Rules in General
A billiards table has a slate base, covered with green baize. Its length is always double its width. For major competition, the table is 5 by 10 or 4½ by 9 feet; other sizes 4 by 8, and 3½ by 7.
The playing surface is 29¼" to 31" inches above the floor. Because of the cushions surrounding it, the actual playing surface is somewhat smaller than the overall dimensions of the table. On a 4½ by 9 pool table, for example, the playing area is 50 by 100 inches.
These rules generally apply to all billiards games: The shooter must have at least one foot on the floor when stroking the cue ball; must not disturb any of the balls in any way, except by stroking the cue ball; must keep on shooting, losing the turn on the first miss. A foul is penalized by loss of turn and, usually, by forfeiture of 1 point.
Pocket Billiards
All of the pocket games are played on a table with six pockets. The four corner pockets are 4 7/8 to 5 1/8" wide, with an opening angle of 142 degrees. The two side pockets are 5 3/8 to 5 5/8" wide, with an opening angle of 103 degrees.
The foot end of the table is the end on which the balls are racked and the head end is the end from which the break shot is taken. The exact center of the playing area is marked by the center spot. Halfway between the center spot and the ends of the table are two other spots, the foot spot and the head spot. Four imaginary lines called strings subdivide the table into eight sections. The long string runs the length of the table, through the center spot. The foot, center, and head strings run across the table, through the spots for which they are named.
To assist players in calculating angles for bank shots, the cushions are marked by 18 diamonds, three between each set of two pockets. Pool balls are 2¼ inches in diameter, with a weight of 5½ to 6 ounces. The cue stick must be at least 40 inches long, with a weight of no more than 25 ounces. The maximum width of the tip is 14 millimeters.
There are 15 object balls, numbered 1 through 15. The "low balls," 1 through 7 are solid colors, and the "high balls," 9 through 15, are striped. As the middle ball in the sequence, the 8 ball stands alone.
| Color | Solid | Striped |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow | 1 | 9 |
| Blue | 2 | 10 |
| Red | 3 | 11 |
| Dark Blue | 4 | 12 |
| Orange | 5 | 13 |
| Green | 6 | 14 |
| Purple | 7 | 15 |
| Black | 8 | -- |
The object of pocket billiards is to knock object balls into pockets by action of the cue ball.
Before a match, players "lag" to determine the order of play. Each player strokes the cue ball against the foot cushion from behind the head string. The player whose ball comes nearest the head cushion after rebounding from the foot cushion is given the choice of whether to shoot first or second.
The scratch is a special kind of foul in pocket billiards. The most common scratch occurs when the cue ball goes into a pocket or jumps off the table. It's a table scratch if the cue ball remains on the playing surface but the shooter fails to fulfill certain requirements: for example, if the cue ball doesn't touch an object ball.
The specific penalty for a scratch varies with the type of pocket billiards being played. Generally, though, the opponent is given the ball in hand to be placed on the table for the next shot.
14.1 Continuous
Also known as straight pool, 14.1 continuous gets its name from the fact that, in each rack, 14 balls are pocketed and the 15th is left on the table as a break ball for the next rack.
The 15 object balls are racked in a pyramid, with its apex on the foot spot. The 1 ball goes in the right corner of the rack (from the racker's point of view), the 5 ball in the left corner. The other balls are arranged randomly.
The break shot must be made from behind the head string. On the opening break, a player must either pocket a called ball or send two or more object balls into a cushion. Failure to accomplish either of these goals means a penalty of 2 points; the opponent may then accept the balls just as they are or require the starting player to take another break shot.
Throughout the game, on each turn, a player must call a ball and the pocket it is intended for; failure to make the called ball in the called pocket results in loss of turn. If the called ball is legally sunk in the right pocket, the player gets a point, plus a point for each other ball that's sunk on the shot.
The player is not penalized for failing to hit the designated object ball, provided that the cue ball hits a different object ball and that either the object ball or the cue ball then hits a cushion. If the player fails to accomplish one of these alternatives, it is a "table scratch," and calls for a penalty of 1 point; table scratches on three consecutive turns call for an additional penalty of 15 points, or a total penalty of 18 points, and the balls are reracked, with the penalized player making the break shot. It is a "scratch" if at any time the cue ball goes into a pocket. The penalty is 1 point and loss of turn; if the player pocketed a ball on the shot, the ball is brought back up and spotted.
A player who doesn't feel able to make a shot may call a "safe," or "safety shot." The cue ball must hit an object ball, and either the cue ball or the object ball must then hit the rail.
