What kind of game?
Ball number—high ball, low ball—doesn’t matter. It’s a very simple game where you can aim at any target ball and keep hitting it as long as you make a successful shot. Therefore, in Taiwan, one of Asia’s leading pocket billiards countries, it is widely played as an introductory game. However, hidden behind the simple rules is a deep truth that requires you to use all your pocket billiards skills and knowledge to keep pocketing the balls in a row. That’s why a high consecutive score record (high run) is proof of a billiards master.
The basic rules of the game
■Ball used 15 target balls from balls 1 to 15 and a cue ball.
■How to assemble a rackThe figure shows the opening rack at the start of the game. Place 15 at the top of the rack, and 1 and 5 at both ends of the 5th row (left and right are optional). Place the rest as you like. From the second rack onward, there will be 14 racks without the top ball (Figure 1).
■Game purpose: to achieve the specified score before your opponent.
■Key points of basic rules play, including break shots, are subject to the “called shot” rule, which specifies the target ball you will shoot and the pocket you will put into it. All target balls are worth one point, and you can shoot from any target ball as long as the player continues to pocket the called target balls, including break shots.
Game flow and wins/losses
Step 1: Deciding on the match format and order
If you pocket all 15 balls in one rack, you will get 15 points. When playing against each other, decide in advance the number of points needed to win, such as the first to score 50 points, the first to score 100 points, etc. After that, the game starts with banking to decide who goes first and who goes second (Figure 2).
If there is a difference in ability, you can handicap them by scoring, such as “100 for me, 50 for my opponent.”
Step 1: From the break shot to the end of the game:
The first player starts the game by taking a break shot from any position in the kitchen. In 14-1, all shots, including break shots, are played according to the called shot rules (Figures 3 and 4).
Therefore, the probability of calling some kind of target ball with a break shot and pocketing it is not high, and in most cases, players who win with banking take the second attack. Most players who make a break shot will choose the safety (Figure 5).
In this way, the game progresses by taking turns, and when a situation arises where you can shoot, you start pocketing. One point is added for each successive shot, and players take turns when they make a mistake, a safety, or a foul until 14 balls have been pocketed and there is only one ball left on the table. Make a rack with the other 14 pieces, and the player who pockets the 14th piece advances to the second rack (Figure 6).
This cycle is repeated, and the player who reaches the predetermined score first wins the match.
Points of rules to have fun playing
Foul 1: Type of foul
In addition to the common fouls in pocket billiards (*), in 14-1, if the shot cue ball does not hit any target ball (no-hit), after the shot cue ball hits some target ball, the cue ball, the target ball, etc. If neither ball reaches the cushion (no cushion), it is a foul (Figure 7).
Furthermore, in 14-1, a penalty will be applied if the same player commits three consecutive fouls on his turn (three fouls). If a three-foul is committed, the opposing player has the option to continue play as is or to regroup the ruck and allow the opponent to take a break shot; A total of 16 penalty points will be assessed: 1 point for the second foul + 15 points for the third foul. Once a player commits three fouls, the accumulated fouls are reset, and the next shot will be played with no fouls.
Foul 2: If you foul
In Rule 14-1, the actions of the opposing player and the handling of the target ball after a foul are determined as follows (Table 1).
Foul 3: Foul on break shot
In most cases, safety is called for a 14-1 break shot, and in that case, they try to leave a position that makes it difficult for the opposing player to shoot, but the cue ball and two or more target balls must hit the cushion at the time of the break shot. It is a breaking foul, and the opposing player has the following options:
- 1: Reassemble the rack again and force the opponent to take another break shot (2 points will be deducted for the player who committed the foul)
- Continue playing as it is (the player who commits a foul will deduct 1 point)
Original Rule 1: Break shot after 2nd rack
The biggest feature of the 14-1 rule is that once 14 target balls have been inserted, play continues by forming a rack of 14 balls with the 15th target ball remaining in place. It’s about letting it happen. The last target ball remaining on the table at this time is called the “break ball”, and the goal of 14-1 is to hit the cue ball into 14 racks while shooting the breaking ball and successfully connect it to the next shot. This is the biggest highlight and the main point (Figure 8).
For this reason, the relationship between the cue ball, the break ball, and the rack at the time of a break shot is extremely important in progressing the game. We will be making plays that connect smoothly to shots.
Common fouls in pocket billiards Scratch: a foul in which the cue ball falls into the pocket either directly or after hitting some target ball. The subsequent processing will vary depending on the type of game.2: Touch the The only thing you can touch the cue ball with when shooting is the leather tap attached to the cue tip. Touching any other part will result in a foul. It is also a foul if you touch the target ball. Outside the stadium, if the shot cue ball flies off the table or if the shot causes the target ball to fly off the table, it will be a foul.4_twiceThe tap may only touch the cue ball once during a shot. If you hit the cue ball more than once after it has been shot, it will be a foul. Both feet are off the floor at the moment of the shot; one foot must be touching the ground, even just the toe. For example, if you sit on a table and shoot with your feet in the air, it will be a foul. Making a mark is a foul if you place any kind of marker to help you determine where you want to aim when taking a shot.
