rules to play 9 ball pool

After the break (regardless of its result), before the second shot of the game, the player at the table may call a push out. A push out can be called by the breaking player if he legally pocketed a ball on the break, or the non breaking player if no ball was pocketed on the break. Calling a push out for the shot after the break allows the player taking the shot to legally hit the cue ball in almost any fashion with no foul, with the exception that the cue ball must stay on the table and illegal shots such as double hitting the cue ball or a scoop jump shot should still be called a foul. Playing a push out shot ends the players inning and play passes to the opponent. The main purpose of the push out shot is to alleviate an unlucky lie after the break, where it is difficult to make a legal shot. Unlike any other shot of the game, for a push out shot, the cue ball is not required to contact any object ball and if an object ball is contacted, it is not required to be the lowest numbered ball. If the nine ball is pocketed on a push out shot it is spotted, however any other pocketed object ball remains pocketed and is not spotted. A push out should be called so that the opponent or referee hears the call, and it is customary for the opponent or referee to confirm that he heard the push out call, so that there is no controversy surrounding the shot. After a push out shot was called and played, the incoming player has the choice of accepting the table as it lies, or forcing the pushing out player to take the next shot of the game (always the third shot of the game). Only one push out is allowed per game, and it must be immediately after the break. (See also The rise of Texas express rules, below, for the historical multi push out rule variation.) If the pushing out player has a particular type of shot he feels comfortable with, such as a jump shot, or two rail bank shot, it may be strategical to leave that type of shot after the push out. The ideal push out shot leaves a lie that the opponent believes likely to be makeable, and will accept, but will fail to actually make, giving control of the table back to the pusher out, and which the pusher out is confident to make if the shot is passed back to him. Thus nine ball players aim for a push out that has about a 50 50 chance of being accepted or returned.