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Eight-ball

One of numerous proper <dfn title="Rack"

class="explain" >racks</dfn> in standardized

eight-ball: The two rear corner balls are of different

<dfn title="Suit" class="explain" >suits</dfn>, the 8

ball is in the center, and the apex ball is on the <dfn

title="Foot spot" class="explain" >foot spot</dfn>.

Eight-ball (often spelled 8-ball or eightball, and sometimes called

spots and stripes, stripes and solids or, more rarely, bigs and

littles or highs and lows) is a pool (pocket billiards) game popular

in much of the world, and the subject of international professional

and amateur competition. Played on a pool table with six pockets,

the game is so universally known in some countries that beginners

are often unaware of other pool games and believe the word "pool"

itself refers to eight-ball. The game has numerous variations,

including Alabama eight-ball, crazy eight, last pocket, misery,

Missouri, 1 and 15 in the sides, rotation eight ball, soft eight, and

others. Standard eight-ball is the second most competitive

professional pool game, after nine-ball and for the last several

decades ahead of straight pool.

Eight-ball is played with sixteen balls: a <dfn title="Cue ball"

class="explain" >cue ball</dfn>, and fifteen <dfn title="Object

ball" class="explain" >object balls</dfn> consisting of seven

striped balls, seven solid-colored balls and the black 8 ball. After

the balls are scattered with a <dfn title="Break" class="explain"

>break shot</dfn>, the players are assigned either the group of solid balls or the stripes once a ball from a particular

group is legally pocketed. The ultimate object of the game is to legally pocket the eight ball in a called pocket, which

can only be done after all of the balls from a player's assigned group have been cleared from the table.

History

The game of eight-ball is derived from an earlier game invented around 1900 (first recorded in 1908) in the United

States and initially popularized under the name "B.B.C. Co. Pool" (a name that was still in use as late as 1925) by the

Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company. This forerunner game was played with seven <dfn title="Yellow ball"

class="explain" >yellow</dfn> and seven <dfn title="Red ball" class="explain" >red balls</dfn>, a <dfn

title="Black ball" class="explain" >black ball</dfn>, and the cue ball. Today, numbered <dfn title="Stripes"

class="explain" >stripes</dfn> and <dfn title="Solids" class="explain" >solids</dfn> are preferred in most of the

world, though the British-style offshoot, blackball, uses the traditional colors (as did early televised "casino"

tournaments in the U.S.). The game had relatively simple rules compared to today and was not added (under any

name) to an official rule book (i.e., one published by a national or international sport governing body) until

1940.[1]:24, 89 – 90[2][3][4]

Standardized Rules of Play

American-style eight-ball rules are played around the world by professionals, and in many amateur leagues.

Nevertheless, the rules for eight-ball may be the most contested of any billiard game. There are several competing

sets of "official" rules. The non-profit World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) – with national affiliates around the

world, some of which long pre-date the WPA, such as the Billiard Congress of America (BCA)  –  promulgates

standardized rules as  Pool Billiards – The Rules of Play[5]

for amateur and professional play. Meanwhile, many

amateur leagues, such as the American Poolplayers Association (APA) / Canadian Poolplayers Association (CPA),

and the Valley National Eight-ball Association (VNEA, international in scope despite its historic name), use their

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own rulesets (most of them at least loosely based on the WPA/BCA version), while millions of individuals play

informally using colloquial rules which vary not only from area to area but even from venue to venue.

A summary of the international rules follows (see the WPA/BCA or other leagues' published rules, which conflict on

minor points, for more details).

EquipmentThe table's playing surface is approximately 9 by 4.5 feet (2.7 by 1.4 m) (regulation size), though some leagues and

tournaments using the World Standardized Rules may allow smaller sizes, down to 7 by 3.5 feet (2.1 by 1.1 m), and

early-20th-century 10 by 5 feet (3 by 1.5 m) models are sometimes also used.

