Eightball Pool Rules Summary

NUMBER OF PLAYERS
Corporate eightball pool is played with 4 players on each team.

Mixed teams must have at least two women .

DURATION
Each match shall consist of at least 6 games. No game should last for more than 12 minutes. Try to play 4 games on each table in the 40 minutes.

The number of games played in each match depends on the speed of play. Players must take their shot immediately, within a 10 second shot limit.

The match is decided on the best of 8 games, played on two tables. Any unfinished games will be decided on the number of balls potted.

Teams play as two doubles teams. Mixed teams play mixed doubles. If your team’s two tables finish the games at the same time players may swap teams.

OBJECT OF THE GAME
The object of the game is to win by being the first team to pot a group of colours, in any order, and then pot the eightball in any pocket.

More than one ball may be potted of a coloured group and may be potted on the same shot but the eightball must be potted with a separate shot.

THE BAULK
The baulk is the rectangular area of the table that is bordered by the baulk line and the three cushions at that end of the table.

The cue ball may be played in any direction from the baulk.

LEGAL SHOT
On all shots, a player must cause the cue ball to contact with a player’s own colour group ball and then pot a ball from that colour group or cause the cue ball or any ball to contact a cushion.

Penalty for failure to play a legal shot is two shots to the opposition.

If the cue ball is touching a coloured ball the player must play away from that ball. If it is a player’s own colour then a player needs to pot a ball or cause a ball to touch a cushion.

Playing away from a touching ball of an opponent’s colour, the player must fulfil the requirements of a legal shot.

If a ball leaves the table during a game it is spotted as close as possible to the ‘spot’. Two shots are awarded to the opposing team.

THE BREAK
The coloured balls are racked with the eightball placed on the spot.

Toss a coin to see which team is to start the game with a ‘break’.

The first shot of a game is called the ‘break’. To break, the cue ball is played at the triangle of coloured balls from the baulk.

The break will be deemed to be a fair break if:
(a) at least one coloured is potted and/or
(b) at least 4 balls are driven into the cushion.

If the break is not a fair break then the balls are re-racked and two shots are awarded to the opposition.

DECIDING COLOURS
Colours are decided by a player potting one or more balls of the same colour. If one or more balls of a different colour are potted then a player must nominate his choice of colour.

FOULS
If a player commits a foul then two shots are awarded to the opposing team.

Standard fouls are:
Potting the cue ball ‘in off’; except on the break.
Potting an opponent’s ball.
Failing to play a ‘legal shot’.
Failing to cause the cue ball’s initial contact with a ball of that player’s colour group.

CORPORATE CHALLENGE POINTS
Participation....................1 point
Win 3 games...................1 points
Win 4 games...................2 points
Win 5 games...................3 points
Win 6 games...................4 points
Forfeit............................0 points
Being forfeited to.............4 points
Points are cumulative.