More Rules - "Contacting" an OB that's frozen to the CB

Patrick Johnson

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Long as we're on the subject of rules, here's a question I've never heard or seen answered:

Say the CB is frozen to the 1 ball in a rotation game like 9-Ball or 10-Ball. In snooker you can shoot the CB away from the 1 (without moving the 1) and it counts as "contacting" the 1 for a legal hit. That's not true in pool - so what do you have to do to "contact" the 1 ball in pool?

I think the rule should be that if you move the 1 ball, even slightly, by shooting even a little "toward" it (toward the 1-Ball side of the CB/1B tangent line), then you've "contacted" the ball. But I've never seen this clarification in print. Does a written rule exist for this situation? How do you play it?

Thanks,

pj
chgo
 

petie

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Oct 2, 2005
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Citrus Springs, FL
Long as we're on the subject of rules, here's a question I've never heard or seen answered:

Say the CB is frozen to the 1 ball in a rotation game like 9-Ball or 10-Ball. In snooker you can shoot the CB away from the 1 (without moving the 1) and it counts as "contacting" the 1 for a legal hit. That's not true in pool - so what do you have to do to "contact" the 1 ball in pool?

I think the rule should be that if you move the 1 ball, even slightly, by shooting even a little "toward" it (toward the 1-Ball side of the CB/1B tangent line), then you've "contacted" the ball. But I've never seen this clarification in print. Does a written rule exist for this situation? How do you play it?

Thanks,

pj
chgo

Please, Jesus.
 

Tennessee Joe6

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6.7 Double Hit / Frozen Balls
If the cue stick contacts the cue ball more than once on a shot, the shot is a foul. If the cue ball is close to but not touching an object ball and the cue tip is still on the cue ball when the cue ball contacts that object ball, the shot is a foul. If the cue ball is very close to an object ball, and the shooter barely grazes that object ball on the shot, the shot is assumed not to violate the first paragraph of this rule, even though the tip is arguably still on the cue ball when ball-ball contact is made.
However, if the cue ball is touching an object ball at the start of the shot, it is legal to shoot towards or partly into that ball (provided it is a legal target within the rules of the game) and if the object ball is moved by such a shot, it is considered to have been contacted by the cue ball. (Even though it may be legal to shoot towards such a touching or “frozen” ball, care must be taken not to violate the rules in the first paragraph if there are additional balls close by.)
The cue ball is assumed not to be touching any ball unless it is declared touching by the referee or opponent. It is the shooter’s responsibility to get the declaration before the shot. Playing away from a frozen ball does not constitute having hit that ball unless specified in the rules of the game.
 

Patrick Johnson

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6.7 Double Hit / Frozen Balls
If the cue stick contacts the cue ball more than once on a shot, the shot is a foul. If the cue ball is close to but not touching an object ball and the cue tip is still on the cue ball when the cue ball contacts that object ball, the shot is a foul. If the cue ball is very close to an object ball, and the shooter barely grazes that object ball on the shot, the shot is assumed not to violate the first paragraph of this rule, even though the tip is arguably still on the cue ball when ball-ball contact is made.
However, if the cue ball is touching an object ball at the start of the shot, it is legal to shoot towards or partly into that ball (provided it is a legal target within the rules of the game) and if the object ball is moved by such a shot, it is considered to have been contacted by the cue ball. (Even though it may be legal to shoot towards such a touching or “frozen” ball, care must be taken not to violate the rules in the first paragraph if there are additional balls close by.)
The cue ball is assumed not to be touching any ball unless it is declared touching by the referee or opponent. It is the shooter’s responsibility to get the declaration before the shot. Playing away from a frozen ball does not constitute having hit that ball unless specified in the rules of the game.
Hmmm... on the same page as the rule I quoted. How dumb do I feel now? :)

By the way, it's the part in red above that answers my question.

Thanks,

pj
chgo
 

Tennessee Joe6

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Jan 10, 2005
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From
Middle Tennessee
Yes, I highlighted the wrong sentence.

The simple way to avoid most of this controversy is just to use a lot of INSIDE ENGLISH on these shots. The cue ball deflects away from the tip and both balls part away from each other.
 
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