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Rack (billiards)

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166:, is made from a thin material (usually 0.14 mm or less) that contains precision cut-outs to hold the balls in place. Purported benefits of template racks include a more consistent racking, and their popularity has warranted specific inclusion in profession rules. Unlike traditional racks, template racks are left on the table during the break shot and removed at the players' earliest convenience. For this reason, template racks are almost never used for games where it is common to slow-break (i.e. not create a large spread of balls) since it is significantly more likely that the rack will interfere with slow-rolling balls. 508:, 'God Bless You', with the first letter of each word being the first letter of the three colours as they are racked from left to right on the baulk line. At the exact middle of the table sits the blue ball. Further up the table is the pink ball, which sits midway between the blue spot and the top cushion, followed by the red balls (one each), placed in a tightly-packed triangle behind the pink. The apex must be as close as possible to the pink ball without touching it. Finally, the black ball is placed on a spot 12.75 inches from the top cushion on a full-size table. 1246: 306:, fifteen balls are racked in a triangular rack, with the center of the apex ball placed over the foot spot. Traditionally, the 1 ball is placed on the rack’s right corner, and the 5 ball on the left corner from the racker's vantage point to maximize contrast between the corner balls and the background, as the 1 and 5 are the brightest colored balls, however, the world standardized rules do not require this. All other balls are placed at random. 22: 119: 470: 211: 256: 271:, the basic principles are the same as detailed in the eight-ball section above, but only balls 1 through 9 are used; the 1 ball is always placed at the rack's apex (because in nine-ball every legal shot, including the break, must strike the lowest numbered ball first) over the table's foot spot, and the 9 ball is placed in the center of the rack. 777: 515:
If the starting position spot for a coloured ball is covered by another ball, the ball is placed on the highest available spot. If there is no available spot, it is placed as close to its own spot as possible in a direct line between that spot and the top (black end) cushion, without touching another
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Straight pool is played to a specific number of points agreed on prior to the match's start, with each pocketed ball being worth one point to the shooter. Because the game is played to a number of points normally far in excess of the fifteen points total available in the initial rack (in tournament
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Some players (most often amateurs) place the balls in numeric order but for the 9 ball; from the top of the triangle down and from left to right, i.e., the 1 on the foot spot, followed by the 2 then 3 in the second row, and so on. However, all balls other than the 1 and 9 may be randomly placed.
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A number of rules have developed which detail what must be done when one or both of the cue ball and fifteenth object ball are either in the rack area at the time an intragame rack is necessary, or are in such close proximity to the intragame racking area, that the physical rack cannot be used
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On the baulk line, looking up the table from the 'baulk end', the yellow ball is located where the "D" meets the line on the right, the green ball where the "D" meets the line on the left, and the brown ball in the middle of the line. An easy way to remember these positions is with the
484:, one white ball (the cue ball), fifteen red balls and six colours: a yellow (worth two points), green (three points), brown (four points), blue (five points), pink (six points) and black ball (seven points). At one end of the table (the "baulk end" ) is the so-called 511:
Coloured ball racking positions must be remembered with care, as each time a coloured ball is potted, it is immediately replaced to its starting position, which occurs multiple times per frame, whereas reds are not returned to the table's surface after being potted.
