Planet Pool Rules of 8-Ball 

4.1 OBJECT OF THE GAME

Eight-Ball is a game played with a cue ball and 15 object balls, numbered 1 through 15. There are two categories of balls, those numbered 1 through 7 (solid colored balls or “Solids”) and those numbered 9 through 15 (striped balls or “Stripes”). The player who pockets all the balls in either category first, and then legally pocketing the 8-ball wins the game.

4.2 RACKING THE BALLS

The balls are racked in a triangle at the foot of the table with the first ball of the rack on the foot spot. Balls are racked in one of the two ways as indicated by the diagrams below and by following these three rules:

(a.) The 8-ball in the center of the triangle;

(b.) Five balls from the same category in the shape of a “J” around the 8-ball and no other balls of the same category adjacent to any of those five (the “J” cannot be upside down or on its side from the racker’s perspective, but it may be flipped horizontally as long as the other rules apply);

(c.) Opposing balls in each of the lower corners (a stripe in one and a solid in the other). or An easy way of remembering it is by forming the “J” below the 8-ball and then forming a “C” around the 8-ball with 4 balls of the opposing category as in the diagram on the left. The “C” can also be broken as in the diagram on the right. The “J” can consist of either category.

4.3 THE BREAK

Players lag for the break. The winner of the lag has the option to break or to pass the break to his opponent. Players alternate the break.

4.3.1 Legal Break Shot

The breaker must break with the cue ball from behind the head string or the base of the cue ball directly on the head string. On the break, he/she must either pocket a ball, or drive at least four numbered balls to the rail. Miscueing on the break and the cue ball not reaching the rack, or barely breaking the balls is a “foul break.” Other situations that constitute a foul break are:

(a.) Cue ball scratch

(b.) Any object ball jumped off the table, including the 8 ball (this is automatic loss of game)

(c.) Cue ball jumped off the table

4.3.2 Following A Foul Break

After a foul break, the incoming player has the option of:

(a.) Accepting the table in position and shooting;

(b.) Having the balls re-racked and having the option of breaking or letting your opponent re-break;

(c.) Playing with ball in hand from the kitchen (behind the line). In this situation the shooter may not shoot at any object balls behind the line. Object balls are considered in play if the base of the ball is directly on the line or anywhere else outside the kitchen.

4.3.3 Object Balls Jumped Off The Table

Object balls jumped off the table on the break shot are not re-spotted. If the 8 ball is jumped off the table on the break, it is automatic loss of game.

4.3.4 8-Ball Pocketed On The Break

If the 8-ball is pocketed on a legal break, the breaker wins the game. If the 8-ball is pocketed on a foul break, it is loss of game. This applies to any foul on the break.

4.4 FOLLOWING A LEGAL BREAK

The table is always “open” after a legal break, regardless of whether the breaker has pocketed balls from either or both categories on the break shot. The table remains “open” until either player pockets a ball from either category (not both) on a legal shot. If the shooter pockets balls from both categories in a single legal shot, it remains open until either player pockets a ball or balls from only one category in a single legal shot. When the table is open, it is legal to make contact with a solid first to make a stripe or vice-versa. However, when the table is still open and the 8-ball is the first ball contacted, it is a foul and the table remains open for the incoming player. Any balls pocketed remain pocketed.

4.5 CALLING SHOTS

The shooter must call a ball and a pocket, except if it is an obvious shot. Bank shots, caroms and combination shots are not considered obvious shots. The opponent has the right to ask the shooter which ball and pocket he/she is playing if they are unsure. When calling the shot, it is not necessary to indicate details such as whether the object ball will kiss off another ball before it enters the pocket, or the number of rails in a bank shot, etc. The 8-ball must be clearly called, whether it is an obvious shot or not. The shooter does not have to call anything on the opening break. If a ball is legally pocketed on the break, the breaker may continue to shoot. It is not a foul to pocket balls that were not called, but the player loses his/her turn at the table if the called ball does not enter the intended pocket—even if other balls from the shooter’s category are pocketed during the shot. Any balls pocketed during a shot remain pocketed, whether they were called or not.

