🎱 8-BALL POOL RULES
🎯 OBJECTIVE
Pocket all your balls (solids 1-7 or stripes 9-15), then the 8-ball to win.
🔄 THE BREAK
- Cue ball must hit the rack first
- 4+ balls must hit cushions, OR a ball must be pocketed
- Scratch on break: opponent gets ball-in-hand
🎱 BALL ASSIGNMENT
- Table is "open" until a ball is legally pocketed
- First legally pocketed ball determines your group
- Solids: Balls 1-7 · Stripes: Balls 9-15
✅ LEGAL SHOT
- Cue ball must first contact your ball type
- After contact, a ball must hit cushion OR be pocketed
- Pocket your ball = continue shooting
⚠️ FOULS
- Scratch: Cue ball pocketed
- No hit: No ball contacted
- Wrong ball first: Hit opponent's ball first
- No rail: No cushion contact after hit (nothing pocketed)
⚡ Penalty: Opponent gets ball-in-hand
💀 INSTANT LOSS
- Pocketing the 8-ball before clearing your group
- Scratching while pocketing the 8-ball