Your group comes first
Solids are 1–7, stripes are 9–15, and the black 8-ball is your final target.
On an open table, check the game display for when groups become assigned. In ordinary play, the 8-ball is not a legal first contact while the table is open. Once you have a group, hit one of its remaining balls first.
What makes a shot legal?
Your cue ball must first hit a legal object ball. After contact, a ball must be pocketed or a ball must reach a cushion. Pocketing the cue ball is a scratch.
| Situation | What to watch for |
|---|---|
| Scratch | The white cue ball goes into a pocket. |
| No object-ball contact | The cue ball does not hit any object ball. |
| Wrong first contact | You hit the opponent’s group or the 8-ball before it is your legal target. |
| No cushion or pocket | After contact, no ball is pocketed and no ball reaches a cushion. |
After a foul, follow the on-screen ball-in-hand prompt. The allowed placement area can depend on whether it was a break shot. The game also enforces the turn timer; prepare your shot before it expires.
Finish with the 8-ball
Clear all the balls in your group before attempting the 8-ball. Your final shot must be legal and satisfy any required pocket call. Pocketing the 8-ball too early, scratching with it, or putting it in the wrong called pocket can lose the rack.
Read the selected rules
Different rooms and competitions can use Standard rules, call-pocket on the 8-ball, or call-ball-and-pocket rules. A legal break may require pocketing an object ball or sending at least four object balls to cushions. The treatment of the 8-ball on the break depends on the selected rule policy.
Read the room or competition rules before joining, and follow the ball or pocket selection shown by the game. This guide describes the shared fundamentals rather than every ruleset variation.