Blackball Rules

The Objective of the Game

Blackball is played with 15 coloured object balls and a cue ball. The object balls consist of two groups of seven and the black ball. Generally the group balls comprise one group of reds and another of yellows. The black ball may sometimes be referred to as the eight ball. The player or team potting their own group of object balls and legally potting the black wins the game.

Players do not need to nominate any of the shots they are about to play in blackball pool.

Terms Used

• The table is comprised of rails, cushions, pockets and the playing surface.
• The foot end of the table is where the object balls are placed at the start of a game.
• The head end is where the cue ball is positioned when play is about to begin.
• Baulk is the rectangular area bordered by the baulk line and the three cushions at the head of the table.
• After an illegal or foul shot is played an incoming opponent is given a free shot. That free shot may be played either from the existing position of the cue ball on the table, or from baulk.
• An object ball is said to be ‘on’ when it is legally playable.
• A player is snookered when the cue ball cannot take a straight path to hit at least part of a target ball.

Lag and Break

Play begins when a break shot is played from baulk. The player winning the lag will decide which player breaks.

Two cue balls are used. Balls are placed on opposite sides of baulk. The objective of opposing players is to play their ball to directly strike the foot cushion before returning and coming to rest as close as possible to the baulk cushion. The lag winner is the player whose ball comes closest to that baulk cushion.

The Rules of Breaking

• The balls are racked as shown in the visualiser.
• The cue ball begins in hand and can be placed anywhere within the baulk area.
• On breaking at least one group ball must be potted or two object balls cross the centre string.
• When two object balls fail to cross that line, and no group balls are potted, a standard foul is declared.
• If the cue ball is potted or driven off the table, then that too is a foul.
• Any fouls on the break are ignored if the black ball is potted. If that happens the object balls are always racked again and the same player breaks.

Standard Fouls

All standard fouls result in the incoming player receiving a free shot.

• No balls contact a cushion after the cue ball strikes an object ball (unless an object ball is potted).
• The cue ball is potted, or any balls leave the pool table.
• A player does not have a foot on the floor when playing a shot.
• Touching or moving the cue ball by hand (except when in hand).
• A ball is accidentally touched by chalk, bridges, hair or clothing.
• The cue tip contacts the cue ball more than once on a single shot (double hit).
• A push shot is played.
• A shot is played while any balls are moving.

Loss Of Frame

A player may automatically lose the frame when they…

• Pot the black ball on an illegal shot.
• Pot the black when any of their own group balls remain on the table.
• Intentionally strike a ball which is not an ‘on’ ball.
• Deliberately touch or pick up a ball when not entitled to do so.
• Do not attempt to hit an ‘on’ ball.

Stalemate

In some games a situation may occur when no legal shot is playable. Whether this happens by accident or design it is a stalemate and the frame is restarted. The referee will decide whether a legal shot is possible. The original breaking player breaks again if a stalemate has been called.