How to Rack Pool Table Balls

Eight-Ball

• 1

  Place each pool ball into the rack.

• 2

  Place the “8” ball in the middle of the third row. The third row is the row that contains three balls.

• 3

  Place any striped ball in either corner of the bottom row. The bottom row is the row that contains five balls.

• 4

  Place any solid ball, meaning a ball with no stripe, into the opposite corner of the bottom row. The remaining balls need not be disturbed.

• 5

  Slide the top of the rack just past the white dot on the top of the pool table.

• 6

  Slide the rack slowly backward while pressing the balls in the bottom row toward the front of the rack until the single ball at the top of the rack is directly above the white dot marked on the pool table. The top ball need not be precisely on top of the white dot, as the dot will not be visible underneath the ball.

• 7

  Lift the rack upward slowly to remove it.

Nine-Ball

• 8

  Position the nine-ball rack so that the two narrower ends of the diamond-shaped rack are horizontal when facing the rack. In other words, the width of the rack from the breaker’s position must only be three pool balls wide.

• 9

  Place balls “1” thru “9” into the nine-ball rack.

• 10

  Place the “9” ball in the center of the rack.

• 11

  Place the “1” ball at the top of the rack, meaning the corner of the rack that faces the breaker. The remaining balls need not be disturbed.

• 12

  Slide the top of the rack just past the white dot on the top of the pool table.

• 13

  Slide the rack slowly backward while pressing the balls in the bottom row toward the front of the rack until the single ball at the top of the rack is directly above the white dot marked on the pool table. The top ball need not be precisely on top of the white dot, as the dot will not be visible underneath the ball.

• 14

  Lift the rack upward slowly to remove it.

Straight Pool

• 15

  Place each pool ball into the eight-ball rack.

• 16

  Place the “1” ball at the far right position of the bottom row if facing the back of the rack. In other words, the “1” ball would be to the breaker’s left.

• 17

  Place the “5” ball at the far left position of the bottom row if facing the back of the rack. In other words, the “5” ball would be to the breaker’s right. The remaining balls need not be disturbed.

• 18

  Slide the top of the rack just past the white dot on the top of the pool table.

• 19

  Slide the rack slowly backward while pressing the balls in the bottom row toward the front of the rack until the single ball at the top of the rack is directly above the white dot marked on the pool table. The top ball need not be precisely on top of the white dot, as the dot will not be visible underneath the ball.

• 20

  Lift the rack upward slowly to remove it.