What are the current WPA 8 Ball Rules?

Positively Ralf

Positively Ralf

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Was looking around and am seeing a ton of different results from across the web. Is it open table after the break even if you make something? Ball behind the kitchen or anywhere? The only thing I see that is consistent is that it does not matter which ball the cue ball hits during the break.

Reason I ask is because I may join an ACS league and they say they play WPA rules. I've only ever known the BCAPL rules since I've began shooting again a few years back.
 
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Positively Ralf said:
Was looking around and am seeing a ton of different results from across the web. Is it open table after the break even if you make something? Ball behind the kitchen or anywhere? The only thing I see that is consistent is that it does not matter which ball the cue ball hits during the break.

Reason I ask is because I may join an ACS league and they say they play WPA rules. I've only ever known the BCAPL rules since I've began shooting again a few years back.
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Rule 3.3.h.2. of the WPA Rules linked above.

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Fatboy said:
Under (2) is that base of the CB or the whole ball? 😉
...
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Under WPA rules, the location of balls relative to the kitchen is determined by the base. That's for all pool games. This has been the official standard for a long time. A minor recent change is that the line is considered to be outside (or not part of) the kitchen.
 
Bob Jewett said:
Under WPA rules, the location of balls relative to the kitchen is determined by the base. That's for all pool games. This has been the official standard for a long time. A minor recent change is that the line is considered to be outside (or not part of) the kitchen.
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I’ve always played base of the ball

I never knew the official rule

Thx Bob 😃
 
Grimper said:
wpapool.com

Rules

Navigate the rules and regulations of pool with ease. Stay informed and play fair with WPA Rules!
wpapool.com wpapool.com
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Thanks for the link. I'm surprised to see they did not indicate if the table is still open if the breaker sunk a ball during the breaking of the rack. But going by what is written there, it's open regardless of making balls or not.

Guess I thought it would've been take what you make.
 
Positively Ralf said:
Thanks for the link. I'm surprised to see they did not indicate if the table is still open if the breaker sunk a ball during the breaking of the rack. But going by what is written there, it's open regardless of making balls or not.

Guess I thought it would've been take what you make.
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APA is the only rule set that I'm aware of that uses Take What You Make. Pretty sure most everyone else uses the table is open after the break. (No expert, just from my memory of reading about different rule sets)
 
Bob Jewett said:
Under WPA rules, the location of balls relative to the kitchen is determined by the base. That's for all pool games. This has been the official standard for a long time. A minor recent change is that the line is considered to be outside (or not part of) the kitchen.
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Yes, exactly, a ball sits on the table at its base.
Thus, the CB can have its base 0.001" behind the head-string and still be "in the kitchen".
 
justadub said:
APA is the only rule set that I'm aware of that uses Take What You Make. Pretty sure most everyone else uses the table is open after the break. (No expert, just from my memory of reading about different rule sets)
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Take what you make can penalize you for making a ball on the break, if there are no decent shots at those balls. It makes about as little sense as having to take ball-in-hand behind the headstring if your opponent fouls, which can often be the best thing an opponent can do.
 
justadub said:
APA is the only rule set that I'm aware of that uses Take What You Make. Pretty sure most everyone else uses the table is open after the break. (No expert, just from my memory of reading about different rule sets)
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A quirk with TAP rules also; it's open after the break, but if you make a ball and scratch on your first shot, it still counts as your ball even though the standard rules call for a legal shot to establish sides. They count any made ball as a "completion", foul or not.

Odd that the WPA rule states it behind the line on the break, I have not seen any pros play behind the line on 8 ball break in many years outside of maybe the AccuStats arena matches which modified the rules.
 
hang-the-9 said:
... Odd that the WPA rule states it behind the line on the break, I have not seen any pros play behind the line on 8 ball break in many years ...
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I assume you do not mean "on the break" literally, since cue ball starts in the kitchen for the opening break in pretty much every pool game. I assume you mean, "when you scratch on the break, your opponent gets cue ball in hand behind the line under WPA rules." That's the way CSI rules were as well until they started their independent modifications around 2006 or so. They felt it simplified the game. IIRC. Some people feel that cue ball anywhere for a scratch on the break is too harsh at eight ball.

APA also has cue ball in the kitchen after a scratch on the break.
 
hang-the-9 said:
Odd that the WPA rule states it behind the line on the break, I have not seen any pros play behind the line on 8 ball break in many years outside of maybe the AccuStats arena matches which modified the rules.
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Yeah, WPA (and by extension, BCA) has been in the kitchen since inception. Somewhere after a few years from buying the BCA Pool Leagues, Mark switched some CSI rules. Full table BIH after a scratch on the break was one of them. So, many players believe all 8-ball is like this.

Since CSI own the US Open 8-ball and other 8-ball events, the CSI rules are going to be the one most seen. The WPA-sanctioned 8-ball events would have been WPA Rules.
 
Positively Ralf said:
Thanks for the link. I'm surprised to see they did not indicate if the table is still open if the breaker sunk a ball during the breaking of the rack.
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See:

3. EIGHT BALL
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3.3 Break Shot

The following rules apply to the break shot:
(a) The cue ball begins in hand behind the head string.
(b) No ball is called, and the cue ball is not required to hit any particular object ball first.
(c) If the breaker pockets a ball and does not foul, he continues at the table, and the table
remains open.
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Bob Jewett said:
...That's the way CSI rules were as well until they started their independent modifications around 2006 or so. They felt it simplified the game. IIRC....
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Actually Bob, the main thought behind the CSI change was that it would speed up matches. Looking forward to seeing you in Vegas next month! 🙂

Buddy
 
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