NAPA 8-Ball Rules

Below is a summary of the official NAPA (North American Pool Shooters Association) rules for 8-ball pool. Always refer to the official rulebook for the most up-to-date details.

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Game Objective

Eight-ball (8-ball) is a game played with a cue ball and fifteen object balls, 1 through 15. One shooter must pocket balls of the group numbered 1 to 7 (solid colors), while the other shooter must pocket balls from the group 9 through 15 (stripes). The shooter pocketing his group first and then legally pocketing the 8-ball wins the game.

Call Your Pocket

The NAPA 8-ball format is a "call your pocket" league. Making a ball in an unintended pocket is considered slop and does not count. Calling a pocket is done by either, verbally announcing the designated pocket to the opponent or any shooter on the opposing team, or by pointing at the pocket with your hand or pool cue. It is encouraged that all balls be specified vocally to your opponent along with their intended pocket. Obvious balls and their respective pockets do not have to be specified, with two exceptions. Shooters are required to call their pocket when: They are shooting the 8-ball. They are performing a bank shot, a kick shot, a jump shot, a masse shot, or a combo shot. Failure to announce your intended pocket for the 8-ball is a loss of game, if it is pocketed. Failure to call your intended pocket when performing a kick shot, a jump shot, a masse shot, or a combo shot is a loss of turn. The incoming shooter must shoot from where the cue ball came to rest. When calling your pocket, it is NEVER necessary to indicate details such as the number of cushions, number of banks, number of kisses, number of caroms, etc. Any ball pocketed on a foul remains pocketed, regardless of whether the balls pocketed belong to the shooter or the opponent.

The Lag, Racking, Order of Break

THE LAG

A lag must be performed in order to determine who breaks first in a match between two players. Winner of the lag must break. Coin flipping instead of lagging is not allowed at anytime. To perform the lag, both shooters are to simultaneously shoot a ball from behind the head string to the foot cushion and back toward the head cushion. The shooter's ball that comes to rest closest to the head cushion is the winner of the lag. It does not matter if a shooter's ball touches a side rail or the head cushion; the ball closest to the head cushion wins the lag. If a shooter, during their lag, shoots lag ball into any pocket or off of the table it is a loss of the lag. If both shooters lag their balls into a pocket then both shooters are to re-lag. If, during the lag, both shooter's balls make contact with one another both shooters are to re-lag. If, during the lag, one of the shooter's balls travels passed the head cushion, and resides inside the jaws of one of the pockets closest to the head cushion without falling into the pocket, both shooters are to re-lag. If, during the lag, a shooter's ball makes contact with any foreign object such as a stick, human being, or rack it is a loss of the lag. Lagging simultaneously is required. If, during the lag, a shooter waits to perform the lag until after the other shooter's lagged ball reaches the far rail, it is a loss of the lag for the shooter who delayed their lag.

WHO RACKS THE BALLS?

In a NAPA standard racking league the loser of the lag always racks the balls. Loser of each game must also rack the balls. In a Rack Your Own league the winner of the lag and the winner of each game must rack their own balls.

ORDER OF THE BREAK

The winner of each game must break in the next game.

Racking the Balls

The object balls (1-ball through 15-ball) are to be racked as tightly as possible in a triangular shape, with any stripe or solid at the apex of the triangle and on the foot spot, the 8-ball in the middle of the triangle, a striped ball in one corner of the rack and a solid ball in the other corner. The base of the rack should be parallel to the foot cushion. In a standard racking league if, after the balls have been racked, all balls in the rack are not in contact with one another, also known as a "loose rack", the shooter who is to break may request a re-rack. At which time the opposing shooter is to re-rack the balls so that all balls in the rack are properly contacting one another, also known as a "tight rack". In a Rack Your Own league if, after the balls have been racked, all balls in the rack are not in contact with one another, also known as a "loose rack", the opponent who is not on the break may request a re-rack. At which time the shooter is to re-rack the balls so that all balls in the rack are properly contacting one another, also known as a "tight rack".

NO MORE THAN THREE RE-RACKS

No more than three re-racks should be allowed. If after three re-racks the balls are still not in a tight rack, a referee, a NAPA official or NAPA league operator should be summoned to perform the re-rack as best as possible and that re-rack must be the final re-rack. The NAPA league operator may assign a 3rd party to perform the final re-rack if needed.

TIME ALLOTMENT

If a player takes longer than 90 seconds to rack the balls for their opponent (or themselves in a "rack your own league"), an initial warning must be issued. Any violation of the 90 second rule afterwards is a concession of game.

