Ahhhh...that's interesting that those are the BCA rules. Before the set he looked up the UPA rules and I think that it said that 3 balls need to hit the rail for a legal break. Both of our assumptions were that if he didn't drive 3 balls to a rail, that the other player would get to break. But it seems like we had that wrong. We were playing 10-ball though, and not 8-ball. Not sure if that changes the breaking rules for the BCA.I think you made a mistake here, but know that I'm not an experienced player or gambler. His soft break was a foul, as you point out. At that point you have ball in hand, anywhere on the table. When he said "I get all the breaks!" you should have said, "yes, but that was a foul, and I now have ball in hand." Your shot from ball in hand is not a break.
From the Billiard Congress of America rules:
"3. LEGAL BREAK SHOT. The rules governing the break shot are the same as for other shots except:
a. The breaker must strike the 1-ball first and either pocket a ball or drive at least four numbered balls to the rail.
b. If the cue ball is pocketed or driven off the table, or the requirements of the opening break are not met, it is a foul, and the incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on the table."
(Emphasis mine.)
NOTE: We didn't establish that we were playing any "standard" set of rules (like the BCA) before we started. We only clarified that it was call shot and if someone slopped a ball in, it was the next player's choice to pass the next shot back to the shooter.