What Happens if You Scratch on the 8-Ball

If you found your way to this page, you and your opponent are probably debating what happens if you scratch on the 8-ball.

All major leagues consider scratching in the same shot that you pocket the 8-ball a loss of game, but there is an important distinction to be made between what happens when you scratch and pocket the 8-ball, scratch and miss the 8-ball, or foul and miss the 8-ball in the same shot.

There are many different variations of 8-ball rules, so it is important to establish what rules you are playing by before the games starts. If you are playing in a league, each league should have its rules clearly described somewhere. If you are just playing at a pool hall or bar, there are likely what is described as "house rules". These vary widely from place to place. For the sake of simplicity, this will cover what happens under the biggest three league entities in 8-ball pool.

To avoid confusion and ensure you're always playing by the correct rules, download the World of Pool and Billiards App, which offers quick access to the most up-to-date rule books for every major league. The app also provides lessons, practice drills, and trick shot tutorials to help you improve your game, as well as a community discussions feature that connects you with fellow players and enthusiasts around the world.

WPA & BCA Rules

According to WPA (World Pool Billiards Association) and BCA (Billiards Congress of America) rules for 8-ball, it is only considered a loss of game if you foul and pocket the 8-ball. This means that it is not a loss of game to foul or scratch while shooting the 8-ball, so long as you do not pocket the 8-ball, you haven't lost the game.

APA Rules

According to APA (American Pool Association) rules, it is a loss of game if you "foul the cue ball and then pocket the 8-ball" or while "playing the 8-ball, you scratch". This means that any foul in the same shot as you pocketing the 8-ball will result in a loss of game (ex. you graze your opponent's ball before pocketing the 8-ball). Any scratch that occurs while shooting the 8-ball is also a loss of game (ex. you make legal contact with the 8-ball and miss it but scratch afterward, or you pocket the 8-ball while also scratching). The only time that a foul is not considered a loss of game under APA rules is if you do not pocket the 8-ball, and the foul is not a scratch (ex. you do not make legal contact with the 8-ball, but it also isn't pocketed and you don't scratch). APA Source: Pages 8-9 https://poolplayers.com/8-9-ball-Rules.pdf

WPA Source: http://masse.co.nz/cue-sports/8-ball/full-wpa-rules/

BCA Source: https://www.colorado.edu/umc/sites/default/files/attached-files/8-ball_rules_bca.pdf

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