Rules of Bar Room Billiards

A casual game of bar room pool is an entertaining way to kill time at a drinking establishment of choice. Rules may vary from place to place, but the same general regulations apply to each game. Since most bar room pool tables are coin-operated, and colored balls are inaccessible once they go into a pocket, some of the standard pool rules do not apply. This list of rules applies to standard eight ball pool.

The Break

Players can decide who breaks in any number of ways. Once a player has earned the right to shoot first, the other player must arrange the rack, with the one ball in front and the eight ball in the middle. The player conducting the break must make at least one ball to continue his turn. No matter what goes in on the first shot, the table remains "open" until a player makes a subsequent ball to determine whether he will shoot solid balls or striped balls. If the cue ball goes in on the break, the first player loses his turn even if colored balls went in. If a player sinks the eight ball on the break, he is declared the winner.

Game Play

Players must make their own shots in order to continue playing. Sinking another player's ball results in a loss of turn, as does hitting an opponent's ball first. All shot attempts must be called. If the ball goes into a pocket other than the one targeted by the shooter, the turn ends. Scratches, which occur when the cue ball goes into a pocket, result in a loss of turn. Some pool games call for all scratches to result in a ball-in-hand situation for the opponent, allowing him to place the cue ball anywhere on the table for his next shot. In most bar room billiards games, players are only allowed to shoot from behind the head string located at one end of the table. Additionally, a player may only attempt a shot on a ball in front of the head string.

End of the Game

A game of bar room billiards ends immediately after the eight-ball has been made. If a player inadvertently sinks it during the game, she automatically loses. When a player has just the eight ball left to make, she must declare the target pocket and make the shot without sinking the cue ball. If the eight ball goes in a different pocket, or the cue ball scratches, the shooter loses the game.