There are seven <dfn title="solids" class="explain" >solid-colored balls</dfn> numbered 1 through 7, seven <dfn

title="stripes" class="explain" >striped balls</dfn> numbered 9 through 15, an <dfn title="8 ball" class="explain" >8

ball</dfn>, and a <dfn title="cue ball" class="explain" >cue ball</dfn>. The balls are usually colored as follows:

•• 1 and 9: yellow

•• 2 and 10: blue

•• 3 and 11: red

• 4 and 12: purple (TV: pink)1

•• 5 and 13: orange

•• 6 and 14: green

• 7 and 15: brown (TV: tan)1

•• 8 - black  

•• Cue - white

1Special sets designed to be more easily discernible on television substitute a rather light tan shade for the

normally darker brown of the 7 and 15 balls, and pink for the dark purple of the 4 and 12; these

alternative-color sets are now also available to consumers.

Setup

To start the game, the <dfn title="Object ball" class="explain" >object balls</dfn> are placed in a triangular rack.

The base of the rack is parallel to the <dfn title="End rail" class="explain" >end rail</dfn> (the short end of the pool

table) and positioned so the apex ball of the rack is located on the <dfn title="Foot spot" class="explain" >foot

spot</dfn>. The balls in the rack are ideally placed so that they are all in contact with one another; this is

accomplished by pressing the balls together from the back of the rack toward the apex ball. The order of the balls

should be random, with the exceptions of the 8 ball, which must be placed in the center of the rack (i.e., the middle

of the third row), and the two back corner balls one of which must be a stripe and the other a solid. The cue ball is

placed anywhere the breaker desires inside the "<dfn title="Kitchen" class="explain" >kitchen</dfn>".

Break

One person is chosen (by a predetermined method, e.g., coin flip, win or loss of previous game, or <dfn title="Lag"

class="explain" >lag</dfn>) to shoot first and <dfn title="Break" class="explain" >break</dfn> the object-ball rack 

apart. If the shooter who breaks fails to make a legal break (usually defined as at least four balls hitting cushions or

an object ball being pocketed), then the opponent can call for a <dfn title="Re-rack" class="explain" >re-rack</dfn>

and become the breaker, or elect to play from the current position of the balls.

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Long-exposure photograph of a break in eight-ball

According to World Standardized Rules, if 

the 8 ball is pocketed on the break without

<dfn title="Foul" class="explain"

>fouling</dfn>, the breaker may ask for a

re-rack and break again, or have the 8 ball

<dfn title="Spot" class="explain">spotted</dfn> and continue shooting with

the balls as they lie. If the breaker scratches

(pockets the cue ball) while pocketing the 8

ball on the break, the incoming player may

call for a re-rack and break, or have the 8

ball spotted and begin shooting with <dfn

title="Ball-in-hand" class="explain"

>ball-in-hand</dfn> behind the <dfn

title="Head string" class="explain" >head

string</dfn>, with the balls as they lie. (For regional amateur variations, such as pocketing the 8 on the break being an instant win or loss, see "Informal rule

variations", below.)

Turns

A player (or team) will continue to shoot until committing a <dfn title="Foul" class="explain" >foul</dfn>, or

failing to legally pocket an object ball on a non-foul shot (whether <dfn title="Safety" class="explain"

>intentionally</dfn> or not). Thereupon it is the turn of the opposing player(s). Play alternates in this manner for the

remainder of the game. Following a foul, the incoming player has <dfn title="Ball-in-hand" class="explain"

>ball-in-hand</dfn> anywhere on the table, unless the foul occurred on the break shot, as noted previously.

[5]

Pocketing the 8 ball

Once all of a player's or team's group of object balls are pocketed, they may attempt to sink the 8 ball. To win, the

player (or team) must first designate which pocket they plan to sink the 8 ball into and then successfully pot the 8

ball in that called pocket. If the 8 ball falls into any pocket other than the one designated or is knocked off the table,

or a foul (see below) occurs and the 8 ball is pocketed, this results in loss of game. Otherwise, the shooter's turn is

simply over, including when a foul such as a scratch occurs on an unsuccessful attempt to pocket the 8 ball. In short,

a World Standardized Rules game of eight-ball, like a game of nine-ball, is not over until the "<dfn title="Money

ball" class="explain" >money ball</dfn>" is no longer on the table. This rule is unusual to some bar and league

players, because in American, Canadian and many other varieties of <dfn title="Bar pool" class="explain" >bar

pool</dfn>, and in some leagues, such as APA, such a foul is a loss of game. This is not the case in World

Standardized Rules, nor in some other leagues that use those rules or a variant of them, e.g. VNEA beginning with

the 2008/2009 season, and BCAPL), and USAPL.

