One of most popular sports worldwide is pool. It can be played on many different sized tables. However, it is also a game that requires a high level of skill. There are many forms of pool. But the most popular are continuous and eight ball. These games require skill and can either be played solo, in pairs or as a group sport.
The game's goal is to put all the designated balls. This includes the cueball, eight-ball and any other object balls. Each player gets one of the two pockets located at the feet of the table. They go on until they make a mistake or foul. Fouls must be reported to the officials and the ball must be put back on for a fresh shot. A variety of fouls can occur including a break, hitting the cueball into an object ball, committing an unlawful break, or executing a jump shot.
The official pool rules are the World Standardized Rules. These rules are used by many international tournaments, organizations, and the Billiard Congress of America. Fouls must be committed when the ball is lost. The opponent's ball must be re-entered and the point will be awarded to the player who has the ball in his pocket.
The goal of eight-ball is to win the black eight ball. Depending on which variation is used, the numbering of the balls can vary from one to nine. The game is won if the player places a ball in his own pocket.
A normal foul is punished with a point. The ball must immediately be racked if it is caught in the middle of a foul. The player may decide to return to the same position as before the foul by taking his next shot. He may choose to keep his shot, and if his opponent places a ball in his pocket, he will be awarded a point.
Another form of foul is called the ball in-hand foul. This is when a player touches the cueball without putting his or her foot on it. The player must announce that the ball has been pocketed before they take a shot. Afterward, the ball that was pocketed in the course of the foul must be as close to the foot spot as possible.
Before taking the next shot, the player who has committed two fouls consecutively must be warned. Unless the player agrees to a penalty, the third foul will result in a loss of the game. The player will be penalized if he or she breaks in an inning.
Non-player interference can also be considered a foul. Non-player interference refers to any foul that occurs when the ball gets pushed or bumped in the face by an opponent, or an unscheduled fixture. If the ball is pushed or bumped by an opponent, the foul does not count.