9-ball
9-ball (English: 9 ball ) is a discipline of pool billiards in which nine numbered object balls and a game ball, the "white", are played on a pool table. For each shot, the ball with the lowest number must be played first. The winner is the player who first correctly pocketed the ball with the number 9 or who forces the opponent to commit three fouls in a row.
regulate
In contrast to 8-ball , 10-ball and 14/1 endless , 9-ball is not an announcement game. This means that you do not have to say which ball will be played in which pocket before the shot . So a continuation is possible even after unintentional lucky hits, so you can continue playing.
To stay on the shot , you have to punch at least one object ball and not commit a foul.
If the opponent commits a foul, you basically have "ball in hand" (free position improvement) on the whole table , ie you can put the ball anywhere on the table and continue playing from there in any direction. Only placing it on another object ball ("press") is excluded.
Build up and break
The object balls are set up in the rhombus at the beginning . The only requirement is that the object ball with the number 1 is in front, the 9 in the middle and the remaining balls have no recognizable system. The starting player has the right to choose the position of the game ball within the head field (upper quarter of the table).
When breaking , the foremost ball - i.e. the 1 - must be hit first. In addition, at least three of the object balls must cross the head line. This number is reduced by the number of balls that are punched on the break (kitchen rule). Is z. If, for example, only one object ball is punched and one crosses the head line, it is the opponent's turn, but is not counted as a foul (ball in hand). If the game is played without the kitchen rule, at least 4 object balls must touch a board. Otherwise, the opponent can either take over the situation or demand that it be rebuilt and also decide on the right to kick-off. However, if one or more object balls fall, the player who kicked the ball remains at the table and is allowed to continue playing.
If a ball falls off the table during the break, this is a foul. In this case, sunk balls 1 to 8 remain in the pockets and are not put back on. The 9, on the other hand, comes back into play and is placed on the foot point or as close as possible to it when viewed from the foot rail. In any case, the opposing player has the ball in hand.
If a player succeeds in sinking the 9 directly on the opening stroke, this counts as an "ace" and the game is won immediately, provided that the cue ball has remained on the table and no other foul has occurred.
As with 8-ball, the break is of enormous importance with 9-ball. Top players have a great chance of a “committee” where they don't let the opponent come to the push.
Push out
The player who is on the recording immediately after a correct opening shot can announce a "Push Out". This means that he can now execute a free push and then give his opponent the choice of taking over the picture or not. In the case of a push out, it is not absolutely necessary to hit an object ball or run into a gang. Any ball on the table can be played and pocketed directly. However, all other foul possibilities remain.
The Push Out is a tactical variant that is usually only used when the object ball to be played cannot be hit directly.
If a ball is punched during the push out, it remains in the pocket and is not rebuilt. Only the 9 comes back to the base point, should it have been sunk during the push out, for example for strategic reasons.
Reinstalling balls
In the 9-ball discipline, no object ball is used again (exception: the 9).
The 9 is used again when
- it is punched as a result of a foul
- was sunk in a "push out" or played from the table.
- She was punched on the break and the Kitchen Rule was not adhered to
When reinserting the ball, the 9 is placed on the foot point or - if this is occupied by another ball - the next free space in the direction of the headband.
Correct thrust
For a correct shot it is sufficient to hit the object ball with the lowest number on the table first and, after the collision with the cue ball or an object ball, touch a board or pocket an object ball (in this case, NO ball has to touch a board ).
Fouls
A foul occurs when:
- The game ball falls into a pocket or jumps off the table
- Wrong object ball - the first object ball that is touched by the game ball must always be the lowest numbered ball that is still on the table.
- No gang after the crash
- No foot on the ground
- Ball that Jumps Off the Table - The only ball that is reinstalled after jumping off the table is the 9th.
- Touching the balls
- Puncture / press lying balls
- Pushing the game ball
- Balls still moving
- Free improvement of the situation in the head field
- Queue on the table
- Playing without permission
- Time game
If several fouls are committed in one shot, this will still only be counted as one foul.
If the cue ball or an object ball lies directly on the edge of the table, there is also a foul. The ball is then considered to have "fallen off the table", as the boards do not belong to the playing area, but merely demarcate it. However, if a ball rolls over the board for a short time and comes back onto the playing surface, the shot is correct.
If a pocket is already so overcrowded that the protruding balls influence the game, e.g. B. prevent the ball from falling into the pocket, is also a foul.
Loss of game
If a player plays three consecutive fouls in a game without taking a correct push in between, he loses the game. However, between the second and the third foul, a warning must be given by the referee or the opponent.
tactics
The positional play is important to determine the further course of the game. Mistakes on the last three balls often mean the loss of a game. 9-Ball is a game in which you can hardly afford to make mistakes, otherwise you rarely get a good chance again. Often tournaments with "alternating breaks" are played so that top players do not determine several games from the break. Alternating break means that regardless of whether you win or lose a game, you always play alternately.