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Winning

Any of the following results in a game win:

•• A player legally pockets the 8 ball into a designated pocket, after all of that player's object balls have been

pocketed

•• The opposing player illegally pockets the 8 ball (e.g. before clearing all of that player's object balls, does so on the

same shot as the last such object ball, or the 8 falls into a pocket other than the one that was designated)

•• The opposing player knocks the 8 ball off the table.

• The opposing player commits any foul, including scratching the cue ball into a pocket, or knocking it off the

table, in the course of a shot that pockets the 8 ball. (As noted above, a scratch or other foul while shooting for the

8 ball is not a loss of the game if the 8 is not pocketed or jumped from the table.)

Fouls

• The shooter fails to strike one of his own object balls (or the 8 ball, if all of said object balls are already pocketed)

with the cue ball, before other balls (if any) are contacted by the cue ball. This excludes "<dfn title="Split"

class="explain" >split</dfn>" shots, where the cue ball strikes one of the shooter's and one of the opponent's

object ball simultaneously.

•• No ball comes into contact with a cushion or is pocketed, after legal cue ball contact with the (first) object ball (or

8 ball, if shooting for the 8).

•• If an attempt is made at a pot in pool, the ball hits the pocket, bounces out and lands on the ground, the ball is

placed in the pocket and the game continues.

• The cue ball is pocketed ("<dfn title="Scratch" class="explain" >scratched</dfn>")

• The shooter does not have at least one foot on the floor (this requirement may be waived if the shooter is disabled

in a relevant way, or the venue has not provided a <dfn title="Mechanical bridge" class="explain" >mechanical

bridge</dfn>)

•• The cue ball is shot before all balls have come to a complete stop from the previous shot

•• The cue ball is struck more than once during a shot

•• The cue ball is jumped entirely or partially over an obstructing ball with an illegal jump shot that scoops under the

cue ball

•• The cue ball is clearly pushed (shoved slowly, rather than struck), with the cue tip remaining in contact with it

more than momentarily

•• The shooter touches the cue ball with something other than the tip of the cue

• The shooter touches any ball (with body, clothing or equipment), other than as necessary to move the cue ball

when the player has <dfn title="Ball-in-hand" class="explain" >ball-in-hand</dfn>

•• The shooter knocks a ball off the table

•• The shooter has shot out-of-turn• On the break shot, no balls are pocketed and fewer than four balls reach the cushions (in which case the incoming

player can demand a re-rack and take the break or force the original breaker to re-break, or may take ball-in-hand

behind the <dfn title="Head string" class="explain" >head string</dfn> and shoot the balls as they lie)

Informal rule variations

Canada

In Canada there are a similar level and types of variation as in the US (see below). One particularly common feature

of Canadian bar pool is the "hooked yourself on the 8" rule — failure to hit the 8 ball when one is shooting for the 8

is a loss of game, unless one was <dfn title="Snooker" class="explain" >hooked</dfn> (<dfn title="Snooker"

class="explain" >snookered</dfn>) by one's opponent (even then, if <dfn title="Called pocket" class="explain" >a

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pocket is called</dfn> for the 8, as opposed to "just a shot", i.e. a <dfn title="Safety" class="explain" >safety</dfn>,

failure to hit the 8 is an instant loss). Pocketing an opponent's <dfn title="Object ball" class="explain" >object

ball</dfn> while shooting for the 8, even if the shot was otherwise legal, is also a game-loser, often even in local

league play. <dfn title="Split" class="explain" >"Split" shots</dfn>, where the <dfn title="Cue ball" class="explain"

>cue ball</dfn> appears to simultaneously strike a legal and an opponent's object balls, are generally considered

legal shots in informal games, as long as they are called as split shots, and the hit is in fact simultaneous to the

human eye. A further Canadian bar-pool peccadillo is that a shot is a <dfn title="Visit" class="explain"

>visit</dfn>-ending (but not <dfn title="Ball-in-hand" class="explain" >ball-in-hand</dfn>) foul if one pockets

one's called shot but also pockets another ball incidentally, even if it is one's own (however, if that secondary

pocketing was also called, the shot is legal, regardless of the order in which the balls were dropped).

