Nine-Ball Pool

Nine-ball Pool is a form of pool that is played with nine object balls on a table that has six pockets. It is a fast-paced game, which is exciting to both play and watch. The game originated in the United States and has spread to several other countries.

The nine object balls used are numbered 1 through 9. The objective of the game is to pocket the 9-ball. The major rule in the game is that the player can directly strike only the lowest numbered ball on the table, failing which results in a foul. The player who pockets the 9-ball legally is the winner of the rack. The other object balls do not carry any points. A player can pocket eight object balls and still lose if the opponent pockets just the 9-ball.

9-ball pool table setup

At the start of each rack, the object balls are arranged in a diamond shape with 1-ball in the front and the 9-ball in the middle, the eight at the back (unlike the incorrect image above).

A coin toss decides which player breaks the first frame, and thereafter, players alternate to break the subsequent frames. The player who wins a predetermined number of frames first wins the match.

Currently, nine-ball is the only major form of pool played at professional tournaments, and it receives a lot of TV coverage.

Pool and Snooker at the World Games

Pool and snooker have been part of the major disciplines in the Billiard sports since the 2001 Akita World Games. In the 2025 Chengdu World Games, pool and snooker also made it to the list of the major disciplines in the Billiard sports, alongside Carom. Here are the medalists who won gold in pool and snooker at the 2025 World Games: