Pool is one of the world's most popular sports. It can be played on many different sized tables. However, it is also a game that requires a high level of skill. Although there are many variations of pool, the most popular ones are eight ball and continuous pool. These games require high skill and can be played singles, doubles, or as a team sport.
The game's objective, however, is to collect all the designated balls. This includes cue balls, eight-balls and other object ball. Each player gets one pocket at the bottom of the table. They keep going until they foul or miss. Fouls must be reported to the officials and the ball must be put back on for a fresh shot. A variety of fouls can occur including a break, hitting the cueball into an object ball, committing an unlawful break, or executing a jump shot.
The World Standardized Rules is the official pool rules. They are used in numerous international tournaments and other organizations as well as the Billiard Congress of America. Fouls must be committed when the ball is lost. The opponent's ball must be re-entered and the point will be awarded to the player who has the ball in his pocket.
The goal of eight-ball is to win the black eight ball. Depending on which variation is used, the numbering of the balls can vary from one to nine. If a player takes the ball out of his pocket, he wins.
A normal foul is penalized with a minus point. A foul that involves the ball being pocketed will result in a minus point. After the player has taken his next shot, he may choose to restore the position he was in before the foul. The player may also decide to keep the shot. However, if the opponent places the ball into his pocket, he will get a points.
Another form of foul is called the ball in-hand foul. This happens when the ball is touched by a player without his or her foot touching the floor. Before taking a shot, a player must announce the pocketed ball. The ball must be placed as close as possible to the spot where it was caught during the foul.
Before taking the next shot, the player who has committed two fouls consecutively must be warned. Unless the player agrees to a penalty, the third foul will result in a loss of the game. If a player is caught breaking in the first inning, they will receive a minus of -10.
A non-player interfering foul is another form of foul. If the ball is pushed or bumped by an opponent or by an unscheduled light fixture, the foul is considered non-player interference. Non-player interference doesn't count if the ball was pocketed during the course or a foul.