Pool
Pool is played on a cloth-covered table with six pockets; players take turns to strike a white cue ball at numbered object balls to drive them into pockets. Which balls may be hit, and what wins, depends on the game: in 8-ball a player pockets their group of seven and then the 8-ball, and in 9-ball the cue ball must hit the lowest-numbered ball first and whoever legally pockets the 9-ball wins.
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How long
Racks of 8-ball or 9-ball; a match is played to the number of racks needed to win
Lengths are from the rule book.
The big events, and why they matter
- 1WPA World Nine-ball ChampionshipThe best-known pool world title.Yearly · Holder: Carlo Biado beat Fedor Gorst 15–13
- 2Mosconi CupThe best-known team event.Yearly · Holder: 2025, Alexandra Palace, London: Europe won 11–3
- 3Asian Games (cue sports)Asia's multi-sport title, held at four Games.Every 4 years; held 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010 only
India
No Indian player has reached a world nine-ball final; India does not take part in the Mosconi Cup, which is between Europe and the United States [the two pages].
- WPA World Nine-ball Championship: No Indian finalist
- Mosconi Cup: Not a part: the match is between Europe and the United States
Countries to know
India and the nations that have done best, biggest titles first.
- United StatesWPA World Nine-ball Championship: 1 title, runner-up once (latest 2025)
- PhilippinesWPA World Nine-ball Championship: 1 title (latest 2025)
- SpainWPA World Nine-ball Championship: 1 title (latest 2023)
- AlbaniaWPA World Nine-ball Championship: runner-up once (latest 2024)
- SyriaWPA World Nine-ball Championship: runner-up once (latest 2023)
Who runs it
| Rules made by | World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA), Rules of Play, effective 15 September 2025 |
| International federation | World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) |
| In India | The Billiards and Snooker Federation of India calls itself the governing body of cue sports in India and lists pool on its site; the MYAS list names it for billiards and snooker |
Where and when it is played
On a six-pocket table. The big events: the WPA World Nine-ball Championship every year and the Mosconi Cup, an invitational between Europe and the United States, every year.