8 Ball is a great game for beginners. The rules are very simple and can be played by either 2 or 4 people. The object of the game is to sink all your balls then the 8 ball. 8Ball is not a game you are going to find in a casino, unless there is a poll tournament going on, but the game can be gambled in very simply.



Game Play

1) Before the game can start the balls must be “racked up". To do this you take the balls and put them in the rack. The rack is a triangle that can be found near almost every pool table. The 8 Ball goes in the center of the rack, the one ball goes in the front and a solid and a striped ball must go in the other 2 corners. The rest of the balls go in an alternating pattern. It is during this time that if a bet on the game is going to be made it should be done. In pool gambling can be done on almost any aspect of the game who will win, what color will be the first to be sunk or who will sink the first ball. Some people like to make several bets like who will win and a side bet on who will scratch first, or if a player is going to attempt a difficult shot you can gamble on if they will make it or not.

2) The Rack gets set at the lower end of the table with the 1 ball facing the front. Every pool table has a dot at one end of the table this is called the foot. The foot is the spot where the one ball should be placed with the rack. After the one ball is in place slowly remove the rack without disturbing the balls, making sure that all the balls are snug up against each other.

3) The next step is to decide who is going to break. If you are playing in a bar and they are playing elimination, this is where the winner stays on the table and the next person in line plays him, then the winner of the last game generally goes first.

4) For the break the cue (White) ball must be behind the head string. The head string is a line that runs the width of the table at the head of the table. The purpose of the break is to hit the racked balls and spread them out on the table.

5) Players alternate turns until someone sinks a ball. Once a ball has been sunk you are now assigned what group of balls are yours. Whichever ball either stripe or solid you sink is what you are. If you get one of your balls in during your turn then you go again and again until you miss.

6) If during your turn you sink one of the other players balls you do not get to go again, and if you sing the Cue ball the other player must place it behind the head string and it must be shot past the head string before it contacts any balls, but the player can place it anywhere behind the line he wishes.

7) Once all 7 of your balls are in the pockets you can start to shoot for the 8 ball. Most people do not call their shots during 8 Ball, but the 8 ball must be called before you shoot, and if it goes into the wrong pocket you lose the game.

8) Is at any time you sink the 8 Ball before you are done sinking your other 7 balls you automatically lose the game.