How to play 8-Ball Pool
Here’s how to play 8-Ball Pool by UK pub rules. One player pots the seven reds, the other the seven yellows, and whoever clears their colour first must then pot the black to win. You can play free online, aiming with your finger or mouse.
Fouls matter: they give your opponent two shots, so careful play often beats bold potting. The rules below cover the break, the open table, fouls, the online shot clock and the black, and you can practise against ten computer players or a friend.
The basics
UK 8-ball (pub rules): seven reds, seven yellows and the black. Pot all of yours, then the black, to win.
The break and the open table
- The break is played from behind the baulk line (the line near the bottom cushion). Who breaks swaps every game.
- Balls potted on the break don’t decide colours — the table stays open and you carry on if you potted something.
- On an open table you may hit any red or yellow first (not the black). The first colour you pot after the break is yours.
Fouls — two shots to your opponent
- Hitting the wrong colour (or the black) first, not hitting anything, potting your opponent’s ball, or potting the white (in-off).
- After a foul your opponent gets two visits. If they pot on the first, they carry on and still have the extra one.
- If the white went in-off, they have ball in hand behind the baulk line. Otherwise they just play it from where it lies.
Shot clock
- Games against the computer and against friends have no clock — take as long as you like.
- Only Play someone online (a random opponent) uses a 2-minute shot clock. It turns amber at 30 seconds and red at 10, and if it runs out it’s a foul: your opponent gets two shots, playing from where the white lies (ball in hand only if it’s been potted, or it’s the break). The clock stops while the balls are rolling.
The black
- Once your colour is cleared you’re on the black: hit it first and pot it to win.
- Pot the black before that — or pot it and foul on the same shot — and you lose. Black down on the break: re-rack, same player breaks again.
Controls
- Drag anywhere on the table to aim — the cue follows your finger. The dotted line shows where the white will hit first, with the object ball’s path in gold (red means that ball would be a foul).
- Pull the power slider down and let go to shoot; slide back to the top to cancel. nudge your aim.
- Tap the white ball icon for spin: top to follow, bottom to screw back, sides to change the angle off cushions.
- With ball in hand, drag the white (it stays behind the line). Tap the table while balls are rolling to speed it up.
- Keyboard: ← → aim (Shift faster, Alt finer), ↑ ↓ power, Space shoot, Ctrl+arrows move the white in hand, N new game.
Beginner tips
- Don’t just look at the ball you want to pot; think about where the white will end up. A gentle pot that leaves the white in a good place beats a hard one that leaves you stranded.
- Go easy on spin while you’re learning. Top spin makes the white follow through and bottom spin pulls it back, and a plain central hit is the most predictable.
- Check the aiming line before you shoot: it turns red if the ball you would hit first would be a foul. A foul gives your opponent two shots, so playing safe is often better than forcing a risky pot.
Frequently asked questions
What are the rules of UK 8-ball pool?
One player takes the seven reds and the other the seven yellows. Pot all of yours, then pot the black to win.
How does the break work in 8-ball pool?
The break is played from behind the baulk line, and who breaks swaps every game. Balls potted on the break don’t decide colours: the table stays open, and the first colour you pot after the break is yours.
What counts as a foul in 8-ball pool?
Hitting the wrong colour (or the black) first, not hitting anything, potting your opponent’s ball, or potting the white. Your opponent then gets two visits, and ball in hand behind the baulk line if the white went in-off.
What happens if you pot the black too early?
You lose. Potting the black before your colour is cleared, or potting it and fouling on the same shot, loses the frame. If the black goes down on the break, the balls are re-racked and the same player breaks again.
Is it free to play 8-ball pool against the computer?
Yes. 8-Ball Pool is free to play in your browser, with nothing to download. Guests can play the first computer opponent, Trevor, and a free account unlocks the rest of the ten-level ladder up to Pete. You can also play a friend online.
Ready to play 8-Ball Pool?
It’s free and works in your browser — no download. Start against Trevor, the friendliest opponent, and sign up free to climb the ladder of ten computer players all the way to Pete.
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