[1] While the game has multiple variations, the predominant version through much of its history was played with a full fifteen-ball rack, of which the winning player was required to legally pocket eight balls.
A shortened version of the game using nine balls of which the players must legally pocket five for the win, often called "nine-ball banks," gained popularity in the 1990s and 2000s and is the subject of international professional competition and televised matches.
Any balls pocketed during the break do not count toward the score and will be spotted after the player's inning ends.
On an illegal break, the opponent has the option of requesting a re-rack or accepting the table as-is and may begin shooting.
In many areas, fouling three times during successive turns means a loss of game, but that rule may often be ignored in local amateur play.