Can you scratch on the 8 ball

If you committed a scratch during a break then you will lose the turn and your opponent has the chance to place the cue ball anywhere behind the head string.

After the cue ball crosses the headstrong, it has to contact your ball first before contacting any object ball. If this ever happens, the opponent will have the option to either re-rack or not. In some cases, like in tournaments, when you pocket the 8 ball during a break you win!

The risk you take, is if you pocketed the 8 ball and commit a scratch then you will lose instantly. You will lose the game when you pocket the 8 balls and commit a scratch at the same time.

You also lose the game when the 8 balls jump from the table at any time. Also, in some tournaments, you will lose the game when you pocket the 8 ball before all the balls assigned to you. Above all, you will lose the game when the 8 ball is pocketed in a wrong non-called pocket.

This is usual for 8 ball games, but this can happen when after six turns, three turns per player they fail to pocket any ball or move a ball. This is when the referee will judge and mostly the result of a loss of game. This is also applicable if there are only two object balls and the 8 ball is still on the table.

Making sure that all of your balls are spread out on your first shot is crucial if you want a good chance at winning the game. You do not lose the game if you scratch on the break in 8 ball. Although it can stink when you scratch on the break and you do not get to continue with your turn, at least you do not lose the entire game.

You can easily overcome losing your turn, which is why scratching on the break does not mean that you lose the game. Some people think that you can lose the game if you scratch when you break, but that is not true.

You can only lose the game if you scratch when you are hitting in the 8 ball, or knock the 8 ball into the wrong pocket. If you play any amount of pool 8 ball at all, you have come across different people who play with different rules. One of these rules that is different is losing the game when you scratch while going for the 8 ball. Some people believe that if you scratch you lose it, while others think that game goes on. So which one is the official way to play?

If you scratch while you are trying to knock in the 8 ball, you do not lose. You only lose if you succeed to knock in the 8 ball and then scratch. While this is not the way most people who are playing for fun play the game, these are the official rules.

You only lose the game by actually scratching after you succeeded to hit in the 8 ball. This is the official way to play 8 ball no matter if you are playing with friends or professionally. When you are playing pool, there are a lot of people that play by many different rules. Not everyone follows the official rules when they play the game. Even though you should always follow the official rules of the game, some people do not as they are just playing for fun, or are not that good at the game.

I personally think you should still follow the rules as learning the wrong way to play can hinder your skills. You are not allowed to hit the opponents ball first in 8 ball without incurring a penalty. If you hit the opponents ball first instead of your own, your turn will be over even if you make your own ball in the pocket.

Some people do not play this way. They allow you to hit the opponents ball first, and there is no penalty if you do. You simply continue playing the game as though you hit your own ball first. The Billiard Congress of America defines a scratch — a shot on which the cue ball is pocketed — as a foul. Even if you successfully pocket an object ball, you scratch if the cue ball drops into any pocket and you lose your turn.

When the table is open, it is legal to hit a solid first to make a stripe or vice-versa. Note: The table is always open immediately after the break shot. When shooting at the 8-ball, a scratch or foul is not loss of game if the 8-ball is not pocketed or jumped from the table. Incoming player has cue ball in hand.

Note: A combination shot can never be used to legally pocket the 8-ball. The short answer: As long as you hit your ball first and did not scratch, there is no foul. When playing the 8-ball, you scratch. However, many people prefer to return the slopped ball to the footspot.

One way or another, your turn is forfeited to the next player. In most cases, you as the shooter will be given the benefit of the doubt and the shot will be called legal. Your turn ends unless you also sunk your own ball and the balls remain in the pockets. The first ball that you hit must be one of your own color, or the black if you have no balls left on the table. Some bars and pool halls will have standard 8 ball break rules and most of the time this is the rule that will be followed.

The third infraction will result in loss of game. During National competition, referees judgment will prevail and both players will be timed. The balls will then be re-racked and the breaker of the stalemated game will break again.

Pocketing the 8-ball and the cue ball on the break stroke. This varies, if your league considers an 8-ball break a win. Note: All infractions above must be called before the next shot is taken. Only the players involved may call an infraction.

On all shots exception: page 11C and on the break , the shooter must hit one of his group of balls first and 1 pocket any group ball, or 2 cause the cue ball or any other ball to contact a rail. PLEASE 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, any group ball must be pocketed, OR the cue ball or any other ball must contact a rail.

A safety shot is defined as a legal shot. Any ball pocketed on a safety shot remains pocketed. It is a foul when a player scratches on the break, or deflects the cue ball prior to hitting the racked balls. The incoming player receives Cue ball in hand behind the headstring. When placing the cue ball in position, any forward stroke motion contacting the cue ball will be a foul, if not a legal shot. Coaching is a foul. Any member of a team called for coaching will result in a foul on the team member shooting.

After the cue ball makes contact with the frozen ball, the shot must result in either:. A ball which is touching a cushion at the start of a shot and then is forced into a cushion attached to the same rail is not considered to have been driven to that cushion unless it leaves the cushion, contacts another ball, and then contacts the cushion again.

An object ball is not considered frozen to a cushion unless it is examined and announced as such by either the referee or one of the players prior to that object ball being involved in a shot. Only opponent may replace the ball moved as closely as possible or leave it where it rests.

If the shooter replaces the moved ball, it will be considered a foul. With cue ball in hand, touching any object ball with the cue ball is a foul or touching any object ball with your hand while touching the cue ball is a foul.

After a scratch on a legal break, if a player positions the cue ball completely and obviously outside the kitchen and shoots it is a foul. Only the players involved may call a foul. In the event of a foul call, the opposing player receives cue ball in hand anywhere on the table. This means that the player can place the cue ball anywhere on the table the cue ball does not have to be behind the headstring except on opening break or immediately after a foul on the break.

A player must stop shooting when a foul is called. If a player refuses to yield to a foul call, the opposing captain may protest.

The game is played with one cue ball and 15 numbered object balls. You do not have to touch or move the marker if it is already at your intended pocket E. PLAY 1.