THE 2010 OFFICIAL GOOF BALL TOURNAMENT RULEBOOK 

 
I. OBJECT OF THE GAME
Goof Ball is a billiard game played with a cue ball and fifteen object balls, numbered one through
fifteen. One player attempts to pocket balls of the group numbered one through seven (solids), while
the other player attempts to pocket balls numbered nine through fifteen (stripes). The player pocketing
his group first and then legally pocketing the eight ball wins the game.

II. BREAKING
1a. The balls are placed in a triangular rack with the 1-ball in the front, the 8-ball in the center, and any
striped ball in the middle of the back row. The remaining balls are placed in the rack alternating solid
and stripe. The rack is positioned with the 1-ball in line with the second dot.

b. The direction of play, that is where the rack is positioned and where the cue ball is positioned, is
always in the same direction (with the rack nearer to the coal cellar).

c. The younger player calls the coin toss. The winner of the coin toss may choose either to break or to
be the first to select which pool stick he will use during game play. If he selects to break, the other
player has first choice of which pool stick he will use. If a player owns his own pool stick, he may
exclude others from using it during the tournament.

2a. The player breaking must position the cue ball anywhere fully behind the second dot and proceed
to break. A legal break occurs when at least three numbered balls touch a rail or at least one ball falls
into a pocket. If Player 1 fails to do this on the break, Player 2 may elect to re-rack the balls and break.
If Player 2 fails to execute a legal break, Player 1 may elect to re-rack and break. This final break will
always be considered legal.

b. If the rack is completely missed during the break or if the cue ball banks off a side of the table
before hitting the rack, it is considered a scratch, and the other player may either break or elect Player 1
to break again.

c. Player 1 wins if he (A) sinks the 8-ball in on the break without scratching or (B) sweeps the table
and legally pockets the 8-ball without Player 2 having a turn. In this instance, Player 2 will not receive
a turn. If player 1 sinks the 8-ball in on the break and scratches, the balls are re-racked and Player 2
will break.

d. If a player pockets any balls on the break without scratching, he must call either ‘stripes’ or ‘solids’
and take another turn as usual.

e. If a player pockets any balls on the break and scratches, the other player will select either ‘stripes’ or
‘solids’ and then proceed with his turn.
III. HITTING AND SINKING
1a. If no balls are sunk during the break, the first player to sink an object ball chooses ‘stripes’ or
‘solids’ and goes again. If, however, a player scratches while sinking the first ball(s), the other player
chooses ‘stripes’ or ‘solids’ and all balls remain in the pockets. After a player scratches, it is always the
other player's turn.

b. Players alternate turns, each trying to pocket his group of balls.

c. A player retains shooting possession if he sinks one or more of his balls on a turn without scratching.
If a player pockets one or more of his balls while first hitting an opponent's ball or the 8-ball, the balls
 
stay in the pocket, but it becomes the other player's turn. If it cannot be determined whether a player hit
his ball or an opponent's (or the 8-ball) first, the shooter retains possession.

d. If a shooter pockets an opponent’s ball on a shot, the ball always remains in the pocket, regardless of
any scratch by the shooter.

e. If a player pockets the cue ball, the other player will place the cue ball anywhere fully behind the
second dot and take his turn. He can only hit a ball that is fully passed the second dot unless he banks
the cue ball off the far side first.

f. If the cue ball remains on the table during a scratch (see V. List of Scratches), the other player may
elect to leave it where it lies or to place it anywhere behind the second dot and follow rule III.e.

2a. If a player pockets the 8-ball before pocketing his group of balls, he loses.

b. If a player touches any ball when it is not his turn, he loses the game. Touching includes any balls
moving for any reason other than the normal hit of the tip of the stick to the cue ball during one’s turn.

c. Accidentally messing up a significant number of balls will cause one to lose the game.

IV. APPROACHING THE EIGHT
1a. After the last of a player's seven balls are sunk, the 8-ball becomes his final challenge. He cannot
sink the 8-ball and another one of his balls on the same shot.

b. A player should call the pocket on every shot while going for the 8-ball. If one sinks the 8-ball
without calling his pocket, he loses the game. One loses the game if he sinks the 8-ball in a pocket
other than the one called.

c. If one pockets the cue ball while going for the 8-ball, he loses.

d. If a player is going for the 8-ball and accidentally commits a minor scratch (any scratch other than
pocketing the cue ball) he will not lose the game, unless he also pockets the 8-ball during the minor
scratch. If the cue ball remains on the table, that player’s opponent may play it where it lies or move it
behind the second dot and follow rule III.e.
e. If an opponent's ball(s) is used as a means between the cue ball and the 8-ball, the player must call a
combination shot first. If a combination shot occurs while going for the 8-ball, and the player does not
call it or does not call it correctly, he loses.

f. A player loses if he intentionally sets a player who is going for the 8-ball up for a “no shot” behind
the pillar without first hitting one of his own balls.

2a. The game is won if a player successfully and legally sinks the 8-ball in the called pocket without
scratching.
 
V. LIST OF SCRATCHES
1a. The cue ball is pocketed.

b. The cue ball jumps off the surface of the table before hitting any balls or the side of the table.

c. The cue ball is struck more than once during a shot.

d. The shooter shoots in such a manner that his cue tip stays in contact with the cue ball for more than
the momentary time in a stroke shot.

e. The shooter touches the cue ball with something other than the tip of the pool stick.

f. The pool stick is held with one hand, and the cue tip is dragging on the table during a shot.

g. On a break shot, the rack is totally missed.

h. On a break shot, the cue ball banks off a side before hitting the rack.

i. The cue ball is shot before all balls have come to a complete stop from the previous shot.

j. The cue ball is placed and struck on or over the second dot during a break or after an opponent's
scratch.

k. After an opponent’s scratch and manual placement of the cue ball, the cue ball hits a ball that is not
fully past the second dot without hitting the far side of the table first.

l. The shooter touches any other ball.

m. The shooter does not have at least one foot on the floor when shooting.

n. If any balls are hit off the table, it is a scratch. Any of the other player’s balls that were hit off
the table are pocketed. The shooter’s balls that left the table are placed in the rack position.

2a. An intentional scratch will cause you to lose the game.

VI. LENGTH OF GAME
1a. There is a 30-second shot clock per turn. The shot clock begins when all balls stop moving.

b. There is a warning for the first shot clock violation. The second shot clock violation in the same
game will result in a loss of game.

2a. The game has a time limit of thirteen minutes. The game time starts when the cue ball is first
struck.

b. After thirteen minutes, a three-minute overtime is played. However, if someone is going for the 8-
ball after regulation, play will continue until the person going for the 8-ball is given one more turn. If
the game does not end on that turn (8-ball sunk or scratch), overtime will begin. In the event that both
players are going for the 8-ball at any time, play will continue as normal until a winner is determined.

c. If a player shoots a shot with time running out, the shot and its results are valid as long as the cue
ball was struck before time expired.

d. During overtime, one stripe ball, one solid ball, and the 8-ball are placed in the rack position with
the 8-ball in front. No one is initially assigned stripes or solids. The younger player calls the coin toss
to determine who breaks. There is no time limit to overtime.

e. Normal Goof Ball rules govern play during overtime (exception: II.2a.sentence2)
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The 2010 Official Goof Ball Rulebook has been thoroughly read over and approved by those who
govern play of the Goof Ball Tournament- The Goof Ball Committee.

_________________________
Daniel Thimons

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Daniel Stover

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Thomas Thimons

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Michael Thimons

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Bennett Feely