Pool

"The game is 90% mental. The other half is physical." - Yogi Berra

Gold Creek Cabin features a full-size pool table in our basement rec room. Cues and chalk can be found along the side wall next to the fireplace. The cue set includes a breaker cue (the large one), a bridge for difficult-to-reach shots, and a child-sized cue for those pool-sharks-in-training out there. Please ensure the cues are snapped back into the rack when you finish your game, and not placed to lean against the wall, to prevent warping and to keep the cues in great condition for the next guest. You’ll have everything you need for an evening at our pool hall. Your only decision… solids or stripes?

8-Ball is the most common pool game. Here are the rules, as excerpted from Bar Games 101 "8-Ball Rules: An Overview of Pool’s Most Popular Game"

How to Rack in 8-Ball 

When the balls are racked in a triangle shape, the order of the balls is to be random with the 8-ball dead-center in the triangle.

They should be racked tightly so that the balls are all in contact with each other.

The base of the rack should be parallel to the end rail of the table, with the apex ball of the rack centered on the table’s foot spot.

One ball from each group (solid and stripe) should be placed at the two lower corners of the triangle. Otherwise the rest of the balls can be placed at random.

Some variations call for the 1-ball to be the apex ball at the front point of the triangle, with the rest of the balls alternating solid/stripe, solid/stripe so that a solid color ball is at each corner.

Rules of the Break

The break in 8-ball pool is determined by a coin toss or win or loss of the previous game.

The breaker can position the ball anywhere behind the table’s head string.

The cue ball does not need to hit any particular object ball first.

However, unless the breaker pockets a ball, at least four balls must hit cushions. 

If the breaker does not pocket a ball and fails to drive at least 4 balls to one or more rails, it is an illegal break. 

In the case of an illegal break, the opponent can either accept the table as is and play from there; choose to re-rack and break; or re-rack and have the breaker go again. 

If the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, the breaker can either re-spot the 8-ball and continue play, or re-rack and break again.

If the breaker pockets the 8-ball and scratches the cue ball, the opponent may either spot the 8-ball and take the cue ball in hand behind the head string for his next shot; or re-rack and choose to break. 

If just the cue ball is pocketed on the break, the opponent can choose to take the cue ball in hand behind the head string, or re-break the balls.

Finally, if a ball is jumped off the table on the break, that ball stays out of play (unless it’s the 8-ball, which would be re-spotted) and the opponent then can either play it as is, or take ball in hand behind the head string.

Note that some regional or house rules call for instant win or loss by default if the 8-ball or cue ball are pocketed on the break.

During the Game

The players take turns, with the aim of pocketing all the stripes or solids in their suit.

The game is considered to be won when a player pockets the 8-ball after pocketing all of his suit, or when the opposing player accidentally pockets the 8-ball.

Some house rules will require a player to call every shot by the ball and the intended pocket.

This varies from venue to venue, but in most games it’s required for the player to call the pocket for the final 8-ball shot.