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Do you Lose the Game When Shooting for the 8 Ball but Hitting Nothing?

1/20/2007 12:27:50 AM

Do you Lose the Game When Shooting for the 8 Ball but Hitting Nothing?

In 8 ball pool, when you are on the 8 ball but you hit nothing, is that a loss of game?

The scenario in detail:

You are now shooting for the 8 ball, and you call the 8 ball and the target pocket
You shoot the cue ball, but it doesn't hit the 8 ball (or any other ball).

What is the penalty for that when shooting at the 8 ball?

This question relates to the following billiard rules:

8 Ball Rules

Do you Lose the Game When Shooting for the 8 Ball but Hitting Nothing?

Replies & Comments

billiardsforum on 1/22/2007 7:25:12 PM
No, it is not a loss of game, but rather, a "standard foul" in 8 ball. This is covered under the "no rail after contact" foul (which also specifies that for a shot to be legal, it must contact an object ball).

Standard fouls result in your opponent taking the cue ball in hand and playing it from anywhere on the table.

There is nothing special based on the fact that you're shooting for the 8 ball in this case, as it isn't one of the infractions listed under the "losing the rack" section of the WPA 8 ball pool rules.

For the detailed WPA rules which apply, see the first answer under What Happens When the Cue Ball Doesn't Contact any Ball or Cushion? It shows each applicable WPA rule in detail.

Do you Lose the Game When Shooting for the 8 Ball but Hitting Nothing?

Title: Do you Lose the Game When Shooting for the 8 Ball but Hitting Nothing?
Author: excaliber (Zach Anderson)
Published: 1/20/2007 12:27:50 AM
Last Updated: 3/23/2022 2:58:41 AM
Last Updated By: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)