{{ THESE ARE THE OFFICIAL 8 BALL POOL RULES }}

K) STANDARD FOULS: Standard Fouls are to be called by the Referee as soon as they occur and the fouled player immediately loses control of the table. The Referee then awards two visits to the opponent.
  1. Potting the Cue Ball - "In Off" {exept on a Fair Break - see (F) The Break (4)(c)(1)} The incoming player plays from Baulk {see (E) Playing from Baulk (d)(1)}.
  2. Playing from outside Baulk when obliged to play from Baulk. {see (E) Playing from Baulk (2)(a)}.
  3. Potting an opponent's ball. (Except when it is the properly nominated ball following a Foul Snooker or Foul Jaw Snooker).
  4. Failing to cause the Cue Ball's innitial contact with with a ball, to ba a ball "On".
  5. Accidentally striking the Cue Ball with any part of the cue other than the tip.
  6. Accidentally sriking an Object Ball with any part of the cue.
  7. Playing a shot before all balls have come to rest from the previous shot.
  8. Playing a shot before any balls that require spotting, have been spotted.
  9. (a) Touching the table while having a cigarette (lit or unlit) in hand or mouth.
    (b) Causing a cigarette (lit or unlit) to touch the table or enter the space directly above the table.
    (c) Touching the table while having a beverage container in hand.
    (d) Causing a beverage container to touch the table or enter the space directly above the table.
  10. Touching the table while not in control of the frame. {see (C) Definitions (9) Player in Control}.
    Exceptions: When a player's turn is finished, that player has a maximum of 10 seconds to move away from the table. {see (11) below}.
  11. Not moving away from the table within 10 seconds of the time that all the balls stopped moving from the final shot of a turn at the table.
  12. Coaching: During a frame, a player is required to play without receiving any advice from other persons relating to the playing of the frame. Should a team member of a bone-fide supporter of a player offer advice, the Referee will issue a "First and Final Warning" to that person that a repetition wiil result in the player being penalised via a Standard Foul. Because it may not always be possible for the Referee to hear if a statement made to a player is advice, the Referee may issue a First and Final warning on the grounds that any statement made by a player, other than general barracking, is deemed to be coaching. In tournament setting, a First and Final Warning may be given once only, before the commencement of the day's play as a block warning to all players and spectators.
  13. Leaving the playing area without pemission. If the player needs to leave the playing area during a frame or match, "Time Out" must firstly be granted by the Referee. {see (1) Time Allowed (5)}.
  14. Playing a shot after neglecting to nominate a choice of Colour when the obligation and right to do so existed. {see (H) Deciding Colours (1)(e)}.
  15. Playing a Push Shot or Double Hit of a type defined in (O) Push Shots and Double Hits.
  16. Failing to perform a "Legal Shot" {see (G) Legal Shot}.
  17. After being awarded a Foul Snooker or Foul Jaw Snooker: Playing an Opponent's ball or Eight-Ball without firstly nominating that ball.
  18. Playing a shot while not having at least one foot touching the floor.
  19. Failing to "Play Away" from a touching ball. {see (T) Touching Balls (1)(a)}.
  20. A ball remaining off the table. {see (U) Ball Off the Table}.
  21. Players body or clothing touching any ball.
L) NON-STANDARD FOULS:
Non-Standard Fouls are to be called by the Referee as soon as they occur and the fouled player immediately loses control of the table. The Referee will then impose the relevant penalty. Non-Standard Fouls are so called because the penalty and/or options of the incoming player may vary.

  1. Failure to perform a Fair Break. {see (F) The Break (4)(a) & (b)}.
  2. Failure to play a shot 6O seconds of the time that the balls came to rest from the previous shot. {see (I) Time Allowed (4)}.
  3. Potting the Cue Ball on a Fair Break. {see (F) The Break (4)(c)(1)}.
  4. Opponents ball falling into a pocket without being hit. {see (V) Balls Falling without being Hit (b)}.
 M) SERIOUS FOULS: Serious Fouls are to be called by the Referee as soon as they occur and the fouled player immediately loses control of the table. The Referee will replace the balls as near as possible to the positions they were in before the Serious Foul was committed and award two visits to the opponent.

  1. Playing a shot out of turn (accidentally or deliberately).
    A Player who playes a shot at any time during a frame when the right to do so does not exist has played out of turn. (For example, a player who plays a shot immediately after playing a foul, or immediately after the Referee has called a foul on that player, has played out of turn).
  2. Deliberately striking a ball other than the Cue Ball with the tip of the cue.
  3. Deliberately causing any ball or balls to be moved in a manner other than that which may result from playing a normal shot. Deliberately striking the Cue Ball with other than the tip of the cue.
  4. Deliberately causing the Cue Ball to jump over any other ball. (If the Cue Ball leaves the bed of the table and misses an Object Ball that would have been struck had the Cue Ball not left the table on an otherwise identical shot, the Cue Ball is deemed to have jumped over that Object Ball).
  5. Deliberately interfering, by word or action, so as to disrupt an opponents play.
 N) LOSS OF FRAME FOULS:
  1. Committing a foul in the same shot that the Eight-Ball is potted. (Except on the Break).
  2. Potting the Eight-Ball when a ball or balls of the player's own Colour are still on the table. (Except on the Break).
  3. Potting the Eight-Ball and the last ball or balls of the player's own Colour in the same shot.
  4. Committing two Serious Fouls in one frame.
  5. Committing a Serious Foul that disrupts the balls to such an extent that the Referee deems it impossible to replace them as close as possible to their original positions. Exceptions: A shot is played out of turn accidentally. In this case the Referee will give the opponent the choice of either playing the balls from where they lie or replaying the frame. If the frame is replayed, the same player is to break again.
  6. Any deliberate attempt to prevent the opponent from potting the Eight-Ball, when the opponent is on the Eight-Ball, by way of a Serious Foul or other unsporting manoeuvre.
  7. If the player breeches the "Spirit of the Game" to such an extent that the frame (or match) should be awarded to the opponent.
 O) PUSH SHOTS AND DOUBLE HITS:
  1. Definitions: Most shots commonly known as "Push Shots" in the game of "Snooker" are allowed in the game of Eight-Ball Pool. Generally, any shot played with speed will not be deemed to be a Push Shot regardless of the fact that the cue tip may have come into contact with the Cue Ball more than once.
  2. Exceptions that are Standard Fouls:
    (a) When, during the playing of a shot, the tip of the cue strikes the Cue Ball twice and the Referee is able to actually see each contact.
    (b) When, during the playing of a shot, a player plays the cue so slowly through the Cue Ball that the cue tip remains in contact with the Cue Ball so as to be visibly pushing it along.
    (c) When the Cue Ball is played into a touching Object Ball. {see (T) Touching Balls}.

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