(1) Re-spotting the eight ball and shooting with cue ball in hand behind the head string or (f) If the breaker pockets the eight ball and scratches, the opponent has the option of (1) Re-spotting the eight ball and accepting the balls in position, or If the eight ball is pocketed, the breaker has the option of (e) Pocketing the eight ball on a legal break shot is not a foul. (3) Re-racking and allowing the offending player to break again. (d) If no object ball is pocketed, at least four object balls must be driven to one or more rails, or the shot results in an illegal break, and the incoming player has the option of (c) If the breaker pockets a ball and does not foul, he continues at the table, and the table remains open. (b) No ball is called, and the cue ball is not required to hit any particular object ball first. (a) The cue ball begins in hand behind the head string. The following rules apply to the break shot: The other balls are placed in the triangle without purposeful or intentional pattern. One from each group of seven will be on the two lower corners of the triangle. The fifteen object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a triangle, with the apex ball on the foot spot and the eight ball as the first ball that is directly below the apex ball. The standard format is alternate break EIGHT BALL RACK The player winning the lag has the option to determine who has to execute the first break shot. The shooter’s group of seven balls (one through seven or nine through fifteen) must all be off the table before he attempts to pocket the eight ball to win. A player automatically loses the game if he pockets the eight ball prematurely, pockets the cue ball while trying to pocket the eight ball or knocks the eight ball into a pocket other than the one he indicated before the shot.Eight ball is played with fifteen numbered object balls and the cue ball. FoulsĪ player fouls, ending her turn and allowing the other player to place the cue ball anywhere on the table, if shes pockets the cue ball, drive a ball off the table, touches any balls, hits a ball before they all stop moving or fails to hit any balls with the cue ball. When doing so, the player must indicate ahead of time which pocket he will knock the eight ball into. Once a player has pocketed all of his type of ball, she can attempt to pocket the eight to win. Whenever a player pockets a ball of his type, that player may go again. Players may pocket any ball but the eight until the first ball is pocketed, at which point the player who pocketed the ball must continue pocketing the same type of balls and the other player the other type. Players take turns hitting the cue ball to knock the other balls into the pockets ("pocketing" them). The cue is placed anywhere behind the other spot on the table. A stripe and a solid must be at the back corners of the triangle, and the eight must be directly behind the apex ball, but the order of the others doesn't matter. All the balls but the cue ball are placed tightly in a triangle with the apex ball on one of the two spots on the table.