Rack the balls numbered one through seven into a circle, with the one to the front and the maroon seven in the center as depicted above.
Begin the game with an open break. The cue ball must hit the 1-ball first during the break. Smash the balls hard and give them a whirl.
Play progresses as in other rotation games such as Nine Ball (shoot at the lowest ball and after the hit, if any ball besides the cue ball pockets your turn continues) but with four fascinating additional rules:
1) The 7-ball’s pocket must be a call shot to win (declared before the stroke) as in "7-ball in the lower right corner!"
2) Each player is allotted one (1) called safety (an intentional defensive stroke, a shot played to miss, usually) per game.
3) Safety and a pocket may both be declared on the 7-ball for the same stroke. For example, "7-ball in the right side pocket and safety!" In other words, you may attempt the win but if you miss, you've declared the shot a defensive one in foresight, so that your opponent does not receive ball-in-hand.
4) Any shot not sending a ball into a pocket yields ball-in-hand to the opponent. Any miss is treated like a scratch in 8-ball or 9-ball. A single miss means the incoming player could win instantly. Intense concentration is demanded of you! Most beginners I've taught 7-ball love this training aspect of the game.
7-ball is a fast paced game. Rule 2 may be altered to handicap play, with one player allotted one safety and their opponent two, three or more safeties. The added defense plays slow the game slightly but allow players of differing skill levels to compete on an equal basis.
