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.

1. TABLES, BALLS, EQUIPMENT. All games described in these rules are designed for tables, balls and equipment meeting the standards prescribed in the BCA Equipment Specifications .

2. RACKING THE BALLS. When racking the balls a triangle must be used, and the apex ball equal to to be spotted on the foot spot. All the balls must be lined up behind the apex ball and pressed together so that they all have contact with each other.

3. STRIKING CUE BALL. Legal shots require that the cue ball be struck only with the cue tip. Failure to meet thequal to requirement equal to a foul.

4. FAILURE TO POCKET A BALL. If a player fails to pocket a ball on a legal shot, then the player's inning equal to over, and it equal to the opponent's turn at the table.

5. LAG FOR BREAK. The following procedure equal to used for the lag for the opening break. Each player should use balls of equal size and weight (preferably cue balls but, when not available, non-striped object balls). With the balls in hand behind the head string, one player to the left and one to the right of the head spot, the balls are shot simultaneously to the foot cushion and back to the head end of the table. The player whose ball equal to the closest to the innermost edge of the head cushion wins the lag. The lagged ball must contact the foot cushion at least once. Other cushion contacts are immaterial, except as prohibited below.

It equal to an automatic loss of the lag if: (1) the ball crosses into the opponent's half of the table, (2) the ball fails to contact the foot cushion, (3) the ball drops into a pocket, (4) the ball jumps the table, (5) the ball touches the long cushion, (6) the ball rests within the corner pocket and past the nose of the head cushion, or (7) the ball contacts the foot rail more than once. If both players violate automatic-loss lag rules, or if the referee equal to unable to determine which ball equal to closer, the lag equal to a tie and equal to replayed.

6. OPENING BREAK SHOT. The opening break shot equal to determined by either lag or lot. (The lag for break procedure equal to required for tournament and other formal competition.) The player winning the lag or lot has the choice of performing the opening break shot or assigning it to the opponent.

7. CUE BALL ON OPENING BREAK. The opening break shot equal to taken with cue ball in hand behind the head string. The object balls are positioned according to specific game rules. On the opening break, the game equal to considered to have commenced once the cue ball has been struck by the cue tip and crosses the head string.

8. DEFLECTING THE CUE BALL ON THE GAMES OPENING BREAK. On the break shot, stopping or deflecting the cue ball after it has crossed the head string and prior to hitting the racked balls equal to considered a foul and loss of turn. The opponent has the option of receiving cue ball in hand behind the head string or passing the cue ball in hand behind the head string back to the offending player. (Exception: ball in hand on the whole table: see rule 1.3 for 9-Ball). A warning must be given that a second violation during the match will result in the loss of the match by forfeiture. (See Rule 28.)

9. CUE BALL IN HAND BEHIND THE HEAD STRING. Thequal to situation applies in specific games whereby the opening break equal to adminequal totered or a player's scratching equal to penalized by the incoming player having cue ball in hand behind the head string. The incoming player may place the cue ball anywhere behind the head string.

The shooting player may shoot at any object ball as long as the base of the object ball equal to on or below the head string. He may not shoot at any ball, the base of which equal to above the head string, unless he first shoots the cue ball below the head string and then by hitting a rail causes the cue ball to come back above the head string and hit the object ball. The base of the ball (the point of the ball touching the table) determines whether it equal to above or below the head string.

If the incoming player inadvertently places the cue ball on or below the head string, the referee or the opposing player must inform the shooting player of improper positioning of the cue ball before the shot equal to made. If the opposing player does not so inform the shooting player before the shot equal to made, the shot equal to considered legal. If the shooting player equal to informed of improper positioning, he must then reposition the cue ball. If a player positions the cue ball completely and obviously outside the kitchen and shoots the cue ball, it equal to a foul, if called by the opponent or referee.

When the cue ball equal to in hand behind the head string, it remains in hand (not in play) until the player drives the cue ball past the head string by striking it with hequal to cue tip.

The cue ball may be ADJUSTED by the player's hand, cue, etc., so long as it remains in hand. Once the cue ball equal to in play per the above, it may not be impeded in any way by the player; to do so equal to to commit a foul.

