Blackball Rules
The game is played with a cue ball (the white ball) and fifteen object balls: 7 red, 7 yellow and a black one.
One player must pocket balls of one color (red or yellow), while the other player the other ones.
The player pocketing his group first and then legally pocketing the black ball wins the game.
Opening break
- The balls are racked in a triangle with the 8-ball in the center of the triangle.
- The game begins with the cue ball in hand behind the head string.
- Any ball can be hit first by the cue ball
- The break is a Fair Break when neither the cue ball nor the 8-ball is pocketed, and either one of the coloured balls is pocketed or four of them is driven to the rail.
- If the break is not a Fair Break, it is a foul, and the opponent is awarded two visits after re-rack.
- If the black ball is pocketed on any break, the balls are re-racked and the same player will break again.
Choice of group
If no coloured ball is pocketed by the opening break then the table remains open and the opposing player is next.
Open table means that the group of balls a player has to pocket is not decided yet.
It is legal to hit any red or yellow while the table is open. Hitting the black ball while the table is open is a foul.
When the table is
open, any object ball may be struck first except the eight ball.
The choice of group is determined when a player legally pockets a red or yellow ball at open table. He selects his group by the one he pockets. When legally pocketing any red or yellow ball(s) at the break, the player can choose the colour to play.
After the groups are assigned on all shots the shooter must hit a ball of his group first and pocket any ball(s) of his groups.
Continuing play
A player is entitled to continue shooting until he fails to legally pocket a ball of his group. It is no foul if he fails but then the opposing player is next.
A player has to complete one shot in 60 seconds, otherwise a foul is called, and incoming player gets two visits.
When all balls of a player's group are pocketed then the black ball has to be pocketed.
Fouls
- The break shot is not a Fair Break.
- The cue ball does not hit a ball of the player's group first.
- The cue ball is pocketed.
- None of the balls is driven to the rail.
- The shot is not completed in 60 seconds.
If a shot is foul the opposing player gets two visits. This means that the player does not lose turn when failing to pocket an object ball for the first try.
If the cue ball is pocketed, the other player gets ball in hand from the baulk, and two visits.
Foul Snooker
A player is foul snookered when the opponent plays a foul shot and this results in the given player being snookered.
After being foul snookered, the incoming player can nominate the black ball, or any of the opponent's balls, which will "become one" of the player's color for the first shot of the first visit.
The player may play any of the the players own color, or the nominated ball. If any of these are pocketed, the players continues the first visit.
If the black ball is nominated, it may be played, but potting it will mean loss of frame.
If the player is on the black ball and foul snookered, the player may play the black ball or the nominated one and pocket either or both of these balls.
- if neither ball is pocketed, the player's first visit is complete.
- if only the nominated ball is pocketed, the player continues with first visit.
- if both balls are pocketed, the player wins the frame.
- if the black ball is pocketed, the player wins the frame.
unless a foul is committed.
Losing the game
- If a player pockets the black ball before all the other balls in their group, except on the break shot, the player loses the game.
- A player pocketing the black ball together with any other ball (including the cue ball) on the same shot loses the game.
Further help