Now you're starting to see just how many different varieties of pool you can play. It's just a matter of time before you and your friends will be inventing your own. There are countless varieties out there with rules that you will be able to find in books and on the Internet, and bank pool is but one of these. Except for the rules indicated here, all the general billiard rules apply to bank pool.

The Object of the Game

The goal is to be the first player to legally pocket eight balls. Since you've been practicing your shots so much, this doesn't sound too hard, now does it? Well, don't get too comfortable just yet. What would be the point of a game without challenges? Like the name suggests, in order to pocket a ball, you must first drive it into one or more cushions, that is, of course, after you call the ball and the pocket. That's right, this is a call-shot game.

The Break

The break is an open break. If you pocket anything on the break it is spotted and you continue your inning. If no balls are pocketed on the break, you forfeit your turn to your opponent, who takes the table as is. The balls are not racked in any particular order.

The Rules

All fifteen balls are used, and, again, this is a call-shot game. You must call the ball and pocket before every shot (except on the break, of course). You keep your turn at the table as long as you continue to legally pocket balls. If you pocket a ball illegally, it is spotted anywhere on the table and you lose your turn.

Fouls

If you foul, you must spot an additional ball — one that you previously pocketed. If you haven't pocketed any balls yet, you will owe the table a ball. The owed ball should be spotted immediately after your inning.

If you jump the cue ball off the table or scratch, you lose your turn and your opponent takes cue-ball-in-hand from within the kitchen (behind the head string). Don't forget to spot one of your banked balls as well. As you get to know bank pool you'll find that fouls have grave consequences. It hurts to give up one of those hard-earned banked balls!

You may have noticed by now that as you've become more familiar with various pool games, you've begun to think of a few of your own variations. Maybe in the middle of a round of bank pool, you thought to yourself, Wouldn't it be interesting to change this rule and maybe throw in a new challenge by adding in some eight-ball rules? This is how many games have evolved over the years — players just thinking about how to improve a game or inventing a new one. It's only natural to inject some of your own creativity into any game or sport. As you've read so far, the development of pool started with a necessity and desire to play a game indoors — its evolution has always been about ingenuity.