Bank Pool Amsterdam

The first bank pool tournament in Amsterdam.

Bank Pool Amsterdam

Tournament Rules

Adapted from CSI Official Rules – Section 7: Bank Pool

1. The Game

  1. Bank Pool (also called “Banks”) is a call shot game played with fifteen object balls plus a cue ball in the long rack game and any nine object balls plus a cue ball in the short rack game. To score, you are required to play a bank shot. The object of the game is to score a predetermined number of balls before your opponent does. The game is played by two, three, four, or five players. Two players may play either a long rack or short rack game. For three, four, or five players, the long rack game is the suggested format.

2. The Rack

  1. The balls are racked as follows:

    • a. In a long rack bank pool, in a triangle and placed randomly;

    • b. In a short rack bank pool, in a diamond and placed randomly;

    • c. The apex ball on the foot spot;

    • d. The rows behind the apex are parallel to the foot string.

3. Break Requirements

  1. You begin the break with the cue ball in hand behind the head string. There is no requirement to contact any particular object ball first. You must cause at least four object balls to contact the cushions, and at least one object ball has to pass the side pocket, or it is an illegal break. Any balls pocketed on the opening break are not scored and are spotted after your inning ends.

  2. All players are required to use a forceful break. The determination of a forceful break is at the discretion of tournament officials. If a break is not deemed forceful enough, the officials may issue a warning. A second warning will result in a foul being called, and the cue ball is awarded in hand to the opponent. A third instance will be considered unsportsmanlike conduct and may result in further disciplinary action under tournament rules.

  3. If your break is illegal, your opponent may:

    • a. Accept the table in position;

    • b. Re-rack the balls and break or allow you to break again.

4. Breaking Subsequent Racks

  1. If a match consists of multiple games, players must alternate breaking subsequent games.

5. Continuing Play

  1. All object balls are legal. Your inning continues as long as you legally pocket a ball.

6. Scoring

  1. A legally pocketed ball counts as one ball.

  2. Any ball pocketed in addition to the called ball on the same shot does not count and is an illegally pocketed ball.

  3. It is recommended that each player stores their legally pocketed balls in one of the corner pockets closest to their position at the table. This method allows for quick and visible tracking of individual scores.

  4. In the event of a foul requiring a ball to be spotted (see Rules 10 and 11), the player may simply remove one ball from their designated scoring pocket and hand it to the referee or place it on the foot spot.

  5. If a player has not yet scored any balls and incurs a foul, they “owe” a ball. To represent a negative score, players may place a coin or other small agreed-upon marker under the edge of the rail near their corner pocket. Any such method must be clear and acknowledged by both players before the match begins.

  6. Players may alternatively agree on any other clear and consistent method for tracking negative scores, such as using chips, counters, or a written scoreboard.

  7. All scorekeeping should remain visible to both players and referees at all times to avoid disputes.

7. Legally Pocketed Ball

  1. A ball is legally pocketed if:

    • a. It is pocketed as the result of a bank shot;

    • b. The number of cushions is designated when calling the shot, and only that number of cushions is contacted;

    • c. It is not pocketed as a result of a kiss or carom;

    • d. It is not contacted by the cue ball more than once;

    • e. No foul is committed on the shot.

  2. Contact with a cushion means that the called ball has made contact with a cushion designated as a part of the called bank shot. Incidental contact with a cushion as the object ball approaches the called pocket is not considered contacting an extra cushion that would disqualify a shot from being legal based on the number of called cushions.

8. Shot Call Convention

  1. Players must call the object ball and the intended pocket, including the number of cushions that will be contacted by the object ball.

  2. If the shot is a direct one-rail bank into a pocket, it is considered obvious and does not require any verbal communication, even if there are other balls near the line of the shot.

  3. For shots involving multiple rails, the player must explicitly call the shot in a way that removes any ambiguity.

9. Jump Shots

  1. Jump bank shots are allowed, and you can use a dedicated jump cue to execute the shot.

10. Fouls

  1. The following are the most common fouls that may occur during a standard game of Bank Pool. Committing any of these fouls results in a penalty as described in Rule 11 (Foul Penalty).

Players are expected to be familiar with these fouls and conduct themselves accordingly. Repeated infractions or intentional fouling may lead to warnings or further disciplinary action.

11. Foul Penalty

  1. For each foul you commit, you must spot one of your previously scored balls, reducing your score by one. If your score reaches negative three (-3), it is a loss of the game.

