid soft hits.
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Step 9: Place the ball anywhere if your opponent fouls.
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Step 10: Obey standard pool rules.
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Step 11: Play several games.
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Step 12: Add this rule for more competitive play.
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Step 13: Declare "Push out" right after a break.
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Step 14: Ignore the 9-ball rules for the push out.
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Step 15: Let the next player choose whether to play.
Detailed Guide
9-Ball is usually played one-on-one.
If you have more than two people, divide into two teams.
In a friendly game, you can play with three or more teams.
This is not recommended if some of you are much better at pool than others.
You can just flip a coin, but "lagging" is a more entertaining way to decide the first player.
On an empty table, every player places a ball just behind the head string.
Each player hits his ball at the same time.
The goal is to have your ball touch the far end of the table, then bounce back as far as possible without touching the near end or the sides.
Whoever gets closest gets to break (see below).Try again if two of the balls touch each other, or if no one manages to hit the end without touching another side. , Pick out the nine balls numbered 1 through 9, and place them inside the rack.
Arrange them in a diamond shape, with the 9-ball in the center and the 1-ball closest to the shooter.
Place balls in the rest of the diamond at random.
The rack goes in the usual place, with the closest point on top of the foot spot.
If you can find a diamond-shaped 9-ball rack, use it.
If you have to use a triangular 15-ball rack, just make the diamond shape as tightly packed as you can. , Have the first player set down the white cue ball anywhere behind the head string.
That player hits the cue ball at the 1-ball to break.
The break should pocket one ball, and/or send at least three balls to any rail (side).If neither of these happens, set up the rack again and let the next player break instead. , Whenever you pocket a ball, you get to take another shot.
Continue taking shots until you fail to pocket a ball, or you foul.
When this happens, play passes to the next player.
This includes the break: if the person who broke pocketed a ball, they get to take another shot.
Just like 8-ball, you can only hit the cue ball, usually a white ball with no numbers. , In 9-ball pool, whoever pockets the 9-ball wins the game.
You can even win on the break this way! Of course, there are other rules that makes this goal harder than it sounds. , Every time you take a shot, the cue ball must hit the lowest-numbered ball still on the table, before it hits any other balls.
If it hits a different ball first, or if it doesn't hit any balls, the shot is a foul. (See below for more info on fouls.) You can pocket any numbered ball without a penalty.
For example, the cue ball can hit the 1-ball, then bounce off and knock the 7-ball into a pocket.
This is a legal shot.
You can even pocket the 9-ball this way to win the game. , After hitting the lowest-numbered ball, at least one ball must hit a rail or enter a pocket.
If this does not happen, the shot is a foul., If a player commits a foul, the next player picks up the cue ball and places it anywhere on the table before making her shot.As mentioned above, fouls include hitting the wrong ball first, or failing to drive any ball into a pocket or rail. , Standard pool fouls also apply: knocking a ball off a table, pocketing the cue ball ("scratching"), touching a moving ball, or hitting the cue ball out of turn are all fouls.
The next player gets to move the cue ball anywhere on the table.
If the 9-ball is knocked off or pocketed during a foul, "spot" it back to the foot spot, or as close behind the foot spot as possible.Other numbered balls that leave the table illegally stay out of play.
Accidentally touching a non-moving ball is not a foul, but the other players get to decide whether to leave it in the new position or move it back. , Compared to other types of pool, 9-ball plays ends quickly.
Typically, the players agree to play until one person or team has won a certain number of games.
Try playing first to three games if you are new pool players, or first to seven if you are intermediate or advanced. , The push out rule gives the players a little more control over the starting position following the break.
This adds more strategy to competitive matches.
In a friendly game involving beginner pool players, this rule is not necessary. , The push out rule only applies on the first shot following a break.
The player about to take the second shot can choose to announce a "push out." If he does not announce it, then play proceeds as usual.
If the shooter pocketed a ball on the break, he may announce a push out, since he's about to take another shot.
If he did not pocket a ball, the next player gets the option to push out instead. , On an announced push out shot, the shooter does not have to hit the lowest-numbered ball, and does not have to send a ball at a rail or pocket.If the push out pockets a 9-ball, "spot" it back to the foot spot.
Any other numbered ball stays in the pocket.
Other foul rules still apply. , After the push-out, the next player chooses whether to play or to pass the turn.
She gets to make this decision even if the "push out" pocketed a ball.
After this decision, play proceeds as usual.
If a foul occurred on the push out, follow the usual foul rules instead.
The next player places the cue ball anywhere and takes a shot.
About the Author
Tyler Green
Experienced content creator specializing in practical skills guides and tutorials.
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