8 BALL RULES

Object of the Game

One player must pocket all the solid color balls numbered from 1 to 7, while his opponent must pocket all the striped color balls numbered from 9 to 15.

When one player has pocketed all of his balls, he then must pocket the 8-Ball (the black ball numbered 8). 

The first player to pocket all his balls and finally the 8-Ball, wins the game.

Call Shot

The tournament director may decide if the game is to be Call Shot or not.

In Call Shot, players must tell their opponent which ball they are intending to get into which pocket throughout the game.

Any balls pocketed on a foul remain pocketed, regardless of whether they belong to the shooter or the opponent.

Note: The opening break is not a “called shot.”

Any player preforming a break shot in 8-Ball continues to shoot so long as any object ball is legally pocketed on the break.

Start of Game

Tournament director will decide how to determine who goes first, which may be a coin toss.

The balls are racked in the triangle at the foot of the table with the 8-Ball in the center of the triangle, and with a striped ball in one corner of the rack bottom and a solid ball in the other corner.  The top ball is centered over the far dot mark (called a head string) on the table and rack removed carefully so as not to disturb the triangle formation.

 

The white cue ball is the only ball a cue stick may touch, and is positioned by the player anywhere behind the closest center dot mark (head string) on the table. 

The breaker must either pocket a ball, or drive at least 4 numbered balls to the rail, to continue their play – this is called a legal break.  Otherwise it becomes the other player’s turn.

The incoming player then has three options: 

  1. Accepting the table in position and shooting
  2. Re-racking the balls and restarting the game
  3. Allowing the offending player to re-break

GAMEPLAY

What is a scratch?

A scratch is broadly defined as a cue ball driven off the table or pocketed.

For most of the game, these actions are considered standard fouls and result in ball-in-hand for the opponent either on the entire table or behind the head string. He/she also has the option of accepting the table position and shooting.

However, if the cue ball AND the 8-Ball are both pocketed or driven off the table during a legal shot, it results in the forfeit of the game to the opposing player. 

Unless it’s during a legal break shot…

Scratch on a Legal Break

If a player scratches on a legal break shot, all balls pocketed remain pocketed (except for the 8-Ball), it is a foul and the table is open.

The incoming player has cue ball in hand behind the head string and may not shoot an object ball that is behind the head string, unless he first shoots the cue ball past the head string and causes the ball to come back behind the head string and hit the object ball.

BACK TO GAMES GALLERY

8-Ball Pocketed on the Break

If the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, breaker may ask for a re-rack or have the 8-ball spotted and continue shooting.  If the breaker scratches while pocketing the 8-ball on the break, the incoming player has the option of a re-rack or having the 8-ball spotted and begins shooting with ball in hand behind the head string.

Open Table

  • The table is “open” when the choice of groups (stripes or solids) has not yet been determined.
  • The table is always open immediately after the break shot.
  • When the table is open, it is legal to hit a solid first to make a stripe or vice-versa.
  • When the table is open, it is legal to hit any solid or stripe first in the process of pocketing a called stripe or solid.

Don’t hit the 8-Ball first!

When the table is open and the 8-ball is the first to be contacted, it is a foul:

  • No stripe or solid may be scored in favor of the shooter.
  • The shooter loses his turn and the incoming player is awarded cue ball in hand. Any balls pocketed remain pocketed and the incoming player addresses the balls with the table still open.
  • Any illegally pocketed balls in this case, remain pocketed.

Choosing Stripes or Solids

The choice of stripes or solids is not determined on the break, even if balls are made from only one or both groups because the table is always open immediately after the break shot.

  • The choice of stripes or solids is determined only when a player legally pockets a called object ball after the break shot.
  • If stripes & solids have been determined and a player mistakenly shoots at and pockets a ball of that group, the opponent must call a foul before he takes his next shot.
  • If he/she fails to do so, the player automatically takes over the group of balls (solids or stripes) at which he/she has been shooting during the turn.

Legal Shot

On all shots (except on the break and when the table is open), the shooter must:

  1.  Hit one of his/her group of balls first, and pocket a number ball
  2.  Or cause the cue ball or any numbered ball to contact a rail.

It is permissible for the shooter to bank the cue ball off a rail before contacting the object ball.

However, after contact with the object ball, an object ball must be pocketed –or the cue ball –or any numbered ball must contact a rail.

Failure to meet these requirements is considered a foul!

“Safety” Shot

For tactical reasons, a player may choose to pocket an obvious object ball and discontinue a turn at the table by declaring “safety” in advance.

  • A safety shot is defined as a legal shot.
  • If the shooting player intends to play safe by pocketing an obvious object ball, then prior to the shot, the shooter must declare a “safety” to the opponent.
  • It’s the shooter’s responsibility to make the opponent aware of the intended safety shot.
  • If this is not done and one of the shooter’s object balls is pocketed, the shooter will be required to shoot again.
  • Any ball pocketed on a safety shot remains pocketed.

Scoring

  • A player is entitled to continue shooting until he/she fails to legally pocket a ball of his/her group.
  • After a player has legally pocketed his entire group of balls, he shoots to pocket the 8-ball. 

Foul Penalty

  • Opposing player gets cue ball in hand.
  • Player can place the cue ball anywhere on the table (does not have to be behind the head string except on opening break). This prevents a player from making intentional fouls that could put an opponent at a disadvantage.
  • With cue ball in hand, the player may use a hand or any part of the cue (including tip) to position the cue ball.
  • When placing the cue ball in position, any forward stroke motion contacting the cue ball will be a foul, if not a legal shot.

Combination Shots

Combination shots are allowed, however, the 8-Ball cannot be used as a first ball in the combination unless it is the shooters only remaining legal object on the table. 

Illegally Pocketed Balls

An object ball is considered illegally pocketed when:

  • The object ball is pocketed on the same shot a foul is committed
  • The called ball did not go in the designated pocket
  • A safety is called prior to the shot.

Note: Balls that are illegally pocketed remain pocketed and scored in favor of the shooter who controls that ball group– solids or stripes.

Object Ball Jumps off the Table

If any object ball is jumped off the table, it is a foul and loss of turn–unless it is the 8-Ball, which is a loss of game.

Note: Any jumped object balls are not re-spotted.

Jump & Masse Shot Foul

Players should be aware that it would be considered a cue ball foul if the impeding ball moves during an attempt to jump, curve, or masse the cue ball over or around an impending numbered ball, which is not a legal object ball.

Note: It does not matter if the ball was moved by hand, cue stick follow-through, or bridge.

Playing the 8-Ball

  • When the 8-ball is the legal object ball, a scratch or foul is not a loss of game when the 8-ball is not pocketed or has jumped from the table.
  • Incoming player will have cue ball in hand.
  • A combination shot can never be used to pocket the 8-Ball, except when the 8-Ball is the first ball contacted in the shot sequence.

Loss of Game

A player loses the game by committing any of the following infractions:

  • Fouls when pocketing the 8-ball (Exception: see 8-ball Pocketed on the Break)
  • Jumps the 8-Ball off the table at any time
  • Pockets the 8-Ball in a pocket other than the one designated Pockets the 8-ball when it is not the legal object ball

  • Any foul must be called before another shot is taken, or else it will be deemed that no foul occurred.