8 ball pool: the rules and tips for beginners
8 ball is the pool game most people know. Here are the rules in plain words, plus tips you can try straight away in 8 Ball Pool, a free 3D game with a practice mode and a daily trick shot.
The rules
- The set-up. Fifteen balls are racked in a triangle: seven solid colours (1 to 7), seven stripes (9 to 15) and the black 8 ball in the middle.
- The break. The first player hits the cue ball into the rack to scatter it.
- Choosing a group. The table is open until a player legally pots a ball. That ball decides whether they play solids or stripes, and the other player takes the other group.
- Taking turns. Keep shooting while you pot one of your balls. If you miss, your turn ends.
- Fouls. A foul gives your opponent the cue ball anywhere on the table. Common fouls are potting the cue ball (a scratch), hitting the wrong group first, or not hitting any ball.
- Winning. After clearing your group, pot the 8 ball in the pocket you call. If you pot it early, pot it in the wrong pocket or scratch while potting it, you lose.
Beginner tips
- Aim for the pocket, not the ball. Picture where the ball must hit the target so it travels to the pocket, then line up the cue ball with that spot.
- Use less power than you think. A gentle shot is easier to aim and leaves the cue ball close for the next one.
- Think one shot ahead. Pick the shot that leaves you an easy next ball, not just the one you can pot.
- Learn follow and draw. Hitting the cue ball above its centre makes it follow the target ball. Hitting below pulls it back.
- Clear problem balls early. Break up clusters and free blocked balls while the table is still busy.
- Do not pot the 8 early. It is the quickest way to lose.
Practise
Try Practice mode to clear the table and the daily trick shot, a seeded layout where fewer shots score higher. For more games with aim and power, see Air Hockey, Bowling Lanes and Carrom Flick.
