In pool, if you fail to hit any of your own balls, is it a scratch?

Question

so what happens with a foul? its ball in hand and you can place it anywhere?

Answer 1

What everone seems to forget is that there are too sets of rules, "bar room" and "BCA". Bar room is the most common and in this case it would not be a scratch nor ball in hand. In BCA then yes it would be considered a foul and it would be ball in hand.

Answer 2

More like a foul A scratch is when you pocket the cue ball

But it is ball in hand to the other player

Answer 3

depends on the games and the house rules.

for eightball and straight pool, the rule is usually referred to as a "push-out." it must be called, and the ball must travel a minimum of 3-6 inches or touch a rail. the opposing player has the option of taking the new shot, or forcing the first player to shoot again. after 3 push-outs, the 2nd player may choose to take a "spot-shot" (ball in hand behind the 2nd diamond opposite of where the balls are racked) or anywhere on the table, depending on the house rule. usually, in pro 8-ball, they use the ball in hand anywhere, most bars (on 6-8' tables) use the spot shot.

In nine-ball, the cue ball must touch the next ball in numerical order first. If anything else is touched, or the cue ball doesn't touch a ball, then the other player can get a ball in hand anywhere on the table. there are some variations i have seen in tournament play, where this results in a spot shot (as stated above) rather than ball in hand, or the other player may force the first player to shoot again 2 more times before getting the ball in hand.

as a general rule though, the ball in hand usually occurs strictly in 9 ball, while the spot shot is used in all other games.

Answer 4

Not only do you have to hit your ball first, but you also have to have  a ball make contact with a rail or an opponents ball must be pocketed.Otherwise it is a foul, ball in hand for your opponent.

Answer 5

it's a foul. scrtch is when the cue ball is pocketed. in both cases, it'll be ball in hand for the other player.

Answer 6

it is only a scratch if you knock the cue ball in the pocket

Answer 7

no,that would be called a foul.

a scratch would entail pocketing the cueball.

in 8-ball and straight pool,that would mean that your opponent gets ball-in-hand,but can only place the cueball behind the footline.

in 9-ball,scratching gives your opponent ball-in-hand and can put the cueball anywhere on the table.

hope this helps. :)

Answer 8

More than 2 sets.... but the APA is pretty much the same.  Contact your ball first and something must hit a rail to be a legal hit.... otherwise it is a ball in hand foul.