Pool glossary · Games & Rules
No rail after contact
Also called: Rail after contact, No-rail foul
Do you have to hit a rail after contact in pool?
Yes — under WPA rules, after the cue ball contacts a legal object ball, either a ball must be pocketed or the cue ball or any object ball must hit a cushion. Otherwise it is a foul.
In more detail
This is the most common foul on safety shots. When playing soft safeties, make sure a ball reaches a rail — and a ball frozen to a rail at the start does not count unless it is driven to another one.
People also ask
Does a ball already touching the rail count?
Under WPA rules, a ball frozen to a cushion counts only if it is driven to another cushion or the cue ball hits it then another cushion — check the specific rule.