Free (Americana) pyramid

Pocket the set number of balls before your opponent or win a series of frames (to 1, 2, 3 wins). Format is set by the tournament organizer or club — on billiard.guru it appears on the event card.

Unlike combined (Moscow) pyramid, no pocket call is required: any legal scoring shot counts. Unlike classic pyramid — after balls are in play you may use any ball as cue ball.

• Club: to 8 balls, first run, run-out, or time limit per frame.
• Tournament: match to N wins; rating handicap — see event regulations.
• Tie on time or shot limit resolved per tournament rules (replay, golden ball).

• 15 white balls (numbered or not — per regulations) — pyramid at foot spot, base parallel to short rail.
• Cue ball (colored, unnumbered) — in kitchen; first shot from the hand in kitchen.
• First shot — lag, simultaneous hit to foot rail, or alternation by frame.
• Referee checks pyramid tightness and cue ball fully in kitchen.

Opening shot is legal if after cue-ball contact with an object ball there is no foul and at least one of: at least one ball pocketed; or at least two balls touch cushions; or cue ball crosses center line and returns to kitchen; or any ball touches a cushion.

Illegal break: opponent gets ball in hand from kitchen or right to re-break — per regulations. Two consecutive illegal breaks by one player often award opponent a penalty ball.

• After break and after each ball in hand from kitchen — any ball on the table may become cue ball (except first shot of run immediately after ball in hand: then only from kitchen with designated cue ball).
• Scoring: object ball in pocket; or cue ball in pocket after contact with object ball (carom pocketing).
• Run continues while player pockets or makes legal shot without foul.
• Cue ball in pocket without object-ball contact — penalty: opponent from hand in kitchen, sometimes spot ball on foot spot.
• Legal shot: object ball pocketed or touches cushion; if not pocketed — cue ball after shot must also touch cushion or pocket.

• Object ball or cue ball off table — foul; ball spotted on foot spot (or center — per regulations), opponent from hand in kitchen.
• If several balls leave table — all spotted; spotting order may affect tactics.
• Cue ball remains in pocket after scoring shot — next shot from hand in kitchen; new cue ball chosen on table.
• Touching a ball on spotting line before shot — foul.

• Cue ball misses all object balls (no contact with any ball).
• Cue ball in pocket without prior object-ball contact — penalty (carom pocketing only after contact).
• Illegal shot — object ball not pocketed and did not reach cushion, cue ball also did not reach cushion/pocket.
• Double hit, push, shot not from cloth, touching ball with hand or cue outside stroke zone.
• Jump shot — both balls off cloth at impact (if forbidden).
• After foul opponent shoots from hand in kitchen; repeated foul in same run may award penalty ball.

Organizer sets discipline Free pyramid, frame format, and handicap. Before the match confirm time limit, balls to win, and replay rules.

• Referee records score and disputes; without referee — senior floor staff or by agreement.
• Equal match score may use golden frame with special break — see regulations.