Game guide · Pool
9-ball: contact low, plan ahead and work toward the 9.
You must contact the lowest-numbered ball on the table first. Any ball may then fall; a legally pocketed 9 wins the rack.
- 2.54 × 1.27 m
- 9-foot playing surface
- 57.15 mm
- Pool-ball diameter
- 1 through 9
- Nine object balls
- The 9
- Winning ball
The core rule
On every normal shot, the cue ball must contact the lowest-numbered object ball remaining on the table first. That lowest ball does not have to be pocketed. A combination that pockets another ball is legal when first contact and the rest of the shot meet the rules.
A player continues after a legal pot. The player who legally pockets the 9 wins the rack. If the 9 falls during a foul, it is spotted and the opponent receives ball in hand.
Rack and break
The balls form a diamond. The 1 is at the apex on the foot spot and the 9 is in the centre; the remaining balls may be placed at random and must be frozen together.
The 1 must be contacted first on the break. A ball must be pocketed or enough object balls must be driven to cushions under the current WPA break rule. Carambole racks automatically and checks first contact.
The push out after the break
After a legal break without a foul, the player taking the second shot may announce a push out. During a push out, the normal lowest-ball and cushion-or-pot requirements are suspended. A scratch remains a foul.
After the push out, the opponent chooses who plays from the resulting position. A push out is therefore not a free escape: the position should be playable enough to be returned, but unattractive enough that the opponent may hand it back.
Fouls and the three-foul rule
A normal foul awards ball in hand. Cue-ball position is often worth more than a desperate combination: an avoidable foul can present the opponent with a complete run-out.
- The lowest ball is not contacted first.
- The cue ball enters a pocket.
- After legal first contact, no ball is pocketed and no ball reaches a cushion.
- The 9 falls during a foul and is therefore spotted.
- Three consecutive fouls in one rack lose the rack when the required warning has been given.
Why sequence matters more than potting
Because the lowest ball defines first contact, 9-ball is a route puzzle. You plan not only where the current ball falls, but which side of the next ball the cue ball must reach.
When the run-out window is too small, a safety is often stronger. Contact the lowest ball legally and leave distance, a cushion or another ball between the cue ball and the next target.
How Carambole implements 9-ball
Carambole tracks the lowest ball, cushion after contact, scratches, ball in hand, the second-shot push out, spotting a 9 made on a foul and three consecutive fouls.
This is a complete normal-play guide. Break boxes, event formats and organizer-specific additions are always checked in the current WPA documents.
Sources and verification
Content last verified on 8 August 2026. In official competition, the current governing rulebook takes precedence.
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