How To Rack A Pool Table: 10 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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How to Rack a Pool Table Download Article Co-authored by Michael Lin

Last Updated: January 1, 2026 Fact Checked

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• Rack a Standard 8-Ball Game
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• Rack a Standard 9-Ball Game
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This article was co-authored by Michael Lin. Michael Lin is a billiards expert based in Rochester, New York. He is the owner of Billiard Breakdown, a pool hall in Rochester, and acts as a commentator for pool competitions in his area. Michael is the creator of the Billiard Breakdown YouTube channel, where he has built an online community of over 21K subscribers. His pool-focused Instagram account also has over 50K followers. Michael creates content centered on competitive pool, trick shots, and live match coverage. Michael is known for his practical pool analysis, and his online content @BilliardBreakdown shares tips, tricks, and breakdowns to help players excel on the table. He also hosts consistent YouTube livestreams featuring high-stakes matches that are interactive, informative, and engaging for viewers. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,377,587 times.

So you wanna play pool? Racking the billiard balls in correct fashion will help you play the game right and let you feel in command as the game begins. Although racking is relatively simple, there are some rules and tricks to racking properly. Read on for more information on how to rack a clutch of billiard balls the right way.

Racking a Standard Pool Game Table

Place the 1-ball at the front of the triangular rack and ensure the 8-ball is in the center (the middle of the 3rd row down). The bottom corners should be a stripe and a solid, and you can fill in the other balls at random. Make sure all the balls are tightly packed together.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Rack a Standard 8-Ball Game

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1. 1 Start off with the 1-ball at the front of the rack. This is also called the "apex" of the rack.
2. 2 Make sure that the 8-ball is in the center of the rack. The center of the rack is the middle of the triangle.[1] This should be the third row down counting from the top. Advertisement
3. 3 Make sure the bottom corner balls are a stripe and a solid. It doesn't matter which is which, as long as you've got one stripe and one solid.[2]
4. 4 Place all the other balls at random. Make sure the 1-ball is at the apex, the 8-ball is in the middle of the rack, and both a stripe and solid are at the bottom corner, but line up all the other balls in random fashion. If solids and solids are together, or stripes and stripes, that's okay.[3]
   • One variant of this step in amateur play is to vary the edges of the rack so that the pattern is stripe, solid, stripe, solid, etc. This will result in the two corner balls being the same, i.e. either both stripe or both solid.[4]
   • Another variant of this step in amateur play is to order the balls down and from left to right, according to their number. This will always result in the 1-ball being at the apex, the 11 and 15 being at the bottom corners, and the 5-ball being in the 8's customary position.
5. 5 Line the apex (the first ball) up with the middle diamond on the side of the pool table. The center of the first ball should be in the middle of the table at one quarter of the length. Some tables have this spot marked with a small dot.[5]
6. 6 Make sure that the balls are tightly packed together. A tight rack makes for an infinitely better break.[6]
7. 7 Preserving the tightness of the rack, lift the rack from the balls. You're ready to start your 8-ball game.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Rack a Standard 9-Ball Game

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1. 1 If possible, get a diamond-shaped rack for 9-ball. Since the racking technique is different in 9-ball from 8-ball, a different rack is preferred. The pattern of a diamond is 1-2-3-2-1.[7] The traditional triangular rack may be used for racking a 9-ball game, but it will produce a looser rack.[8]
2. 2 In all variants of 9-ball, keep the 1-ball at the apex and the 9-ball in the center. The 1-ball is always at the front of the rack, and the 9-ball is always directly in the center.[9]
3. 3 Place all other balls in random order around the 1- and 9-ball. Like in 8-ball, traditional rules state that all other balls are placed randomly.[10]
   • One amateur variant of 9-ball is that the billiard balls are placed in sequential orders, down and from left to right, excepting the 9-ball, which stays in the middle. If done properly, the 1-ball will be at the apex and the 8-ball will be at the bottom.
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Community Q&A

