What happens when you foul in pool?
B · Beginner · Fouls · 3 of 6The general rules list the fouls, and each game says which apply and what they cost. In 8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball a foul gives the opponent ball in hand anywhere. In straight pool, one-pocket and bank pool it costs a point. Only the most serious foul on a shot counts, and a foul must be called before the next shot.
How it works
- Scratch: the cue ball pocketed or driven off the table.
- Object ball off the table: a foul; whether it is spotted depends on the game.
- No foot on the floor: at least one foot must touch the floor as the tip meets the cue ball.
- Balls still moving: starting a shot while any ball is moving or spinning.
- Playing out of turn: a standard foul if by mistake; the balls are usually played from where they stopped.
- Rack template: a ball touching a removed template lying on the rail.
- Several fouls on one shot: only the most serious is enforced.
- Calling: a foul not called before the next shot begins is treated as not having happened.
- Penalty: set by the game: ball in hand, a lost point or the loss of the rack for serious fouls.
The glossary has the standard fouls, the scratch, the ball in hand, the losing the rack, the inning and the discipline.
Tricky cases
The cue ball jumps off the table, hits a light and lands back on the cloth. Foul?
Yes. A ball that would have left the table but for hitting an object is driven off the table.
The player stretches across the table with both feet off the floor. Foul?
Yes. At least one foot must be on the floor when the tip meets the cue ball.
Nobody calls a foul and the next shot begins. Can it be called afterwards?
No. It is treated as not having happened.
A player shoots out of turn by mistake. What happens?
It is a standard foul, and play normally goes on from the position left by that shot.
Why the rule exists
One list of fouls keeps the games consistent. Letting each game set the penalty suits the scoring: ball in hand matters most where a single rack decides a point, and a lost point fits games scored ball by ball.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 8-ball, 9-ball, 10-ball | Ball in hand anywhere | WPA 4.9, 5.7, 6.9 |
| Straight pool | Minus one point; minus two for a breaking foul | WPA 7.9, 7.10 |
| Blackball | The opponent gets a free shot | WPA 8.13 |
| Snooker | Four to seven penalty points | WPBSA Snooker 3.11 |
From the rule book
World Pool-Billiard Association, Rules of Play (effective 15 September 2025), Fouls 3 (introduction), 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 3.9, 3.12 and 3.15. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the WPA Rules of Play, revised from time to time.