9-ball is part of the pocket billiard games along with 8-ball, straight pool, 6-ball, one pocket and other pool games. Playing 9-ball pool successfully requires more experience and technique than playing 8-ball pool, for example. Nevertheless, if you know how to play 8-ball, learning to play 9-ball will not be difficult for you.

Then, here's how:

In order to play 9-ball pool you'll need a standard pool equipment: pool table, cue stick, cue ball plus 9 colored balls numbered 1 through 9. The object of the game is to sink the 9-ball into any pocket. During the pool game, each player on his turn has to cause the cue ball to first touch the lowest value ball on the table.

The 9-ball pool game begins with an opening break shot. In order to commit a legal break shot, the cue ball must first contact the 1-ball and then either pocket an object ball or make at least 4 balls to touch the rail.

When the player fails in completing a legal break shot, it is a foul and his opponent will get cue ball in hand, which means that he is entitled to position the cue ball anywhere on the table. If the breaker has completed a legal break shot, he may continue shooting until committing a foul or failing in pocketing a ball (or pocketing the 9-ball and winning the game).

In the 9-ball pool game, the player who shoots after a legal opening break shot has the option of playing a push out. Playing the push out means that the player can locate the cue ball in order to improve his shot. The push out is allowed only after a legal break shot and only when the player had declared in advance on its intention to play push out.

According to 9-ball pool rules, each player is allowed to commit a maximum of three fouls in a row, when more than a foul on the same shot will be counted as one. Except when the 9-ball is being pocketed on a foul, any other pocketed balls are not being spotted as a result of a foul. However, each time a player commits a foul, he ends his turn at the table. In addition, his opponent receives a cue ball in hand.

In order to commit a foul, a 9-ball player has to either cause the cue ball to first contact a ball that is not the lowest value ball on the table (also known as bad hit) or fails in completing a legal shot (neither pocketing a ball nor causing a ball to touch a rail).

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