Straight pool allows the player to pocket any object ball on the table, regardless of its number or color, until just one object ball and the cue ball remain, after which the other fourteen balls are replaced.... A penalty shot can only be taken with a single ball remaining in the rack.
This means that if you shoot an 8-ball into the corner, you can still win even though it's not your best shot. You just have to make sure that you sink that last ball too!
The object of the game is simply to sink as many balls as possible within 90 seconds. Points are awarded based on how many balls enter the pockets from the tip of the cue stick. If you hit a ball out of the playing field, it is lost. You can only take penalty shots with balls that are in the corner. If none of the balls are in the corner, then you must wait your turn again.
There are two ways to score points: by hitting balls into designated areas of the table (called "pocketed"), or by sinking balls that are placed directly in front of you ("free shots").
Hitting balls into the corner gives you a point for each ball that enters a pocket. If you fail to make any of these shots, then you lose a point.
Pool is a type of cue sport that is played on a table with six pockets along the rails into which balls are dropped. Each pool game has its own name; some of the more well-known include eight-ball, eight-ball pool and its variation blackball, nine-ball, ten-ball, seven-ball, straight pool, one-pocket, and so on.
The object of pool is to sink all of your balls into the pocket by making strikes (hitting them) or allowing them to drop into certain escape routes called "holes". As in most ball games, there are several different strategies for winning or losing. A player can lose even when using good strategy if the opponent is better at pool shooting.
There are many different types of shots in pool, but probably the two most popular ones for beginners are the shot clock and the bank shot. The shot clock is used to quickly move the ball from one side of the table to the other, while the bank shot is when you shoot over the top of the cue ball into one of the corners where it cannot be sunk.
Other shots include: hammer, hollow, lift, run, stick, and trick. It is important not to forget about these keys to victory when playing pool!
Hammering down on the table will cause the cue ball and any balls that have been lifted with it will come crashing back down onto the table. This is useful for knocking over single balls that are close to the edge of the table.
The goal of pool is to pot all of your assigned balls (either stripes or solids) before potting the eighth ball to win the game. Most games are played to 11 with some being played to 15. A player wins when they fail to eliminate all of their balls. More specifically, when all of the balls in the rack are eliminated, then the player has won.
There are two types of shots used in pool: break and pocket.
A break shot is any shot that does not drop into the corner pocket of the table. These include shots made with a straight stick as well as those made with an angled one. The object of breaking shots is to cause objects to come off of other balls in order to make space for your own ball. For example, if there is a ball partially covered by another one, you would shoot it so that only part of it is covered by the next ball. This makes space for your own ball which would cover the entire surface now that there is no longer a barrier preventing it from doing so.
A pocket shot is one that goes into a corner pocket of the table. These include all shots made with a straight stick as well as those made with an angled one that completely enters the pocket.
Both players put all of their pool balls into the pockets until only the 8 ball remains. The player who sinks the 8 ball first wins. If a player mistakenly sinks another player's ball, it counts in favor of the opposing player.
There are two ways to play pool: straight pool and break pool. In straight pool, each shot must be taken from the same side of the table at which the ball was standing when played. Thus, a player cannot move the ball with one hand and shoot it with the other. He or she must keep both hands on the cue stick at all times while playing.
In break pool, a player can shoot from any side of the table as long as he or she returns the ball to its pocket before taking the next shot. This allows for more creativity and strategy in how the game is played. For example, a player might want to leave one corner up in order to give himself or herself an advantage on future shots.
Also, note that if you miss the 8 ball completely, it is still in play and can be sunk by either player. However, if you hit the 8 ball but it does not go into a pocket, it is considered a foul and the opponent gets to make a free shot.
Finally, there is pot pool.
Pool Policies
The cue ball is struck to hit the other balls on the table. It is normally a solid shade of white (although may be spotted in some tournaments). The remaining balls are numbered 1 through 9, with each being a different hue, and the 9-ball being striped yellow and white.
The object of the game is to score more points than your opponent. There are several ways to do this: by hitting as many balls as you can; by getting all your opponents' balls into their own pocket; or by achieving a double or triple break (see below).
A break occurs when one player gets all his/her balls into his/her own pocket. Most breaks are recognized by the referee, who will call out "break" or "no break". A maximum of five balls may be broken at any time. If a player fails to break at least one ball before the next cup is shot, then the player loses that frame.
Cues are wooden or metal sticks about 30 inches long with a triangular tip. They are stained in order to make them darker where they contact the ball (black for straight shots) and lighter where they don't (white for curved shots). Cues are used to hit the balls on the table. There are certain rules that must be followed when using cues: they must always be kept perpendicular to the table (not angled); and only one person may play with them at a time.
Pool and billiards balls differ in that pool employs anything from 9 to 15 object balls depending on the game. Billiards is played with three balls that are bigger than pool balls. Fabric: The cloth on a pool table slows the balls down. A thick, coarse cloth is used for open tables while a thin, fine cloth is preferred for pocket tables.
Shape: Billiards balls are generally rounder and have more surface contact with each other and the table. This makes them harder to hit.
Size: Pool balls are usually smaller than billiard balls. They should be heavy enough for shots requiring considerable force (such as breakaways) without being too light to fly through the air quickly (which would make them difficult to control).
Weight: The average billiard ball weighs about 1.5 ounces (45 grams), while the average pool ball weighs around 0.5 ounce (14 grams).
Materials: Pool balls are mostly made of rubber or synthetic materials, while billiard balls are usually made of leather or wood. Leather balls must be oiled to keep their weight and provide friction when struck.
Luster: Pool balls are shiny because they're made of polished rubber. Billiard balls are not polished because it's not necessary for play.
Copyright © 2020 - 2023 Sportsmanist Inc.
