What is the role of the 9th ball?

The 9th orange ball was introduced to reduce the likelihood of a draw at the end of a round and to add an additional strategic element to the game. If the 9th ball remains in its starting position until the end of the round, a draw may still occur.

During the match, if all nine orange balls are on the same side of the field, the match ends early according to rule 6.32.4.

The 9th ball starts in the center of the field and is fixed in place using a method defined by the Event Organizers (for example, using a common LEGO 2815 Technic tire).