How to Call Complex Shots in Billiards

Contrary to popular movies, a pool player does not have to make elaborate calls to make a shot count. So you may not have to call the seven ball off the bouncer's skull and in the far pocket. On the other hand, there are a few rules that you need to understand so you know how to call complex shots in billiard's. Here are the offical rules on calling shots, adapted from the world standardized rules of eight-ball, as presented by the Billiard Congress of America.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pool Table
• Pool Cue
• Balls

1. Call your intended ball. In games of pool, you use the numbers printed on the ball to designate which ball you intend to sink. According to the official rules, you cannot call more than one target ball per standard shot. You also cannot call out "solids" or "stripes" or "one of them balls down in that general region of the table." You must specify a ball clearly and unambigiuosly. If you sink a different ball than you called, your turn is over.

2. Call your intended pocket. A pool table has four corner pockets, found at the intersection of the long and short rails of the table, and two side pockets, located in the center of each long rail. As with calling your target ball, you have to clearly indicate to your opponent which pocket is going to take your ball. Should you mess up your shot and drop the target ball in a different pocket, your turn is still over.

3. Do not call out banks and combinations. In the standard rules of play, you do not need to specify this table action. All you need to give your opponent is the target ball and the intended pocket. However,

4. Do not call trick shots. Again, in standard pool, you do not need to call shots like the masse and so forth. All you need to mention is the ball and the pocket.

5. Do not call obvious shots. Shots that are straight in, or other wise obvious to all interested parties do not need to be called. However, your definition of obvious may differ from your opponent's.

Tips & Warnings

• A common house rule is a requirement to call bank shots, where a player is required to describe the action of the bank shot before shooting. Although this is not an official rule as recognized by the Billiard Congress of America, you should find out if this house rule is observed in casual games you play.
• Another common house rule is calling shots that require striking other balls in play on the table in order to complete the shot. This is not covered in the official rules of billiards, but many players impose this rule for an added challenge.
• House rules are quite common in pool, and you should find out if a given table uses different rules. Also, the house rules of pool have dozens of regional variations. Again, knowing these variations up front can save you a lot of hassle at the table.

Resources

• Official Ruling for Calling Shots

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