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may also be used as a verb to describe the act of setting billiard balls in their starting positions (e.g. "to rack the balls"), or as a noun to describe a set of balls that are in their starting positions (e.g. "a rack of balls", more often called a
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After the initial rack, the balls are played until only the cue ball and one object ball remain on the table's surface. At that time, the fourteen pocketed balls are racked with no apex ball, and the rack is so placed so that
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without moving the one or the other. The rules also vary depending on whether the cue ball or fifteenth ball are resting on the table's head spot. Such rules are detailed on the following chart (note therein that the
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the apex ball were in the rack, its center would rest directly over the table's foot spot. Play then continues with the cue ball shot from where it rested and the fifteenth ball from where it rested prior to racking.
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ball. If there is no room this side of the spot, it will be placed as close to the spot as possible in a straight line towards the bottom cushion, without touching another ball.
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play, one-hundred fifty points), multiple intragame racks are necessary. Intragame racking employs a separate set of rules from those in place at the game's start.
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In both one-pocket and bank pool all fifteen object balls are racked entirely at random, with the center of the apex ball placed directly over the foot spot.
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An aluminum rack set up for eight-ball, breaker's view. Note 1 ball in front, centered 8 ball, staggered ball pattern, and different rear corners.
1193: 294:, some tournament venues enforce a rule that the spotted ball must be racked as one of the two balls in the row directly behind the 1 ball. 1063: 1041: 229:
The first ball must be placed at the apex position (front of the rack and so the center of that ball is directly over the table's
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Traditional racks are in the form of triangular frames, usually made from wood, plastic or metal. A modern variation, called a
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All balls other than the 8 ball are placed at random, but in conformance with the preceding corner ball rule.
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is played on a large table (full, pro tournament size is 12 × 6 ft). It is played using a
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The balls should be pressed tightly together without gaps, as this allows the best break possible.
794: 32: 197:(although a triangular rack can also be used) and template racks come in a variety of shapes. 976: 801: 492:, which is 29 inches from the baulk end cushion. A semicircle of radius 11.5 inches, called 79: 920: 226:
The 8 ball must be in the center of the rack (the second ball in the three-balls-wide row).
170: 893: 533: 8: 1216: 833: 591: 1107: 827: 820: 495: 222:, 15 object balls are used. Under the world standardized rules, it is prescribed that: 1250: 1097: 955: 915: 902: 883: 878: 716: 622: 950: 873: 721: 711: 139: 909: 862: 785: 751: 726: 706: 156: 334: 289: 981: 696: 487: 193:
and many other games. Diamond-shaped frames are sometimes used for the game of
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rack, racker's view: 1 ball in front, 9 ball centered.
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are standardized by international sanctioning bodies.
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World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association
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Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. 297: 240:The two corner balls must be a stripe and a solid. 