8-Ball Pool is one of my favorite games be it Pool or otherwise (cards). Many people will make their Pool playing skills go up just by playing this game.  Now you could also play 9-Ball, but I don't particularly like 9-Ball since although it does require similar skills, I'm not very fond of me doing all the work, missing one shot, and then the other person sinks the 9-ball and claims victory.  I also don't like the "slop" aspect of the game where you don't have to call each shot and can basically pocket an object ball anywhere and continue to play.

I play this game more than any other Pool game and have found it to be one of the most difficult common Pool games you will find to play - especially if you play by the rules according to the BCA rather than a friend's rules, "house" rules, or people that have an outdated understanding of what is allowed or not.

I've included a few pictures of various friends and me playing the game of 8-Ball as well as a PDF (Acrobat) file you can download that illustrates the rules according to the BCA (Billiard Congress of America), although you may want to check with them to be sure the rules are current. I've noticed they change the rules over the years to make the game more enjoyable for tournaments and television.

Show Me The Rules

8-Ball BCA Rulesheet

Some links you may want to try:

Billiards.com (valuable articles on pool and supplies too)
Women & Billiards Online magazine
Amateur Billiards News
Billiard Congress Of America
Cue-Tech
Playpool.com
Breaktime Billiards
(supplies and pool sticks)

(click a picture to enlarge)

Clay Bruce

 
Clay Bruce
(I think he's on the way
to a scratch)

 

 
Bob Sisco Crazy Tombo
Bob Sisco

 

Tombo getting desperate.

 

Bob Thinking Steve and Tombo
Bob in an intense moment
to win the "Champion
of the Universe" title.

 

Tombo was getting just
a little too close for comfort.

 

Bob and Steve Pool Buddies

 

Crutch Clay
Bob and Steve on
friendly terms (we haven't
started playing yet).
It's serious when Clay
gets out the crutch.

 

 

 

 

 

All Graphics & Text © Steve Corley

The pictures you see were created by Steve Corley unless otherwise noted.
Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited