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How To Rack The Balls In Eight Ball

10/14/2006 2:44:30 AM

How To Rack The Balls In Eight Ball

Is there a best vway to rack balls for 8-ball? We rack the balls alternating solid/stripe on the outside, with 8-ball in the middle of the rack.

I was also taught another variation of the eight ball rack that involves placing the 1 ball at the head of the rack, then the 9-10, next the 11-8-12, the next row 4-13-14-5, and the final row 2-6-15-7-3.

I have also read rules that say to place the eight ball in center with a solid in one corner and a stripe in the other. Does this mean that the head ball does not make a difference, and can pretty much be anything?

This question relates to the following billiard rules:

How To Rack The Balls In Eight Ball

Replies & Comments
  1. aspinjana on 10/14/2006 2:48:20 AM

    The World Pool-Billiard Association rules for racking in 8 ball are as follows:

    3. EIGHT BALL RULES

    3.2 Eight Ball Rack

    The fifteen object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a triangle, with the apex ball on the foot spot and the eight ball as the first ball that is directly below the apex ball. One ball from each group of seven will be on the two lower corners of the triangle. The other balls are placed in the triangle without purposeful or intentional pattern.

    8 Ball - Ball Setup in Rack Diagram

    Other notes about how to rack the balls in eight ball pool:

    • APA rules call for the eight ball to be placed in the center and don't mention the placement of remaining balls.
    • BCA rules call for the eight ball to be placed in the center and a solid ball in one back corner and a stripe ball in the other.
    • Sometimes when playing by "bar rules," players go "solids-stripes" but that's wrong and has drawbacks.
  2. aspinmdungelman on 10/15/2006 10:13:37 AM

    Most people playing bar pool will rack "solid, stripe, solid, stripe", and so-forth. The problem is this will always result in the same ball in all 3 corners.

    =====(X)=====
=== (O)(O)===
==(X)(8)(X)==
=(O)(X)(O)(O)=
(X)(O)(X)(O)(X)

    Any reasonable person can see the unfair advantage to this. Most people, though, are receptive to the idea of a solid and a stripe in the two back corners.

    Its always a plus if you put the 1-ball at the head of the rack. For some reason it is aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

  3. aspinthedon on 10/28/2006 5:13:52 PM

    I presume that by (X) and (O) you mean solids and stripes.

    If so, then I am not so sure you have it correct, but maybe I'm just misunderstanding your post.

    The BCA regulations state that there should be a striped ball in one corner of the rack and a solid ball in the other corner. This way you get variation in which ball is in each corner.

  4. aspinmdungelman on 10/29/2006 11:14:23 AM

    Yes, correct, (X) and (O) refers to solids and stripes.

    I was giving an example of a "bad bar pool 8 ball rack" (for lack of a better term). I didn't mention anything about BCA regulations, but, if we are talking BCA racking rules, then the second part of my post describes a perfectly legal rack.

    Don't get too engulfed in my diagram.

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How To Rack The Balls In Eight Ball

  • Title: How To Rack The Balls In Eight Ball
  • Author:
  • Published: 10/14/2006 2:44:30 AM
  • Last Updated: 10/14/2006 2:44:57 AM
  • Last Updated By: aspin