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What happens when someone playing pool for the first time jumps straight into 9-ball?
The balls don’t go in.
Even when one does, there’s no position for the next.
The pace drags.
And it just sort of fizzles out —
All that’s left is the feeling: “It’s hard.” “It’s boring.”
That’s a shame.
In fact, what people usually play for fun in America is 8-ball.
It’s any-ball, so you can shoot freely, and even beginners can enjoy it.
But in 8-ball, the players split into low balls and high balls, so it is strictly a game for two.
In Japan, on the other hand, even beginners for some reason try to play 9-ball.
In 9-ball, the order is fixed, and there is no choice of ball.
Even if you pot one, thinking about where to send the cue ball next is simply asking too much of a beginner.
We think this is one of the reasons pool hasn’t caught on.
Any-ball fun that a whole group can get excited about — wouldn’t it be great if there were a game like that?
So we came up with this game.
It is the Step-Up 10 Game.
Here is the game we came up with
It’s any-ball — a game where you can freely shoot whichever ball you like.
No complicated rules at all.
First, we want you to know the joy of making a ball.
And we want you to feel which way the cue ball moves.
That is what the game is for.
How to rack
- The 1 on the foot spot (the center of the far half of the table)
- The 10 in the middle
- The other balls in any order
Basic rules
- On the break, aim at the 1
- If anything goes in, keep shooting. If not, switch —On every switch, ball in hand (start from anywhere you like)
- Shoot any ball you like (any-ball)
- But the 10 comes last — shoot it only after pocketing the other nine
- Hitting the 10 first is a foul → ball in hand for your opponent
- Scratching (pocketing the cue ball) or knocking it off the table is also a foul → ball in hand for your opponent
- Whoever pockets the 10 wins!
Tip
After a foul or a switch, it’s always ball in hand.
You can place the cue ball anywhere you like to start, so even beginners can keep up a good pace!
Fun for a group, too
Not just two — three or four players can have a great time.
But as the group grows, there are more turns to go around, and with ten balls the game can be over in no time.
With four or five players or more, we recommend racking 15 balls in a triangle and putting the 15 in the center instead.
The rules are exactly the same.
The more players, the more jockeying over who will sink the last ball — and the more fun it gets.
Cool, and a blast
Imagine it.
A pool hall with soft, low lighting.
You pick up a cue and slowly chalk it.
You lean over the table, settle into your stance, your eyes fixed on the target.
And the moment the ball is swallowed by the pocket —
How does the person watching beside you feel?
Pool has an appeal few other sports have: you look cool just playing it.
The way you handle the cue, the beauty of the stance, the serious face as you aim — all of it is stylish in itself.
And because it’s any-ball, even beginners can choose the balls that are easy for them.
The cheer when a ball unexpectedly drops, the “Wait, why?” when the cue ball heads somewhere surprising — sharing those little feelings sparks conversation all on its own.
Of course, there will be whiffs and miscues too.
A ball rolling off in a completely different direction, missing entirely and going “Oops!” — it happens to beginners all the time.
But those are often the very moments when everyone has the most fun.
Enjoy all of it, misses included.
Fun, cool, and stylish.
For a date or a group night out, it’s hard to find a better choice.
As you improve, raise the difficulty
The fun part of this game is that you can change the difficulty as you get better.
Step 1 (Getting started)
Ball in hand on every switch. Shoot the balls in any order. First, learn the joy of making a ball!
Step 2 (Once you get used to it)
On a switch, start from wherever the cue ball stopped. The order is still free. Time to start thinking about position.
Step 3 (As you improve further)
Back to ball in hand on a switch, but now shoot the balls in numerical order. Good practice for planning your run.
Step 4 (On to 10-ball)
Move straight on to 10-ball. Before you know it, you’re playing real pool.
Keep coming back with the same group, getting a little better each time.
Enjoy that process.
And one day, you’ll suddenly notice — there you are, playing real 10-ball.
👉 Play it alone, see your score, get better. — A case for Bowlliards.
First, try making just one ball
Pool is not a difficult sport.
The feeling of the moment your first ball drops — the cue ball rolling, the object ball swallowed by the pocket, that moment — is what we want you to taste.
The Step-Up 10 Game is the perfect doorway.
For a date, a group night out, a weekend with friends.
Give it a try at a pool hall in Yokohama.
👉 See the Yokohama Billiard Hall Guide
👉 Billiards resources from Japan and around the world, organized by purpose: Billiards in Depth (latest updated hourly)
