The Game of 9-Ball

If you've watched pool on TV, chances are they were playing 9-Ball.

The game of 9-Ball is an extremely fast paced game.

In 9-Ball, the balls are racked in a diamond, with the one ball at the front apex. The nine ball goes in the center. The balls are broken by striking the one ball, and attempting to pocket a ball. The lowest numbered ball on the table must be struck first in order for the shot to be legal, and from there a ball must be pocketed or driven to a rail.

The object of the game is simple: Run the balls out and pocket the nine ball, or shoot a combo that legally pockets the nine ball. Do this before your opponent and you win the game.
 

A Night in an APA 9-Ball Pool League

APA "Amateur" 9-Ball is played like Professional 9-Ball...but scored like Straight Pool.

In the APA, 9-Ball is not scored like you may have seen on TV.  Instead, it is scored by points.  This allows the players just starting out to contribute to the team's points and help them move up in their division's standings.

In APA 9-Ball all balls have a point value. The balls numbered 1-8 are worth one point each... the nine ball is worth two. This makes each rack worth a total of 10 points. Players compete not to win games but rather to score the most points from each rack.

Under The Equalizer® in 9-Ball, players are assigned a certain number of points (balls) to make. A lower ranked player, would need to pocket fewer balls than a more skilled opponent. Because every ball counts, the more skilled player cannot simply win by pocketing the nine ball, they must be aware of all the balls on the table and make every shot count.

APA 9-Ball leagues use a wider range of skill levels. Players are ranked from skill level 1 through 9. This wider range allows for greater accuracy when determining a player's ability, and creates a more competitive environment where all players have an equal chance of winning.
 
As with 8-Ball, there is a 23 skill level point maximum on the 5 players who compete in any given night.  This ensures that teams do not have all higher skilled players on their team.

Every week 100 points are up for grabs (20 points per match). The players in each match compete to earn as many of those 20 points as possible. Even in a loss, a player may earns points for their team. The more balls a player makes, the more of the 20 points they earn. This keeps the match competitive.

Teams try to win as many of the weekly matches as possible along with earning any bonus points that are available for that week. One point is awarded for each match won or forfeited by the opposing team in accordance with our Local Bylaws. At the end of the session, those teams with the most points advance to our session Tri-Cups, and division playoffs proceed as outlined in the Bylaws to determine the team who will be division champion. The Division Champion then becomes eligible for the end-of the-year Local Team Championships (LTC's), played to determine which teams advance to the National Team Championships (NTC's)in Las Vegas, NV.