8-Ball Rules

The Game

The goal of 8-ball is to pocket balls 1 through 7 (solids) or 9 through 15 (stripes), and then sink the black 8-ball in a pocket. All balls must be pocketed before the 8-ball.
The balls are set up with the front ball on the footspot, the 8-ball in the middle, and solid and stripe balls on the corners.
The player who won the toss gets to break. On the break, the cue ball must be placed on or behind the break line and hit the racked balls. A ball must be pocketed or at least four balls must be hit towards the head rail. If this does not happen, it is the other player's turn.
If a player pockets a ball on the break, they may continue their turn. If not, it is the other player's turn. On the first shot after the break, the table is always open, meaning it is not yet determined which group (solids or stripes) the player will try to pocket. This is also true if a player pockets one or more balls on the break. The group is only determined once a player correctly pockets a ball after the break. While the table is open, the player does not have to hit a solid or stripe first and may even call a shot through the 8-ball.
If the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, the breaking player may choose to re-break or place the 8-ball back on the spot.
If the cue ball goes off the table on the break, the other player gets a ball-in-hand behind the break line. This is only the case on the first shot after the break.

Fouls

  • Potting the white ball or any object ball off the table.
  • Hitting the cue ball with something other than the tip.
  • Hitting the cue ball twice.
  • Pushing the cue ball instead of hitting it.
  • Not hitting a rail after hitting an object ball (without a ball going into a pocket).
On a foul, the other player gets a ball-in-hand behind the break line. Any balls that go off the table or are pocketed with a foul do not come back onto the table.
All shots must be called, meaning a player must indicate which ball they will try to pocket and in which pocket before taking their shot. They do not have to explain how they will pocket the ball, so they do not have to specify which rails or balls they will use. If a player misses, they may call the same ball in a different pocket on their next turn. If a ball goes into the wrong pocket, it stays there but the turn goes to the other player. This is not a foul.
A player's turn ends when they miss or commit a foul.

Losing the frame

  • Committing a foul while pocketing the 8-ball.
  • Pocketing the 8-ball in the same pocket as the last object ball of their group.
  • Pocketing the 8-ball on the break without legally pocketing a ball.
  • Als de 8-ball in een andere pocket valt dan aangeduid.
  • Als de 8-ball wordt gepot terwijl dit niet de gecallde bal was.


in News
Gert Pellin EZ, Gert Pellin 11 August, 2022
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