# Pool: Is it possible to sink the 8 ball off the break? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 12, 2004, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823 "2004-02-12T12:45:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Arturius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Arturius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arturius)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/1 "2004-02-12T12:45:39Z")
Is there someway you can hit the dang balls hard enough to break it open, and sink the 8 ball? Apparantly sinking the 8ball off the break is an automatic when, although whether anyones done it is another question (or if its even a ‘rule’) :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/2 "2004-02-12T12:49:10Z")
I’ve done it several times. Some people say you’ll have better luck getting 8-ball breaks by aiming at the _second_ ball, but that has never worked for me. I just put the cue ball slightly off center and hit it as hard as I can. ---
**Author:** ![Greymot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@Greymot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greymot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/3 "2004-02-12T13:11:22Z")
To the first question, yes, it is possible to sink the 8 off the break. Now, depending on where you are playing and what rules are being used decides what happens. When I first started playing, I was amused at the variety of rules there were in all the different bars. I will give you the sets of rules I’ve played by. Bar rules- (playing on pay tables) - if the 8 goes down on the break and nothing else has gone down, then you win, otherwise you loose. It had to be this way because once a ball goes down, you can’t get it back without paying for a new game. The real rules - (the ones played by the professionals all around the world) - [cite](http://www.bca-pool.com/play/tournaments/rules/rls_8bl.shtml) 4.8 8-BALL POCKETED ON THE BREAK If the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, breaker may ask for a re-rack or have the 8-ball spotted and continue shooting. If the breaker scratches while pocketing the 8-ball on the break, the incoming player has the option of a re-rack or having the 8-ball spotted and begin shooting with ball in hand behind the head string. I love this game(pool in general) ---
**Author:** ![FlyingDragonFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c89c15/32.png) [@FlyingDragonFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlyingDragonFan)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/4 "2004-02-12T13:17:25Z")
> [@Eleusis](#): > > Some people say you’ll have better luck getting 8-ball breaks by aiming at the _second_ ball … This is exactly how it worked for me the one time I managed it. I had the cue ball about a foot off to the left, and hit the second ball back on its side just opposite the 8. It shot the 8 ball straight out the other side of the rack and into the pocket, without even disturbing the rest of the rack very much. It happened so quickly and smoothly, in fact, that it took us a second to figure out what had happened. I’ve never been able to do it again, though. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/5 "2004-02-12T13:34:15Z")
I’ve pocketed the eight ball exactly once in about 28 years of playing eight ball. And I’m a fairly decent player. I had originally heard that pocketing the eight was an automatic win. Then later I read some rules published in a serious pool bar that said you lost (this may not have been in the USA, but I seem to recall it being “American rules”). I found a link for the American Poolplayers Association, [poolplayers.com](http://www.poolplayers.com/8-9-ball-Rules.pdf), that: > [@](#): > > _Originally from the APA rules_: > 4c. The eight ball is pocketed. This is a win, unless the player scratches, in which case he loses. This supports the first rule that **Greymot** mentioned, but clashes with the second. In my experience, whatever the general house rules are should be followed, unless a variation is agreed to before hand. This will help solve a lot of disputes. If you’re playing for money you probably want to clarify exactly what those are beforehand or agree on a reference. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/6 "2004-02-12T13:36:55Z")
Yup, I personally did it just last week. In fact, I also scratched on the 8-ball 4 freaking times in 6 games, which gave me the moniker Una “8-ball” Persson. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/7 "2004-02-12T13:36:56Z")
Saw a guy to it three times in a row. It was during league night and this guy was on the opposing team. We couldn`t believe our eyes after the second time. The third time in a row was just freakishly unbelieveable. He used the same technique and it was against three different opponents so there were three different guys racking. As our luck would have it, he only had one other eight ball break the rest of the season for a grand total of five the whole year. Three against us. On one night. In a row. ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/8 "2004-02-12T13:38:22Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > Yup, I personally did it just last week. In fact, I also scratched on the 8-ball 4 freaking times in 6 games, which gave me the moniker Una “8-ball” Persson. At least you`re getting to the eight ball… ---
**Author:** ![Greymot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@Greymot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greymot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/9 "2004-02-12T13:49:50Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > This supports the first rule that Greymot mentioned, but clashes with the second. If someone were to say, start playing in qualification tournaments(The tournaments that lead to playing at the world champion level), they would find that they would be bound by the second rule that I mentioned. > [@ShibbOleth](#): > > In my experience, whatever the general house rules are should be followed, unless a variation is agreed to before hand. This will help solve a lot of disputes. If you’re playing for money you probably want to clarify exactly what those are beforehand or agree on a reference. This is also my experience, and very sound advice 🆒 I’ve been playing this game for almost 20 years now. The eight on the break is definately a rareity and I’ve maybe done it 20 times. (Coincidently, I have also done it three times in a row while playing according to the bar rules I mentioned above. Everyone removed their coins from the table and wouldn’t play me after that, even though the odds of it happening again were next to nothing.) ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/10 "2004-02-12T14:10:21Z")
Definitely check the rules. This happens fairly often in the Elks league I’m in, but the most recent time ended in embarrassment for the breaker. I guess he’s more of a bar player normally (where, as was said, it’s an automatic win since you can’t get the ball back), so he’s new to our league. After sinking the eight-ball on the break, he was quite excited because he thought he’d won. He was a bit embarrassed when he found out that the house rule (posted on the wall) was the one **Greymot** had posted. This rule makes more sense, of course. Skill was not a factor in sinking the 8-ball on the break, so a victory is not deserved. Of course, luck is a factor in any game, but there should be some skill involved in making your shots. (Does anyone else do what we used to do when we were poor and played pool in the back rooms of bars–stuff some paper towels in the pockets so you could retrieve the balls and play for free until you get asked to stop? I’m so ashamed…) ---
**Author:** ![Greymot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ebca7d/32.png) [@Greymot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greymot)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/11 "2004-02-12T14:21:00Z")
Well, for a while. way back when, I ran the hall, and had keys to the table 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/12 "2004-02-14T14:09:21Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > At least you`re getting to the eight ball… Sure, but what sort of nickname is “8 ball”? I liked “Anthracite” better. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/13 "2004-02-14T19:44:10Z")
I’ve done it myself a half dozen or so times, most of my breaks however end up really well broken with no balls down ☹ I once shot with a guy that had it really refined, he was able to sink the eight about one game in every twenty or so, and almost always pocket at least two balls off the break. The rest of his game wasn’t too hot though, I could usually beat him by playing position. ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2004, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pool-is-it-possible-to-sink-the-8-ball-off-the-break/228823/14 "2004-02-14T22:47:20Z")
> [@Una Persson](#): > > Sure, but what sort of nickname is “8 ball”? I liked “Anthracite” better. I dunno… beats “Cue Ball.” Not that I’ve ever been called that, but several bald friends get called that all the time.