Latin America

The <dfn title="Rack" class="explain" >racked</dfn> balls are often loose, crooked and/or not exactly on the <dfn

title="Foot spot" class="explain" >foot spot</dfn> (it is not considered to matter), and the rack itself may be made of 

rubber, and flexible, making a tight rack physically impossible to achieve. Other than the 8 ball, other balls may be

placed far more randomly than players in other areas would tolerate, with large clusters of solids together, and stripeswith each other.

In most of Latin America, including Mexico, shots are un-<dfn title="Call" class="explain" >called</dfn>, as in

British pool (i.e. <dfn title="Slop" class="explain" >slop shots</dfn> count, a concept foreign to most American

players other than APA league members). In many if not most areas (Brazil being an exception), fouls result in <dfn

title="Ball-in-hand" class="explain" >ball-in-hand</dfn> behind the <dfn title="Head string" class="explain" >head

string</dfn> only, as in American bar pool (allowing for intentional scratches that leave the opponent a very difficult

shot if all opponent balls are "in the <dfn title="Kitchen" class="explain" >kitchen</dfn>", behind the headstring).

A common Latin American variant of "<dfn title="Last-pocket" class="explain" >last-pocket</dfn>" is that each

player is allowed either one (or even two) cue ball scratches when shooting for the 8, which must be pocketed in the

same pocket as the shooter's final object ball. Such fouls simply end the shooter's turn at the table and give the

opponent ball-in-hand behind the head string; only the second (or third, respectively) such scratch is a loss of game

(though scratching the 8 ball itself off the table or into the wrong pocket is an instant loss). This version is common

even in US pool bars that are dominated by recent Latino immigrants. This requirement has a profound effect upon

game strategy – it is effectively 5 times harder to <dfn title="Run out" class="explain" >run out</dfn> – and most

North American (and British, etc.) players are completely unprepared for it, unless they are last-pocket players.

Players must be very mindful what they do with their last few balls, and common failure to get <dfn title="Shape"

class="explain" >shape</dfn> that allows for the last object-ball shot to set the player up for an easy 8 ball shot into

the same pocket leads to long games with many <dfn title="Bank" class="explain" >bank</dfn>, <dfn title="Kick"

class="explain" >kick</dfn> and <dfn title="Kiss" class="explain" >kiss</dfn> shots on the 8.

In some parts of Latin America, especially South America, the 1 ball often must be pocketed in the right side pocket

(relative to the end of the table one breaks from), and the 15 ball must be pocketed in the other side pocket (left ).

This rule probably developed to make it harder to run out after the first shot. Position play takes a larger role in this

variation, and a player's strategy must necessarily initially revolve around getting the 1 or 15 in and preventing this

opponent from doing likewise. When racking the balls for this variation, the 1 and 15 balls are placed behind the 8

ball at the center of the rack, the 1 ball on the left and the 15 ball on the right (from the racker's perspective). Latino

last-pocket is virtually the only version of eight-ball played in Mexico, other than in the Mexico – United States

border area.

In Mexico, a minority of players rack with the 8 ball rather than the apex ball on the foot spot, a trait in common

with British blackball/8-ball pool. Pocketing the 8 ball on the <dfn title="Break" class="explain" >break shot</dfn>

is an instant win, as it usually is in American bar pool, but is not in the international rules. The only ball-in-hand

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(behind the head string) foul in Mexican pool is <dfn title="Scratch" class="explain" >scratching</dfn> the cue ball

into a pocket; other fouls are simply loss-of-turn. Because Mexican pool, except near the US border, is almost

always played on open-pocket pool-hall-style tables, rather than coin-operated tables that trap object balls, any of 

one's own balls pocketed on a foul are <dfn title="Spot" class="explain" >spotted</dfn> (but how they are spotted

varies widely, with the balls often placed against the <dfn title="Foot cushion" class="explain" >foot cushion</dfn>

on the <dfn title="Center string" class="explain" >center string</dfn>, and adjacent to nearby <dfn title="Diamond"

class="explain" >diamonds</dfn> if more than one must be spotted, instead of on the foot spot, but sometimes even

to the side at <dfn title="Long rail" class="explain" >long rail</dfn> diamonds, due to the influence of coyote, a

Mexican variant of Chicago; foot-spot spotting is neither common nor uncommon.) Pool itself is not considered a

very serious game in the country other than in the northern states; in most of Mexico, three-cushion billiards is the

serious game, while pool is mostly played by youths, by groups of friends (including many young women) as a bar

game to pass the time, and by older working-class men as an after-work activity. In many recreation halls, dominoes

is more popular than pool.

