The Game Of Six Ball Pool: Fun And Challenging

Six Balls Are Easier Than Nine And Incredible Fun!

Ready to roll some action sideways!. Photo (c) Matt Sherman 2008 licensed to About.com, Inc.

Six Ball, An Awesome Billiards Game

Are you ready for fun? The game of Six Ball is a fun challenge and one of my favorites.

It seems at the outset far easier than Nine Ball. Simply rack the six lowest numbered object balls, break 'em up and run 'em down in the pockets in order. In reality, the game is more daunting--except for the free zones.

Free Zones For The White One

Think about it. Don't you find it's often easier to shoot at the four- or five-ball in Nine Ball after the one-, two- and three-balls have been cleared from the table? You will enjoy Six Ball for this reason. If you have trouble running 8 or 9 balls in those games, you can still run the entire table fairly often in Six Ball.

Tough Break

In 6-Ball your open break is a challenge. You have to be stroking well to sink even one ball, especially on a big nine-foot table. The 6-ball as it rests in the middle (see the accompanying image for the racking position of the balls) is especially difficult to shoot in off the break for the easy win, as with the stupid, I mean, striped, nine ball in that game.

In fact, did you know that the Six Ball game break is so tough that it remains controversial among pool pros, as to whether it helps to play the break or let one's opponent handle it? You can hit the rack very, very hard (as I like to do and I show you how to do here at About.com) and the balls will dramatically fly about the table, but often, without any of them sinking. And sinking two on the break happens every so often and three or more very rarely indeed.

Running To Win In 6-Ball

The balls spread widely over the table in the game of 6-Ball. Indeed, the intermediate player finds the run fun but also a tad challenging. Having less object balls to start than with 9-Ball, life looks grand until the player misses, probably leaving the incoming shooter far less balls than in 9-Ball or 8-Ball, too.

In other words, the newer player tends to leave easy runs for the win (such as the 4-, 5- and 6-balls) following the first few shots of the game! You would think 6-Ball would become a hustler's favorite. But a lot of players don't know this game yet.

Try Adding One Ball To The Mix, 007?

How can you blend the 6-Ball and 9-Ball challenges for a fun game? An accommodation between the challenge of Six Ball and the game of 9-Ball is readily found in... you guessed right.. 7-Ball. The rules and theory of Seven Ball are available here at About.com, with the rules handily applying to Six Ball as well as others in the Rotation family of games. Have fun!

Readers, please remember, I'm as near as your e-mail for all your pool questions on Six Ball, Nine Ball, Fifteen Ball (yes, there's such a game) down to Two-Ball and every other game in between. I'm happy to help, always, with your pool, snooker and cushion billiards questions.