6ball billiards

The game of?Six Ball?seems at the outset far easier than?Nine Ball. Simply?rack?the six lowest numbered?object balls, break em up and?run?'em down in the pockets in order. In reality, the game is more daunting.

In 6ball the open break is challenging. You have to be stroking well to sink even one ball, especially on a ninefoot table. The 6ball as it rests in the middle (see the accompanying image for the racking position of the balls) is espcially difficult to shoot in with the break and score the easy win, as with the striped nine in 9ball.The Ball game break is so tough that it remains controversial among pool pros as to whether it helps to play the break or let the opponent handle it!

The balls spread widely over the table in the game of 6ball. Indeed, the intermediate player finds the run fun but challenging. Having less object balls to start than with 9ball, life looks grand until the player misses, probably leaving the incoming shooter far less balls than in 9ball.In other words, the newer player tends to leave easy runs for the win (such as the 4, 5 and 6balls) following the first few shots of the game.

An accomodation between the challenge of Six Ball and the game of 9ball is found in 7ball. The?rules and theory?of Seven Ball are available here at?About.com, with the rules handily applying to Six Ball as well as others in the?Rotation?family of games.

6 Ball billiards follows the nine ball rules. Anything not covered by these six ball rules should be played according to nine ball rules. Anything not covered by either of these two rule sets should be played according to the General Rules of Pocket Billiards.

This page contains references to some material that is copyrighted by the Billiard Congress of America. Any modification or sale of such information herein is strictly prohibited by the laws governing that copyright. Please direct questions regarding interpretation of the following, or information on how to receive the current BCA Billiards The Official Rules and Records book to the Billiard Congress of America.

If there are any terms throughout the 6 Ball rules that you do not understand, you can search our billiard terms glossary in the search box near the top left of the page, or search the billiard terms glossary directly.

6 Ball is a variation on 9 ball. As its name suggests, it is played with six balls. Follow the General Rules of Pocket Billiards, except where contradicted by the rules of 9 Ball. If a 9 Ball rule is contradicted by these 6 Ball rules, follow the 6 Ball rules.

6 Ball is played with either two players, or in teams of two players each.
Balls Used
6 Ball is played with the cue ball, and with object balls one through six.
The Rack
A diamond rack is used in 6 Ball. The oneball is placed on the apex of the triangle and the sixball is placed in the center of the last row.

As it's name suggests, the object of 6 Ball is to legally pocket the object ball number six.