In many bars in Brazil (and not an official rule), a foul is generally punished by pocketing the lowest-numbered ball

of the opponent. In that case, the cue ball remains where it stopped, as ball-in-hand is not commonly used.

Additionally, in the case of scratching the cue ball, the opponent places the cue ball in <dfn title="Kitchen"class="explain" >the kitchen</dfn>, on the <dfn title="Head spot" class="explain" >head spot</dfn>, or most

commonly anywhere inside <dfn title=""D", the" class="explain" >the "D"</dfn>, indicating some British snooker

and/or blackball influence.

New Zealand

New Zealand eight-ball in many respects is closer to British blackball, but with numbered balls being used. <dfn

title=""D", the" class="explain" >A "D"</dfn> is drawn on the table above the <dfn title="Baulk line"

class="explain" >baulk line</dfn> (as on a snooker table) and the shooting player is required to place the cue ball

within it on the <dfn title="Break-off" class="explain" >break-off</dfn> and after an opponent <dfn title="Scratch"

class="explain" >scratches</dfn>. In some places, the "forward play" rule is followed: After a scratch, the player

with ball-in-hand must shoot forward of the baulk line, i.e. towards the rack area, even if all legal balls are behind the

baulk line. The "<dfn title="Two shots" class="explain" >two-shot rule</dfn>" of blackball may or may not be

followed; this depends on individual players and/or pubs.

The "nomination" rule is unique to New Zealand: A player <dfn title="Snooker" class="explain" >snookered</dfn>

on the 8 ball may nominate one of the opponent's balls (if any remain) to hit as an alternative, legal "<dfn title="Ball

on" class="explain" >ball on</dfn>". However, the shooter is not permitted to pot (pocket) such a nominated ball  – 

doing so results in a loss of game.

North Africa

In North African countries (as in Latin America, but reversed), both the 1 and 15 balls must be pocketed in the sides,

the 15 on the right and 1 on the left (relative to the end of the table one breaks from). The North African version of 

the informal game is always played "<dfn title="Last-pocket" class="explain" >last-pocket</dfn>". <dfn

title="Ball-in-hand" class="explain" >Ball-in-hand</dfn> is not taken on fouls, and "<dfn title="Bank-the-8"

class="explain" >bank-the-8</dfn>" is a very common rule in addition to last-pocket.

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United Kingdom

There are several colloquial blackball/8-ball pool variations, which  –  along with differences between published

blackball and 8-ball pool rules (which differ in various ways) and American-style and international eight-ball rules – 

can be encountered by eight-ball players as a form of culture clash when playing against opponents who are more

accustomed to UK pub pool, the <dfn title="Two shots" class="explain" >two-shot rules</dfn> being the most

significant.

Pakistan

During game play, if the player fails to hit a ball of his designated group or he hits the opponent's ball with the cue

ball, then the opponent receives 2 shots unless the opponent has pocketed all his balls and only the 8 ball remains,

then the opponent will only get one shot. In case of such a foul, the game continues with the player playing the cue

ball at the place where it stopped. If a Scratch occurs, then the opponent plays Ball-in-Hand but he is only allowed to

place it anywhere in the D however he can play the cue ball in any direction. Knocking a ball (apart from the cue

ball) off the table carries no plenty. Instead the misplaced ball is returned to its original place and the game

continues.

India

If a Foul or a Scratch is occurred while playing the 8 ball, as long as opponents has at least 1 ball of his group

present on the Table and the 8 ball is not pocketed the game continues and the opponent gets the chance, If the cue

ball is scratched, the opponent player gets 2 chances, but the ball has to be placed behind the break line, but if a foul

occurs, the cue ball continues to stay there and the opponent gets 2 chances before the opponent can play(irrespective

of if the player pots any of his balls in the first chance). the opponent also gets 2 chances if a player scratches. But if 

a player has only 8 ball left and the opponent sink his last solid/stripe ball with cue ball and if there is no ball in hand

rule the player loses the game. And if the 8 ball is the only ball on the table and if the player commits any kind of 

foul the game is over and the opponent wins.

