How to Rack Pool Balls in a Triangle

To play 8-ball and other billiard games, you must rack the balls.

When playing the 8-ball rule variation of pool, you must rack the pool balls into a triangle shape on the table. In order to make this triangle shape, you must use a standard pool rack and place the pools balls in a particular order, based on color, within the rack. Once the rack is set, the game can begin.

Things You'll Need

• Triangle rack
• Pool balls

Instructions

1. Place the rack on the pool table with one of the tips on the foot spot, which is the dot sticker on one end of the pool table.

2. Place a striped pool ball in one of the back corners of the rack.

3. Place a solid pool ball in the opposite back corner of the rack.

4. Fill the remaining spots in the back line of the rack with alternating color pool balls. If done correctly the color order will be solid, striped, solid, striped.

5. Fill the next line, working towards the front tip of the rack using the alternating color scheme.

6. Fill the next line using the alternating color scheme, but making sure that the middle ball is the black 8-ball.

7. Fill all remaining lines using the alternating color pattern until the rack is completely filled.

8. Roll the rack in a circular motion around the table to tighten the formation of the balls, with the tip of the rack coming to rest on the foot spot.

9. Lift the rack using the tips of your fingers, taking care not to disturb the triangle formation. The racking process is now complete.

References

• BCA-Pool: World Standardized rules

Resources

• Albaspectrum: How to Rack Billards Balls for a Game of 8 Ball