Move your mouse to aim your 9 Ball Pool cue, and click and drag to set your shot power. Release the mouse button to take your shot.

In this game, you will need to sink the ball in order from 1 to 9. You can see the color of the lowest ball on the field next to the avatar of the player who is shooting.

When you see arrow icons around the cue ball, this means you can click and drag on the ball to move it. This only happens when you're breaking or when your opponent commits a foul.

TIP: Click on the cue ball icon at the top of the game screen to adjust the spin.

9 Ball Pool Rules

If you've played the more popular 8 Ball Pool before, then 9 Ball Pool won't be such a foreign concept to you. If you just take a minute or two to read through the basics, you'll be well on your way to mastering the game.

Object of the Game

Players must hit the lowest-numbered ball first with each shot. The player who legally pockets the 9 ball wins the game.

The Break

The breaker must hit the 1 ball first. If any ball is pocketed on the break, the breaker continues shooting. If no balls are pocketed, play passes to the opponent. If the 9 ball is pocketed legally during the break, the breaker wins the game.

Legal Shots

On every shot, the cue ball must hit the lowest-numbered ball on the table first. After contact, either a ball must be pocketed or at least one ball (cue ball or object ball) must hit a rail.

If a player pockets any ball on a legal shot, they continue shooting. If the player hit the lowest ball first and a different ball (that isn't the 9 ball) was pocketed, the player keeps their turn. If the player hit the lowest ball first and the 9 ball goes in (either directly or via combination), the player wins immediately.

Fouls

If a player commits a foul, their opponent is given "ball-in-hand" and may place the cue ball anywhere on the table. There are several ways that players can commit a foul in 9 Ball Pool.

Pocketing the cue ball

Just like in 8 Ball Pool, you are given a foul if you pocket the cue ball. You must keep the deflection angle of the cue ball in the back of your head at all times.

Failing to hit the lowest-numbered ball first

This one is pretty easy to avoid, just make sure that you don't get close to any other ball on first contact. If you are a careful player, this foul should almost never happen.

Failing to contact a rail or pocket a ball

If you totally whiff on the ball that you are aiming for, you must hit a rail in order to avoid committing a foul. This is one of the rarer fouls in 9 Ball Pool, but it's still one that you must keep in the back of your mind.

Failing to hit any ball with the cue ball

Sometimes, when players are trying to hit some tricky angles in 9 Ball Pool, they will end up missing their target altogether. In these cases, you must at least hit one other ball in order to avoid a foul. This foul becomes easier to committ as you get deeper into the game.

Winning the Game

Generally, you win the game by pocketing the 9 ball after all the other balls have been cleared. You will also win if you pocket the 9 ball on the break, or if you pocket it after hitting the lowest ball on the table.

Now that you've learned the basics of 9 Ball Pool, get out there and give it a chance. If you are already a fan of 8 Ball Pool or Billiards, there is a good chance that this more simplified game will speak to you as well.