Pot all the balls of your group, in any order, then legally pot the black. That wins the frame.
You do not have to name a ball or a pocket.
💥 The break
Players lag for the first break. The lag winner decides who breaks. After that the break alternates every frame.
Break from baulk. The break is legal if a ball is potted, or at least two object balls cross the centre line of the table. If not, it is a foul.
Black potted on the break: re-rack, the same player breaks again, no penalty.
After the break the table is open, whatever was potted.
🔴🟡 Open table and groups
On an open table you may play reds or yellows.
Pot balls from one group only on a legal, normal shot and that group is yours for the frame. Your opponent gets the other group.
Groups are not decided on the break, on a foul, on a free shot, or when balls from both groups go in on the same shot.
▶️ Your visit
Hit a ball that is on first. Then pot a ball that is on, or make any ball touch a cushion.
Keep playing while you legally pot balls. Miss without a foul and your opponent plays from where the balls stop.
Combination shots: you may pot an opponent's ball as long as one of your own goes in on the same shot.
Snookered (no straight path to any part of a ball on): you only have to hit a ball on. No cushion needed after.
Touching ball: play away from it. If it is a ball on, you count as having hit it.
🚫 Fouls and the free shot
Common fouls: potting the cue ball, hitting the wrong ball first, no pot and no cushion after contact, potting only an opponent's ball, a ball leaving the table, touching a ball, a jump shot, a push or double hit, playing while balls still move, no foot on the floor, playing out of turn.
After a foul your opponent comes to the table with a free shot: they may hit any ball first, and may play the cue ball from where it lies or from baulk.
The blackball rulebook gives a free shot plus one visit: the player keeps the table after the free shot even if nothing went in. The WPA Rules of Play (2026) describe it as one free shot as the first shot of the visit. Pick which one you play in New match → After a foul.
On a free shot the black may be hit, but it may only be potted when it is your ball on.
Balls potted on a foul are not put back. Only balls knocked off the table are re-spotted.
⚫ Losing the frame
Potting the black on a foul shot.
Potting the black while any ball of your group is still on the table after the shot.
Deliberately hitting a ball that is not on, or not trying to hit a ball that is on.
Unsporting conduct can also cost the frame.
🤝 Stalemate
If no legal shot is possible, or the frame is making no progress, the frame is re-racked.
Under the WPA Rules of Play the same player breaks again. The blackball rulebook says the players lag again when the re-rack is for slow or negative play.
A plain-language summary. Official text: WPA Rules of Play, section 8 Blackball (effective 21 October 2026), and the WPA Blackball Rules (PDF). Leagues and pubs may use local variations.
🎯 The aim
Clear your group of seven (1 to 7 or 9 to 15), then pot the 8-ball to win the rack.
Shots are called: say the ball and the pocket unless it is obvious.
🔺 The rack
All fifteen balls tight in a triangle, apex ball on the foot spot.
The 8 sits directly below the apex ball. One ball of each group goes on the two bottom corners. The rest are random.
💥 The break
Break with the cue ball behind the head string. No ball is called on the break.
Pot a ball without fouling and you carry on. The table stays open.
If nothing is potted, at least four balls must reach a rail. If not, it is an illegal break: the opponent may accept the table, re-rack and break, or make you break again.
The 8 potted on a legal break is not a win or a loss. The breaker chooses to spot the 8 and play on, or to break again.
🔴🟡 Groups
After the break the table is open. Your group is decided when you legally pot a called ball.
On an open table you may hit any ball first, except the 8.
You may call safety: your turn ends and any ball potted stays down.
🚫 Fouls
After a foul the opponent has ball in hand anywhere on the table.
There is no three-foul rule in 8-Ball.
⚫ Losing the rack
You lose the rack if you pot the 8 and foul, pot the 8 before your group is cleared, pot the 8 in a pocket you did not call, or knock the 8 off the table. This does not apply on the break.
Stalemate: the rack is played again and the same player breaks.
A plain-language summary. Official text: WPA Rules of Play (effective 21 October 2026), section 4 "8-Ball". The app only counts frames; it does not check these rules. Leagues and venues may use local variations.