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• Question Do we get two shots for a foul when there is only the black ball? Community Answer If a player is on black, he only gets one shot for any foul, even if the other player still has colors left. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 26 Helpful 22
• Question Why does one player rack and the other one breaks? Community Answer If the same player both racked and broke, then he could set it up to give himself an unfair advantage. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 50 Helpful 36
• Question Where should the center dot be for placing the rack? Community Answer In the center of the table and at the quarter mark. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 44 Helpful 25

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Tips

• If you are having trouble getting the balls to stay tightly packed, try moving the balls to the desired spot and then quickly stopping so that they stay close together. Trying to slowly move the triangle won't always give you the desired results. Thanks Helpful 11 Not Helpful 3
• Many like to use the 1 ball as the first ball, but it is not required. Thanks Helpful 100 Not Helpful 82
• Another racking set-up that people use is placing a solid in one back corner and a stripe in the other, so that the player breaking has an equal chance of sinking either one. Thanks Helpful 63 Not Helpful 73

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References

1. ↑ Michael Lin. Billiards Expert and Owner of Billiard Breakdown. Expert Interview
2. ↑ https://www.colorado.edu/umc/sites/default/files/attached-files/8-ball_rules_bca.pdf
3. ↑ https://www.unlv.edu/sites/default/files/page_files/27/CampusRec_BilliardsRules.pdf
4. ↑ Michael Lin. Billiards Expert and Owner of Billiard Breakdown. Expert Interview
5. ↑ https://wpapool.com/rules-of-play/
6. ↑ https://www.uwyo.edu/rec/intramural-sports/_files/docs/rules/8-ball.pdf
7. ↑ Michael Lin. Billiards Expert and Owner of Billiard Breakdown. Expert Interview
8. ↑ https://upatour.com/9-ball-rules/
9. ↑ https://www.colorado.edu/umc/sites/default/files/attached-files/9-ball_rules_bca.pdf

More References (1)

10. ↑ https://wpapool.com/rules-of-play/#9-ball

About This Article

Co-authored by: Michael Lin Billiards Expert This article was co-authored by Michael Lin. Michael Lin is a billiards expert based in Rochester, New York. He is the owner of Billiard Breakdown, a pool hall in Rochester, and acts as a commentator for pool competitions in his area. Michael is the creator of the Billiard Breakdown YouTube channel, where he has built an online community of over 21K subscribers. His pool-focused Instagram account also has over 50K followers. Michael creates content centered on competitive pool, trick shots, and live match coverage. Michael is known for his practical pool analysis, and his online content @BilliardBreakdown shares tips, tricks, and breakdowns to help players excel on the table. He also hosts consistent YouTube livestreams featuring high-stakes matches that are interactive, informative, and engaging for viewers. This article has been viewed 2,377,587 times. 52 votes - 89% Co-authors: 20 Updated: January 1, 2026 Views: 2,377,587 Categories: Cue Sports Article SummaryX

To rack a pool table, first place the 1-ball at the front of the rack. Then, place the 8-ball in the center of the rack. Next, place any stripe and any solid ball in the bottom corners. Fill in the rest of the rack with the other balls randomly. Once you’ve filled in the rack, line the 1-ball up with the small dot marked on the pool table. Finally, carefully lift the rack straight up away from the balls. Now you’re ready to play! For tips on how to rack a 9-ball game, keep reading! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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  Anonymous

  Jan 29, 2017

  "The thing that helped me the most was where it told me how to put the balls in the rack."

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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Co-authored by: Michael Lin Billiards Expert Co-authors: 20 Updated: January 1, 2026 Views: 2,377,587 89% of readers found this article helpful. 52 votes - 89% Click a star to add your vote

Anonymous

Jan 29, 2017

"The thing that helped me the most was where it told me how to put the balls in the rack."

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"The choices of how to rack balls in order were helpful."

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Feb 1, 2017

"This article gave me exactly was I was looking for!"

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Dec 9, 2016

"This article really helped me."

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