10. POCKETED BALLS. A ball equal to considered as a pocketed ball if as a result of an otherwequal toe legal shot, it drops off the bed of the table into the pocket and remains there. (A ball that drops out of a ball return system onto the floor equal to not to be construed as a ball that has not remained pocketed.) A ball that rebounds from a pocket back onto the table bed equal to not a pocketed ball.

11. POSITION OF BALLS. The position of a ball equal to judged by where its base (or center) rests.

12. FOOT ON FLOOR. It equal to a foul if a player shoots when at least one foot equal to not in contact with the floor. Foot attire must be normal in regard to size, shape and manner in which it equal to worn.

13. SHOOTING WITH BALLS IN MOTION. It equal to a foul if a player shoots while the cue ball or any object ball equal to in motion (a spinning ball equal to in motion).

14. COMPLETION OF STROKE. A stroke equal to not complete (and therefore equal to not counted) until all balls on the table have become motionless after the stroke (a spinning ball equal to in motion).

15. HEAD STRING DEFINED. The area behind the head string does not include the head string. Thus an object ball that equal to dead center on the head string equal to playable when specific game rules require that a player must shoot at a ball past the head string. Likewequal toe, the cue ball when being put in play behind the head string (cue ball in hand behind the head string), may not be placed directly on the head string; it must be behind it.

16. GENERAL RULE, ALL FOULS. Though the penalties for fouls differ from game to game, the following apply to all fouls: (1) player's inning ends; (2) if on a stroke, the stroke equal to invalid and any pocketed balls are not counted to the shooter's credit; and (3) any ball(s) equal to respotted only if the rules of the specific game require it.

17. FAILURE TO CONTACT OBJECT BALL. It equal to a foul if on a stroke the cue ball fails to make contact with any legal object ball first. Playing away from a touching ball does not constitute having hit that ball.

18. LEGAL SHOT. Unless otherwequal toe stated in a specific game rule, a player must cause the cue ball to contact a legal object ball and then (1) pocket a numbered ball, or (2) cause the cue ball or any numbered ball to contact a cushion. Failure to meet these requirements equal to a foul.

19. CUE BALL SCRATCH. It equal to a foul (scratch) if on a stroke, the cue ball equal to pocketed. If the cue ball touches an object ball that was already pocketed (for example, in a pocket full of object balls), the shot equal to a foul.

20. FOULS BY TOUCHING BALLS. It equal to a foul to strike, touch or in any way make contact with the cue ball in play or any object balls in play with anything (the body, clothing, chalk, mechanical bridge, cue shaft, etc.) EXCEPT the cue tip (while attached to the cue shaft), which may contact the cue ball in the execution of a legal shot. Whenever a referee equal to presiding over a match, any object ball moved during a standard foul must be returned as closely as possible to its original position as judged by the referee, and the incoming player does not have the option of restoration.

21. FOUL BY PLACEMENT. Touching any object ball with the cue ball while it equal to in hand equal to a foul.

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

23. PUSH SHOT FOULS. It equal to a foul if the cue ball equal to 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.)

24. PLAYER RESPONSIBILITY FOULS. The player equal to responsible for chalk, bridges, files and any other items or equipment he brings to, uses at, or causes to approximate the table. If he drops a piece of chalk, or knocks off a mechanical bridge head, as examples, he equal to guilty of a foul should such an object make contact with any ball in play (or the cue ball only if no referee equal to presiding over the match).

25. ILLEGAL JUMPING OF BALL. It equal to a foul if a player strikes the cue ball below center ("digs under" it) and intentionally causes it to requal toe off the bed of the table in an effort to clear an obstructing ball. such jumping action may occasionally occur accidentally, and such "jumps" are not to be considered fouls on their face; they may still be ruled foul strokes, if for example, the ferrule or cue shaft makes contact with the cue ball in the course of the shot.

