Pool Rules: 8-Ball and 9-Ball

Pool has no single rulebook. The World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) writes the international rules, the APA and CSI (used by the BCAPL and USAPL) run the biggest US amateur leagues with their own versions, and bars add house rules on top. The basics are shared; details such as what happens when the 8 goes in on the break are not.

Each guide below compares the rulebooks side by side, so you can check the version your league or table actually plays. Heyball, the Chinese version of 8-ball played on tables with much tighter pockets, has its own WPA rulebook and its own guide below.

Pool rules guides6 articles

8-Ball Rules: 14 Common Questions Answered (WPA, APA, CSI)Can you hit the 8 first? What if you scratch on the 8, or sink it on the break? Answers from the three main rulebooks, side by side, with the rule numbers.8-Ball on the Break: Do You Win? Scratches, Fouls and Re-racks Under Every Rule SetAPA: a win, or a loss if you scratch. WPA and CSI: spot the 8 or re-break. Blackball: re-rack and break again. Plus scratches, illegal breaks, groups after the break and the 9 on the break.Heyball Rules: Chinese 8-Ball Rules Explained (WPA 2025)No calling, not even the 8. A forceful break or a penalty. Groups go by the ball you hit first, and a scratch on the 8 is only a foul. The current WPA heyball rules, compared with 8-ball.9-Ball Rules: Break, Push Out, Fouls and APA ScoringHow to rack, what makes a legal break, the 9 on the break, the push out, three fouls, and how APA scores 9-ball by points: the WPA, APA and CSI rulebooks side by side.The 9-Ball Push-Out Rule: When to Use It and When Not toWPA Rule 2.4 — the most under-used legal rule in 9-ball at the amateur level. The strategic theory and decision math.How to Rack Pool Balls: 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 10-Ball, UK and SnookerWhere the foot spot is, where the 8 and the 9 go, how to rack red and yellow balls and set up a snooker table, with to-scale diagrams and the rules behind each rack.

Practice drills1 drill

Free in your browser: every shot tells you how far off you were.

Push Out in 9-Ball — The Rule and the Tactics

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FAQ

What is ball in hand?

After a foul, the incoming player may place the cue ball anywhere on the table (under WPA and CSI rules), or behind the head string in some break situations. It is the standard penalty in 8-ball and 9-ball.

What happens if you scratch on the break?

It is a foul in every major rule set; what the opponent gets varies: ball in hand behind the head string (WPA, APA) or anywhere (CSI). See 8-ball on the break.