Rule Controversy

[petie]

The following rules are taken from a website for the general rules of Pocket Billiards but not the official BCA website. My home computer will not open the download from the BCA site. I have included the heading from the site I used for proper annotation.

I won't be surprised to get lots of opinions on both sides of this because, as we all know, everybody has one :o)

I will also not be surprosed if you guys, and gals, have already discussed this as I do not pretend to follow this website all that closely.

Here's the rule(s) in question:

DISCLAIMER: This file contains property copyrighted by the Billiard Congress of America. Any modification or sale of the information herein is strictly prohibited by the laws governing that copyright. However permission is given to distribute this information as public domain granted this disclaimer remains attached. Please direct questions regarding interpretation of the following, or information on how to receive the current BCA "Billiards - The Official Rules and Records book" to the Billiard Congress of America website: www.bca-pool.com
GENERAL RULES OF POCKET BILLIARDS
These general rules apply to all pocket billiard games, unless specifically noted to the contrary in the individual game rules.

22. FOULS BY DOUBLE HITS. If the cue ball is touching the required object ball prior to the shot, the player may shoot towards it, providing that any normal stroke is employed. If the cue stick strikes the cue ball more than once on a shot, or if the cue stick is in contact with the cue ball when or after the cue ball contacts an object ball, the shot is foul. If a third ball is close by, care should be taken not to foul that ball under the first part of this rule.

23. PUSH SHOT FOULS. It is a foul if the cue ball is pushed by the cue tip, with contact being maintained for more than the momentary time commensurate with a stroked shot. (Such shots are usually referred to as push shots.)

As you can see, rule 22 is self-contradictory. In the first sentence, it clearly gives permission to shoot the cue ball towards the frozen object ball with a normal stroke but in the second sentence, it takes away any such shot as well as any other shot which would directly move the object ball. No, I should say that it takes away any shot whatsoever because all shots from this situation would start with the cue ball in contact with the object ball thus incurring the prohibition stated in the second sentence. I have always played in agreement with the first sentence but recently was called on this by an opponent and could find no one in the pool hall including the owner who agreed with me. It was even brought up that Jose Parica shoots this shot by starting with the tip of the cue stick below but not touching the cue ball and lifting the cue stick which grazes the cue ball and makes both the cue ball and the object ball move in the direction of the object ball. This would seem to violate the "normal stroke" proviso. I have to say, I cannot see any defense for letting the second sentence stand. Please give me your wise opinions.

Petie

[SactownTom]

Petie,
You're correct, this question has been discussed many times.
I know this reply won't directly answer your question, but it is an attempt.

Even the most experienced players and referees have difficulty explaining these poorly worded rules.

http://www.wpa-pool.com/download/Official_%20WPA_Rules.pdf this is a complete set of rules from the World Pool Association (The BCA adopted the WPA rules in 2000) Or you can just copy them and paste them into a word document.

Recently the BCA and WPA orgs got together to address some of the 'wording' and inconsistancies within these rules. The General Rules of pool and specific game rules are included.

In 2007 these rule changes will be voted on.

The specific rule (i.e. Parica's raising the cue tip from under the cue ball) has been addressed. I am not privy to the wording or the specific details.

From a Billiard background, it is not permitted to shoot into a FROZEN object ball. A long time point of discussion even within the 3 Cushion and Billiard diciplines. Some say the reasoning is based on the cue tip maintaining a longer than normal contact time on the cue ball. But, IMO that would also eliminate any form of Masse shot.

The pocket billiards world has adopted the view and rule (IMO correctly) with the 'normal stroke' provisio. This would allow masse shots as well.

I still experience players that know the billiard rule (some of the older pool rooms with the older players, still hang onto that rule). The rules change but the players still remember the old way as being the first way they learned.

One of the problem with rule changes, there isn't a way to let all the players know they've changed.

A good example.
In 9 ball, back in the 60s-90s if you were breaking and mis-cued, missed the rack completely, hit the rack but missed the One ball or just caught the cue ball after mis-cuing, it was considered OK.. the Game doesn't start until the ONE ball has been hit.
This 'so called' agreement between players was adopted by many players as an official rule.

If you look under the rules of 9 ball for 2006 and back untill the late 80s, the game starts as soon as you strike the cue ball. You have to meet a legal shot requirement and a legal break requirement or you are on a FOUL. Incomming player has ball in hand anywhere.

Yet many players don't knwo this rule and usually have to see it in print to acknowledge it.

[petie]

Thanks Sac,

I did as you suggested and looked this up on the WPA site. It seems clear that you can shoot towards the object ball as long as you employ a normal stroke while doing so. I feel like I will have to carry a copy of this rule with me at all times in order to fend off disbelievers. The rule as presently stated would seem to eliminate the need for Jose Parica's cue-tip-lift shot unless he feels like he can do something with it that he can't do with a normal stroke. I do still feel that hard heads will argue (IMO incorrectly) that you can't help but double hit the object ball when you shoot towards it and the final call goes to the ref if you have one. In your experience, are there still people who know the current rules who argue this point?

[SactownTom]

Petie,

Yes, I know of a few players that know the rule but also know that other players don't know the rule. Not everyone cares to know the rules and they also give up a very important edge during play. If you don't know your opponent committed a foul, what do you do?

I've found, over the years, that most players will readily accept a Tournament Director's rulings, especially if the TD can show the 'rule' in print (BCA rule book or a printout of the World Standard Rules, I keep both close at hand during tournaments)

I get a lot of rule questions in my position and I can answer most, but there are a few times that I will just pull out the rule book and look it up just so the person asking the question knows I am not 'guessing'.

During a tournament when a situation occurs that requires a 'ruling', it is best to know everything about the situation. Find out from both players what they think has occured and take it from there to determine the 'ruling'. If need be, check the rule book.

The younger players seem to be the least resistant to the 'rulings', and most of the problem situations come from the more 'mature' players that have been playing the longest and are fairly confident that they are aware of the rule.

[Pelican]

This is very big in the APA. They insist you must foul by making a double hit in this situation. My buddy, Grady, showed me trick that defeats their arguement and Grady, if you are reading this, I have employed it.

Got to go to bed so Santa will come.

Nite nite, Pel

[SactownTom]

Pel,
Wouldn't it be a solidifying gesture if all pool leagues adopted the same rule set?

The players and referees would be on the 'same page' for every tournament.
The players would have a SINGLE set of rules to refer to for all issues.



This is very big in the APA. They insist you must foul by making a double hit in this situation. My buddy, Grady, showed me trick that defeats their arguement and Grady, if you are reading this, I have employed it.

Got to go to bed so Santa will come.

Nite nite, Pel

[petie]

I would love to know Grady's trick. The closest I have come to discrediting this canard when confronted with the situation is to shoot the cue ball with enough draw that it skids to a halt quickly as the object ball goes forward. Trouble is, you don't always want to use draw and nothing else convinces.

[whitey]

Is it miscue related? I think I've seen it...

[petie]

Whitey,

Please tell me the trick you know. I am interested in any trick or any logic or anything else that can be used to win-over those who hold that you must double hit a cue ball frozen to an object ball when you shoot towards the object ball. If Grady's is different than yours, I would like to kow it as well.