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Kern County BCA Pool League

Rules and Resources

Practical summaries for 8-Ball, 9-Ball, and 10-Ball, plus official CSI resources and local rule guidance.

Official game guidance

BCA Pool League game rules

The rules below summarize the Official Rules of CueSports International used by the BCA Pool League. They cover the primary rules for 8-Ball, 9-Ball, and 10-Ball.

This page is intended as a practical player reference. The complete CSI rulebook, Applied Rulings, local league bylaws, and event regulations control whenever a situation is not fully addressed here.

Official BCA Pool League rules page | Complete CSI rulebook PDF

Active-match questions: Stop play before the next shot and contact a division representative, league representative, or referee. Once the next stroke is taken, some foul claims and disputed situations may no longer be enforceable.

General Rules Applying to All Three Games

Player Responsibility

Players are responsible for knowing the rules, paying attention to the game, communicating clearly, and requesting a referee or league representative before a disputed shot is taken.

Legal Shot

Except during a legal push-out, the cue ball must first contact a legal object ball. After that contact, at least one object ball must be pocketed or the cue ball or an object ball must contact a cushion. Failure to meet these requirements is a foul.

Standard Foul Penalty

Unless a specific game rule provides a different penalty, a foul ends the shooter’s inning and gives the opponent cue ball in hand anywhere on the table.

Common Fouls

  • Scratching the cue ball into a pocket.
  • Jumping the cue ball off the table.
  • Contacting an illegal object ball first.
  • Failing to pocket a ball or drive any ball to a cushion after legal first contact.
  • Shooting while any ball is still moving.
  • Executing a push shot or double hit.
  • Striking the cue ball more than once during one stroke.
  • Failing to keep at least one foot in contact with the floor when the cue tip contacts the cue ball.
  • Using an illegal lifting, scooping, sideways, or brushing stroke.
  • Intentionally moving, stopping, or redirecting balls outside the normal execution of a legal shot.
  • Shooting out of turn or before the opponent’s inning has ended.

Ball in Hand

With ball in hand, the incoming player may place the cue ball anywhere on the playing surface unless a specific rule limits placement to behind the head string. The cue ball may be repositioned until the player executes the next stroke.

Calling Ball and Pocket

8-Ball and 10-Ball are call-shot games. The shooter must designate the intended object ball and intended pocket when the shot is not obvious.

Banks, kicks, combinations, caroms, and other shots whose intended ball or pocket may not be clear should always be called. The shooter generally does not need to describe every cushion, kiss, carom, or other part of the ball’s path.

Calling a Safety

When a game permits a called safety, the shooter must clearly announce the safety before taking the shot. The shooter’s inning ends after a legal safety even if an object ball is pocketed.

Calling Fouls

A foul must be called before the next stroke is taken. When a hit may be close or difficult to judge, stop play and request a referee or league representative before the shot.

Sportsmanship and Communication

Players must communicate clearly, remain attentive during their opponent’s inning, avoid distracting behavior, and treat opponents, teammates, referees, league representatives, and host venues respectfully.

8-Ball Rules Summary

Object of the Game

8-Ball is a call-shot game played with the cue ball and fifteen object balls. One player has solids numbered 1 through 7, and the other has stripes numbered 9 through 15.

A player wins by legally pocketing all seven balls from their assigned group and then legally pocketing the 8-ball.

Rack

  • The balls are racked in a triangle.
  • The apex ball is placed on the foot spot.
  • The 8-ball is placed in the center of the row of three balls.
  • One rear corner contains a solid and the other rear corner contains a stripe.
  • The remaining balls are placed randomly.

Legal Break

  • The breaker begins with cue ball in hand behind the head string.
  • The break is not a call shot.
  • The breaker may not call a ball or safety on the break.
  • There is no requirement to contact a particular object ball first.
  • At least one object ball must be legally pocketed or at least four object balls must contact one or more cushions.

If the break is illegal, the incoming player may re-rack and break or require the original breaker to re-rack and break again.

If the break is legal but the breaker fouls, the opponent receives ball in hand anywhere on the table. Object balls pocketed on the break remain pocketed unless the balls are re-racked.

