Bank Pool Rules: How 9-Ball Banks and 15-Ball Banks Are Played
Bank pool is a game where every ball has to be banked: the called ball must hit at least one cushion before it goes in the pocket. It is a favorite of gamblers and old-school players, and it is one of the best ways to learn how balls come off the rails.
The basics
- Any ball can be shot at, in any order.
- Each shot must be a bank: the called ball hits one or more cushions, then goes in the called pocket.
- Call the ball and the pocket on every shot. Most players also expect you to call the number of rails if it is not obvious.
- Make a called bank and you keep shooting. Miss, and it is your opponent's turn.
Kisses and "clean" banks
In most bank pool, the called ball has to go in cleanly. If it touches another ball on the way to the pocket (a kiss), or if the cue ball touches it again, the shot does not count. Balls that fall by accident do not count either and are usually spotted. Rules on this vary, so agree before you start.
A crossover or "cross-side" bank is when the cue ball crosses the path of the object ball near the cushion. Many players treat it as a legal shot; some rule sets do not. Ask.
9-Ball Banks and 15-Ball Banks
| Game | Balls | To win a game |
|---|---|---|
| 9-Ball Banks (the most common) | 9 balls racked in a diamond | Bank 5 balls |
| 15-Ball Banks | 15 balls racked in a triangle | Bank 8 balls |
Because you need more than half the balls, nobody can win until they have more than the opponent can get. A match is a race of games, often short, such as race to 3 or 5.
Fouls
Common fouls are scratching, not hitting a ball, or no cushion after contact. In most bank pool, a foul costs a ball: you spot one of the balls you have banked (or owe one if you have none). Many players do not play ball in hand in banks; the incoming player shoots from where the cue ball is, or from behind the head string after a scratch.
Strategy
- Defense matters. If you do not have a good bank, play safe and leave your opponent a hard one.
- Learn the natural angles. A cross-corner bank and a cross-side bank are the shots you will use most.
- Speed changes the angle. Hit a bank harder and it comes off the cushion shorter; softer and it runs longer.
Bank pool and One Pocket are often played together at big events. Look for bank pool tournaments and check the biggest upcoming events.
Test yourself: take the 12-question pool rules quiz and share your score with your league. Settling an argument? See the pool rules Q&A.