The classic eight ball tattoo is one that is worn by many. The game of pool, classified in the category of ‘cue sports’ is one of the most popular games to play, especially in the ‘bar scene’. Although there are many different games amongst the cue sport category, the game that ranks highest throughout America is the game of ‘8 ball’.

In this particular game, you can have an upwards amount of four people, two on each team. You can also play with just two people, one for each side. Fifteen balls are placed on the billiards table, each ball has a number on the side. These balls also have two different patterns on them. There are the stripes, and the solids.

Stripes and solids are both set up inside the frame of the triangle, as they are arranged, they display a pattern. This is to even the playing field when you take the cue ball and break up the triangle of balls. Typically, there are five balls at the base in the pattern of stripe, solid, stripe, solid, stripe. Above the five balls, there are four more, above those, three, etc. In the middle of this triangle of billiard balls, on the third line, slap dab in the middle is the famous eight ball.

The eight ball is very crucial in this game. This ball can either make or break you. The eight ball is the last ball that is to be put in one of the pockets. As each player takes their turn hitting the cue ball against either the stripe or solid billiard ball (depending on which player hits which ball in first. Example: player one hits striped ball in hole, player one is now stripes and cannot touch any of the solids) they dwindle down to the last ball that is on the table. The eight ball is then to be called out in which pocket the player will hit it in. If this ball is hit inside the pockets any other time during the match, the player who knocked the eight ball in, loses. Rules of the game vary on who is playing the pool game, if playing competitively in a league however, the rules can be very strict.