A pool table can be one of the key features of a vacation cabin rental. But many of us can’t play very well. Are you among those who think a game of pool sounds fun at first, but grow increasingly bored as a game drags on with less-than-expert players? It goes without saying that you never experience the “thrill of victory.”

So discover Nine Ball! It’s a type of pool game that’s played widely in tournaments because of the speed of play, but it’s also great for amateurs because it relies much more on luck and requires fewer rounds. Plus, you can impress your friends by knowing this variant.

The very basics of a simplified game:

• You only play with 9 balls, numbers 1 through 9
• Arrange the balls in the rack in a diamond pattern, with the “1” by itself on the bottom, and the “9” in the center. The other balls can be in any order. (There will be extra room between the balls and the rack.)
• One person breaks as usual.
• The game proceeds with each person hitting the “next” ball in chronological order in turn until one is missed. Players aren’t divided into solids and stripes. Each player is going for the same ball.
  
  Example:
  
  
• If one person hits the 1 in, he or she then tries for 2. If the 2 goes in, the same player tries for 3.
• Whenever the first player “misses” a number (let’s say the 3 ball), the opposing player picks up where the first player left off (at 3.)

In this game, the 8 ball is like any other number. The 9 ball is considered the last ball. The player who hits the 9 ball in wins, regardless of who got what balls leading up to the 9. Much like 8 ball, though, hitting the 9 ball out of turn (before its time) results in an immediate loss. 

Fantastic, isn’t it? Your opponent can ultimately get 8 balls in the pocket in a row, then miss the 9 ball, which you can get in for the win. That means less “agony of defeat” and more fun from a key feature of your vacation cabin rental home. Rack em up – and make the most of it.