In pool when you're shooting at the 8 ball, can you hit the opponents balls with the cue ball?

Question

We were playing last night and the 8 ball was blocked by two of mine...the other person squeezed in between the edge of the table and my two balls and hit the 8 ball, but in the process also hit mine....I've always thought that when shooting at the 8 ball you can't hit the opponent's balls on the way, you'd have to do a bank shot...who's right here?? :) And if you know where the rule is listed online, please let me know!

Answer 1

On all shots, you must hit your group first or give up ball in hand. Since he's on the 8, he must hit it first or it is a foul, so if he hit your ball first he should've given you ball in hand. Official rules of most games can be found at the link below.

Answer 2

no he has to call that shot hitting your balls to get to the 8 ball, and yes go online and put in instructions for pool and you should find it. Yahoo has copies of it I got them for my brother in law.

Answer 3

Bad hit delux he dont lose but you have ball in hand

BCA rules

Ck BCA website for all rules -Standard rules before the league players start on me again

Answer 4

Technically, if you are playing by the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) rules, any time you hit an opposing player's ball BEFORE hitting one of your own (or, in this case the 8-ball)  it is a table scratch.

The opposing player gets "Ball in hand".

Answer 5

here in aussie its called a foul shot and on the black means you get two shots

Answer 6

to my knowledge, you MUST make the hit on the 8 ball first either by bank, masse or any other way

BUT...in the pool room where I hung out as a kid, there never was an official rule book that I knew of