The Break Shot

To execute a legal break, the breaker, with the base of the cue ball behind the head string must either

• Pocket any ball other than the cue ball.
• Drive at least four unique numbered balls to a cushion.

If either of the two bullet points above do NOT happen, the opposing player takes over the break.

NOTE #1:

If four unique numbered balls DO make contact with a cushion and NO numbered balls are pocketed it becomes the opposing players turn.

NOTE #2:

It is NOT required to hit the head ball of the rack first when breaking and the cue ball is allowed to hit any number of rails first before making contact with the rack.

NOTE #3:

In the event a shooter places the base of the cue ball over the head string the opposing shooter must call it before the break shot is made, not after.

NOTE #4:

If the shooter performing the break shot, during their stroke, completely misses and makes no contact with the cue-ball (basically a "swing and a miss"), this is not considered a foul and the shooter may try the break shot again.

NOTE #5:

If any ball is jumped off the table and comes to rest off of the playing surface, it is a ball in hand foul and loss of turn, unless it is the 8-ball, which is a loss of game. All balls that come to rest off of the playing surface are placed on the same foot spot where the rack took place in numerical order. If there are any balls on the foot spot or blocking the foot spot the balls that were knocked off the table are to be placed directly behind the balls blocking the foot spot toward the foot cushion.

NOTE #6:

If the breaking shooter miscues and the cue ball does not make contact with the racked balls or the breaking shooter interferes with the cue ball at any time before making contact with the racked balls, it is a foul. The incoming shooter takes over the break with cue ball in hand behind the head string.

Breaking Scenarios

1. Did Not Execute a Legal Break

If the breaking shooter did not execute a legal break (including a miscue) the incoming shooter has the option of:

• Accepting the table in position and shooting.
• Taking cue ball in hand behind the head string and shooting the current position of the numbered balls.
• Asking for a re-rack, taking the cue ball in hand behind the head string and taking responsibility for the break. This option eliminates the possibility of a Rackless Match bonus point.
• If the incoming shooter takes a re-rack and performs a NAPA "break and out", that shooter DOES get the "break and out" bonus point.

NOTE: If the incoming shooter opts for (1) or (2) it is then considered a regular turn at the table and he must call his pocket. If the incoming shooter opts for (3) he does not have to call his pocket since it is considered a break.

2. Cue Ball Pocketed (SCRATCH) or Driven off the Table

If the cue ball is pocketed (scratched) or driven off the table during the break shot, it is a foul. The non-breaking shooter has cue ball behind the head string and the table is open. If the incoming shooter fails to begin their turn behind the head string, any balls made stay down, it is then a ball in hand foul and the table remains open for the opponent.

NOTE: If any object balls were driven off the table, they are to be returned to the table and placed on same foot spot where the rack took place in numerical order. If there are any balls on the foot spot or blocking the foot spot the balls that were knocked off the table are to be placed directly behind the balls blocking the foot spot toward the foot cushion.

NOTE: The incoming shooter has cue ball behind the head string and may not shoot any object ball that is behind the head string, unless he first shoots the cue ball past the head string and causes the cue ball to come back behind the head string and hit the object ball.

3. Object Ball off Table

If a shooter jumps an object ball off the table on the break shot, it is a foul and the incoming shooter has the option of:

• Accepting the table in position and shooting.
• Taking cue ball behind the head string and shooting.

  NOTE: Any numbered balls that are knocked off the table are to be returned to the table and placed on same foot spot where the rack took place in numerical order. If there are any balls on the foot spot or blocking the foot spot the balls that were knocked off the table are to be placed directly behind the balls blocking the foot spot toward the foot cushion.

4. Cue Ball Bounces Into Air

If the cue ball bounces off the table into the air, does NOT hit another object other than the table or another ball, and lands back onto the table it is NOT a foul.

5. Cue Ball Bounces Into Air and Hits Another Object

If the cue ball bounces off the table into the air, hits another object other than the table or another ball, and lands back onto the table it is a foul. The non-breaking shooter has cue ball in hand behind the head string and the table is to remain open.

NOTE: The incoming shooter has cue ball behind the head string and may not shoot an object ball that is behind the head string, unless he first shoots the cue ball past the head string and causes the cue ball to come back behind the head string and hit the object ball.

NOTE: Any object balls that are knocked off the table are to be returned to the table and placed on same foot spot where the rack took place in numerical order. If there are any balls on the foot spot or blocking the foot spot the balls that were knocked off the table are to be placed directly behind the balls blocking the foot spot toward the foot cushion.