4.6 FOULS

The following are all fouls (apart from the situations discussed in the section about the break) and the oncoming player has ball in hand anywhere on the table (except immediately following the break, in which case they have ball in hand in the kitchen behind the head string):

(a.) Failing to hit an object ball from your designated category of balls first once the table is no longer open;

(b.) Failing to make a ball make contact with a rail after the cue ball has struck the object ball. This includes situations where the object ball is frozen against a rail before the shot—in such instances, the object ball must either hit another rail, or the cue ball or another ball on the table must hit a rail after the cue ball has struck that object ball. The opponent must declare the ball frozen to the rail and there has to be agreement between players. The referee or tournament director may be called upon to check whether the ball is frozen or not;

(c.) Scratching the cue ball by making it enter a pocket, driving it off the table onto the floor, or making it land on the rail (if it bounces back onto the table after landing on the rail and comes to rest on the normal playing surface of the table, it is not a foul);

(d.) Driving any object ball off the table onto the floor, or making it land on the rail (if it bounces back onto the table after landing on the rail and comes to rest on the normal playing surface of the table, it is not a foul);

(e.) Touching the cue ball with any part of the body, cue, clothing, or any other object while it is lying stationary on the table. When the shooter has ball in hand it is not a foul to use any part of the cue, except the tip, to position the cue ball.

(f.) Moving or touching any object ball with the cue during placement of the cue ball when the shooter has ball in hand;

(g.) It is a foul to pick up the cue ball before it has come to rest. If the shooter has fouled and stops or picks up the cue before it comes to rest, there cannot be a double foul against him/her, but it is unsportsmanlike behavior. The referee or tournament director may give the offending player a warning at his/her discretion, and disqualify the player upon multiple offenses.

(h.) It is not a foul to move or touch an object ball with any part of the body, cue or clothing, except while during a shot, the moved object ball rolls into, or near, the general vicinity of the path of other balls that are in motion, or when moving the intervening ball or balls during the execution of a jump or massé shot. All accidentally moved balls may be returned to their original position(s) upon the request of the non-shooter after all balls have come to rest.

(i.) Jumping the cue ball over any other ball by purposely miscueing;

(j.) The shooter may not receive “coaching” from other players. It is an automatic foul if the shooter receives coaching from someone while it is their turn at the table, and the referee or tournament director may be called upon to warn players (and those helping them) while they are not at the table.

(k.) Failing to make the cue ball make contact with any ball during a shot.

(l.) Double-hitting the cue ball with the tip of the cue. This means that the shooter hits the cue ball with the tip of the cue, and then striking it a second time. This should not be mistaken for playing a “push shot” where the tip of the cue remains in contact after it has struck the object ball. Push shots are allowed provided the shooter’s bridge hand does not leave the table during the course of the shot.

(m.) Playing without having at least one foot touching the floor (this does not apply to players in wheelchairs). Any balls pocketed on a foul remain pocketed, regardless of whether they belong to the shooter or the opponent.

4.7 COMBINATION SHOTS

Combination shots are allowed; however, the 8-ball cannot be struck first unless it is the shooter’s only remaining ball on the table.

4.8 SAFETY PLAY

A player may choose to call a safety and legally pocket one of his/her category of balls and thus discontinue their turn at the table. It is the player’s responsibility to ensure that his/her opponent acknowledges the fact that they have called a safety shot. If not, the opponent may make the shooter play again.

4.9 LOSS OF GAME

A player loses the game by committing any of the following:

(a.) Pocketing the 8-ball during a foul shot;

(b.) Jumping the 8-ball off the table at any time during the game;

(c.) Pocketing the 8-ball in any pocket other than the one called;

(d.) Pocketing the 8-ball before all the shooter’s designated balls have been pocketed;

(e.) Pocketing the 8-ball at the same time as pocketing the last of his/her designated object balls.

4.10 STALEMATE

If the game has not made any progress after 3 consecutive turns at the table by each player (6 turns total), the referee or tournament director may be called upon to declare a stalemate. The game is deemed not to be making progress if both players make three consecutive deliberate fouls each within the course of six consecutive shots, or if object balls are barely moved during legal shots three times in a row by each player within the course of six consecutive shots.