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One Fifteen Billiard Rules

Learn rules for how to play One-Fifteen 8-Ball Pool.


  • One and Fifteen Eight Ball Rules are an extension of standard 8 ball rules. All of the rules of 8-apply here, unless otherwise contradicted by this set of rules.
  • For purposes of these rules, the terms right and left apply as though standing at the foot of the table, the end where the balls are racked.

One Fifteen Eight Ball Pool Rules - Type of Billiard Game

One Fifteen Billiards (1 Fifteen billiards, 1-15 billiards, One 15 billiards) is a north american version of the game of Eight Ball. One Fifteen Pool is a variation on that game in which special rules apply to the 1-ball and the 15-ball. The 1-ball and the 15-ball are called "special balls" in One Fifteen Billiards.


One Fifteen billiards is played with two players or with two teams of two players each.

Balls Used in One Fifteen Billiards

The standard set of object-balls numbered 1-15, plus a cue-ball is used.

The Rack

One Fifteen calls for a standard triangle rack with the apex on the foot spot and the 8-ball in the center of the triangle. One ball from each group is put on the two rear corners. The 1-ball is placed immediately behind the 8-ball (right of center), and the 15-ball is placed immediately behind the 8-ball (left of center). The other balls may be placed at random.

one and fifteen 8-ball racking diagram

Also see an alternate one-fifteen eight-ball racking diagram from the Kings Point Billiard Club.

Object of the Game of One Fifteen

To legally pocket all the balls of the player's group (see below for how the player's group is determined), and then the 8-ball.

One Fifteen 8-Ball Scoring Rules

Group balls have no point value. The player legally pocketing the 8-ball wins the game.

Opening Break Shot

The starting player must make an open break or pocket a ball. If he fails to do so it is an illegal break and his opponent has the choice of either: accepting the table in position and shooting, or shooting the opening break shot himself. Any balls which fall from a legal opening break count as legally pocketed balls if there were no fouls. Should a player foul on the opening break, their opponent has cue-ball in hand behind the head string. If the 8-ball is pocketed on a legal opening break shot, the breaker wins the game.

There are no published rules for what happens when you pocket the 1 or 15 balls on the break shot. However, for some discussion on the subject, see the topic one and fifteen 8 ball rules for pocketing the 1 or 15 balls on the break.

A few folks have quoted from their local one-fifteen billiards rules, stating that if either the 1-ball or 15-ball is pocketed [in the correct pocket] on the break, it stays down as legally pocketed (see comments below).

Determination of Groups

The table remains open until a player legally pockets one or more balls. The player who first legally pockets a ball from a group is assigned that group, his opponent then has the other group.

If balls a sunk from more than one group, on the first legal counting, then the group from which the most balls were sunk becomes the shooter's group. If a player pockets an equal number of balls from both groups the table remains open.

Rules of Play

Combination shots involving balls of both groups are legal when the table is open. After groups have been determined, the player must cause the cue-ball's first contact to be with a ball of his own group. Failure to do so is a foul. A foul shot is not a legal shot.

When shooting the player must make the cue-ball contact an object-ball (of his group if groups have been determined), and then either: pocket the object-ball, or send a ball (object- or cue-) to a cushion. Failure to do so is a foul.

A player may shoot at any ball that he chooses, but before he shoots he must call the ball and the pocket. He need not call any detail such as kisses, caroms, combinations, or cushions (all of which are legal). A legally pocketed ball entitles the shooter to continue.

Rules for the "Special" Balls

In one and fifteen 8-ball pool, the 1-ball and 15-ball have special meanings and special rules associated with them.

  • The player with the "solids" must legally pocket the 1-ball in the left side-pocket for it to stay down.
  • The player with the "stripes" will play the 15-ball similarly except that it must be legally sunk in the right side-pocketed in order to stay down.
  • The special balls can be pocketed in any other pocket, and will count as a legal shot if it was correctly called, but it will immediately be spotted if it didn't go down in the left side-pocket on a legal shot. Variation: Some rule variations state that if a player pockets their special ball in any pocket other than the designated pocket for that ball, they lose the game.
  • If a player's opponent pocket's the player's special ball (the 1-ball, or the 15-ball depending on the player's group) then it will stay down. It does not matter if the stroke was legal or not. Variation: Some rule variations go as far as to disallow even contacting the opponent's special ball e.g. If the shooter causes the opponents key-object ball to move, it is a loss of turn. If you are playing ball-in-hand rules, it is also ball-in-hand for the incoming player.

After all the balls of his group are pocketed, the player shoots to pocket the 8-ball (he is said to be "on the 8-ball").

Loss of Game

A player will loose the game for: pocketing the 8-ball on an illegal, or foul, opening break shot, pocketing the 8-ball when the shooter still has some of his group balls left, pocketing the 8-ball before legally pocketing his special ball, pocketing the 8-ball on the same stroke as his last group ball(s), fouling when he is on the 8-ball, knocking the 8-ball off the table, pocketing the 8-ball in an uncalled pocket, fouling on 3 successive strokes.

Illegally Pocketed Balls

Any of the shooter's balls pocketed on an illegal shot will be spotted. If the shot was a foul an additional ball of the shooter's will be spotted. If any of the shooter's opponent's balls were sunk they will stay down. (NOTE: The shooter will determine which of his balls gets spotted.) If the 8-ball was illegally pocketed the shooter looses the game.

Jumped Object Balls

Jumped balls will be spotted if they belong to the shooter. If the jumped balls belong to the shooter's opponent the will count as pocketed. If the jumped ball is the 8-ball the shooter looses the game.

Scratch or Foul

In One and Fifteen 8-ball, other than after opening break, incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on the table.

