BLACKBALL RULES - VISUAL GUIDE
From the opening break to the completion of a frame, here’s an explanation of general play, legal and illegal shots, play resulting in fouls or loss of frame, combination shots and more.
1. Setting Up Balls And Breaking Off
a. Rack the balls with the black ball positioned at the intersection of the two imaginary diagonal lines positioned as shown in the diagram.
b. The lag winner decides who breaks. Opposing players break alternately in successive frames.
c. Place the cue ball anywhere within baulk before breaking.
2. Legal And Illegal Breaks
a. To achieve a legal break at least two object balls (red, yellow or black) must cross an imaginary line joining the middle pockets. Alternatively, at least one ball must be potted.
b. If no balls are potted and two object balls do not pass over this line, then this is a standard foul and the oncoming player is awarded ‘one free shot and one visit’.
c. The cue ball may then be played from where it lies or from baulk. Alternatively, the oncoming player may request a re-rack.
d. It is also a foul if the cue ball is potted on the break. The retrieved white must be played from baulk. If the black is potted the table is set up again and the same player breaks.
e. On a break shot, no matter the outcome, the table remains ‘open’. Groups are never decided on the break.
f. There is no nomination of groups with blackball pool rules.
3. Open Table And Determining Groups
a. With an ‘open table’ the designated group (that is whether a player continues on red or yellow balls) is NOT determined in the following situations…
i. On the break shot.
ii. When a foul is played on a shot.
iii. When taking a free shot after a foul.
iv. Where a combination shot is played in which balls from both groups are potted.
b. With the exception of those aforementioned situations, if a player pots a ball or balls from a single group the player is described as being ‘on’ that group for the duration of the frame.
c. So below, with an open table, potting only the red ball in the middle pocket would determine reds as that player’s group; but pot both red and yellow in a combination shot and the table remains open.
4. Play Either Group On Open Table
a. If an open table (that is groups have not been decided) players may play the cue ball to strike a ball from either group (reds or yellows).
b. In the below scenario, with an open table, a yellow ball has been played directly onto a red which in turn drops into the pocket.
c. That player’s group then becomes reds.
d. A number of exceptions are described at ‘3’ above in which an open table situation could continue.
e. Also note below, if the red had fallen short of the pocket and no balls struck a cushion the shot would not be ‘legal’ and a standard foul would be called (see further examples of legal and illegal shots, below.)
f. Remember that the black cannot be used as a ball to pot another object ball unless a foul has been committed and an initial ‘free shot’ has been awarded to the oncoming player.
5. Legal Shot Defined
a. To play a legal shot a player must cause the cue balls initial contact to be with an ‘on’ ball and THEN….
i. Pot any ‘on’ ball or balls, OR…
ii. Cause the cue ball or any other ball to contact a cushion.
b. An ‘on’ ball might include balls from either group or the black if a player has a ‘free shot’.
c. In the situation below, if the red ball falls short of the pocket and no ball strikes a cushion after the cue ball hits the red, then the referee calls a foul.
d. There is one exception to this definition…. escaping from a snooker, which is described in point 6. below.
6. Snooker Defined
a. A player is ‘snookered’ when it is deemed impossible to strike any part of an ‘on’ ball by way of a straight line shot. That is the case in the the below diagram.
b. Players should seek confirmation that it is a “total snooker” from an opposing player, referee or other official before attempting to play out of a snooker.
7. Legal Shots And Laying Snookers
a. A direct consequence of the need for a ball to strike a cushion after contact with an ‘on’ ball is that it is not possible to simple tap up behind a ball to lay a snooker.
b. Here, in the upper shot, to lay a snooker on the black ball, either the cue ball or the red must touch a cushion after the red after has first been been struck by the cue ball.
c. Similarly, in the second scenario, the white gently glances against a red ball before it hits the cushion. This results in a snooker behind two reds. In this case, because it initially touched a red ball, the cue ball need not necessarily reach the two reds before it comes to rest behind them off the cushion.
8. Legal Shots And Escaping Snookers
a. There’s an exception to the requirements of a legal shot as defined previously at ‘5’ above.
b. When successfully escaping a snooker, as in the diagram immediately above, it is not necessary for a ball to touch a cushion after the object ball has been struck.
c. It is sufficient for the cue ball to simply make contact with an ‘on’ ball.
d. It follows that in escaping a full snooker by way of a ‘swerve’ on the cue ball, it is not necessary for any balls to strike a cushion during the successful execution of such a shot.
9. Balls Leaving The Table
a. At any stage in the game, balls which leave the table are returned to the playing surface.
b. If the cue ball, then it’s played from baulk.
c. Balls are always ‘re-spotted’ on, or as close as possible to, the black spot in a direct line between the spot and the end cushion which is closest to that spot.
d. Below, three object balls (red, yellow and black) had left the table on the break.
e. In this case, with an ‘open table’, object balls are replaced in order of black, red and yellow.
f. Return balls to the playing surface in a straight line, as close as possible, without touching.
g. When not an open table (ie groups have been determined) a black ball is again always returned first but is immediately followed by any ball or balls from the group of the player just about to play.
10. Combination Shots Explained
a. Two or more object balls can be potted without penalty in a single shot. These may be balls from both groups and could include the black ball.
b. In such shots the balls can drop into pockets in any order.
c. The object ball with which the cue ball makes initial contact must be a ball which can be legally struck, that is an ‘on’ ball.
d. A combination shot might be used to clear an opponent’s ball which is ‘blocking’ a pocket.
e. In the situation depicted the player on reds plays a combination. Sinking both the red and yellow creates an opportunity for the player on red balls to clear the table.
11. Frame Winning Combination Shot
a. Players may sink their last remaining group ball (or balls) and the black in the same shot and so win a frame.
b. Initial contact, as always, must be with an ‘on’ ball.
c. In this instance the player on yellows pots the final yellow ball and in the same combination shot wins the frame by potting the black ball.
12. Same Pocket Combination
a. There will be occasions when a combination shot is played in which two balls are potted into the same pocket.
b. In this example the red ball is struck and directed in such a way as to pot the black and then to follow through to drop into the same bag and clinch the frame.