SPRING 2025 City Cup - May 30 - June 1

Official BCA Rules and Local Amendments - 8-ball

Local ammendments

Object balls knocked off the table

The non-shooting player will be given the option to spot the ball or drop the ball in a pocket.
If the non-shooting player elects to not spot the ball, then the ball counts as a point for the player with that group and the non-shooting player receives ball in hand.

For any questions not covered on this page contact a League Operator at 504.272.7661 or gcbcapl@gmail.com

Want a second opinion? (Be sure to include that you play in a BCA Pool League using the 17 point scoring system) and....
Ask the Ref!

Contact Cue Spot International's Director of Rules & Referees, John Leyman at john.leyman@playcsipool.com or call the office at 702.719.7665

Commonly misunderstood rules are shown in red

The break

Breaking player will rack the balls.
The first ball is centered on the spot.
The 8 ball is positioned behind the first ball.
The wing balls must be one solid and one striped ball.
Cue ball is placed in the kitchen.
Any non-legal break results in the opponent re-racking and breaking. This Includes a break where no balls are struck by the cue ball.
Making the 8 on the break, without scratching, gives the breaker the option to spot the 8 ball and continue shooting or rerack and rebreak.
Making the 8 and scratching on the break gives the non-breaking player the option to spot the 8 ball and begin shooting with ball in hand or rerack and rebreak.
If a ball is made on the break the table is still open until a player legally pots a ball.
A scratch on the break results in ball in hand, anywhere on the table, for the opponent.
You must legally pocket a ball or cause at least four object balls to contact one or more cushions or it is an illegal break.

Inadvertently disturbed balls

If the cue ball is touched, other than as the result of a legal shot, it will result in ball in hand to the opponent.
If a disturbed ball has no effect on the outcome of the shot, your opponent has the option to leave the disturbed ball where it came to rest or to restore it to its original position before the next shot. If the disturbed ball is to be restored your opponent may restore it, or you may restore it with your opponent’s permission. It is a foul if you touch or restore the disturbed ball without your opponent's permission.
It is a foul if a disturbed ball has an effect on the outcome of the shot. Your opponent has no restoration option, but does receive ball in hand.
It is a foul if:
a. you disturb the cue ball
b. you disturb more than one object ball
c. a disturbed ball contacts any other ball
d. you disturb a ball that is in motion

Legal stroke

Forward motion of the cue resulting in the cue tip striking the cue ball for only the momentary time customarily associated with a normal shot. "Forward" means relative to the cue itself, along the long axis of the cue and away from the butt, and has no relevance to any part of the table or any relationship to the player or any part of their body.

There are many videos showing to place the tip below the cue ball and raise it upward to graze the cue ball and avoid a double hit. While this is a legal hit in some leagues, it is NOT a legal hit in BCA because a legal stroke requires forward motion.

Calling your shot

You are required to call your shot if it is not an obvious shot. See What is an obvious shot?
You must indicate which ball and which pocket, but not the balls intended path to the pocket. If you call the 10 ball in the side pocket and it caroms off the 7 and then the 4 before going into the called pocket you continue shooting.

An obvious shot is a shot in which the non-shooting player has no doubt as to, or does not question, the ball and the pocket. A shot in which the cue ball has a clear path to the object ball and the object ball has a clear path to the pocket. The following types of shots are exceptions and are defined as being "not obvious":

a. bank shots;

b. kick shots

c. combination shots;

d. shots that include caroms, kisses or cushion contacts that are not

incidental;

e. any shot judged as not obvious by the referee.

Calling safties/safe

When you call a safety your turn will end after you take the shot whether you make the ball or not. In the example on the right the shooting player calls safe and then pockets the red ball in the corner, leaving the opponent a tough shot on the eight.

If playing a safety, you must communicate with your opponent in a clear and unambiguous manner. Safeties must be called verbally – gestures are not sufficient, no matter how clear they may appear.

The non-shooting player has responsibilities when a safety is called, and should acknowledge a called safety in a clear and unambiguous manner. If a dispute arises as to whether a safety was called, the referee is the sole judge.

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