Dice Pool Game: Eight-Ball Rules and Odds
Dice pool is a two-player version of eight-ball that you can play at a kitchen table. Each player owns seven balls, spots or stripes, and the dice decide whether every shot goes in, misses or ends in a foul. Clear your seven balls, then sink the black 8-ball to win, but a foul on the 8-ball loses the game on the spot. A game takes about ten minutes and needs only two dice and a scrap of paper.
What you need
- Two six-sided dice, or a dice roller set to two dice.
- A score sheet with seven spots for one player and seven stripes for the other, plus one black 8-ball to cross out at the end. Coins or counters work too.
- A coin flip to decide who breaks.
Who breaks?
Flip a coin: the winner breaks. The break matters a little, because the breaker gets the first chance to pot. Over many games the breaker wins about 55% of the time, so in a match, take turns to break.
How to play
- The breaker rolls both dice and uses the break chart below.
- The first player to pot a ball chooses spots or stripes. Those seven balls are now theirs, and the other seven belong to the opponent.
- On every turn after the break, roll two dice and use the shot chart. If you pot a ball, cross it off and roll again. If you miss, your turn ends.
- Ball in hand: after a foul, your opponent gets ball in hand. On their first shot they add 2 to their roll, but a natural 2 is still a foul.
- The 8-ball: once all seven of your balls are gone, you shoot at the 8-ball with the 8-ball chart. Pot it and you win. A foul on the 8-ball, a natural 2, loses the game.
This is a simple home version, not an official game. Real eight-ball is played on a pool table with fifteen numbered balls: solids 1 to 7, stripes 9 to 15 and the black 8-ball. Rules differ between pub rules and official tournament rules, for example on what happens when the 8-ball goes down on the break, so our game just picks one simple rule.
The break chart
In the tables below, “Roll” is the total of the two dice, the middle column is what happens, and “Chance” is the exact probability out of the 36 ways two dice can land.
| Roll | Break result | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Foul: your opponent gets ball in hand | 1 in 36 |
| 3, 4, 5 or 6 | Nothing goes down: your turn ends | 14 in 36 |
| 7, 8, 9, 10 or 11 | A ball goes down: shoot again | 20 in 36 |
| 12 | The 8-ball goes down: you win | 1 in 36 |
A ball goes down on the break 20 times in 36, a bit more than half the time. Sinking the 8-ball on the break, a roll of 12, is the dream start: 1 time in 36.
The shot chart
| Roll | Shot result | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Foul: your turn ends, opponent gets ball in hand | 1 in 36 |
| 3, 4, 5 or 6 | Miss: your turn ends | 14 in 36 |
| 7 to 12 | Pot one of your balls: shoot again | 21 in 36 |
A normal shot goes in 21 times in 36, about 58% of the time, because 7 is the most likely total and every higher total pots too. On average a player pots about 1.4 balls per visit before missing. Our guide to dice probability explains why the middle totals are so common.
The 8-ball chart
| Roll | 8-ball result | Chance |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Foul on the 8-ball: you lose | 1 in 36 |
| 3 to 7 | Miss: your turn ends | 20 in 36 |
| 8 to 12 | Pot the 8-ball: you win | 15 in 36 |
The 8-ball is harder: you need 8 or more, a chance of 15 in 36. That is why many games swing back and forth at the end, while both players wait for the black to drop.
The odds of dice pool
In the next table, “Situation” is a moment in the game, and “Chance” is the exact probability. The last two rows come from adding up every way a game can go.
| Situation | Chance |
|---|---|
| Pot on a normal shot | 21 in 36, about 58% |
| Pot with ball in hand | 30 in 36, about 83% |
| Pot the 8-ball on a normal shot | 15 in 36, about 42% |
| Pot the 8-ball with ball in hand | 26 in 36, about 72% |
| The breaker wins the game | about 55% |
| Clear all 7 balls and the 8 in one visit | about 1% |
A game lasts about 21 rolls on average. About 6% of games end with a foul on the 8-ball, so do not relax too soon. Clearing the whole table in one visit after a dry break happens only about 1 time in 100, so if you do it, call it a perfect run.
Tips
- Use two colours of pen on the score sheet so spots and stripes are easy to tell apart.
- Say “ball in hand” out loud after every foul so nobody forgets the +2.
- For a longer match, play best of five games and swap the break each game.
- Keep a tally of fouls on the 8-ball. They make the best stories after the match.
Classroom ideas
- Probability: why does ball in hand raise the chance to pot from 21 in 36 to 30 in 36? List the rolls that now go in.
- Fractions: write 21 in 36 and 15 in 36 in their simplest form.
- Data: play ten games and record who broke and who won. Is the breaker ahead?
- Geometry: on paper, draw a pool table and the path of a ball that bounces off one cushion into a pocket.
Variations
- Nine-ball: use nine balls that must be potted in order, and the player who sinks the 9 wins.
- Call your pocket: before shooting at the 8-ball, guess odd or even. If the roll matches, add 1.
- Handicap: a stronger player only pots on 8 or more instead of 7 or more.
- Doubles: two teams of two take turns, one player per visit.
For a slower cue game with reds and colours, try dice snooker. If you prefer knocking things down, there is also our dice bowling game.
FAQ
How do you play pool with dice?
Each player owns seven balls. Roll two dice: 7 or more pots a ball and you roll again, 3 to 6 is a miss, and a 2 is a foul that gives your opponent ball in hand. After your seven balls, roll 8 or more to sink the 8-ball and win.
Who breaks first?
Flip a coin. The breaker wins about 55% of games, so take turns to break in a match.
What is ball in hand?
After a foul, your opponent adds 2 to their next shot, which makes a pot much more likely: 30 in 36 instead of 21 in 36.
Can you lose on the 8-ball?
Yes. A natural 2 while shooting at the 8-ball is a foul, and you lose the game at once.
How long does a game take?
About 21 rolls on average, or roughly ten minutes.
What are the balls in real eight-ball?
Fifteen numbered balls: solids 1 to 7, stripes 9 to 15, and the black 8-ball, which is potted last.