General Description – 8-Ball is played with a cue ball and normal rack of fifteen (15) object balls. The purpose of this game is for one player to pocket the solid balls numbered from 1 to 7 or the striped balls numbered from 9 to 15, and then calling and pocketing the 8-ball before his opponent. Choice of balls to be pocketed is made by the player legally pocketing the first ball of the game.

1.   Before Starting a Match or Tournament Game – Using alternate breaks, the home team breaks first. Tie breaking games will be determined by a flip of the coin. The coin flip winner will have a choice to break or have his opponent break.  Throughout the games, the non-shooting player sits in the chair reserved for him.  The chair is placed near the table and away, where possible, from the spectators and the other players who at the time are not playing.

2. Racking – All balls should be frozen (touching) as tightly as possible. Balls are racked with the front ball on the foot spot, the 8-ball in the center and a striped ball on one corner and a solid ball in the other corner. The breaking player may request and receive a re-rack.

3. Breaking – To be a legal break, players must break from behind the head string, the head ball or second ball must be struck first and at least four object balls must be driven to the rails or a ball must be pocketed. The cue ball may not be shot into a rail before the rack. If the break does not qualify as legal, the balls are re-racked and re-broken by the same player. The player is allowed 3 attempts to make a legal break.  A miscue is considered an attempt.  After 3 attempts, it is then the opposing player’s turn to break.  If the break does not qualify as legal and results in a scratch, the balls are re-racked and broken by the opposite player. THE RACK MUST BE STRUCK BEFORE A FOUL CAN OCCUR. Breaking safe or soft is not allowed. The team captains may make judgments and issue penalties to teams and players who are not breaking hard. Breaking just hard enough to comply with this rule is not a guarantee against penalties. Remember: break as hard as you can with control.

4. After the Break – Various circumstances can occur upon completion of the break. They are:

A. A scratch on a legal break results in ball-in-hand behind the head string and the incoming player may shoot any ball outside the head string.  A ball that is dead center or forward of the head string is playable. If it is behind the head string, the ball is not playable. It is up to the referee to call the cue ball or the object ball playable before it is shot.

B.  No balls are pocketed and it is the other player’s turn.

C. The 8-ball is pocketed. This is a win, unless the player

scratches or knocks the cue ball off the table, in which case he loses.

D.    One ball is pocketed; it is still the breaker’s turn and he continues shooting any category of balls. The “first called pocketed ball” determines the shooters category of balls.

E.     One ball of each category is pocketed. The breaker has his choice of balls. He may shoot any ball, except the 8-ball, and each called pocketed ball counts. If he makes one of each category on his second shot, his category of balls is determined by his called shot. If he misses or fouls on his second shot, his opponent has an “open table.” “Open table” means a player can shoot a combination involving a stripe and a solid and whichever he makes, without committing a foul, would be his category.

F.     If two balls of one category and one ball of the other category are pocketed, it is the shooter’s choice just as in “e” above.

G.    Occasionally it occurs that a player mistakenly starts shooting the wrong category of balls. Although it is sportsmanlike for the sitting player to remind the shooting player that he is about to foul by shooting the wrong category of balls, it is not a requirement for him to do so. Once the shooter has hit the wrong category of balls, the foul has occurred whether the ball is pocketed or not. If the ball is pocketed, it is permissible, though not recommended, that the sitting player allow the shooting player to continue shooting his balls in until he feels inclined to call the foul. The shooting player can escape penalty by quietly realizing his error and returning to shoot the correct category of balls and legally contacting one of them before his opponent calls foul, or by finishing off the wrong category of balls and legally contacting the 8-ball prior to his opponent calling a foul. In other words, the sitting player must call the foul before the shooter returns to the correct category and legally contacts one or before the shooter pockets the remaining balls of the wrong category and legally contacts the 8-ball. Before any foul has occurred, the shooter may avoid any foul penalty by asking the sitting player which category of balls he has.  The sitting player must tell him the truth. After the shot is taken, the referee or the sitting player may call the foul which results in Ball In Hand for the sitting player.  If an appointed referee is officiating at the table where the game is being played, he has the authority to caution the shooter he is about to shoot the wrong category of  balls.

H.    If a player misses a called shot but pockets a ball, it is still

an “open table”.  The pocketed ball remains pocketed.

