You can ask any two people about the rules of pool and the chances are that they will both be quite confident that they know the correct way to play. Almost invariably, though, they will each have their own view of what the official rules are. Part of the reason for this is that over the years there have been a number of different governing bodies for pool, often co-existing in the same place at the same time, each with their own sets of rules.
The other part of the reason is that a whole host of arbitrary and seemingly illogical rules have developed regionally, usually emanating from a single locality. The vast majority of such rules are aimed at reducing the role played by skill in the outcome of the game and are invented and perpetuated by less skilful players seeking to gain an edge over their more talented counterparts. Examples of so called rules which do not actually exist include:
Although various sets of eight ball pool rules could be said to have received some degree of recognition over the years, there are four principal sets which have at different times been officially ratified for use in tournament play (World rules and Blackball rules being the two sets now in most common current usage):
Click above to download copies of each of the sets of rules or see the table below which summarises the principal differences between the four.
|
WORLD RULES |
BAPTO RULES |
OLD EPA RULES |
BLACKBALL |
| Ball in hand |
Anywhere in baulk |
Only in the ‘D’ |
Anywhere in baulk |
Anywhere in baulk |
| Requirements for legal break |
Ball potted or four balls driven to cushions |
Ball potted or two balls driven across imaginary line between two centre pockets |
Ball potted or two balls driven to cushions |
Ball potted or two balls driven across imaginary line between two centre pockets |
| Penalty for foul break |
Re-rack with two visits |
Re-rack with free shot and a visit |
Re-rack with two visits |
Re-rack or play from where balls finish with free shot and a visit |
| Deciding colours on break |
Must nominate if any balls are potted on the break, on nominated colour if already potted or otherwise must pot to be on that colour |
Breaker nominates on all legal breaks regardless of whether any balls are potted or other fouls committed |
On whichever colour is potted on the break unless balls of both colour are potted in which case nomination is required |
Colours are never decided on the break, although player remains at table providing that they pot |
| Deciding colours after break |
Open table until colours are decided, first pot determines colour except where balls of both colour are potted in the same shot when nomination is required |
Colours always determined by breaker |
Open table until colours are decided, first pot determines colour except where balls of both colour are potted in the same shot when nomination is required |
Open table until colours are decided, first pot determines colour, table remains open when balls of both colour are potted in the same shot |
| Deliberate fouls |
Allowed, normal penalty applies |
Not allowed, loss of frame |
Not allowed, loss of frame |
Not allowed, loss of frame |
| Penalty after foul |
Two visits, nominated free ball only when left snookered, cue ball can only be moved when left snookered |
Shot and a visit, free ball on first shot, cue ball can be moved to the ‘D’ |
Two visits, free ball on first shot, cue ball can be moved to baulk |
Shot and a visit, free ball on first shot, cue ball can be moved to baulk |
| Cushion rule |
At least one ball must touch a cushion after the initial contact if nothing is potted, except where snookered from all balls on |
No requirement to hit a cushion |
No requirement to hit a cushion |
At least one ball must touch a cushion after the initial contact if nothing is potted, except where snookered from all balls on |
| Balls falling in without being hit |
All balls replaced in original positions and any shot replayed |
Player in control of table deemed to have potted, with any applicable consequences |
Player in control of table deemed to have potted, with any applicable consequences |
All balls replaced in original positions and any shot replayed |
| Combination shots |
Not allowed |
Allowed |
Not allowed |
Allowed |
| Potting the black |
Loss of frame if other balls are potted on same shot as the black |
Opponent’s balls can be potted on same shot as the black providing black is contacted first |
Loss of frame if other balls are potted on same shot as the black |
Black can be potted in same shot as remaining colours providing that colour(s) are contacted first, opponent’s balls can be potted on the same shot as the black providing black is contacted first |
| Time limit |
Sixty seconds with warning after thirty seconds, two visits awarded to opponent if exceeded (from where cue ball lies or baulk) |
None unless tournament rules dictate otherwise |
None unless tournament rules dictate otherwise |
Sixty seconds with warning after thirty seconds, free shot and a visit awarded to opponent if exceeded (from where cue ball lies or baulk) |
| Stalemate |
Must play deliberate foul if no legal shot is possible, re-rack with same player breaking where both players have three turns in succession where neither makes contact with an object ball |
Re-rack with same player breaking where no legal shot can be played or game is not progressing, potential to use reduced rack |
Re-rack with same player breaking where no legal shot can be played or game is not progressing |
Re-rack where no legal shot can be played, same player to break unless resulting from slow or negative play or by design when players lag for break, potential to use reduced rack |
