HT Games
Racking the Balls and the Break
In 9-ball, the balls are racked in a diamond shape. The 1-ball forms the head of the diamond and must be placed on the foot spot of the table (the center of the table between the middle dots located on the back-side rails of the table). The 9-ball sits in the middle of the rack surrounded by the remaining balls. Break the diamond up by shooting the cue ball at the diamond. A person must break by shooting the cue ball from behind the headline (an imaginary line located between the middle dots on the front-side rails of the table).
Pocket the Lowest Balls in Order
A player must strike the ball with the lowest value in order to perform a legal shot. The first object ball in 9-ball, therefore, is the 1-ball. If a player pockets the 1-ball, play continues and that player must then strike the 2-ball. If, however, a player strikes the 1-ball into the 2-ball and pockets it, and subsequently pockets the 1-ball, players must strike the next-lowest ball (the 3-ball). If a player cannot strike the lowest ball, or chooses not to for strategic reasons, a “safety” shot may be played.
Playing the Safety Shot
A safety shot must strike at least two rails and cannot come into contact with any ball except the lowest object ball on the table. If a player shoots a safety shot, his turn is over. The second player must then strike the object ball. She cannot play a safety shot on her turn. If the incoming player fails to strike the object ball, the next player has “ball-in-hand.” Ball-in-hand allows the player to position the cue ball at any point on the table. Typically players try to position the cue ball in a spot where they can potentially win the game.
Winning the Game
The first player to pocket the 9-ball wins the game. The 9-ball can be pocketed on its own (if balls 1 to 8 have already been sunk). Players may also perform “combination” shots whereby they first strike the object ball (the lowest ball on the table) into the 9-ball and the 9-ball falls into a pocket. In a ball-in-hand situation, players try to position the cue ball behind an object ball or behind the 9-ball (if balls 1 to 8 have already been sunk) in such a way that the player has a chance at sinking the 9-ball.
Fouls and Ending Turns
A player may continue to shoot until he or she commits a foul. Fouls happen if the cue ball strikes a ball other than the object ball. Additionally, it is a foul to fail to strike two rails on a safety shot. If the cue ball jumps off the table, a foul has been committed. Fouls result in the incoming player receiving ball-in-hand. If a player commits three consecutive fouls, that player loses.