As mentioned, after 14 balls have been sunk, the 15th ball is left in place on the table, as is the cue ball, for the break shot on the next rack, with the player who sank the fourteenth ball continuing to play. If the 15th ball interferes with the rack, it's placed on the head spot. If the cue ball interferes with the rack, there are three possibilities:
- If the 15th ball is on the head spot, the cue ball is placed on the center spot.
- If the 15th ball is within the head string, the cue ball is placed on the head spot.
- If the 15th ball is not within the head string, the player has the cue ball on hand.
Game is 150 points in major matches.
Eight Ball
The object of eight ball is to sink all seven balls in a group, the low (solid colored) or high (striped) group, and then to sink the 8 ball legally.
The balls are racked and broken as in 14.1, with the 8 ball in the middle of the rack. The player must either pocket a ball or drive at least four balls to a rail for the break to be legal. If the break is illegal, the balls are reracked and the other player breaks.
If the breaker legally sinks the 8 ball on the break without scratching, it's a win. If any other ball is sunk, the player continues to shoot balls in the same group (low or high). If a ball from each group is pocketed, the player has the choice of groups. However, if he fails to pocket a ball on the second the shot, his opponent now has the choice of groups.
Once it has been determined which group a player is shooting for, the cue ball must first hit a ball in that group on each subsequent shot, or it is a foul. Sinking the 8 ball out of turn, or causing it to leave the table, results in loss of game. If any other ball is knocked off the table, it is placed on the foot spot, or on the center line directly behind if the foot spot is occupied.
If a player fails to pocket a ball, it is a foul if neither the cue ball nor an object ball touches a rail in the course of the shot.
Nine Ball
In this version of pocket billiards, only the balls numbered 1 through 9 are used. They're racked in a diamond shape, with the 1 ball on the spot and the 9 ball in the middle of the third row. The other balls are arranged randomly.
The player who breaks must hit the 1 ball first, and must either pocket a ball or drive at least four balls to a rail. If those requirements aren't met, it's a foul, and the next player may place the cue ball anywhere on the table for the ensuing shot.
On each shot, the cue ball must first contact the lowest-numbered ball on the table, but the balls don't have to be pocketed in numerical order. If no ball is pocketed on a shot, the cue ball or one of the numbered balls must strike a rail, or it is a foul.
If a ball is pocketed on a foul shot, it remains down, unless it is the 9 ball, which is respotted. If a ball jumps off the table as the result of a shot, it is a foul and the ball is not respotted, unless it is the 9 ball.
If a player commits any foul, including a scratch, the opponent is given the cue ball in hand and may place it anywhere on the table for the next shot, provided it's not in contact with an object ball.
The player who legally pockets the 9 ball wins the game.
Snooker
Though essentially a pocket billiards game, snooker is quite different from those described above. It has its own special table, and it's played with 22 balls, each 2 1/6 inches in diameter. All pockets are 4 inches in diameter. There are fifteen red object balls, a cue ball, and six colored object balls, numbered from 2 through 7.
The red object balls are racked as in pocket billiards, and the other object balls are placed on their own designated spots. The cue ball is put in play from within a semicircle behind the end string. A player must first make a red ball and then one of the numbered balls. The numbered balls are respotted until all the red balls have been sunk; then the numbered balls stay down. The player with the highest number of points after all balls are off the table is the winner. A foul in American snooker calls for a forfeiture of 7 points.
Carom Billiards
The carom billiards games are played on pocketless tables, and the object is to score "caroms" or "billiards" involving all the balls on the table. The most widely played version today is three-cushion, in which there are two object balls and one cue ball. The cue ball has to strike three rails before it strikes the second object ball. The first object ball may be struck first, or a player may hit one or more cushions with the cue ball before hitting the first object ball, but the cue ball must always hit three or more cushions before touching the second object ball. A point is scored for each successful shot. Game is usually 50 points.
There are similar one-cushion and two-cushion games, but they are obsolete. Straight-rail billiards is the one-cushion game. This is essentially the game rendered obsolete by experts with their "rail-nursing." To prevent rail-nursing, the balkline billiards games were invented. All versions have essentially the same rules. Balklines are drawn a certain distance from each cushion, and "anchors," 7-inch squares, are drawn where the balklines meet the cushions. Except for the center rectangle, each rectangle formed by the balklines is a "balk area."
Each balkline game is identified by a number. In 18.2 balkline, the balklines are drawn 18 in from the cushions; and when two object balls are in the same balk area, the player is allowed to score only 2 points in that area. After scoring the second point, the player must drive one of the object balls out of the balk area. If it hits a cushion and returns to the same balk area, the player can continue.
In 14.1 balkline, the balklines are drawn 14 in from the cushion, and a player is allowed only 1 point when both balls are in the same balk area.
Other forms of the game are 14.2, 18.1, and 28.2.