Eight Ball (8 Ball)

by Sarah Mausolf | reviewed by Tom Roberts

Standardized Rules

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Eight ball is played with fifteen object balls and a cue ball. The fifteen balls are grouped by numbers 1 - 7 which are solid in color and numbers 9 - 15 which are colored by stripes and the eight ball.

• The object of the game is to pocket all seven balls in a group (solid or stripe) and the eight ball last.
• The object balls in the players group do not need to be pocketed in order.
• The player must contact an object ball in their specified group first and call the ball and the pocket (call the shot) to continue the player's turn.
• If any ball is pocketed during a legal shot, the player's turn continues until the player misses, fouls or wins the game by pocketing all of the player's group (solids or stripes) and then finally the eight ball.
• When a player's turn ends due to a foul, the incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on the table with the exception after the break; otherwise, the incoming player must shoot the cue ball from it's original position.

Racking & Breaking for Eight Ball

• The object balls are racked in a triangle at the foot of the table, the first ball on the foot spot and eight ball in the center of the rack.
• Breaker has cue ball in hand behind the head string.
• To legally break, the player must pocket an object ball or drive four or more balls into the rail. When an illegal break occurs, the opposing player has the option to accept the table and take their turn or to re-rack and decide who breaks.
• All balls that are pocketed on a break remain pocketed with the exception of the 8 ball which the incoming player has the option to spot the 8 ball or re-rack.
• If the cue ball is pocketed on the break, the incoming player has ball in hand behind the head string and may not contact an object ball behind the head string without shooting the cue ball past the head string first.
• It is considered a foul if object balls jump off of the table and the incoming player has the choice of accepting the table in it's current position or taking cue ball in hand behind the head string and shooting.
• If the eight ball is pocketed or jumps off of the table on the break, the breaker has the option to spot the 8 ball on the foot spot to continue shooting or re-rack. The breaker will break again when the object balls are re-racked.
• If the eight ball and cue ball is pocketed or jumps off of the table on the break, the incoming player has the option to spot the 8 ball on the foot spot with cue ball in hand behind the head string or re-rack. The breaker will break again when the object balls are re-racked.

Legal Shots & Fouls

• All fouls result in ball in hand for the opposing player.
• If object balls are pocketed during the break, it is still considered open table until the breaker legally pockets an object ball which will remain his group to pocket the rest of the game. When the table is open, the player may contact any ball, except the 8 ball, to pocket a called object ball.
• After the object ball groups are determined for each player, the player must contact any one of their object ball group first. If the player pockets their opponents grouping, the opponent must call a foul before the player contacts their group during the next legal shot. If the opponent does not call a foul, the player must continue the game with that group of object balls in which the player pocketed. If the opponent calls the foul, the player gives them cue ball in hand on the entire table.
• If a player fails to contact any object ball from their determined group first or any ball fails to contact a rail after contacting their object ball grouping, it is considered a foul and the opposing player is given cue ball in hand anywhere on the table.
• At any time during the game, if the opposing player does not call a foul before the next shot is made (cue ball touching the object ball), the foul is dismissed and the player continues shooting.
• Players sometimes choose to pocket their object ball for a safety. It is considered a legal shot to call a safety and then pocket a ball from your grouping which ends the players turn. Failure to call the safety requires the player to continue shooting and any balls pocketed are not spotted.
• A players turn ends when the object ball is not pocketed in the called pocket, a foul is committed during the shot or a safety is called prior to a shot.
• Object balls that jump off the table are not spotted and the shooting players turn ends or in the case of the eight ball it is considered a loss of the game.
• Pocketing or fouling the cue ball when the 8 ball is legal object ball is not a loss of game. In this case, the incoming player is given cue ball in hand.
• Pocketing or fouling the cue ball when the 8 ball is pocketed or driven off of the table is a loss of game.
• The first player to pocket all object balls in the player's designated group and legally pocket the eight ball wins the game.

~Rules adapted from the World Pool-Billiard Association Standardized Rules~

Variations of Eight Ball

Some players play with additional rules or variations of games for any given reason. Some intend to make it fun or more challenging and others to make it fair when the difference in playing ability is significant. Below are some of the variations we've heard about. Please contact us if you know of additional variations to eight ball.

Valley Forge Eight Ball Bar Box Championship

All rules above apply in addition to the three consecutive fouls rule.

• The order of play is determined by whoever wins the lag.
• If a player fouls three times without making an intervening legal shot, he/she loses the game. The three fouls must occur in one game. The warning must be given between the second and third fouls. If the warning is not given and the player makes a third foul, it is not loss of game and that shooter is back "on two" fouls. At this point, the player still must be notified he/she has two fouls.
• Eight on the break wins the game. If a player commits a foul and makes the 8-ball, it is loss of game.

Please visit Valley Forge Bar Box Championships Web Site for more information

Eight Ball Neutral

• When playing with the "Eight Ball Neutral" rule, you may use the 8 ball to combination an object ball into the pocket. This rule is commonly used in Bars and Taverns.

Download Eight Ball Rules in PDF Format

Updated 6/2008