WORLD STANDARDIZED
RULES: 9-BALL
"Effective July 1, 2000"
Except when clearly contradicted by these
additional rules, the General Rules
of Pocket Billiards apply.
5.1 OBJECT OF THE
GAME Nine-Ball is played with nine object balls numbered one
through nine and a cue ball. On each shot, the first ball the cue ball
contacts must be the lowest numbered ball on the table, but the balls need
not be pocketed in order. If a player pockets any ball on a legal shot, he
remains at the table for another shot, and continues until missing,
committing a foul, or wining the game by pocketing the 9-ball. After a
miss, the incoming player must shoot from the position left by the
previous player, but after any foul the incoming player may start with the
cue ball anywhere on the table. Players are not required to call any shot.
A match ends when one of the players has won the required number of
games.
5.2
RACKING THE BALLS The object balls are racked in a
diamond shape, with the 1-ball at the top of the diamond and on the foot
spot, the 9-ball in the center of the diamond, and the other balls in
random order, racked as tightly as possible. The game begins with cue ball
in hand behind the head string.
5.3 ORDER OF BREAK Winner of the
lag has the option to break. In 9-Ball, the winner of each game breaks in
the next, unless otherwise specified by the tournament organizer. The
following are common options that may be designated by tournament
officials in advance:
(a) Players
alternate break.
(b)
Loser breaks.
(c) Player
trailing in game count breaks the next game.
5.4
LEGAL BREAK SHOT The rules governing the break shot are
the same as for other shots except:
1.
The breaker must strike the1-ball first and either pocket a ball or
drive at least four numbered balls to the rail.
2.
If the cue ball is pocketed or driven off the table, or the
requirements of the opening break are not met, it is a foul, and the
incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on the table.
3.
If on the break shot, the breaker causes an object ball to jump off
the table, it is a foul and the incoming player has cue ball in hand
anywhere on the table. The object ball is not re-spotted (exception: if
the object ball is the 9-ball, it is re-spotted).
5.5
CONTINUING PLAY On the shot immediately following a legal
break, the shooter may play a "push out." (See Rule 5.6). If the breaker
pockets one or more balls on a legal break, he continues to shoot until he
misses, fouls, or wins the game. If the player misses or fouls, the other
player begins an inning and shoots until missing, committing a foul, or
winning. The game ends when the 9-ball is pocketed on a legal shot, or the
game is forfeited for a serious infraction of the rules.
5.6 PUSH OUT The
player who shoots the shot immediately after a legal break may play a push
out in an attempt to move the cue ball into a better position for the
option that follows. On a push out, the cue ball is not required to
con-tact any object ball nor any rail, but all other foul rules still
apply. The player must announce the intention of playing a push out before
the shot, or the shot is considered to be a normal shot. Any ball pocketed
on a push out does not count and remains pocketed except the 9-ball.
Following a legal push out, the incoming player is permitted to shoot from
that position or to pass the shot back to the player who pushed out. A
push out is not considered to be a foul as long as no rule (except rules
5.8 and 5.9) is violated. An illegal push out is penalized according to
the type of foul committed. After a player scratches on the break shot,
the incoming player cannot play a push out.
5.7 FOULS When a player commits a
foul, he must relinquish his run at the table and no balls pocketed on the
foul shot are re-spotted (exception: if a pocketed ball is the 9-ball, it
is re-spotted). The incoming player is awarded ball in hand; prior to his
first shot he may place the cue ball anywhere on the table. If a player
commits several fouls on one shot, they are counted as only one foul.
5.8 BAD HIT If the first object
ball contacted by the cue ball is not the lowest numbered ball on the
table, the shot is foul.
5.9 NO RAIL If no object ball is
pocketed, failure to drive the cue ball or any numbered ball to a rail
after the cue ball contacts the object ball on is a foul.
5.10 IN HAND When the cue ball is in
hand, the player may place the cue ball anywhere on the bed of the table,
except in contact with an object ball. The player may continue to adjust
the position of the cue ball until shooting.
5.11
OBJECT BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE An un-pocketed ball is
considered to be driven off the table if it comes to rest other than on
the bed of the table. It is a foul to drive an object ball off the table.
The jumped object ball(s) is not re-spotted (exception: if the object ball
is the 9-ball, it is re-spotted) and play continues.
5.12
JUMP AND MASSÉ SHOT FOUL If a match is not refereed,
it will be considered a cue ball foul if during an attempt to jump, curve
or massé the cue ball over or around an impeding numbered ball, the
impeding ball moves (regardless of whether it was moved by a hand, cue
stick follow-through or bridge).
5.13
THREE CONSECUTIVE FOULS If a player fouls three
consecutive times on three successive shots without making an intervening
legal shot, the game is lost. The three fouls must occur in one game. The
warning must be given between the second and third fouls. A player’s
inning begins when it is legal to take a shot and ends at the end of a
shot on which he misses, fouls or wins, or when he fouls between
shots.
5.14
END OF GAME A game starts as soon as the cue ball crosses
over the head string on the opening break. The 1-ball must be legally
contacted on the break shot. The game ends at the end of a legal shot
which pockets the 9-ball, or when a player forfeits the game as the result
of a foul.
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