Straight Pool Rules

Straight pool (also known as 14.1 pool and 14.1 continuous) is a call shot pool game. Similar to 8-ball, in straight pool, the player has to call both a pocket and an object ball prior to his shot. The object of the pool game is to reach the highest count of points for legally pocketing the biggest number of object balls.

Straight pool is played with 15 numbered billiard balls plus the cue ball.

The players are gaining one point for each legally pocketed object ball. The total score is determined in advance and the first player who accumulates the predetermined score wins the game.

In straight pool, the breaker has to either sink a called ball into a called pocket or lead the cue ball to contact any other ball, then to contact a cushion and eventually lead any of the object balls to contact a cushion.

If the breaker fails in completing a legal opening break shot, then he is penalized with 2 points per violation. If the breaker scratches, he will be penalized with only 1 point. In both cases, the incoming player gets cue ball in hand behind the head string.

Straight pool players must declare on a specific ball and pocket. Each of the players is allowed to continue shooting as long as they succeed in pocketing balls legally. When the shooting player fails in completing a legal shot, his turn ends.

A legal shot requires its shooter to lead the cue ball to first touch an object ball and then to pocket a numbered ball or to cause any of the balls to make a contact with a cushion. A shot that does not result in any of these circumstances will be considered a foul.

When the pool game gets to the point in which only the 15th object ball remains on the table, the game stops for a moment. After the 14 pocketed balls are being re-racked, the game can continue. Nevertheless, the player is not necessarily required to shoot the 15th ball; he may still call any other object ball of his choice.

If a player chooses to play safety, then his turn ends and the pocketed balls are being spotted and not being counted.

If a player deliberately disturbs in anyway the ball from sinking into a pocket, it will be considered as a deliberate foul and will cost him 1 point of penalty for the foul plus 15 points.

Balls that have been pocketed illegally are neither being spotted nor the responsible players being penalized.

Each player who fouls will be penalized with a deduction of one point, except when it is a deliberated foul.

When a player commits a foul, he remains in an on a foul status, until he either pockets a ball legally or play safety. If a player has two fouls, he will be penalized with 1 point and additional 15 points. In that case, a third successive foul can clear the player's history of fouls.

• Read on the World Straight Pool Championship and about the history of the game.