I. If a player makes a called shot but fouls, it is still an “open table”.  The pocketed ball remains pocketed.

5. Call Your Shots – When shooting the object ball, the intended ball and pocket must be called. Make sure your opponent and the referee hears your call.  If there is a referee, he must repeat the call before you shoot.  This assures you that he heard your call.  If the object ball goes into any other pocket, the ball stays down and the shooter relinquishes his turn but no Ball in Hand is given to your opponent.   

                   NO POCKETED BALL IS EVER SPOTTED.

6. Combination Shots – Combination shots are legal, but striking the correct ball first is required except in an “open table” situation. The

8-BALL IS NOT NEUTRAL. A player is credited with all balls he legally pockets. When a player does not pocket one of his balls but pockets an opponent’s ball, he loses his turn and the opponent gets credit for the pocketed ball.

7. Balls on the Floor – If the 8-ball is knocked on the floor, it is loss of   

game.  The shooter’s and/or opponent’s category of balls knocked on the floor are spotted immediately by the referee with the shooter’s balls placed first.  If the spot is taken, the ball is placed on a line directly behind the spot as close as possible.  Knocking a ball other than the cue ball on the floor is not a foul.  It may occur that a player pockets their ball while simultaneously kocking another ball on the floor.  In this situation, it is still his turn after the balls knocked on the floor are spotted.

8.      Pocketed Balls – Balls must remain in a pocket to be legal. If a ball goes

in a pocket, but bounces back onto the playing surface, it is not

considered pocketed. If it is the 8-ball, it is not considered either a win or

loss. If it is the cue ball, it is not considered a scratch.  If any balls except

the cue ball are pocketed by the accidental movement of the shooter’s

hand or body or equipment, it is a foul but not Ball in Hand. The ball is

replaced by the referee in its original position best judged by the referee and the player relinquishes his turn.

    9. One foot on the Floor – While shooting, at least one foot must  

        be on the floor at all times if a bridge is available. There is no

        foul-simply stop the shooter and hand him the bridge. Billiard  

        clubs cannot guarantee the presence of bridges.

   10. Safes – A safe shot is considered as long as after

         calling a safe shot, the cue ball comes in contact with any

         of the player’s category of balls by direct contact or by a

         bank shot and then either the cue ball, the contacted ball or

         any other ball that was thereafter contacted must hit a rail

         or is pocketed.  The shooter relinquishes his turn.  During

         the game, a player may call an unlimited number of safe

         shots.  However, only 3 consecutive safes may be called by

            the player on the same ball.  On the next turn, a pocket  

         must be called if the player is shooting on the same ball.  

         This shot CAN NOT be played as a soft hit as when playing 

a safe.  If this shot on the same ball was played like a safe, it is considered a foul and opponent is given Ball In Hand. This will be decided by the referee. The referee must warn the player after 3 consecutive safes.

   11. Fouls – If any of the following fouls are committed, the penalty

is ball-in-hand for the incoming player. Make certain you have ball-in-hand before you touch the cue ball by confirming with the referee. Ball-in-hand means you are allowed to place the cue ball anywhere on the table (with the exception of a scratch on the break which results in ball-in-hand behind the head string) and shoot any of your balls (or the 8, if all of your category of balls have been pocketed). Even after having addressed the cue ball, a player may, if not satisfied with the placement, make further adjustments with the hand, cue stick or any other reasonable piece of equipment. A foul may be called only if the player fouls while actually stroking the cue ball, while adjusting the cue ball with the tip of the cue stick or a double hit of the cue ball (sometimes called double clutching). The ball-in-hand rule penalizes a player for an error. Without this rule, a player could benefit by accidentally or purposely scratching or otherwise fouling.

ONLY THE REFEREE OR PLAYER MAY OFFICIALLY CALL A FOUL.   The final decision is made by the referee.

THESE ARE THE ONLY FOULS RESULTING IN BALL-IN-HAND:

A.     Anytime the cue ball goes in a pocket, on the floor, or otherwise ends up off the playing surface.

B.    Failure to hit your object ball first. (A player who is shooting  

stripes must hit a striped ball first.) The shooter has the advantage in these situations unless his opponent has asked

the referee to watch the hit.  Protect yourself. If you think your    opponent is attempting a shot that could result in a bad hit, ask the referee to watch the shot before he starts shooting.

C.    Failure to hit a rail after contact. A sentence that should answer many questions is “Any ball (including the cue ball) must go to a rail AFTER LEGAL contact.” A pocketed ball counts as a rail.