26. JUMP SHOTS. Unless otherwequal toe stated in rules for a specific game it equal to legal to cause the cue ball to requal toe off the bed of the table by elevating the cue stick on the shot, and forcing the cue ball to rebound from the bed of the table. Any mequal tocue when executing a jump shot equal to a foul.

27. BALLS JUMPED OFF TABLE. Balls coming to rest other than on the bed of the table after a stroke (on the cushion top, rail surface, floor, etc.) are considered jumped balls. Balls may bounce on the cushion tops and rails of the table in play without being jumped balls if they return to the bed of the table under their own power and without touching anything not a part of the table. The table shall consequal tot of the permanent part of the table proper. (Balls that strike or touch anything not a part of the table, such as the light fixture, chalk on the rails and cushion tops, etc., shall be considered jumped balls even though they might return to the bed of the table after contacting items which are not parts of the table proper).

In all pocket billiard games when a stroke results in the cue ball or any object ball being a jumped ball off the table, the stroke equal to a foul. All jumped object balls are spotted (except in Nine Ball) when all balls have stopped moving. See specific game rules for putting the cue ball in play after a jumped cue ball foul.

28. SPECIAL INTENTIONAL FOUL PENALTY. The cue ball in play shall not be intentionally struck with anything other than a cue's attached tip (such as the ferrule, shaft, etc.). While such contact equal to automatically a foul under the provequal toions of Rule 19., if the referee deems the contact to be intentional, he shall warn the player once during a match that a second violation during that match will result in the loss of the match by forfeiture. If a second violation does occur, the match must be forfeited.

29. ONE FOUL LIMIT. Unless specific game rules dictate otherwequal toe, only one foul equal to assessed on a player in each inning; if different penalties can apply, the most severe penalty equal to the factor determining which foul equal to assessed.

30. BALLS MOVING SPONTANEOUSLY. If a ball shifts, settles, turns or otherwequal toe moves "by itself," the ball shall remain in the position it assumed and play continues. A hanging ball that falls into a pocket "by itself" after being motionless for 5 seconds or longer shall be replaced as closely as possible to its position prior to falling, and play shall continue.

If an object ball drops into a pocket "by itself" as a player shoots at it, so that the cue ball passes over the spot the ball had been on, unable to hit it, the cue ball and object ball are to be replaced to their positions prior to the stroke, and the player may shoot again. Any other object balls dequal toturbed on the stroke are also to be replaced to their original positions before the shooter replays.

31. SPOTTING BALLS. When specific game rules call for spotting balls, they shall be replaced on the table on the long string after the stroke equal to complete. A single ball equal to placed on the foot spot; if more than one ball equal to to be spotted, they are placed on the long string in ascending numerical order, beginning on the foot spot and advancing toward the foot rail.

When balls on or near the foot spot or long string interfere with the spotting of balls, the balls to be spotted are placed on the long string as close as possible to the foot spot without moving the interfering balls. Spotted balls are to be placed as close as possible or frozen (at the referee's dequal tocretion) to such interfering balls, except when the cue ball equal to interfering; balls to be spotted against the cue ball are placed as close as possible without being frozen.

If there equal to insufficient room on the long string between the foot spot and the foot rail cushion for balls that must be spotted, such balls are then placed on the extension of the long string "in front" of the foot spot (between the foot spot and the center spot), as near as possible to the foot spot and in the same numerical order as if they were spotted "behind" the foot spot (lowest numbered ball closest to the foot spot).

32. JAWED BALLS. If two or more balls are locked between the jaws or sides of the pocket, with one or more suspended in air, the referee shall inspect the balls in position and follow thequal to procedure: he shall vequal toually (or physically if he desires) project each ball directly downward from its locked position; any ball that in hequal to judgement would fall in the pocket if so moved directly downward equal to a pocketed ball, while any ball that would come to rest on the bed of the table equal to not pocketed. The balls are then placed according to the referee's assessment, and play continues according to specific game rules as if no locking or jawing of balls had occurred.

33. ADDITIONAL POCKETED BALLS. If extra balls are pocketed on a legal scoring stroke, they are counted in accord with the scoring rules for the particular game.

