Playing pool

The keys below are the defaults. Your server may have changed them; the hints on screen always show the real ones.

Starting a game#

Walk up to a pool table. A menu appears above it:

Someone already waiting? Press E to join them. You see their settings before you sit down. A table that's in use shows who is playing — stay close to watch.

Taking a shot#

Ball in hand#

After a foul, your opponent places the cue ball: move it with the mouse and left-click to put it down. On the break it has to go behind the line.

Calling the 8#

In 8-ball, once your group is cleared you must call the pocket for the 8. Press Q to change the pocket before you shoot.

The rules#

8-ball — the first ball potted after the break decides who plays solids and who plays stripes. Clear your group, then pot the 8 in the pocket you called. You lose if the 8 goes in early, in the wrong pocket, or on a foul. If the 8 goes in on the break, it comes back to the spot.

9-ball — always hit the lowest ball on the table first. Pot the 9 on a legal shot to win.

Fouls give your opponent ball in hand:

• potting the cue ball
• hitting the wrong ball first
• hitting no ball at all
• no ball touching a rail after contact
• an illegal break
• running out of time

Practice#

Leaving#

Press Backspace to leave. Leaving a match counts as a loss. So does walking away from the table, being teleported away, or being knocked out — your opponent wins by forfeit.