A compact guide to the six-ball format and the rating system.
The game
Each player sets six object balls at their end of the carpeted table. Players take turns rolling the cue ball, trying to knock the opponent’s balls into the pit. The first player to clear all six opposing balls wins.
Match scoring
The rating change starts with 50 base points. Add the winning margin—the difference between six and the opponent’s score. A tiebreak has a margin of zero.
Upset bonus
When the lower-ranked player wins, add the difference between the players’ pre-match seeds plus one. A higher-ranked favorite receives no upset bonus.
50 base + 4 margin + 11 upset
+65 / −6550 base + 4 margin + 0 upset
+54 / −54Ranking order
Players are ordered by current rating. When rating points are equal, the standings apply each tiebreaker below in order. If nothing separates the players, they share the same rank until another result changes the table. Upset ranks are captured before each result changes the standings.
Tournament play
Every tournament uses a single-elimination bracket. Seeds are taken from the NCBA standings when play begins and stay locked for the entire event, including every upset calculation.
Tournament wins and losses count toward the overall standings using the same 50 + margin + upset formula.
The championship winner earns a separate season title. That achievement does not replace the year-end #1 ranking.
| Final finish | One-time bonus |
|---|---|
| Eliminated before Quarterfinals | +0 |
| Quarterfinalist | +10 |
| Semifinalist | +20 |
| Runner-up | +30 |
| Tournament Champion | +50 |
Placement bonuses do not stack and never take points away from another player.