D.    The object ball is frozen to a rail and the player is contemplating playing a “safety.” In order for the “frozen ball” rule to be in effect, the referee must declare the ball frozen and the player should verify.  Once it is agreed the ball is frozen the player must drive the object ball to another rail (of course, it could hit another ball, which in turn hits a rail) or drive the cue ball to a rail after it touches the object ball.  If the latter method of safety is chosen the player should be sure to obviously strike the object ball first.  If the cue ball strikes the rail first or appears to hit both the rail and ball simultaneously, it is a foul unless either the cue ball or any object ball hits another rail.

E.     Jump shots are not allowed.  This is a foul resulting in Ball in Hand for your opponent,  If a ball is pocketed, it is replaced by the referee in its original position best judged by the referee.  Accidental miscuing is not a foul unless other rules herein are violated..

F.     Receiving illegal aid is prohibited.  Coaching is not allowed by any person(s) during the match.  A player may not ask anyone including the captain for advice at any time during the match.  It is not considered illegal aid to remind your opponent to call the pocket when shooting the 8-ball, or to tell your opponent a foul has occurred.

G.    Causing movement of the cue ball, even accidentally, is a foul. It is not a foul to accidentally move any other ball (including the 8-ball) unless, while shooting, a player moves a ball and it in turn strikes the cue ball. Even dropping the chalk on the cue ball is a foul. Any ball moved accidentally during a shot must be replaced by the referee when the shot is over and all the balls have stopped rolling. If it occurs before shooting, it must be replaced by the referee before the shot is taken.

H.    If, during the course of a shot, the cue ball does not touch anything.

I.        Use caution when picking up or placing the cue ball in a ball-in-hand situation. The cue ball is always alive. If the cue ball, or the hand holding it or moving it, touches another ball it is a cue ball foul and your opponent has ball-in-hand. Be especially careful when picking up or placing the cue ball in a tight spot.

J.      ONLY THE PLAYER may place the cue ball in a ball-in-hand situation. If the player fouls in the process of placing the cue ball, it will be ball-in-hand for the opponent.

K.    In the situations of an open table or if a player has any of their category of balls still on the table, the 8-BALL IS NOT NEUTRAL and CANNOT be the first ball hit by the cue ball.  If this happens, the opponent gets ball-in- hand.  The 8-ball may be used in a combination shot but only when the 8-ball is hit by another ball AFTER the shooter first hits their category of balls when there are any still on the table or in an open-table situation, AFTER the shooter first hits either a high ball (Striped-numbers 9 – 15) or a low ball (solid-numbers 1 – 7).

12. Various Ways to Lose:

A.     Your opponent pockets his numerical group and legally

     pockets the 8-ball.

B.    You pocket the 8-ball out of turn, knock it on the

floor or pocket it by accidental movement.

C.    You pocket the 8-ball in the wrong pocket or fail to call

     the pocket.

D. You foul the cue ball and then pocket the 8-ball.

E. When playing the 8-ball, you scratch.

Note: A player attempting to shoot the 8-ball but missing it has fouled, resulting in ball-in-hand for his opponent. This is NOT loss of game.

F. A game is forfeited if you alter the course of the 8-ball

    or the cue ball in a game-losing situation.  After the

    8-ball is pocketed, the cue ball must, on its own, come

    to a complete stop on the table.

Note: A player should never begin to take any of their sticks apart when their opponent is shooting on the 8-ball.  If this happens, the full set of games is forfeited for poor sportsmanship.

G. Your full set of games is forteited if you start to breakdown your

     cue stick or put your stick on the rack during or before the

     game is completely over.  If you use a break stick, you must

     break it down or put it on the rack before the next shot or you

     wait until after the game is over.  If your opponent doesn’t

     pocket the 8-ball, or does pocket it but scratches, you still forfeit

    all your games and your opponent wins for poor sportsmanship.

13. How to Win – A player has won the game when all the balls of his  

      numerical group have been pocketed and he has legally pocketed  

      the 8-ball in a properly called pocket without scratching or pockets the

      8-Ball on the break without scratching.  The cue ball must, on its own,  

      come to a complete stop on the table.

Note: You cannot play the 8-ball while simultaneously playing the last ball of your category. The 8-ball must be a separate shot.  The 8-ball does not have to be pocketed “clean”.  The 8-ball can “kiss off” any other ball before being legally pocketed.

14. Tie Games – During a match or in tournament play, in case of a tie score,  

the team captains or their representative will each pick a player from their  respective team roster who are evenly matched in ability to play the tiebreaker.  The best of 3 (also called a race to 2) will determine the winner.  A team captain may still be considered for one of the tiebreaker players.