The pool club plays EPA World Rules in all of its competitions, including the ladder. They are possibly slightly different to the rules you play elsewhere, so it is worth making yourself familiar with them. The full rules can be downloaded here and at http://www.epa.org.uk. Some of the main differences are listed below.

For a break to be legal, at least four balls must hit a cushion or a ball must be potted. If not, the break is a foul, the balls are re-racked and the other player breaks off with two shots (assuming their break is legal).

If the cue ball is potted on the break, it is a non-standard foul, which basically means that the opponent can place the cue ball anywhere in baulk, but only has one shot. The table is open after a non-standard foul break.

If a player pots one colour on the break, he MUST then nominate one of the following two choices:

- stay with that colour, in which case he is that colour regardless of what happens next
- nominate the other colour, in which case he must pot that colour or the table becomes open again

On every shot, AFTER the cue ball hits the object ball, any ball must touch a cushion, otherwise the shot is a foul and the the other player gets two shots. But note the following:

- if you are totally snookered, you do not have to hit the cushion, but you MUST call 'Total Snooker' to let your opponent know before you take the shot
- if the object ball is touching a cushion, you cannot just play into it, you must hit a different cushion

This rule may seem annoying at times, but it stops people from playing roll-up snookers, and generally makes the game more attacking.

There are three types of snookers:

- total snooker
- foul snooker
- foul jaw snooker

A total snooker is where you cannot hit any side of any of your balls. The only effect of this is that you do not have to hit a cushion on the next shot (assuming you call 'Total Snooker' beforehand).

A foul snooker is where, following a foul by your opponent, you cannot hit the extreme edge of BOTH sides of any of your balls. This may contradict what you consider a snooker to be! If you are foul snookered, you must call 'Foul Snooker', and can then move the white ball to the baulk area, or take a free ball. However, if you move the white you no longer receive a free ball, unless you are foul snookered from every position in baulk. If you take a free ball, you must nominate which ball, and may not hit any other of your opponent's balls. Note that the cushion is considered to not exist for purposes of determining a foul snooker.

A foul jaw snooker is where your opponent fouls with the cue ball in the jaws of the pocket, leaving you snookered. You then proceed as if you are foul snookered.

Here are some other points you should note about World Rules:

- you get two shots on the black following a foul by your opponent
- you carry two shots
- if the cue ball is potted, you can play backwards should you wish, and the cue ball does not have to leave the baulk area