8-Ball is a call shot game played with a cue ball and fifteen object balls numbered 1 through 15. Each player or team has a group of seven balls: the solid colored balls numbered 1 through 7, or the striped balls numbered 9 through 15. The 8-ball is the game winning ball. The object of the game is for you to pocket your entire group of balls, and then pocket the 8-ball.

The balls are racked as follows (see Figure 2-1):

1. You begin the break with ball in hand behind the head string. Apex One solid and one stripe, left/right orientation does not matter. Foot Figure 2-1 Apex ball on foot spot. 8 OFFICIAL RULES OF THE BCA POOL LEAGUE

There is no requirement for the cue ball to contact any particular ball first. You must pocket a ball or cause at least four object balls to contact the cushions or it is an illegal break. If you pocket a ball you continue to shoot; if you do not pocket a ball or you commit a foul, your inning ends. (Remainder deleted)

3. If your break is illegal, your inning ends. Your opponent may:

4. If you scratch on a legal break and do not pocket the 8-ball, your inning ends and any other pocketed balls remain pocketed. Your opponent has ball in hand behind the head string.

5. If you foul on a legal break but do not scratch or pocket the 8-ball, your inning ends and any other pocketed balls remain pocketed. Your opponent may:

6. In all cases on the break, jumped balls other than the 8-ball are not returned to the table except in the case of a re-rack.

1. If you pocket the 8-ball and do not foul, you may:

2. If you pocket the 8-ball and scratch your inning ends. Your opponent may:

3. If you pocket the 8-ball and foul but do not scratch, or if you jump the 8-ball off the table, your inning ends. Your opponent may:

The table is always open after the break and remains open until groups are established. When the table is open, all object balls except the 8-ball are legal object balls and combination shots involving balls of different groups are legal. The 8-ball may be part of such a

combination if it is not the first ball contacted by the cue ball. (AR)

1. Groups are established when the first object ball is legally pocketed on a shot after the break. The player legally pocketing the first ball is assigned that group, and the opponent is assigned the other group.

2. If all of either group of balls are pocketed on the break or illegally pocketed before the groups are established, either player may legally shoot the 8-ball during their inning. If the 8-ball is legally pocketed on such a shot, the game is won.

3. Once they are established, groups can never change for the remainder of that game. If a player shoots the wrong group and no foul is called before the next shot and the player continues to shoot at that group, or if at any time during the game it is discovered by the player(s) or a referee that the players are shooting the wrong groups for any reason and a foul was not called in a timely manner, the game will be replayed with the player who broke the game breaking again.

1. Once groups are established, play continues with each player having their group as legal object balls. Balls in your opponents' group and the 8-ball are illegal object balls. When it is your inning, you continue to shoot as long as you legally pocket a ball on each shot. If you do not legally pocket a ball, your inning ends.

2. Jumped balls and illegally pocketed balls are not returned to the table, but do count in favor of the player with that group.

Prior to any shot except the break you may declare a safety. On a safety, your inning ends after the shot regardless of whether or not you pocket any ball, including an obvious ball or a called ball. You must declare the safety to your opponent before the shot, and they must acknowledge your intentions. If you do not declare a safety or it is not acknowledged, and you pocket an obvious ball or a called ball, your inning continues and you must shoot again. Balls pocketed on a safety are illegally pocketed balls. Safety shots must meet the requirements of a legal shot. (AR)

1. The 8-ball becomes your legal object ball on your first shot after the last ball of your group is pocketed. The first player to legally pocket the 8-ball wins the game. (AR)

2. With the exception of the provisions of Rule 2.10, if you foul but do not pocket the 8-ball, it is not loss of game. Your opponent is awarded ball in hand.

You lose the game if:

If a referee has judged that the table is in a position such that any attempt to pocket or move a ball will result in loss of game, and each player has played three innings without significantly changing the position, the referee will declare a stalemate and the game will be replayed with the player who broke the game breaking again.

© 2009 Sunset Billiards Inc.