Billiards, the classic game of skill, strategy and even a little luck, is known
throughout the world. This incredibly popular game has become a stigma in popular and
world culture. Many homes, especially in America, are in fact, equipped with billiard
tables. There are many different types of games one may play on a billiards table, the
most popular being 8-Ball. This essay will cover some of the basic rules of some of the
more popular games that are actual used in professional tournament play including 8Ball, 9-Ball, 14.1 Continuous, Rotation and Bank Pool.
The classic game of 8-Ball is played with the cue ball and all 15 object balls,
numbered 1-15, 7 solid (balls 1-7), 7 striped (balls 9-15) and the 8-ball. The object of 8ball is for a player to legally pocket a whole group of balls (stripes or solids) and then
legally pocket the 8-ball. Every shot in 8-ball must be a call shot, which is defined as a
shot that has a clear indication of which pocket it will go in, and the necessary banks,
cushions, caroms, etc. that it will need get into the pocket. The opening break is set-up as
a triangle with the one ball in the foot spot, and a solid and stripe in the opposite corners.
The order of break goes to the winner of the lag or one of the following: players alternate
the break, loser breaks, or the player trailing in the count breaks. A legal break is when
either a ball is pocketed or at least 4 balls hit a rail. After that, players take turn on an
“open” table, or a table that any ball is a legal ball until a player pockets a ball from one
of the two groups. Scoring in 8-ball is relatively simple, as a player scores whenever he
or she successfully and legally pockets a ball of his or her own group. Fouls are occurred
when a player scratches, slops (puts the ball in the pocket, but not the called pocket),
misses the object ball or jumps the ball off the table. There are a few ways to
automatically lose the game, however. Automatic loss of the game occurs when: a foul is
committed while pocketing the 8-ball, pocketing the 8-ball at the same time as the last of
the group, jumping the 8-ball at any time, pocketing the 8-ball when it is not legal and
pocketing the 8-ball in a non-called pocket. 8-ball is a relatively simple game to
understand and play, but far from simple to master. Another popular game played
worldwide is 9-ball.
9-ball is played with, obviously, 9-balls (balls 1-9), the object of the game being
to pocket the 9-ball OR pocket more balls than the opposing player, but the object ball
must be the lowest numbered ball on the table. However, this game allows slop, so if a
player were to hit the 1-ball into the 9-ball and pocket the 9-ball, the player would win
the game. A legal break in this game is when the cue ball strikes the 1-ball first and either
pockets a ball or drive 4 balls into the rails. From there on, 9-ball is relatively similar to
8-ball with a few differences. One of the main differences is if a player commits three
consecutive fouls, the game is over. 9-ball is a much shorter game, typically, than 8-ball,
but there is still plenty of skill and strategy needed to play the game. A player can win in
one shot in this game if the opposite player is not careful. 9-ball is second in popularity
only to 8-ball due to the fact that it’s a much faster game than 8-ball. A game that can go
on for literally forever is 14.1 continuous.
14.1 continuous is a unique game in that it goes as long as the player never misses
the ball. The object of the game in tournament play is to score a predetermined amount
of points, usually somewhere around 150. The player nominates ever ball and every
pocket that he will strike the ball into and gains 1 point for every successful ball
pocketed. The player continues to play unless he or she fails to pocket their nominated
ball or fouls. If a player pockets 14 balls consecutively, they are reracked and set before
the 15th ball is played. 14.1 is an incredibly difficult game to play, as the rules are
incredibly stingy on how every ball must be called and every pocket must be called. The
player needs to learn how to set up a perfect shot every time and put the cue ball in a
position that would be able to not only break the freshly racked balls but also pocket them
as well. To add to the difficulty, not only does a foul on a player cause him or her to lose
their turn, but to also lose one point. More severe penalties are given for deliberate fouls
(which can cost up to 16 points) or have successive fouls, which can lead to having 18
points subtracted. 14.1 continuous tournaments are not as common as 8-ball or 9-ball,
but they truly show off the skill and strategic decision-making of the players. A simpler
and similar game is called Rotation.
Rotation is a simpler game, in that the object is to score more points than one’s
opponent out of 15 balls. Points are determined by the value of the ball’s number (1=1
point, 2=2 points, etc.) Rotation, however, requires that the object ball is the lowest
numbered ball, but any ball that is pocketed after the object ball is touched is considered
a legal shot, so this game is also a slop game. Rotation, like 14.1 continuous requires the
player to have amazing shot placement and position placement so that they can combo,
carom, etc. lower point balls into the higher point balls and score larger points. The game
ends when all the balls are pocketed or when a player, in a two-player game, scores 61
points, eliminating the opponent from being able to outscore the player. Rotation is a
tricky game that requires lots of skill to play, but it is defiantly more relaxing and less
stressful than 14.1 continuous, as the player can miss a couple of shots and still survive in
this game. The final game that this essay will discuss is that of bank pool.
Bank pool requires fantastic technique in understanding the rails and angles of a
billiards table. The game uses the standard 15 balls and cue ball and is set-up the same as
8-ball. However, that’s where the similarities end. The table is open the whole game and
a player in a two-player wins the game when they reach 8 balls (the majority). This,
however, is no easy task as there are no “straight-in” shots allowed. The ball (any
numbered or cue) must come into contact with at least one cushion or a foul is
committed. All shots are called, which means the ball, pocket, and the number of cushion
touches must be announced unless it obvious to both players. The banks as well must be
clean, no caroms, kisses or combos are allowed. As well, a player is not allowed to bank
the ball off of the “jaws” of the pocket, or the area immediately beside the pocket. Bank
pool is an incredibly difficult game that requires a mastery of the bank shot. Practice is a
must for anyone who wants to become a master at this game.
Billiards is one of the most popular games in the world, partially because of it’s
versatility and the fact that there are so many different games to choose from. Whether a
person is playing for fun or sport, or they are actually trying to make a career out of it, it
is important to always know what the game is about and how to legally play it at all
times. A clear, well-rounded understanding of the rules will defiantly give a player an
advantage over his opponent.