🎯 The aim
Played with balls 1 to 9, in number order.
Whoever legally pots the 9 wins the rack.
You do not have to call shots.
🔷 The rack
Tight in a diamond: the 1 at the apex, the 9 in the middle. The other balls are random.
💥 The break
Break with the cue ball behind the head string.
If no ball is potted, at least four balls must reach a rail, or it is a foul.
Three-ball break rule (WPA ranking events): at least three balls must be potted or cross the head string. If not, it is an illegal break, not a foul: the opponent may accept the table or hand the shot back.
▶️ Your shot
On every shot the cue ball must hit the lowest-numbered ball on the table first.
Pot any ball legally and you keep shooting. Pot the 9 legally on any shot, except a push out, and you win the rack.
Push out: on the shot straight after a legal break you may announce a push out. The lowest-ball-first rule is off for that shot, and the opponent then chooses who plays next.
A 9 potted on a foul or a push out, or knocked off the table, is put back on its spot.
🚫 Fouls
After a foul the opponent has ball in hand anywhere on the table.
Three fouls in a row in one rack loses that rack.
Stalemate: the rack is played again and the same player breaks.
A plain-language summary. Official text: WPA Rules of Play (effective 21 October 2026), section 5 "9-Ball", and the WPA Playing Regulations, regulation 16 (three-ball break rule). The app only counts frames; it does not check these rules. Leagues and venues may use local variations.
🎯 The aim
A call-shot game with balls 1 to 10, played in number order.
You win the rack by legally potting the 10 when it is the last ball on the table.
🔺 The rack
Tight in a triangle: the 1 at the apex on the foot spot, the 10 in the middle. The other balls are random.
💥 The break
Break with the cue ball behind the head string.
If no ball is potted, at least four balls must reach a rail, or it is a foul.
The 10 never wins early. If it goes in before the last shot, also on the break, it is put back on its spot.
▶️ Your shot
On every shot the cue ball must hit the lowest-numbered ball on the table first.
Every shot except the break is called: ball and pocket. There is no "safety" call in 10-Ball.
Pot your called ball and you keep shooting. Other balls that drop stay down, except the 10.
If you pot a ball but not the shot you called, and do not foul, the opponent chooses who plays next.
Push out: allowed on the shot straight after a legal break. The opponent then chooses who plays next.
🚫 Fouls
After a foul the opponent has ball in hand anywhere on the table.
Three fouls in a row in one rack loses that rack.
Stalemate: the rack is played again and the same player breaks.
A plain-language summary. Official text: WPA Rules of Play (effective 21 October 2026), section 6 "10-Ball". The app only counts frames; it does not check these rules. Leagues and venues may use local variations.
🎯 The aim
Ultimate Pool events are played to the International 8-Ball Pool Rules.
Seven reds, seven yellows and the 8-ball. Pot all of your group, then pot the 8-ball in a separate shot.
💥 The break
Lag for the first break. After that the break alternates.
A legal break needs 3 points: one for each ball potted and one for each ball fully past the middle-pocket line.
Not a legal break: re-rack. The opponent chooses to break, or to give the break back.
The 8-ball potted on the break is put back on its spot and the frame carries on.
Cue ball potted on the break: loss of turn. The opponent gets one visit, playing from baulk.
🔴🟡 Groups
The table is open after the break. Balls potted on the break do not decide groups.
Groups are decided on the first ball legally potted.
▶️ Your shot
Hit one of your own balls first, then pot a ball or get any ball to a cushion.
Potting only an opponent's ball is loss of turn, not a foul.
🚫 Fouls
After a foul the opponent gets one visit with ball in hand: play the cue ball where it is, or place it anywhere on the table.
There is no free shot and no "total snooker" rule in this rule set.
Shot clock: 45 seconds for each shot. Running out is a foul. Each player may take one 15-second extension per frame.
⚫ Losing the frame
You lose the frame if you pot the 8-ball while your own balls are still on the table, or foul on the shot that pots the 8-ball. This does not apply on the break.
Stalemate: the frame is re-racked and the same player breaks.
Some events add their own rules, such as a golden break (the 8-ball on the break wins the frame) or a match clock. Those are set per event.
Pool Score