One Fifteen Billiard Rules

If you have any questions about One Fifteen Billiard Rules, please post them in the pool rules forum.

...or view existing One Fifteen Billiard Rules questions in the forum.

One Fifteen Billiard Rules History

The earliest reference to the game of 1-15 eight ball we could find was a mention in The Des Moines Register newspaper of Des Moines, IA from October 13, 1925.

Choen Wins Honors in Billiard Meet

Harry Cohen won first honors from a field of sixty-four in the one and fifteen ball rapid fire pocket billiard tournament at the Mission last night. Syd Parks was second, and Lawrence Hardy third.

This variation of eight ball called One Fifteen 8-Ball Billiards was sourced from published versions by the Billy Aardd's Club of Socorro, NM, and the Kings Point Billiard Club of Sun City Center, FL.

The official One Fifteen Billiard Rules are predominently observed in North America.

How to Play One Fifteen Billiard

Questions about One Fifteen Billiard Rules:

  • Title: One Fifteen Billiard Rules
  • Author: (Billiards Forum)
  • Published: 11/27/2008 8:00:00 PM
  • Last Updated: 3/23/2019 4:13:04 PM
  • Last Updated By: billiardsforum
  • Source: Internet

One Fifteen Billiard Rules


One Fifteen Billiard Rules Comments

  1. Ned SNed S from Sebring, FL on 12/3/2008 11:24:32 PM

    Thank you for the one fifteen pool rules. This site is handy and easy to pull up on my cell phone. Its always good to be able to access the real game rules and not some pool hall's lawyer.

  2. Jerry GodseyJerry Godsey from Tucson, AZ on 3/10/2009 6:30:08 AM

    I notice there is a contradiction in the rules of one fifteen. I have read in publications that the one-ball must be pocketed in the right side pocket and the fifteen in the left side pocket, but in your one-fifteen pool rules, I see just the opposite.

  3. billiardsforumbilliardsforum from Halifax, NS on 4/18/2009 9:29:25 AM

    Hi Jerry, can you send me the details on where you referenced that difference? I'll look into it if I can see where that information is coming from! Thanks for the update, look forward to hearing from you. If it turns out to be the case, I'll add an amendment to the one fifteen billiard rules database.

    I did find one other set of rules online, but it references the same rules here - the 1-ball into the left side pocket, 15-ball in the right-side pocket.


    This rule set, and ours, state that the terms "right" and "left" are to be applied as if the player is standing at the foot of the table where the balls are racked. I have seen other folks describing the rules from the perspective of the player standing at the head of the table where the cue ball is placed:

    However, the 1-ball has to go in the left-hand side pocket (as you look towards the rack from the breaking position). The 15-ball has to go in the right hand side pocket.

    I believe this accounts for the differences you are talking about.

  4. tonytony from CA, United States on 1/27/2011 9:15:55 AM

    Can you print the source for your one and fifteen 8-ball rules?

  5. gibsongibson from Kenosha, WI on 1/27/2011 9:54:37 PM

    These rules don't cover the requirements for when either the 1-ball or 15-ball are pocketed on the break shot (or both).

    Do the balls stay down and if so, does the shooter not have to make any special ball to win?

    Does the 1 or 15 balls come out and be spotted on the foot spot after the break?

  6. billiardsforumbilliardsforum from Halifax, NS on 2/24/2011 7:07:42 AM

    @tony - The rules on this page are compiled from those published by Billy Aard's Club (the billiard club of the New Mexico Tech Billiard Room), and the Kings Point Billiard Club of Florida - both of which hold regular one and fifteen 8 ball tournaments. We have added clarifications and common variations as found in various forums and discussions. Here are links to the originals:

    @gibson - See the topic one and fifteen 8 ball rules for pocketing the 1 or 15 balls on the break for some discussion sinking the special balls on the break shot.

  7. bossanovabossanova from Culver City, CA on 6/4/2013 4:05:37 PM

    I have played this game and everyone I have played has always said that you must pocket one of your balls before attempting to shoot the special ball.

    To expedite the game we also don't spot the special ball if you make it in a legal shot until your turn is over.

    Also worth noting is that all of the other rules are the same as the BCA (Billiard Congress of America) rules for 8 ball.

  8. Bob GruberBob Gruber from Pittsburgh, PA on 12/7/2015 7:49:12 AM

    Can you please clarify a few things?

    • Are the instructions pertaining to racking the balls from the foot-of-table perspective?
    • Are the instructions pertaining to which pocket the 1 and 15 balls are to be pocketed from the head-of-table perspective?

    If this is the case, wouldn't that mean that the 1 and 15 are situated in the rack on the same side of the pool table as their assigned pocket?

  9. HL FraserHL Fraser from Lethbridge, AB on 2/10/2016 9:41:42 PM

    When we play 1-15 8 ball, the rule is that if either the 1-ball or 15-ball is pocketed on the break, it stays down as legally pocketed.

    When I learned to play one fifteen pool, I was taught that a ball must be pocketed or any ball must strike a rail after an object ball is contacted. If no rail is contacted or ball pocketed it is a foul and the opponent gets ball in hand.

    I have only ever played where standing at the head of the table (the D end) the 1 ball must be pocketed in the LEFT side pocket and the 15 ball must be pocketed in the RIGHT side pocket.

  10. billiardsforumbilliardsforum from Halifax, NS on 1/16/2018 5:34:23 AM

    @Bob Gruber - I have updated the rules with a diagram so it should be more clear now on which side the 1-ball and 15-ball should be pocketed.

    @HL Fraser - Thanks for the clarifications. I have added your comment about what happens if you pocket the 1-ball or 15-ball on the break shot. A lot of folks have been asking about that.

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