Pocket Pool
Rack 'em up. A full game of 8-ball against a computer opponent who gets sharper with every level.
Pocket Pool is a free sports game you can play instantly in your web browser on a phone, tablet or computer, with no download and no sign-up. 8-ball pool against the computer, with an aiming guide and three difficulty levels.
- Genre
- Sports, Billiards
- Controls
- Drag to aim, pull the power bar to shoot
- Plays on
- Phone, tablet and computer
- Price
- Free, no account needed
How to play Pocket Pool
Pocket Pool follows the standard rules of 8-ball. There are seven solid balls (1 to 7), seven striped balls (9 to 15) and the black 8. You break first. The table is open until someone pots a ball cleanly: that player takes that group, solids or stripes, and the other player gets the rest.
Keep shooting for as long as you pot one of your own balls. When you miss, it is the computer's turn. Once all seven of your balls are down, pot the 8 to win. Pot the 8 too early, or put the white ball in a pocket on the same shot as the 8, and you lose the game.
Controls
| Action | Phone or tablet | Computer |
|---|---|---|
| Aim | Touch and drag anywhere on the table. The cue points from the white ball towards your finger. | Move the mouse with the button held, or ← → (hold Shift for fine aim) |
| Shoot | Pull the power bar on the right down and let go | Drag the power bar, or hold Space and release |
| Place the white ball | After a foul by your opponent, drag the white ball anywhere on the table | |
The dotted guide shows where the white ball will go. When it is about to hit another ball, a ghost circle shows the contact point, a solid line shows where the object ball will travel and a faint line shows where the white ball will deflect.
Fouls
Your opponent gets ball in hand, and can place the white ball anywhere, if you:
- pot the white ball (a scratch);
- miss every ball;
- hit one of your opponent's balls first, or the 8 before your group is cleared;
- hit your ball first but no ball reaches a cushion and nothing is potted.
Tips
- Use the object-ball line: if it points into a pocket, the shot is on.
- Softer shots are more accurate. Save full power for the break and long shots.
- Think about where the white ball stops. The deflection line helps you avoid following a ball into the pocket.
- Clear balls sitting near pockets early, before they get blocked.
- With ball in hand, place the white ball a short distance straight behind an easy pot.
Questions
Can I play Pocket Pool against a friend?
Right now Pocket Pool is played against the computer, with three difficulty levels: Easy, Medium and Hard.
Is Pocket Pool free?
Yes. It runs in your browser on phones, tablets and computers, with nothing to download. Your wins are saved in your browser.
What happens if I pot the 8 ball early?
You lose the game, just like in real 8-ball. Pot all seven balls of your group first.