United States

American bar players

Most commonly of all in American <dfn

title="Bar pool" class="explain" >bar

pool</dfn>, it is sometimes required that all

shots be <dfn title="Call-shot"

class="explain" >called</dfn> in detail, as

to what balls and bank/kick cushions will be

involved in the shot, with the shot

considered a turn-ending (but not

ball-in-hand) foul if not executed precisely

as planned (and a loss of game if the "foul"

shot pocketed the 8 ball).[6]

Contrariwise,

some Americans hold that nothing other

than the 8 ball has to be called in any way

 — "<dfn title="Slop" class="explain"

>slop</dfn>" counts.

In informal amateur play in most areas, the table will only be considered open if no balls were pocketed, or an equalnumber of stripes and solids were pocketed, or the cue ball was <dfn title="Scratch" class="explain"

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>scratched</dfn> (into a pocket or off the table), on the <dfn title="Break" class="explain" >break</dfn>; if an odd

number of balls were legally pocketed, such as one solid and two stripes, or no solids and one stripe, the breaker

must shoot the balls that were pocketed in the greatest quantity (stripes in these examples). The table is almost never

considered so <dfn title="Open" class="explain" >open</dfn> as for it to be legal to use a ball of the opposite <dfn

title="Suit" class="explain" >suit</dfn>, much less the 8 ball, as the first ball in a combination shot while the table is

open (despite this being perfectly legal in WPA World Standardized and many US league rules). In non-<dfn

title="Money game" class="explain" >money games</dfn> it is fairly common for a foul break in which the rack 

was not struck at all (e.g., due to a <dfn title="Miscue" class="explain" >miscue</dfn>) to be re-shot by the original

breaker.

Fouls, in common bar pool, that are not cue ball scratches generally only cause loss of turn, with cue ball left in place

(even if it is <dfn title="Hook" class="explain" >hooked</dfn>). Even in the case of a scratch, this only results in

<dfn title="Ball-in-hand" class="explain" >ball-in-hand</dfn> behind the <dfn title="Head string" class="explain" 

>head string</dfn>. Regionally, there is a great deal of bar pool variation in the handling of fouls while shooting at

and/or pocketing the 8 ball. In some cases any foul while shooting at but not pocketing the 8 is a loss of game, in

others only a foul while otherwise successfully pocketing the 8, and in yet others only certain fouls, such as also

sinking an opponent's ball or touching the 8 ball and scratching.

What is considered a foul further diverges from established, published rulesets. Scoop-under <dfn title="Jump shot"

class="explain" >jump shots</dfn> are usually considered valid (these are fouls in WPA and most league rules, as

they are <dfn title="Double-hit" class="explain" >double-hits</dfn>, though few players realize it). When a cue ball

is frozen or near-frozen to an object ball, shooting it dead-on, in line with both balls, is a foul in formal rulesets (as

another kind of double-hit), but is generally tolerated in bar pool.

Other US bar pool oddities varying from area to area include: Knocking the cue ball off the table on the break may

be an instant loss; scratching on the break may be an instant loss; pocketing the 8 ball on the break (without

scratching) may be either an instant win or instant loss (the latter being a rare variant); no sa feties may be allowed at

all – all shots may be required to be at least vaguely plausible attempts to pocket a legal ball; all jump shots may be

banned; <dfn title="Massé" class="explain" >massé shots</dfn> may be banned; it may be illegal to use the 8 ball in

any way in combinations, caroms or kisses; the 8 ball may be required to be pocketed "cleanly" in the sense of no

contact with other object balls (even if the <dfn title="Kiss" class="explain" >kiss shot</dfn> can be accurately

called); failure to hit one of one's own object balls (or the 8 if shooting for the 8) may be considered a "table scratch"

that gives the opponent a shot in-hand from behind the head string; failure to hit the 8 if shooting for the 8 may be a

loss of game; and a "split" shot, where the cue ball appears to simultaneously strike a legal ball and an opponent's

object ball, may be considered a legal shot, as long as it is called as a split shot, and the hit is in fact simultaneous to

the naked eye.

