How to play pool

Introduction
Pool is one of the most popular games across the world. Playing pool is a great way to pass the time with friends, or even by playing by yourself. You can play pool at bars with friends, or you can play pool with family members. Pool might seem like an impossible game to pick up that's overly confusing and complicated. But playing pool really isn't all that difficult, as soon as you understand what the rules of the game are and how you can get better and better at the game.

Instructions
Difficulty level: moderate

Materials needed:

• pool table (or at least access to one)
• a pool cue
  
• pool balls
  
• cue chalk
  
• ball rack

Steps

Step one:

The first step in learning how to play pool is learning the different important words in pool. There are a number of important vocabulary words that you need to know when it comes to playing pool: balls, rack, table, and cue stick.

In terms of balls, there are two different kinds, plus a pure white ball (the cue ball). Some of the balls are solid, and some of the balls have one colored stripe around the middle. Balls numbered 1-7 are solid. Balls numbered 9-15 are stripes. The black 8 ball, in standard pool, is not considered to be either a solid or a stripe, because it plays a special role in pool. The cue ball is the one that you hit with your cue stick-you won't be hitting any of the colored balls. Instead, you hit the cue ball in order to hit the colored balls. The cue stick is the stick that you will be using to hit the balls.

A standard pool table is 9 feet long and about 4 feet wide. It has a soft surface on the top. There are 6 pockets-one in each corner and one on each side of the pool table in the center. There is a small white circle near each end of the pool table. This is where you will set the rack and the cue ball. Finally, the rack is the triangle that will be used to arrange the balls into a triangular shape.

Step two:

Learn the main terms associated with pool. First, there is billiards: the term billiards covers any game that is played with a cue stick. Pool is a particular type of billiard game. The break is when the game starts and the cue ball is hit by one of the players into the racked colored balls in order to send the balls all over the pool table.

Pocketing a ball means that you hit a ball into a pocket. This is also called sinking a ball.

When you scratch, that means that you hit the cue ball but don't hit any other balls, when you hit somebody else's ball into a pocket, or when you hit the cue ball into a pocket without hitting another ball into the pocket also.

Step three: 

In this step, you are going to practice making shots in pool.  There are different shots that you need to practice making: setting up, making the shot, and breaking.

Step four: 

Stand next to the table with your legs perpendicular to the edge of the table with your cue stick in your hand.

Step five: 

Keep your sheet about a shoulder's width apart and balance your weight equally.  Bend your knee which is closer to the table very slightly.  Keep your back leg straight and lean towards the table.  Grab near the bottom of the stick with your primary hand-your right hand if you are right-handed, etc.  Put your other hand on the surface of the pool table about 5-10 inches away from the cue ball.  Lift your hand and place the cue stick in the crease that is between your thumb and the side of your hand.  The cue stick will slide back and forth here.

Step six: 

Now you need to hit the ball.  Slide the stick back and forth in your hand.  Now you need to pull back the stick and hit the cue ball right in the center.  Your main arm should be at a 90 degree angle. Follow through on the shots.  Make sure that you aim the ball to get it where you want to go.

Step seven: 

Here are the basic rules for playing 8-ball.  You will be either the solid balls or the striped balls.  What you want to do is get all of your balls in the pockets, and then to sink the 8-ball after you sink all of your solid or striped balls.

Step eight: 

Begin by racking the ball.  Make sure that the 8-ball is in the middle of the rack and that the 1 ball is in the front of the triangle.  Alternate striped and solid balls as best you can throughout the rest of the rack.

Step nine: 

Flip a coin to see who is going to be breaking the rack.  You and your opponent will then switch turns.  Whoever sinks a ball first will be either stripes or solids, depending on which ball was sunk. 

Step ten: 

If somebody sinks a ball, they get to go again.

Tips and tricks

• don't sink the 8-ball until you have sunk all of your other balls.  Otherwise, you will automatically lose the game.