Dick,
First, let's deal with nomenclature. And nevermind that "rule" thing. A valve is "open" when the rocker is holding the spring compressed fully. It's "closed" when the rocker-to-stem can be clearanced.
You should notice when #8 valve is fully OPEN (not "closed" as you state), the rocker arm fully depresses the spring there. Adjusting clearance on its opposite (#1) is possible. The same goes for all the rest: When #7 valve spring is fully depressed, you can set clearance on #2 rocker. Conversely, when #2 valve is completely compressed (valve opened) you can adjust #7 rocker clearance. That goes for all the rest as well. Depressed spring on #4 (open valve) and adjust #5, depressed spring on #5 (again valve fully opened) and adjust #4 clearance...
Put another way, if the valve 3 from the front of the head is fully open (spring completely compressed), then the third valve from the REAR of the head is fully CLOSED and the rocker clearance can be set. And the opposite is true. Third from the rear compressed, third from the front is adjustable.