9 Ball Pool Rules

9 Ball pool rules should not be hard to follow because it is one of the easiest pool games to understand. It is played with a few friends using a pool table, pool sticks and pool balls. There are rules to the game, so making sure that the players know and understand them is essential when you would like to play with a lot of people.

1. Playing nine ball. This pool game is played on a billiards table that has six pockets around the edges of the table and using ten pool balls. The cue ball is the one that is always hit throughout the game. The cue ball is the one that strikes the colored balls into the pockets. The object of the game is to pocket the nine ball in a legal manner according to the rules in affect for the time.
2. Calling shots. All the shots that are made, including the break, do not have to be called by the player accurately like in other pool games. The lowest ball has to be the first ball hit during the game. No other higher balls can be hit with the cue ball when there is one lower than it on the table. This will make it a foul. The nine ball can be pocketed at any time throughout the game for a win.
3. Alternating turns. Players have to alternate turns on the table, going from one player to another, unless one person pockets a ball. In which case, they will go again. Once the player misses, the turn is then handed off to the other player or team.
4. The rack in nine ball. The balls are placed in a diamond shape using the rack. The one ball is at the tip of the triangle, and all the others are placed in numerical order thereafter. Sometimes the rest of the balls are just thrown in. There are racks that hold fifteen or nine balls depending on what you have. The rack is removed in the beginning of the game, and the player then breaks the triangle.
5. Winning the game of nine ball. Winning the game of nine ball can occur at any time throughout the game. The person can pocket the nine ball once hitting the lowest ball on a break without committing to a foul. Since there are many combinations and events that can happen throughout the game of nine ball, the actual time of the game varies.