8-Ball Pocketed on the Break

If the breaker pockets the 8-ball without fouling, the breaker may have the 8-ball spotted and continue from the existing table position, or re-rack and break again.

If the breaker pockets the 8-ball and fouls, the opponent may have the 8-ball spotted and take ball in hand anywhere on the table, or re-rack and break.

Pocketing the 8-ball on the break is not an automatic win.

Open Table

The table is open immediately after the break. While the table is open, any solid or stripe may be contacted first.

The 8-ball may be used in a combination while the table is open, but the 8-ball cannot be the first ball contacted.

Establishing Solids and Stripes

Groups are established when the first solid or stripe is legally pocketed on a shot after the break. The shooter receives that group, and the opponent receives the other group.

  • Groups are not established by balls pocketed during the break.
  • Groups are not established during a called safety.
  • Once groups are established, they do not change during that game.

Continuing Play

After groups are established, the shooter must contact a ball from their own group first. The shooter continues as long as a ball from their group is legally pocketed on each shot.

Additional balls pocketed on a legal shot remain pocketed. Balls from the opponent’s group that are accidentally pocketed also remain pocketed.

Safety

A player may declare a safety before any shot other than the break. The safety must be announced before the shot.

The shooter’s inning ends after the safety even if a ball is pocketed. The shot must still satisfy all requirements of a legal shot.

Shooting the 8-Ball

The 8-ball becomes the shooter’s legal object ball only after no balls from the shooter’s assigned group remain on the table.

The shooter must legally pocket the 8-ball in the called pocket. A foul while shooting at the 8-ball is not automatically a loss if the 8-ball is not pocketed. In that situation, the opponent receives ball in hand.

Loss of Game

A player loses the game by:

  • Illegally pocketing the 8-ball.
  • Pocketing the 8-ball before clearing their assigned group.
  • Pocketing the 8-ball on the same shot as the last remaining ball from their group.
  • Pocketing the 8-ball in a pocket other than the called pocket.
  • Pocketing the 8-ball on a non-obvious shot that was not called.
  • Jumping the 8-ball off the table on any shot other than the break.
  • Committing a foul that causes the 8-ball to fall into a pocket when the applicable rule specifies loss of game.
  • Committing another violation for which the General Rules specify loss of game.

Stalemate

A referee may declare a stalemate when any attempt to move or pocket a ball would result in loss of game, or when the table position has not significantly changed through three consecutive innings by each player.

The game is replayed, and the player who originally broke breaks again.

9-Ball Rules Summary

Object of the Game

9-Ball is played with the cue ball and nine object balls numbered 1 through 9. The lowest-numbered ball remaining on the table must be contacted first.

The player who legally pockets the 9-ball wins the game.

9-Ball is not a call-shot game. A ball pocketed on a legal shot counts regardless of the pocket.

Rack

  • The balls are racked in a diamond.
  • The 1-ball is placed at the apex on the foot spot.
  • The 9-ball is placed in the center of the rack.
  • The remaining balls are placed randomly.

Legal Break

  • The breaker begins with cue ball in hand behind the head string.
  • The cue ball must contact the 1-ball before contacting any other ball or cushion.
  • At least one object ball must be legally pocketed or at least four object balls must contact one or more cushions.

If the breaker legally pockets a ball, the breaker continues shooting.

If the 9-ball is legally pocketed on the break, the breaker wins the game.

If the breaker fouls and pockets the 9-ball, the 9-ball is spotted and the opponent receives ball in hand.

Push-Out After the Break

If no foul occurred on the break, the player taking the first shot after the break may declare a push-out.

  • The push-out must be announced before the shot and acknowledged by the opponent.
  • The cue ball does not have to contact the lowest-numbered ball.
  • The cue ball is not required to contact an object ball.
  • No ball is required to contact a cushion.
  • All other applicable fouls and General Rules remain in effect.

After a legal push-out, the opponent may accept the table and shoot or require the player who pushed out to shoot again.

If the 9-ball is pocketed during a push-out, it is spotted. Other pocketed object balls remain pocketed.

