Rack (billiards)

Traditional racks are in the form of triangular frames, usually made from wood, plastic or metal.

A modern variation, called a template rack, is made from a thin material (usually 0.14 mm or less) that contains precision cut-outs to hold the balls in place.

For this reason, template racks are almost never used for games where it is common to slow-break (i.e. not create a large spread of balls) since it is significantly more likely that the rack will interfere with slow-rolling balls.

Intragame racking employs a separate set of rules from those in place at the game's start.

Such rules are detailed on the following chart (note therein that the kitchen refers to the area behind the table's head string).

Snooker is played on a large table (full, pro tournament size is 12 × 6 ft).

Finally, the black ball is placed on a spot 12.75 inches from the top cushion on a full-size table.

Coloured ball racking positions must be remembered with care, as each time a coloured ball is potted, it is immediately replaced to its starting position, which occurs multiple times per frame, whereas reds are not returned to the table's surface after being potted.