  2. If you foul and have no previously scored object balls, you “owe” one for that foul and must spot balls after each scoring inning until all “owed balls” are eliminated.

  3. Your opponent must play the cue ball in position unless there is a scratch or it is jumped off the table.

12. Scratch or Cue Ball Jumped Off Table

  1. It is a foul if you scratch or jump the cue ball off the table. Your opponent receives the cue ball in hand behind the head string.

13. Jumped Balls Off Table

  1. It is a foul if you jump an object ball off the table. The object ball is spotted, and your opponent accepts the cue ball in position.

14. Illegally Pocketed Balls / Owed Balls – Spotting Requirements

  1. All illegally pocketed or owed balls are spotted, but spotting is delayed until the shooter’s inning ends. If you score the last ball remaining on the table but have not yet won the game, any illegally pocketed or owed balls being held for spotting are then spotted at once, and your inning continues.

15. Spotting Forgotten Balls

  1. If both players agree, forgotten balls may be spotted at any time after they are remembered. If either player objects to the earlier spotting, then any owed balls are spotted after the end of the next player’s inning. However, if there are no balls left on the table and the game has not been won, then all forgotten balls must be spotted immediately.

16. All Remaining Balls Are Behind the Head String with Cue Ball in Hand Behind the Head String

  1. When you have the cue ball in hand behind the head string and all remaining balls are also behind the head string, the object ball nearest the head string may be spotted upon your request. If two or more balls at an equal distance from the head string are nearest the head string, you may choose which ball to spot.

17. End of Game

  1. For two players, the game ends when:

    • a. In a long rack game, one player has legally pocketed eight balls and does not owe any balls;

    • b. In a short rack game, one player has legally pocketed five balls and does not owe any balls.

  2. For three, four, or five players, the long rack game ends when one player has legally pocketed five, four, or three balls, respectively, and does not owe any balls.

18. Express Rule for Overtime Matches

  1. If a match exceeds 60 minutes of continuous play, the referee or tournament director may invoke the Express Rule to ensure timely tournament progression.

  2. Under the Express Rule, the match will continue under modified shot requirements based on the core rules of Honolulu Pool:

    • a. Straight-in shots are not allowed;

    • b. All shots must be called;

    • c. The following shot types are permitted for legally pocketing a ball:

      • c1. Bank shots: the object ball rebounds off at least one cushion before being pocketed;

      • c2. Kick shots: the cue ball contacts one or more rails before hitting the object ball;

      • c3. Carom shots: the cue ball contacts multiple object balls;

      • c4. Jump shots: the cue ball jumps over one or multiple balls before contacting the designated ball;

      • c5. Combination shots: the object ball hits the designated ball or a combination with the above shots;

  3. Any ball pocketed on a straight-in shot or uncalled shot will be considered illegally pocketed.

  4. The first player to reach the winning score (e.g., 2 racks in a best-of-3 match) under these conditions will win the match.

  5. The implementation of the Express Rule is at the sole discretion of tournament officials and may not be appealed. It is intended to maintain tournament flow and fairness in extended matches.

19. Termination of Overtime Matches

  1. For organizational or time management reasons, tournament officials may decide to terminate an overtime match. In such a case:

    • a. If the score is tied, the match will resume under Express Rules, and the next legally scored point will determine the winner;

    • b. If the score difference is greater than or equal to three, the player with the highest amount of legally pocketed balls will be declared the winner;

    • c. If the score difference is less than three, the match will be resolved by a shootout.

  2. If the score difference is less than three, tournament officials may choose to resolve the overtime match by a shootout:

    • a. Each player will take alternating shots with cue ball in hand behind the head string, attempting to pocket a single object ball placed on the foot spot in a single attempt;

    • b. The object ball must be banked into a called pocket, following all standard bank shot rules;

    • c. If one player is in front in the game score, it gets two attempts in the first inning;

    • d. The first player to score a point while the other misses during the same inning is the winner;

    • e. If both players score a point, the shootout will continue until one scores and the other misses in the same round;

    • f. If no winner is selected after three innings, the players are allowed to switch to a regulation shootout by cutting the object ball in the corner.

  3. The decision to terminate an overtime match is at the sole discretion of the tournament officials and may not be appealed. Players must comply immediately upon instruction.

Appendix of Standard Bank Pool Terminology

Courtesy of bankpool.org (definition of cross-over bank added)