What happens when a ball goes off the table? It does happen in a game of pool, from time to time, that a ball goes off the table. Several shots can cause this. Most common I have seen is a jump shot gone bad. Another shot is when the player slams the cue with a slight down stroke and maybe some side spin. This tends to send the cue ball into flight. I am sure there are other ways to accomplish this, but the end result is the same. Let's look at what is considered a 'jumped ball'. Since I am a VNEA certified referee, I will only explain their rules as found on the VNEA website . General Definitions:  8.  JUMPED CUE BALL.  When a stroke results in the cue ball being a jumped ball, meaning jumped completely off the pool table on the floor, the stroke is a foul.  The cue ball may leave the playing surface and return, which is not to be considered a foul. 11.  BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE.  Balls coming to rest other than on the bed of the tab...