138:in their starting positions at the beginning of a 1268: 134:) is a piece of equipment that is used to place 1194:International Billiards and Snooker Federation 169:The most common shape of a rack is that of an 599: 456: 606: 592: 106:Learn how and when to remove this message 468: 254: 209: 117: 1179:World Confederation of Billiards Sports 1269: 343:Straight pool intragame racking chart 331:refers to the area behind the table's 1027:Artistic Billiards World Championship 587: 1032:UMB World Three-cushion Championship 563:"Pool Billiards - The Rules of Play" 44:adding citations to reliable sources 15: 201:Racking in specific billiards games 13: 1054:World Women's Snooker Championship 473:Snooker table in starting position 14: 1288: 1086:WPA World Eight-ball Championship 1244: 1081:World Straight Pool Championship 1059:WPA World Nine-ball Championship 775: 559:World Pool-Billiards Association 173:. Triangular racks are used for 20: 1189:World Pool-Billiard Association 1076:WPA World Ten-ball Championship 298:Straight pool (14.1 continuous) 31:needs additional citations for 613: 551: 526: 1: 1113:Cue sports at the World Games 534:"Rule Regulations - WPA Pool" 519: 286:is given by one player being 205: 250: 7: 1141:European Pool Championships 361:not touching the head spot 278:In nine-ball games where a 10: 1293: 1049:Six-red World Championship 1037:World Snooker Championship 464: 1240: 1209: 1184:Union Mondiale de Billard 1171: 1121: 1015: 964: 892: 847: 784: 773: 621: 350: 347: 1007:Comparison of cue sports 457:One-pocket and bank pool 259:A diamond-shaped wooden 122:Billiard balls in a rack 364:Touching the head spot 302:In the initial rack in 1255:The rules of games in 474: 446:Cue ball: center spot 444:15th ball: in position 430:15th ball: in position 425:Not behind head string 414:15th ball: in position 404:Cue ball: in position 399:Cue ball: in position 384:Cue ball: in position 382:15th ball: center spot 379:Cue ball: in position 264: 215: 123: 1251:Cue sports portal 472: 432:Cue ball: in kitchen 411:but not on head spot 394:Cue ball: in kitchen 374:Cue ball: in kitchen 258: 213: 121: 55:"Rack" billiards 1277:Cue sports equipment 921:Danish pin billiards 493: 485: 427:and not in the rack 416:Cue ball: head spot 402:15th ball: foot spot 397:15th ball: foot spot 392:15th ball: foot spot 377:15th ball: head spot 372:15th ball: foot spot 332: 324: 287: 279: 230: 171:equilateral triangle 130:(sometimes called a 40:improve this article 359:Not in the rack and 344: 1108:World Pool Masters 828:Artistic billiards 640:British eight-ball 561:(March 15, 2016). 475: 409:Behind head string 342: 265: 216: 124: 1264: 1263: 1098:World Cup of Pool 903:English billiards 879:Brazilian snooker 454: 453: 116: 115: 108: 90: 1284: 1249: 1248: 1247: 1172:Governing bodies 951:Ground billiards 874:American snooker 779: 608: 601: 594: 585: 584: 578: 577: 575: 573: 567: 555: 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Retrieved 537: 528: 514: 510: 502: 476: 460: 369:In the rack 356:In the rack 321: 315: 312: 308: 301: 277: 273: 266: 217: 168: 163: 161: 152: 148: 143: 131: 127: 125: 102: 96:January 2010 93: 83: 76: 69: 62: 50: 38:Please help 33:verification 30: 1103:Mosconi Cup 1020:tournaments 926:Bumper pool 894:Other games 802:One-cushion 702:Cowboy pool 687:Bottle pool 568:. p. 9 335:head string 1217:Cue sports 1210:Categories 977:Techniques 767:Three-ball 762:Speed pool 757:Seven-ball 742:One-pocket 732:Kelly pool 692:Bowlliards 633:Eight-ball 615:Cue sports 543:12 January 520:References 488:baulk line 220:eight-ball 206:Eight-ball 183:one-pocket 175:eight-ball 66:newspapers 1146:U.S. Open 1129:Euro Tour 1091:champions 1069:champions 1042:champions 997:Cue stick 965:Resources 931:Bagatelle 884:Shoot Out 839:Goriziana 834:Four-ball 821:Five-pins 712:Cutthroat 677:Bank pool 649:Nine-ball 482:cue stick 389:Pocketed 269:nine-ball 261:nine-ball 251:Nine-ball 233:foot spot 195:nine-ball 187:bank pool 1271:Category 972:Glossary 936:Boccette 809:Balkline 752:Rotation 727:Honolulu 707:Cribbage 682:Baseball 663:Ten-ball 538:WPA Pool 506:mnemonic 282:handicap 132:triangle 1257:italics 1222:Players 1064:Women's 856:Snooker 848:Snooker 697:Chicago 496:the "D" 478:Snooker 465:Snooker 327:kitchen 191:snooker 153:pyramid 80:scholar 1161:9-Ball 1156:8-Ball 1134:events 946:Novuss 737:Killer 572:May 2, 142:game. 82:  75:  68:  61:  53:  1016:Major 956:Slosh 916:Kaisa 625:games 566:(PDF) 151:or a 87:JSTOR 73:books 1002:Rack 722:Golf 623:Pool 574:2020 545:2018 149:pack 144:Rack 128:rack 59:news 339:). 267:In 218:In 159:). 155:in 42:by 1273:: 536:. 316:if 237:). 189:, 185:, 181:, 177:, 126:A 607:e 600:t 593:v 576:. 547:. 109:) 103:( 98:) 94:( 84:· 77:· 70:· 63:· 36:.

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billiard balls
pocket billiards
British English
equilateral triangle
eight-ball
straight pool
one-pocket
bank pool
snooker
nine-ball

eight-ball
foot spot

nine-ball
nine-ball
handicap
spotted a ball

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