How to Play 8-Ball Pool

There's no cooler game than pool, and 8-ball is the most common style of play. Getting good at pool is no easy feat, but it's not too difficult to learn how to play. Once you've gotten the basics down, with a little practice you'll be running the tables in no time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pool table
• Pool cue
• Triangle
• 2 players (4 for doubles)

1. Rack the billiard balls with the triangle so that the 8 ball is toward the middle and the 1 ball is up front. The remaining billiard balls should be alternated between stripes and solids. Once you have the balls racked, lift the triangle and remove from table.

2. Break the balls by hitting the cue ball (this is the white ball) so that it strikes the rest of the balls, sending them out across the table. If the player makes a ball in, he becomes that type (either stripes or solids) and must only shoot at those balls. If the player does not make a ball in, the next player gets to shoot at whatever ball he wishes. This goes on until someone has claimed either stripes or solids. If the player scratches (gets the cue ball in) on a break, he has lost the game.

3. Shoot at your balls (stripes or solids) until you have sunk them all. When a player makes a ball in, she is allowed to continue until they fail to make one of their balls in, at which time the other player takes over.

4. The first player to make all of their balls in shoots at the 8-ball. The player must "call the shot," by pointing out which pocket they wish to sink the 8-ball. If they make the 8-ball in any other pocket but the one called, or if they scratch while attempting to sink the 8-ball, they have lost the game. If they make the 8-ball in the called pocket they have won.

Tips & Warnings

• If a player sinks the cue ball, this is called a scratch, and it then becomes the turn of the next player (even if one of the players balls was sunk along with the cue ball). The player may place the cue ball wherever he likes, although it must be behind the second dot on the side of the table, going in the direction in which you broke.
• If a player fails to make contact with any billiard balls on a turn, it is a table scratch. Unlike a regular scratch, on a table scratch, the opponent may place the ball wherever they like on the table.