Rules for ANY EIGHT


Contents:

  1. TYPE OF GAME
  2. PLAYERS
  3. BALLS USED
  4. THE RACK
  5. OBJECT OF THE GAME
  6. SCORING
  7. OPENING BREAK
  8. RULES OF PLAY
  9. LOSS OF GAME"
  10. ILLEGALLY POCKET BALLS
  11. JUMPED OBJECT BALLS
  12. SCRATCHES OR FOULS

Except when clearly contradicted by these additional rules, the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply.

TYPE OF GAME

Any Eight Combines elements of the skill sets from nine-ball, one-pocket, and straight-pool. To win this game, players must legally pocket any eight balls. What makes the game challenging is that it is a ball and pocket game with the added restriction that each color ball can only count in their assigned pockets.

PLAYERS

 Two (or two teams).

BALLS USED

 The set of object-balls consisting of 5 Reds, 5 Blacks, 5 Yellows, plus a cue-ball.

THE RACK

 Standard triangle rack with the apex on the foot spot. A Black should be on the foot spot. A ball from each color should be placed in each of the different parts of the rack. That is, the three corners of the rack are filled with one ball from each color, one ball of each color goes on each side of the rack, and one ball of each color goes in the middle of the rack.

OBJECT OF THE GAME

 To legally pocket any eight balls. A ball is legally pocketed only if it goes in a pocket paired with that ball's color.

SCORING

 Each color has designated pockets in which it will count as legally pocketed. Pocketing a color in an undesignated pocket will result in it being spotted and the shooter's inning ending.

The pocket-color pairings are as follows:

  1. Head pockets   -   Yellows.
  2. Side pockets   -   Reds.
  3. Foot pockets   -   Blacks.

OPENING BREAK

 The starting player must make an open break or pocket a ball. If he fails to do so it is an illegal break and his opponent has the choice of either:
  1. accepting the table in position and shooting, or
  2. shooting the opening break shot himself.

If any balls are pocketed on the break the breaker will continue at the table. Any balls pocketed from a legal opening break will be spotted, before the second stroke, if their color doesn't pair with the pocket they went into. Any balls whose color does pair with a pocket will count for the breaker.

Should a player foul on the opening break any pocketed balls are spotted and the next shooter has cue-ball in hand behind the head string.

RULES OF PLAY

A player may shoot at any ball that he chooses, but before he shoots he must call the pocket. He need not call any detail such as kisses, caroms, combinations, or cushions (all of which are legal). A legally pocketed ball entitles the shooter to continue.

To avoid a foul the cue-ball must contact an object-ball, and then either:

  1. pocket an object-ball, or
  2. send a ball (object- or cue-) to a cushion.

LOSS OF GAME

 A player will lose the game for fouling in 3 successive innings (note that this is different than 3 successive fouls). Note that scratches are fouls.

ILLEGALLY POCKETED BALLS

 Any of the balls pocketed on an illegal shot will be spotted. If the shot was a foul an additional ball of the shooter's will be spotted.

JUMPED OBJECT BALLS

 Jumped object balls will be spotted. Shooter will be charged with a foul.

SCRATCHES OR FOULS

 Cue-ball will be put in play from behind the head-string after a scratch (pocketing cue-ball, or having it leave the table). Cue-ball will remain in position after a foul.

Shooter owes the table a ball any time he scratches or fouls.

These rules are used by Billy Aardd's Club, NMIMT, Socorro, NM.