8 Ball Umpire

World EightBall Pool Rules

F The Break

F The Break
F The Break

(1) The Object Balls are racked as shown with the Eight-Ball on the Spot.

(2) In the absence of any competition / tournament rules to the contrary, a coin will be tossed or players will ‘lag’ to determine which player will break. Rules for the ‘lag’ Each player should use balls of equal size and weight. These should be the only two balls on the table. With the balls in baulk, one player to the left the other to the right of the table, the balls are struck simultaneously to the foot cushion and back to the baulk end of the table. The player whose ball is the closest to the innermost edge of the baulk cushion wins the lag. The lagged ball must contact the foot cushion at least once. Other cushion contacts are immaterial, except as prohibited below. It is an automatic loss of the lag if: (1) The ball crosses into the opponent’s half of the table, (2) The ball fails to contact the foot cushion,

(3) The ball drops into a pocket, (4) The ball jumps off the table, (5) The ball touches the long cushion, (6) The ball rests within the corner pocket and past the nose of the head cushion, or (7) The ball contacts the foot cushion more than once. If both players violate automatic-loss lag rules, or if the referee is unable to determine which ball is closer, the lag is a tie and is replayed. If one player strikes the ball, the other player has to strike his ball before the opponent’s ball reaches the foot cushion in order to have a simultaneous lag. If this is not the case and the referee feels that the player who played second wanted to get an advantage out of that, then the lag has to be replayed. The winner of the toss or lag shall decide who will break first. If a series of frames is to be played (A Match),the break of each subsequent frame will alternate. (3) The first shot of a frame is called the “Break”. To “Break”, the Cue Ball is played at the triangle of Object Balls from Baulk. The frame is deemed to have commenced the instant that the Cue Ball is played.

(4) (a)The Break will be deemed a “Fair Break” if:- Yellow J (i)At least one Colour is potted. OR (ii) Four Object Balls (at least) are driven to a cushion. (b)If the Break is not a Fair Break it is a Non-Standard Foul and:- (i)The opponent is awarded two visits. (ii)The balls are re-racked. (iii) The opponent re-starts the game and is under the same obligation to achieve a Fair Break. (c)(i) If the Cue Ball is potted on a Fair Break it is a Non-Standard Foul that is penalised by the turn passing to the opponent. (ii) If the break is not a Fair Break and the Cue Ball is potted, the penalty for failure to perform a Fair Break applies. (See (b) above).

(5) If the Eight-Ball is potted on any break, the balls are re-racked and the same player will break again. When the Eight-Ball is potted on the break, all other aspects of the shot are ignored. (Except if a breach of the “Spirit of the Game occurs)

(6) Where the wrong player performs the break, if:- (i) the break is fair, the opponent will continue with 2 visits and an open table. (ii) the break is not a Fair Break, see 4(b) above.

(7) Lag for break If competition or tournament rules require a lag for break then the following procedure should be used: Each player should use balls of equal size and weight. These should be the only two balls on the table. With the balls in baulk, one player to the left and one to the right of the table, the balls are struck simultaneously to the foot cushion and back to the baulk end of the table. The player whose ball is the closest to the innermost edge of the baulk cushion wins the lag. The lagged ball must contact the foot cushion at least once. Other cushion contacts are immaterial, except as prohibited below.

It is an automatic loss of the lag if: (a) the ball crosses into the opponent’s half of the table, (b) the ball fails to contact the foot cushion, (c) the ball drops into a pocket, (d) the ball jumps the table, (e) the ball touches the long cushion, (f) the ball rests within the corner pocket and past the nose of the head cushion, or (g) the ball contacts the foot cushion more than once. If both players violate automatic-loss lag rules, or if the referee is unable to determine which ball is closer, the lag is a tie and is replayed. If one player strikes the ball, the other player has to strike his ball before the opponent’s ball reaches the foot cushion in order to have a simultaneous lag. If this is not the case and the referee feels that the player who played second wanted to get an advantage out of that, then the lag has to be replayed.