I have to ask.

Fenwick said:

Is it a foul to shoot a ball other than the cue ball? Other balls may even go into the pocket and/or hit another ball, but nothing has hit or touched the cue ball?

It didn't happen to me BTW. I say it's Unsportsmanlike Conduct and or lose of game.
Tournament or leagues, forfeit. Can't find it in The Rules of Play From World Pool-Billiard Association.

Thanks in advance

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Only if the cue ball is missing

I'd say of course it's a foul.

Actually that's a pretty legitimate question. I could see this happening on accident if a player was on tilt enough that he walked up to the table and out of frustration went to smack the cueball without even really bridging up and missed the cueball completely and hit something else.

The rules are likely going to vary from league to league. Standard rules that play all fouls obviously it's a foul. I don't think any other penalty could be given though. In APA I have no idea what the true ruling would be. Since you never did hit the cueball I don't even know if that would count as your shot or not. If one of the rolling balls were to touch the cueball at all, then it's definately a foul, but if nothing does I have no idea.

This seems like it might qualify. Striking an object ball with the cue, definitely isn't "normal ball-to-ball contact" I'd think.


From the WPA The Rules of Play:

6.6 Touched Ball
It is a foul to touch, move or change the path of any object ball except by the normal ball-to-ball contacts during shots. It is a foul to touch, move or change the path of the cue ball except when it is in hand or by the normal tip-to-ball forward stroke contact of a shot. The shooter is responsible for the equipment he controls at the table, such as chalk, bridges, clothing, his hair, parts of his body, and the cue ball when it is in hand, that may be involved in such fouls. If such a foul is accidental, it is a standard foul, but if it is intentional, it is 6.16 Unsportsmanlike Conduct.

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I've run a few tournaments...I'm not gonna look this one up....
...I'm calling this 'loss of game'


I guess there are circumstances where a player made such a bad stroke
that he missed the cue-ball...but I still like 'loss of game'

It happened to me once. My opponent was so stressed and distracted that he shot a strip thinking it was the cue ball. It was frozen to rail with mostly the white portion of the ball sticking out. the lighting wasn't helping as well.

It was ruled as a foul.

I imagine somewhere a guy was so hooked with no chance for a hit that he thought it would be a clever idea to just break up his own little cluster by shooting a solid into two other solids or to tie up his opponent's balls by shooting a solid into a stripe or something leaving the cue ball at the other end of the table.

This would have to be loss of game.


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One common situation (just saw it last night)... you're hooked playing 9b/10b and the game ball
is hanging in the hole. You can't see any way to knock it in and If you don't make a good hit
they will have an easy combo to win instantly.

In that case, wouldn't it be nice to just poke your stick at the 9b/10b and knock it in directly?
But of course it's a foul

In 9b/10b... the cue ball must make contact with the lowest numbered ball on every shot.
If they strike some other ball then the cue ball didn't touch the lowest numbered ball, there's your foul.

Other rules that would apply from the WPA site:

(b) changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot;
(h) using equipment inappropriately.

Hitting object balls directly with the stick doesn't count as a shot.
And it's not an appropriate way to use object ball (aka equipment).

It should be a loss of game. It's the same as raking the balls and conceding.

I'm assuming he wasn't paying attention and used the wrong ball as a cue ball and shot another ball. In this case he would have fouled when the two balls contacted as it is a foul to move two or more balls by any incidental contact and it would be ball in hand. If he just was mad and intentionally shot the ball to make a point that would be loss of game for un-sportsman like conduct. If he tried to accidently tried to use an object ball as a cue ball and shot and did not hit another ball then the other player would have the option to either replace the ball or leave it where it lands.

I was under the impression that in APA and BCA there are only cue ball fouls. If you strike another ball first then one of two things occur.

If the opponent catches the event, then the balls are placed back in their original position and the shooter takes another stab....or

If the opponent misses the event then it never happened and play continues under the standard rules.

I had an opponent strike my ball while jacked up over a shot and despite the fact the tip contacted my ball first, the league director considered it a good shot under the cue ball foul only rules.

Obviously APA and BCA are not geared toward advanced players so the rules lean toward the beginner or newer players.

I have not seen it happen yet but I'm sure I will. When some people line up a shot on the object ball with their cue and actually stroke their cue I am waiting for them to sub consciously pull the trigger or accidentally hit the object ball.:rotflmao1:

It falls under rule 6.16 Unsportmanlike Conduct:

6.16 Unsportsmanlike Conduct
The normal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as for a serious foul, but the referee may impose a penalty depending on his judgment of the conduct. Among other penalties possible are a warning; a standard-foul penalty, which will count as part of a three-foul sequence if applicable; a serious-foul penalty; loss of a rack, set or match; ejection from the competition possibly with forfeiture of all prizes, trophies and standings points.
Unsportsmanlike conduct is any intentional behavior that brings disrepute to the sport or which disrupts or changes the game to the extent that it cannot be played fairly. It includes
(a) distracting the opponent;
(b) changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot;
(c) playing a shot by intentionally miscuing;
(d) continuing to play after a foul has been called or play has been suspended;
(e) practicing during a match;
(f) marking the table;
(g) delay of the game; and
(h) using equipment inappropriately.

You can argue it falls under either b or h. You can also argue it is not specifically mentioned in the examples but then neither is breaking your cue over someones head, yet
that is also unsportsmanlike conduct.

In match or tournament play I as the ref would call it loss of game and inform the player
next time it will be loss of match and end of tournament.

gr. Dave

but I still like 'loss of game'

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It would probably get called that way.

Maybe the player had some tough balls. He could change the lay out easily, give a BIH and if he gets back to the table, have an easier run out.

It happens by accident at times but you can tell when a player does something by accident or on purpose usually.

Its his mistake so why should you have to pay for it.