What Happens in Eight-Ball when you Scratch

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Part of the video series: How to Play Pool

Summary: Learn what happens in eight-ball when you scratch from a billiards expert in this free instructional video.

Views: 5,139 | Tags: play, table, games, stick, pool, billiards, cue, better, eight-ball, shot


About the Expert

Michael Lamendola Michael Lamendola is a professional actor, and has been a competitive billiards player for over 15 years. read more

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by Korak

How can you be an expert if you don't know the official rules of 8 ball. You don't spot balls, and opponent gets ball in hand anywhere on the table.

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Video Transcript

What Happens in Eight-Ball when you Scratch

Hi, I'm Michael Lamendola with expertvillage.com and today we're going to shoot some pool. Alright, now what just happened was I got a little excited and I made a ball and I scratched. So what happens in Eight Ball when you scratch? Now, assuming you're playing on a table that's not at a bar, you can reach in the pockets and pull back out the balls, right? Well, what happens for me is that I have to pull a ball. It's a penalty. So, I pull a stripe. It doesn't have to be the one that you make, but it has to be one of yours. Your opponent wouldn't like it if you pull one of theirs. And you find that spot on the table where the one ball went and you put the ball in its place. Now, in this case, I'm looking and where the spot would be, the eight ball is at. So, I have to place the ball behind it, and then the game keeps rolling. Now, Jeff's going to go, and he's going to grab the Q ball because now it's his turn, and what he has to do is he can put it wherever he wants, but from this spot to this spot, and behind it. So, he can put it wherever he wants as long as its behind that spot. Now, the other rule is that, lets say that, for example, this five is a little further back. Jeff can't shoot at that ball because it's behind those two spots. The only way he could do that is if he were to kick the Q ball all the way down, and bring it all the way back. But, any of his solids that are past those two spots are fair game. So, Jeff's going to survey his options, he's going to think well the four is an easy shot, but if I make the six and draw the Q ball back, I can make the three, and so on and so forth.

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