Pocketing balls on the pool table is good, but it doesn’t apply to the white ball. When a Cue Ball gets sunk or jumps off the table, that’s a foul, and the opponent player gets ball in hand.
Ball in hand is handled in two ways depending on the rules that players are using. In APA rules, the player has the freedom to place the Cue Ball anywhere around the table, while WPA official rules allow the white ball to be placed behind the string.
The situation gives rise to a certain rule known as “behind the line,” meaning the Cue Ball can be placed behind the service line, also known as the kitchen, baulk line or head string, and not anywhere else.
Can a player hit a ball behind the line in the pool? Yes, it’s perfectly legal for a player to take a shot when the ball is behind the string. However, the Cue Ball must pass the string before hitting an object ball or cushion, which implies that the Cue Ball must move forward to avoid committing the foul.
Therefore, a player can shoot the Cue Ball across the line, and it can return behind the line to contact another object ball.
Either bounce the v off the far rail, or contact one of your object balls and draw the white ball backwards for a second contact on another one of your object balls.
Can you hit behind the line in pool?
Yes, shooting behind the string is allowed, provided the Cue Ball moves past the string line before hitting any object balls or table cushion. The rule effectively applies if the ball moves forward after shooting, otherwise failure to fulfill the above condition results in a foul.
“Hit behind the line” is a scenario in the pool table that comes along when a player executes the “ball in hand behind the head string rule.” The player can only place the Cue Ball behind the head string, and the rule restricts a player from positioning the white ball anywhere when executing ball in hand.
When taking a shot, the Cue Ball must be directed forward, and the moment it passes the line, it can bounce back and hit an object ball behind the line.
Any attempt for a shooter to make an illegitimate shot, which can make a white ball hit any object ball behind the string before it crosses the line, is a foul. As a result, the opponent gets ball in hand behind the line.
When a player is taking their ball in hand using the APA rules, the Cue Ball is allowed to be placed anywhere the player wants on the pool table. Therefore, “behind the line” really does not affect this set of rules.
Is hitting behind legal in pool?
It’s only legal if the Cue Ball crosses the baulk line without touching any object ball before it cross. The Cue Ball must cross the line, and then return behind for the shot to be legal.
There are multiple ways for this to happen. Either the ball bounces off the far wall and returns behind for a legal shot, or the ball contacts an object ball with backspin that draws it behind for a legal shot on another ball.
Although when APA rules are used, it is legal because a player can place the white ball anywhere they want on the pool table to execute a ball in hand, and then shoot in any direction to their advantage.
What happens when you hit a ball behind the line?
It depends whether the ball in hand behind the headstring is legal or illegally executed. When legally executed (when the Cue Ball crosses the line without touching any ball before it crosses), and the legal object ball gets pocketed, the player continues with their turn unless they scratch.
If the targeted ball was the 8-ball, then sinking the black ball will give the player an automatic win, but they lose the game if they scratch.
When illegally executed, like taking a direct shot, or the Cue Ball touching any object ball before crossing the service line, that’s a foul. As a result, the ball in hand advantage is handled over to the opponent player who now gets a chance to execute a shot behind the line.
Hitting Ball Behind Line: Conclusion
Rules vary when it comes to ball in hand, but there is no disagreement when it comes to hitting a ball behind the line.
In some ball in hand scenarios, a player can move the Cue Ball anywhere they want to, and they can take their shot in any direction without restriction.
For a ball in hand behind the service line, players are limited to placing a white ball only in the playing area around the head string called the kitchen.
Players can only shoot forward, take a direct shot and make contact after the ball crosses the line. Therefore, the Cue Ball should not touch any ball or cushion before it crosses the line otherwise it results in a foul and the next player’s turn.
Depending on the set of rules being followed, the conditions of ball in hand may vary. When scratch or fouls are placed behind the service line, then shooting backwards is not an option unless contact is made on the other side of the line beforehand.