Pool Fouls Explained: What Counts and What Happens Next
Fouls decide more pool games than spectacular shots do. Knowing exactly what is a foul, and what it gives your opponent, makes you a better player and settles arguments before they start.
What happens after a foul
In 8-ball and 9-ball, a foul gives your opponent ball in hand: they pick up the cue ball and place it anywhere on the table before their next shot. That is a big gift, since it lets them choose the easiest angle and set up a run. (Snooker works differently: fouls score points. See snooker scoring.)
The common fouls
| Foul | What it means |
|---|---|
| Scratch | The cue ball is potted. |
| Wrong ball first | The first ball the cue ball touches is not a legal target: the opponent’s group in 8-ball, or any ball but the lowest in 9-ball. |
| No ball hit | The cue ball touches nothing. |
| No rail after contact | After hitting a ball, no ball is potted and no ball (including the cue ball) reaches a cushion. |
| 8 hit too early | In 8-ball, hitting the 8 first before your group is cleared. |
Fouls that are not in Cue & Chalk
Real tables also call double hits, pushes, balls jumped off the table, touching a ball with your hand or cue, and shooting before balls stop moving. Our simulation does not let you do these, so there is nothing to call.
Avoiding the scratch
- Check where the cue ball will go after contact, especially on straight shots towards a pocket.
- Use a little backspin to stop the white from following the ball down. See cue ball spin.
- Reduce power near the pockets.
Winning with a foul in play
If you pot the 8 and foul at the same time, you lose the game. In 9-ball, potting the 9 while fouling does not win: the 9 is respotted.