I believe 8 made on the break is spotted. Isn't a ball knocked off the table also spotted?
I guess it would depend on the rules, in many of them an 8 on the break is a win. And an 8 driven off a table is a loss. There is the BCA rules and the BCA League rules which are different. But in all of those, including the WPA, BCA, BCAPL, USAPL, driving the 8 off the tabel is a loss of game.
This is from the WPA rules:
3.8 Losing the Rack
The shooter loses if he
(a) fouls when pocketing the eight ball;
(b) pockets the eight ball before his group is cleared;
(c) pockets the eight ball in an uncalled pocket; or
(d) drives the eight ball off the table.
This is from the BCA rules, which look to be just the same document as the WPA rules:
3.8 Losing the Rack
The shooter loses if he (a) fouls when pocketing the eight ball; (b) pockets the eight ball before his group is cleared; (c) pockets the eight ball in an uncalled pocket; or (d) drives the eight ball off the table.
These do not apply to the break shot. (See 3.3 Break Shot.)
And the BCAPL rules:
You lose the game if:
a. you illegally pocket the 8-ball; (AR p. 103)
b. you jump the 8-ball off the table on any shot other than the break;
c. you pocket the 8-ball on the same shot as the last ball of your group;
d. you violate any General Rule that requires loss of game as a penalty;
e. you pocket the 8-ball on a shot defined as not obvious that you do not call (Rule 1-16-6 does not apply to 8-Ball);
f. you commit a foul under Rule 1-33-4 or 1-33-7 and the 8-ball falls into a pocket.
2-11
So the only time you'd spot the 8 is if you are playing 8 on the break is not a win and you make it on the break. But of course that is true in all games, not just 8 ball if you look at the ball made on the break. I play in tournaments where the 9 does not count on the break or maybe does not count in the lower pockets, so you'd spot the 9 in that case as well.
