8 BALL GAME

8 Ball
Snooker
Pyramid

With 2 Family Saloon

LEGAL SHOT

On all shots (except on the break and when the table is open), the shooter must hit one of his group of balls first and pocket a numbered ball, or cause the cue ball or any numbered ball to contact a rail. NOTE: It is permissible for the shooter to bank the cue ball off a rail before contacting his object ball. However, after contact with his 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 a foul.

SAFETY SHOT

For tactical reasons, a player may choose to pocket an obvious object ball and also discontinue his turn at the table by declaring ³safety² in advance. A safety shot is defined as a legal shot. If a player fails to declare ³safety² to his opponent and the called object ball is pocketed, the shooter is required to shoot again. Any balls pocketed on a safety shot remain pocketed.

SCORING

A player is entitled to continue shooting until he fails to legally pocket a ball from his group. After a player has legally pocketed all of his group of balls, he shoots to pocket the 8-ball.

FOUL PENALTY

In the event of a foul, the opposing player gets cue ball in hand. This means that the player can place the cue ball anywhere on the table (except for when the foul is committed on the break, in which case the cue ball is placed behind the headstring). This rule prevents a player from making intentional fouls which would put his opponent at a disadvantage. With cue ball in hand, the player can use his/her hand or cue to position the cue ball (as long as a forward motion is not used, the cue tip can also be used).

ILLEGALLY POCKETED BALLS

An object ball is considered to be illegally pocketed when that object ball is not pocketed in the called pocket or a foul is committed during the shot (i.e. another ball is touched during the shot). Illegally pocketed balls remain pocketed. The penalty is loss of turn only.

OBJECT BALL JUMPED OFF THE TABLE

If any object ball is jumped off the table, it is a foul and ball in hand is given to the other player unless it is the 8-ball, in which case it is a loss of game. Any jumped object ball (except the 8-ball) is considered pocketed.

PLAYING THE 8-BALL

When shooting at the 8-ball, a scratch or foul is not loss of game if the 8-ball is not pocketed or jumped off the table. The incoming player has cue ball in hand.

LOSS OF GAME

A player loses the game if he commits any of the following infractions:
a. Fouls when pocketing the 8-ball (exception see rule #9).
b. Pockets the 8-ball on the same stroke as the last of his group of balls.
c. Jumps the 8-ball off the table at any time (exception see rule #8).
d. Pockets the 8-ball in a pocket other than the one called.
e. Pockets the 8-ball when it is not the legal object ball.
20. COACHING (Applies to team play)
A player can ask for a coach any time during the game. A player can ONLY be coached by a member of his own team. No unsolicited coaching is acceptable.

NOTE: All infractions must be called by the opponent before another shot is taken, or else it will be deemed that no infraction occurred. THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN CALL A FOUL IS THE OPPONENT.

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Object of the 8 Ball Game

Eight-Ball is a call shot game played with a cue ball and fifteen object balls, numbered 1 through 15. One player must pocket balls of the group numbered 1 through 7 (solid colours), while the other player has 9 through 15 (stripes). The player pocketing his group first and then legally pocketing the 8-ball wins the game.

CALL SHOT

In Call Shot, obvious balls and pockets do not have to be indicated. It is the opponent¹s right to ask which ball and pocket if he is not sure of the shot. Bank shots and combination shots are not considered obvious, and care should be taken in calling both the object ball and the intended pocket. When calling the shot, it is NEVER necessary to indicate details such as the number of cushions, banks, kisses, caroms, etc. Any balls pocketed on a foul remain pocketed, regardless of whether they belong to the shooter or the opponent.

RACKING THE BALLS

The balls are racked in a triangle at the foot of the table with the 8-ball in the centre of the triangle, the first ball of the rack on the foot spot, a striped ball in one corner of the rack and a solid ball in the other corner.
(See diagram below).

DECISION OF BREAK

Flip a coin (NOT OVER THE TABLE). Winner of the coin toss has the option to break. During competition, players will alternate breaking on each subsequent game.

NO JUMP SHOTS OR MASSE

LEGAL BREAK SHOT

To execute a legal break, the breaker (with the cue ball behind the headstring) must either pocket a ball or drive at least four numbered balls to the rail. If s/he fails to make a legal break, the other player has three choices 1. Play from there.
2. Break again.
3. Have the other player re-break.

SCRATCH ON A LEGAL BREAK

If a player scratches on a legal break shot (cue ball is pocketed):
1) All balls pocketed remain pocketed with the exception of the 8-ball see rule #9;
2) It is a foul;
3) The table is open.

NOTE: Incoming player has cue ball in hand behind the headstring and may not shoot an object ball that is behind the headstring unless he first shoots the cue ball past the headstring, causing the cue ball to come back behind the headstring and hit the object ball.

OBJECT BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE ON

THE BREAK
If a player jumps an object ball off the table on the break shot, it is a foul and the incoming player has to take the cue ball in hand behind the headstring. Any jumped object ball is considered pocketed.

8-BALL POCKETED ON

THE BREAK
If the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, the breaker may 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 headstring.

OPEN TABLE

The table is ³open² when the choice of groups (solids or stripes) has not yet been determined. When the table is open, it is legal to hit any solid or stripe in the process of pocketing the called stripe or solid. The 8-ball can be used in the middle of a combination but cannot be the first ball contacted. NOTE: The table is always open immediately after the break shot.

CHOICE OF GROUP

The choice of stripes or solids is not determined on the break even if balls are pocketed from one or both groups. The choice of group is determined only when a player legally pockets a called object ball after the break shot.