Continuing Play

  • The cue ball must contact the lowest-numbered ball on the table first.
  • Any object ball legally pocketed allows the shooter to continue.
  • Combination shots are legal if the cue ball contacts the lowest-numbered ball first.
  • A legally pocketed 9-ball wins the game.
  • An illegally pocketed or jumped 9-ball is spotted.
  • Other illegally pocketed or jumped object balls are not returned to the table.

Three Successive Fouls

A player loses the game after committing three successive fouls during the same game.

When a player is on two consecutive fouls, the opponent or referee must warn the player before the next shot. The player must acknowledge the warning.

Without the required warning, the next foul is not treated as the third-foul loss.

Stalemate

If the table position has not significantly changed through three consecutive innings by each player, a referee may declare a stalemate.

The game is replayed with the original breaker breaking again.

10-Ball Rules Summary

Object of the Game

10-Ball is a call-shot game played with the cue ball and ten object balls numbered 1 through 10.

The lowest-numbered ball remaining on the table must be contacted first. The game is won by legally pocketing the called 10-ball after the break.

Rack

  • The balls are racked in a triangle.
  • The 1-ball is placed at the apex on the foot spot.
  • The 10-ball is placed in the center of the row of three balls.
  • The 2-ball and 3-ball are placed at the two rear corners.
  • The remaining balls are placed randomly.

Legal Break

  • The breaker begins with cue ball in hand behind the head string.
  • The break is not a call shot.
  • No ball may be called on the break.
  • The cue ball must contact the 1-ball before contacting another ball or cushion.
  • At least one object ball must be legally pocketed or at least four object balls must contact one or more cushions.

If the 10-ball is legally pocketed on the break, it is spotted and the breaker continues shooting. Pocketing the 10-ball on the break is not a win.

Jumped object balls other than the 10-ball remain off the table. A jumped 10-ball is spotted.

Push-Out After the Break

If no foul occurred on the break, the player taking the first shot after the break may declare a push-out.

  • The push-out must be announced and acknowledged before the shot.
  • The lowest-numbered ball does not have to be contacted first.
  • No object ball must be contacted.
  • No ball must contact a cushion.
  • All other applicable rules and fouls remain in effect.

After a legal push-out, the opponent may accept the table and shoot or require the player who pushed out to shoot again.

If the 10-ball is pocketed during a push-out, it is spotted. Other pocketed balls remain pocketed.

Calling the Shot

The shooter must identify the intended object ball and intended pocket on every non-obvious shot.

The shooter is not required to call the path of the cue ball, incidental kisses, caroms, or incidental cushion contacts.

Continuing Play

  • The cue ball must contact the lowest-numbered ball first.
  • The shooter continues only when the called ball is legally pocketed in the called pocket.
  • Other balls pocketed on the same legal shot remain pocketed.
  • If the 10-ball is pocketed in addition to a different called ball, the 10-ball is spotted.
  • The game is won only when the 10-ball is legally pocketed as the called ball in the called pocket.

Illegally Pocketed Balls

A ball is illegally pocketed when the called ball enters a pocket other than the called pocket, or when a ball other than the called ball is pocketed while the called ball is not legally pocketed.

An illegally pocketed 10-ball is spotted. Other illegally pocketed balls remain pocketed.

Opponent’s Option

When the shooter illegally pockets any ball, the opponent may accept the table in its current position and shoot, or require the original shooter to shoot again from the current position.

Three Successive Fouls

A player loses the game after committing three successive fouls during the same game.

The opponent or referee must warn a player who is on two consecutive fouls before the player shoots again. The warning must be acknowledged for the next foul to result in a three-foul loss.

Stalemate

If the table position has not significantly changed through three consecutive innings by each player, a referee may declare a stalemate.

The game is replayed with the original breaker breaking again.

Rule Interpretations and Active Matches

If a rule question occurs during an active match, stop play before the next shot and contact the division representative, league representative, or referee.

Once the next stroke is taken, certain foul claims and disputed situations may no longer be enforceable.

Local bylaws and event regulations may establish match formats, races, scoring procedures, break order, handicaps, coaching rules, timeouts, roster requirements, and administrative penalties. Review those documents in addition to the official game rules.

Questions regarding national CSI rules may be submitted to rules@playcsipool.com. Local league questions may be submitted through the league contact page.

Official Rules and Resources