8-Ball Pocketed on Break

Legally pocketing the 8-ball on the break wins the game for the breaker; assuming no foul has been committed.

NOTE: When the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, if a foul has been committed or the break did not meet all legal break requirements, the result is a loss of game for the breaker.

After the Break - Open Table

The table is always open immediately after the break shot. The shooter's designated group (solids or stripes) will NOT be determined until a shooter legally pockets a called object ball. The table is considered an "open table" when the choice of group (solid or stripes) has not yet been determined. When the table is open, it is legal to hit one group of balls in order to pocket another ball from the opposite group.

When the table is open, if a shooter pockets an object ball and scratches, the table remains open. The incoming shooter has cue ball in hand.

When the table is open, if a shooter pockets an object ball in any pocket other than the designated pocket, the table remains open to the incoming shooter who must shoot the table from the current position. The incoming shooter does not have cue ball in hand unless the previous shooter has committed a foul.

NOTE: The 8-ball can NEVER be struck first, even on a combination; this action would result in a ball in hand foul.

Legal Shot

A legal shot requires that the cue ball be struck only with the cue tip of the pool cue.

On all shots (except on the break and when the table is open), the shooter must hit one of his group of balls first and:

• Pocket a Numbered Ball.
• Cause the cue ball or any numbered ball to contact a cushion after initial cue ball contact with an object ball.

NOTE: It is permissible for the shooter to bank the cue ball off a cushion before contacting his object ball; however, after contact with his object ball, an object ball must be pocketed, or the cue ball or any numbered ball must contact a cushion. Failure to meet these requirements is a ball in hand foul.

To perform a legal stroke on the cue ball, the shooter must stroke the cue ball using a horizontal stroke motion with the cue stick.

Performing a downward stroke on the cue is also a legal shot if performed properly based on all other NAPA rules concerning jump shots, frozen ball shots, or masse shots.

Performing an upward motion from underneath the cue ball is not a legal stroke of the cue ball and is a ball in hand foul.

Any illegal shot results in a ball in hand foul.

Foul Penalty

When a foul is committed on any shot other than the break, the opposing shooter gets cue ball in hand. This means that the shooter can place the cue ball anywhere on the table. The only time the cue ball is required to be placed behind the headstring is when a foul is committed on the break.

Cue Ball in Hand

When the cue ball is in hand, the shooter may place the cue ball anywhere on the bed of the table, except in contact with another ball. When placing the cue ball in position, the shooter is allowed to adjust the placement of the cue ball with the cue stick. This rule also applies to break shots when the shooter has ball in hand behind the headstring.

• Allowing the cue ball, any part of the body, or any other object to come into contact with another ball on the bed of the table while the cue ball is in hand, is a foul. The incoming shooter has cue ball in hand.
• Touching the cue ball with the ferrule of the cue stick is NOT a foul.
• Touching the cue ball with the tip of the cue is considered a legal stroke.

Combination Shots

Combination shots are allowed; however, the 8-ball cannot be used as a first ball in the combination unless the shooter has pocketed all of his object balls and is on the 8-ball to win the game.

Illegially Pocketed Balls

An object ball is considered to be illegally pocketed when:

• The object ball is pocketed on the same shot a foul is committed.
• The called ball did not go in the designated pocket. Illegally pocketed balls remain pocketed.

Playing the 8-Ball

When shooting at the 8-ball:

• A scratch or foul is NOT loss of game if the 8-ball is NOT pocketed. The incoming shooter has cue ball in hand.
• A scratch or foul IS a loss of game, if the 8-ball is pocketed or knocked off the table.
• Pocketing the 8-ball in any pocket other than the designated pocket is a loss of game.
• A combination or billiard shot is perfectly legal as long as the 8-ball is hit first. The 8-ball can carom off of any number of balls and still be legally pocketed as long as the 8-ball is pocketed in the designated pocket by the shooter and the 8-ball is contacted first.

Loss of Game

A shooter loses the game if he commits any of the following infractions:

• Pockets the 8-ball on the same stroke as the last of his group of balls.
• Pockets the 8-ball in a pocket other than the one designated.
• Pockets the 8-ball when it is not the legal object ball.
• Knocks the 8-ball off the table.
• Receives a time out or coaching from any other person during their turn after a first warning is given, if the league is a "No Coaching" league.

Stalemated Game

If, after 3 consecutive turns at the table by each shooter (6 turns total), both shooters agree that attempting to pocket or move an object ball will result in loss of game, the balls may be re-racked, if both players agree to a stalemate, with the original breaker of the stalemated game breaking again

More Information

For full official rules, visit the NAPA Rulebook.