Every billiards discipline has its own official rulebook, and confusing them is more common than you might think—especially if you play multiple games or you’re about to enter your first tournament and aren’t sure which rules apply. Here you’ll find the official PDF rulebook for each discipline, along with a brief explanation of what each one covers so you can download the right one the first time.
10-Ball
The official rules for 10-Ball, one of the most technical pool disciplines. Unlike 8-Ball, players must call both the ball and the pocket before every shot while always striking the lowest-numbered ball on the table first. Simply pocketing a ball isn’t enough—you must declare where it will go. The PDF covers legal shots, fouls, and how disputes are handled by referees.
Blackball (English Pool / English Eight-Ball)
The British version of 8-Ball, with its own rules for fouls, ball groups, and the opening break. If you’ve played American-style 8-Ball your whole life, you’ll notice several important differences—particularly in foul rules and how ball-in-hand is awarded.
Straight Rail Carom
The official rules for the oldest carom billiards discipline. There is no cushion requirement to score—you simply need your cue ball to contact both object balls. The PDF includes the official regulations covering table dimensions, fouls, and the scoring system.
Three-Cushion Billiards
The most technically demanding form of carom billiards. Before contacting the second object ball, your cue ball must contact at least three cushions. The PDF contains the complete rules, including match formats, set play, and the fouls specific to this discipline.
Five Pins
A discipline that is less well known outside certain countries, combining carom billiards with five small pins placed in the center of the table. The rulebook explains the unique scoring system based on both successful caroms and knocking down the pins, making it quite different from any other game on this list.
Snooker
The official rules of snooker, featuring its color-based scoring system and the well-known sequence of potting a red, then a color, then another red, and so on. If you’re coming from pool or carom billiards, this is probably the most different rulebook you’ll encounter here, and it’s well worth reading before your first serious match.
Russian Pyramid
The official rules for Russian Pyramid, a discipline played with larger balls and much tighter pockets than traditional pool, making shot accuracy significantly more demanding. The PDF covers the objective of the game (reaching eight points), ball racking, and the specific rules unique to this variation.
Straight Pool (14.1 Continuous)
Also known as 14.1 Continuous, this is one of the oldest forms of pocket billiards and was historically used to determine World Championship titles before the rise of 9-Ball. The rulebook explains the continuous racking and ball replacement system that gives the game its name.
Rules in PDF
Xavi's Recommendation
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