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1. General Description
8-ball is played with a cue ball and a normal rack of fifteen (15) object balls. Balls are racked with the front ball on the foot spot and the 8-ball in the center.
The purpose of this game is for one player to pocket the solid colored group of balls numbered from 1 to 7 or the striped balls from 9 to 15. Choice of balls is made
by the player pocketing the first ball of the game. A player wins by pocketing all his object balls followed by legally pocketing the 8-ball in a marked pocket.
2. Lag
Method used to start a match. Players simultaneously shoot a ball from behind the headstring, banking it off the foot rail and back to the head of the table. The closest
ball to the head rail wins. It is permissible to strike the head rail. If the lagged balls make contact with each other, lag over.
3. Racking
All balls should be frozen (touching) as tightly as possible. The breaking player may request and receive a rerack.
4. Breaking
"Breaking safe" or soft is not allowed. For a break to be legal, at least four balls must be driven to the rails or a ball must be pocketed. Otherwise, the balls are
reracked and rebroken by the same player. A game not legally broken but resulting in a scratch or foul will be reracked and broken by the opposite player. The rack must
be struck before a foul can occur. The head ball or the second ball must be struck on the break and the cue ball may not be shot into a rail before the rack. The League
Operator may make judgements 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. Break as hard as you can with control.
5. After the Break
Various circumstances can occur upon completion of the break; they are:
- A foul on the break results in "ball in hand" behind the headstring and the incoming player may shoot any ball outside the head string (see diagram of table in Team
Manual for explanation). A ball that's dead center or "out" is playable. If it is "in", the ball is not playable. It is up to the opponent to call the cue ball "in"
before it is shot (See Team Manual for more complete explanation).
- No balls are pocketed and it is the other player's turn.
- The 8-ball is made, resulting in a win, unless the player scratches.
- One ball is made, it is still the breaker's turn and he continues shooting the category of balls he just made.
- One of each type ball is made. The breaker has his choice of balls. He may shoot any ball, except the 8-ball, and each pocketed ball counts. If he makes one of each
on his second shot, he still has open table. If he misses on his second shot, his opponent has "open table". "Open table" means he can shoot a combination involving a
stripe and a solid and whichever he makes is his ball.
- If two balls of one type and one ball of the other type are pocketed, it is the shooter's choice just as above.
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. The opponent gets credit for the pocketed
ball. No pocketed balls are ever spotted.
7. Balls on the Floor
If the 8-ball is knocked on the floor, it is loss of game. Object balls on the floor are spotted. 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 might occur that a player pockets his ball while simultaneously knocking
another ball on the floor. In this situation, it is still his turn and the ball is not spotted until he misses. If the ball on the floor is one of the shooter's balls, it
is spotted when the player has pocketed all of his other balls or misses.
8. Pocketed Balls
Balls must remain in a pocket to be legal. If a ball goes into 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 a loss. If it is the cue ball, it is not considered a scratch.
9. One foot on the Floor
While shooting, at least one foot must be on the floor at all times if a bridge stick is available. League Management cannot guarantee the presence of bridges and some
Host Locations may not have them. There is no foul - simply stop the shooter and hand him the bridge.
10. There are various ways to lose
- The opposing player pockets his numerical group and legally pockets the 8-ball.
- A player pockets the 8-ball out of turn or knocks it on the floor.
- A player pockets the 8-ball in the wrong pocket or fails to properly mark the pocket.
- When playing the 8-ball a player scratches the cue ball.
Note:
a. A player attempting to shoot the 8-ball and missing it has fouled, resulting in a "ball in hand" for his opponent. This is NOT loss of game.
b. A game is forfeited if the shooter alters the course of the 8-ball or the cue ball in a game losing situation.
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 your opponent. "Ball in hand" means you are allowed to place the cue ball anywhere on the table (with the exception of fouls on the break which result in
"ball in hand" behind the headstring) and shoot any of your balls (or the 8, if all of your category of balls have been pocketed). Even after placing the cue ball, a player
may, if not satisfied with the placement, make further adjustments with the hand, cue stick or any other piece of equipment. A foul is called only if the player fouls while
stroking the cue ball, meaning 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 fouling.
ONLY THE PLAYER OR THE COACH MAY OFFICIALLY CALL A FOUL although anyone may suggest to the player or the coach that a foul should be called.
THESE ARE THE ONLY FOULS RESULTING IN A BALL IN HAND
- Anytime the cue ball goes in a pocket.
- Failure to hit your object ball first. (A player who is shooting stripes must strike a striped ball first). The shooter has the advantage in these situations unless his
opponent has asked an outside party to watch the hit. Protect yourself. If you think your opponent is attempting a shot that could result in a bad hit, get someone to watch
the shot before he starts shooting. Teams involved in repeatedly calling bad hits without outside party verification may be subject to penalty points for disruptive
unsportsmanlike behavior.
- 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.
- 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 opponent 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 the rail and ball simultaneously, it is a foul unless either the cue ball
or object ball went to some other rail.
- It is a foul to jump a cue ball over another ball by purposely miscuing it up in the air. Accidental miscuing is not a foul unless other rules in this section are
violated.
- Anytime the cue ball goes on the floor, or otherwise leaves the playing surface.
- Receiving illegal aid (coaching from person(s) other than the coach) during a match. It is not considered illegal aid to remind a player to mark the 8-ball, or to tell a
player a foul has occurred. Anyone may do so.
- Causing movement of the cue ball, even accidentally, is a foul. It is not a foul to accidentally move any other balls (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 balls moved accidentally during a shot will be replaced by
the opponent after the shot is over and all balls have stopped moving. If it occurs before the shot, it will be replaced before the shot is taken.
- If the cue ball does not touch anything during a shot.
Use caution when placing the cue ball on the table. The cue ball is always "alive" and if it touches another ball, it is a cue ball foul and your opponent has
"ball in hand". Be especially careful when placing the cue ball in a tight spot.
12. How to Win
You have won the game when all the balls of your numerical group have been pocketed, and you have legally pocketed the 8-ball in a properly marked pocket without
scratching. To properly mark the pocket, a coaster or some other reasonable marker (other than chalk) must be placed next to the pocket the 8-ball is intended to enter.
Both teams may use the same marker. Only one marker should be on the table. However, as long as you clearly mark the pocket where you intend to pocket the 8-ball you have
properly marked the pocket. If the marker is already at the intended pocket from a previous attempt or game, it is not necessary for you to touch it, pick it up, or
reposition it.
Note: You cannot play the 8-ball at the same time you play the last ball of your category. The 8-ball must be a separate shot. |
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