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Is the 8 Ball Neutral?

2/21/2010 8:46:54 PM

Is the 8 Ball Neutral?

Is the 8-ball considered "neutral"?

I haven't heard of this before but was at a bar shooting pool and the guy tried to use the 8-ball in a combination shot to pocket his last ball. Is this legal?

I thought the 8 ball was neither player's ball until the last shot and that the 8-ball can not be used in a combo shot. Is that correct? Is the 8 ball off limits for combination shots?

This question relates to the following billiard rules:

Is the 8 Ball Neutral?

Replies & Comments
  1. ThatGuy1422quickshot on 2/22/2010 8:48:58 AM

    The sad part of bar pool is that every bar has its own set of rules which makes for a lot of confusion, and in some cases, violence. Under most cases the 8 ball is neutral and must be played via a clean shot devoid of using any other balls.

  2. ThatGuy1422Mitch Alsup on 2/22/2010 10:20:09 AM

    As quickshot indicates: this is a rule-set dependent rule.

    At my bar, playing no slop bar rules, the 8-ball is not neutral. Here if your OB touches any uncalled object or fails to touch any called object, the ball stays down and you loose your turn, CB remains on table where it is (Object = ball or rail)

    At my bar, playing tournament rules, the 8-ball is neutral. Here, the rules read, you have to use a legal stroke, and have to make the called ball in the called pocket. There are no other constraints. This is how BCA plays.

  3. ThatGuy1422Fenwick on 2/22/2010 4:06:14 PM

    Right from the rules for how to play 8-ball pool posted on this site:

    Combination Shots

    Combination shots are allowed; however, the 8-ball can't be used as a **first **ball in the combination unless it is the shooter's only remaining legal object ball on the table. Otherwise, should such contact occur on the 8-ball, it is a foul.

  4. ThatGuy1422user1523998607 on 4/17/2018 4:56:50 PM

    Where I grew up, the 8-ball was always neutral because it did not belong to ether opponent. When all of your other balls were pocketed, and you got down to the 8 ball, whom ever made it legally "owns it" and is the winner of the game.

  5. ThatGuy1422Mitch Alsup on 4/15/2021 9:22:57 AM

    @user1523998607,

    Where I grew up, the 8-ball was always neutral because it did not belong to ether opponent.

    This does not "jive" with the basic rule that you must contact a ball in your group first. Only when all of the balls in your group are pocket can you contact the 8-ball first.

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Is the 8 Ball Neutral?

  • Title: Is the 8 Ball Neutral?
  • Author:
  • Published: 2/21/2010 8:46:54 PM
  • Last Updated: 5/1/2018 4:27:44 AM
  • Last Updated By: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)