WPA 5.1
Who breaks
The lag winner chooses who breaks the first rack; after that the break alternates.
9-ball
Nine object balls, played in numerical order: you must always hit the lowest-numbered ball first. Legally pocket the 9 — on any shot, even a combination — and you win the rack. Shots are not called.
The short version
- Always hit the lowest-numbered ball first.
- Any legally pocketed ball keeps you at the table; pocketing the 9 legally wins.
- After the break you may play a push out.
- Fouls give ball in hand anywhere; three fouls in a row lose the rack.
Jump to rule
9-ball rules
WPA 5.2
The rack
The nine balls are racked tightly in a diamond, with the 1 at the front (towards the head of the table) and the 9 in the centre, on the foot spot.
WPA 5.3
The break
You break with ball in hand behind the head string. If nothing is pocketed, at least four object balls must reach a rail or the break is a foul. In addition, at least three object balls must be pocketed or cross the head string (any combination counts); if not, the break is illegal under the three-ball rule (WPA Regulation 16): your opponent may play the table as it is (no push out allowed then) or hand the shot back to you, in which case you may push out. If the 9 drops on such a break, it is spotted.
WPA 5.4
The push out
On the shot right after a break without a foul, the shooter may declare a push out. On a push out you don't have to hit the lowest ball first and no ball has to reach a rail. If there's no foul, your opponent then decides who shoots next.
WPA 5.5
Continuing play
Legally pocket any ball and you keep shooting. Legally pocket the 9 on any shot except a push out and you win the rack. If you miss or foul, your turn ends; after a miss without a foul your opponent plays the cue ball from where it stopped.
WPA 5.6
Spotting balls
Only the 9 is ever spotted — when it's pocketed on a foul or a push out, or knocked off the table.
WPA 5.7
Standard fouls
After a foul your opponent gets ball in hand anywhere on the table. The fouls are: scratch or cue ball off the table, wrong ball first (the first ball hit must be the lowest-numbered one on the table), no rail after contact, no foot on the floor, ball off the table (only the 9 is spotted), touched ball, double hit, push shot, shooting while balls move, bad cue ball placement, playing out of turn, slow play and the rack-template foul.
WPA 5.8
Serious fouls
Three fouls in a row within one rack lose that rack. For unsportsmanlike conduct the referee chooses a fitting penalty.
WPA 5.9
Stalemate
The player who broke this rack breaks again.