🎱 8-BALL POOL RULES
🎯 OBJECTIVE
Be the first to legally pocket all your assigned balls (solids 1-7 or stripes 9-15), then pocket the 8-ball to win.
🔄 THE BREAK
- The cue ball must hit the rack first
- At least 4 balls must hit cushions, OR a ball must be pocketed
- If 8-ball is pocketed on break: re-rack and break again
- Scratch on break: opponent gets ball-in-hand behind the head string
🎱 BALL ASSIGNMENT
- Table is "open" after break until a ball is legally pocketed
- First legally pocketed ball (not on break) determines your group
- Solids: Balls 1-7
- Stripes: Balls 9-15
✅ LEGAL SHOT
- Cue ball must first contact a ball from your group
- After contact, at least one ball must hit a cushion OR be pocketed
- Pocketing your own ball = continue shooting
- Missing or pocketing opponent's ball = turn ends
⚠️ FOULS
- Scratch: Cue ball pocketed
- No hit: Cue ball doesn't contact any ball
- Wrong ball first: Cue ball hits opponent's ball first
- No rail: No ball hits cushion after contact (if nothing pocketed)
⚡ Penalty: Opponent gets ball-in-hand
🏆 THE 8-BALL
- You can only shoot at the 8-ball after pocketing ALL your balls
- Must hit 8-ball first when it's your target
- Legally pocket the 8-ball to WIN!
💀 INSTANT LOSS
- Pocketing the 8-ball before clearing your group
- Scratching while pocketing the 8-ball
- Knocking the 8-ball off the table