"<dfn title="Bank-the-8" class="explain" >Bank-the-8</dfn>" is a common American amateur variation, especially

on coin-operated <dfn title="Bar table" class="explain" >bar tables</dfn> (because it usually makes the game lastlonger), in which the 8 ball must be <dfn title="Bank shot" class="explain" >banked</dfn> off one or more <dfn

title="Cushion" class="explain" >cushions</dfn> (<dfn title="Kick shot" class="explain" >kick shots</dfn> may

also qualify in some versions), into the <dfn title="Call-pocket" class="explain" >called pocket</dfn>; either player

may suggest bank-the-eight at any time before or during the game, and the other may accept or refuse; all other rules

apply as usual. Playing bank-the-eight may be considered rude if there is a long line of players waiting to use the

table.

A similarly-motivated variant is "<dfn title="Last-pocket" class="explain" >last-pocket</dfn>", in which the 8 ball

must be pocketed in the same pocket as the shooting player's last object ball (i.e., each player may be said to

eventually "own" a pocket in which their 8 ball shot must be played if they have already run out their <dfn

title="Suit" class="explain" >suit</dfn>); all other rules apply as usual. This variant is popular in Mexico.

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Eight-ball 9

Due probably to the influence of nine-ball, in which the 1 ball must be the apex ball of the rack, most American bar

players traditionally rack a game of eight-ball with the 1 ball in this position. Racking is also typically done

solid-stripe-solid-stripe-solid along the two sides of the rack, resulting in solids being on all three corners. This is not

a legal rack in World Standardized Rules, nor any other notable league ruleset other than [[American Poolplayers

Association|APA].

Derivative games and variants

British-style variant

In the United Kingdom, eight-ball pool (and its internationally standardized variant blackball) as an overall rather

different version of the game has evolved, influenced by English billiards and snooker, and has become popular in

amateur competition in Britain, Ireland, Australia, and some other countries. As with American eight-ball, there are

multiple competing standards bodies that have issued international rules. Aside from using unnumbered object balls

(except for the 8), UK-style tables have pockets just larger than the balls, and more than one type of <dfn

title="Rest" class="explain" >rest</dfn> is typically used. The rules significantly differ in numerous ways, including

the handling of fouls, which may give the opponent two shots, racking (the 8 ball, not the apex ball, goes on the foot

spot), selection of which group of balls will be shot by which player, handling of <dfn title="Frozen" class="explain"

>frozen</dfn> balls and <dfn title="Snooker" class="explain" >snookers</dfn>, and many other details.

The English Pool Association [7] is recognized by the Sports Council as the governing body for pool including

blackball in England.

Eight-ball rotation

The hybrid game eight-ball rotation is a combination of eight-ball and rotation, in which the players must pocket

their balls (other than the 8, which remains last) in numerical order.

References

[1] Shamos, Mike (1999). The New Illustrated Encyclopedia of Billiards. New York City, NY, US: Lyons Press. ISBN 1-55821-797-5

[2] Jewett, Bob (February 2002). "8-Ball Rules: The Many Different Versions of One of Today's Most Common Games". Billiards Digest 

 Magazine: 22 – 23.

[3] Hickok, Ralph (2001). "Sports History: Pocket Billiards" (http:/   /  www. hickoksports.  com/  history/  billiard. shtml). . Retrieved 2006-12-13.

[4] Shamos, Mike (1995 – 2005). "A Brief History of the Noble Game of Billiards" (http:/   /  www. bca-pool.  com/  aboutus/  history/  start. shtml).

Billiard Congress America. . Retrieved 2006-12-13.

[5] (PDF) Pool Billiards – The Rules of Play (http:/   /  www. wpa-pool.  com/  pdf/  web/  WPA_Rules. pdf). World Pool-Billiard Association.

January 1, 2008. . Retrieved March 21, 2012.

[6] See for example: Mauro, Ted (2007). "Billiard Rules? Bar Rules, League Rules, Which Rules Are Straight Eight?" (http:/   /  www.

pool-billiards-game.com/  billiard-rules. html). Pool-Billiards-Game.com. Pueblo, Colorado: self-published. . Retrieved 2009-06-13. Many

other blogs and offline personal writings can confirm this author's take on the matter, but little authoritative has been written on the subject, as

"bar pool" is of little consequence in the world of organized pool.

[7] http:/    /  www. epa.org.  uk/  index.  php

External links

• World Pool-Billiard Association (http:/   /  www.wpa-pool.com/  )

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