23 Oct 2019  |   07:56pm IST

What Makes 8 Ball Pool Addictive Both Offline and Online

 

Millions of people play pool globally. It is one of the most popular table games with many variations and the most played variant of this game is eight-ball pool.

Do you know how to play 8-ball pool

? It is played as a singles as well as doubles game with 15 object balls, 1 cue ball and one cue (the stick). It is a skill game that requires concentration. Potting designated balls is required to win a pool game.

 Table, balls and the cue

The usual size of a pool table is about 9 feet by 4.5 feet.There are 7 single-color ball(called solids), 7 striped balls (called stripes), one black ball and a white cue ball. A cue is used for striking the cue ball and hitting object balls with the cue ball to pocket them.

Scoring

Scoring in 8-ball pool game is very simple. Players need to pot all the designated object balls first and thereafter the eight ball/black ball into any of 6 the pockets on the table.

The player playing with solids has to pocket 1 to 7 balls and finally the black ball/8 ball, and their opponent has to pocket balls 9 to 15 and then the black ball. The player who achieves that goal first wins.

Rules

The World Pool Billiard Association (WPA) has framed some rules for professionals as well as amateur gamers.The first and foremost is to place all the object balls in a triangular rack before for the game to start. Players need to make sure that the cue ball is not pocketed while potting balls. Shots are continued until a foul occurs or until an object ball is not pocketed. In case of a foul, the opponent is entitled to place the cue ball anywhere on the table.

The most common fouls are as follows:

• If the player fails to hit the object ball.
• If a ball of the opponent is potted.
• If a player hits the cue ball more than once in a shot.
• If the cue ball is pushed instead of being hit.
• If the cue ball is pocketed.

 After all the designated object balls of a player are pocketed,the players need to pocket the black/eight ball. If they fail, the other player gets a turn.

 Online pool game

Lately, with the rise of smartphone technology and super-fast 4G internet connections, the online 8-ball pool gamehas been gaining popularity. Mobile and tablet devices have become the best platform to sharpenone’s skills and challenge friends to pool games anytime and anywhere. It is fun to play pool inthe comfort of one's home, and some saythe well-designed and user-friendly interface of apps make the game immersive and addictive.