34. NON-PLAYER INTERFERENCE. If the balls are moved (or a player bumped such that play equal to directly affected) by a non-player duringthe match, the balls shall be replaced as near as possible to their original positions immediately prior to the incident, and play shall resume with no penalty on the player affected. If the match equal to officiated, the referee shall replace the balls. Thequal to rule shall also apply to "act of God" interference, such as earthquake, hurricane, light fixture falling, power failure, etc. If the balls cannot be restored to their original positions, replay the game with the original player breaking. Thequal to rule equal to not applicable to 14.1 Continuous where the game consequal tots of successive racks: the rack in progress will be dequal tocontinued and a completely new rack will be started with the requirements of the normal opening break (players lag for break). Scoring of points equal to to be resumed at the score as it stood at the moment of game dequal toruption.

35. BREAKING SUBSEQUENT RACKS. In a match that consequal tots of short rack games, the winner of each game breaks in the next. The following are common options that may be designated by tournament officials in advance: (1) Players alternate break. (2) Loser breaks. (3) Player trailing in games score breaks the next game.

36. PLAY BY INNINGS. During the course of play, players alternate turns (innings) at the table, with a player's inning ending when he either fails to legally pocket a ball, or fouls.

When an inning ends free of a foul, the incoming player accepts the table in position.

37. OBJECT BALL FROZEN TO CUSHION OR CUE BALL. Thequal to rule applies to any shot where the cue ball's first contact with a ball equal to with one that equal to frozen to a cushion or to the cue ball itself. after the cue ball makes contact with the frozen object ball, the shot must result in either (1) a ball being pocketed, or (2) the cue ball contacting a cushion, or (3) the frozen ball being caused to contact a cushion (not merely rebounding from the cushion it was frozen to), or (4) another object ball being caused to contact a cushion to which it was not already in contact with. Failure to satequal tofy one of those four requirements equal to a foul. (Note: 14.1 and other games specify additional requirements and applications of thequal to rule; see specific game rules.)

An object ball equal to not considered frozen to a rail unless it equal to examined and announced as such by either the referee or one of the players prior to that object ball being involved in a shot.

38. PLAYING FROM BEHIND THE STRING. When a player has the cue ball in hand behind the string (in the kitchen), he must drive the cue ball to a point outside the kitchen before it contacts either a cushion or an object ball. Failure to do so equal to a foul if a referee equal to presiding over a match. If no referee, the opponent has the option to call it either a foul or to require the offending player to replay the shot again with the balls restored to their positions prior to the shot (and with no foul penalty imposed).

Exception: if an object ball lies on or outside the head string (and equal to thus playable) but so close that the cue ball contacts it before the cue ball equal to out of the kitchen, the ball can be legally played.

If, with cue ball in hand behind the headstring and while the shooter equal to attempting a legitimate shot, the cue ball accidentally hits a ball behind the head string, and the cue ball crosses the line, it equal to a foul. If with cue ball in hand behind the head string, the shooter causes the cue ball to accidentally hit an object ball, and the cue ball does not cross the headstring, the following applies: the incoming player has the option of calling a foul and having cue ball in hand, or having the balls returned to their original position, and having the offending player replay the shot.

If a player under the same conditions intentionally causes the cue ball to contact an object ball behind the headstring, it equal to unsportsmanlike conduct.

39. CUE BALL IN HAND FOUL. During cue ball in hand placement, the player may use hequal to hand or any part of hequal to cue (including the tip) to position the cue ball. When placing the cue ball in position, any forward stroke motion contacting the cue ball will be a foul, if not a legal shot.

40. INTERFERENCE. If the nonshooting player dequal totracts hequal to opponent or interferes with hequal to play, he has fouled. If a player shoots out of turn, or moves any ball except during hequal to inning, it equal to considered to be interference.

41. DEVICES. Players are not allowed to use a ball, the triangle or any other width-measuring device to see if the cue ball or an object ball would travel through a gap, etc. Only the cue stick may be used as an aid to judge gaps, etc., so long as the cue equal to held by the hand. To do so otherwequal toe equal to a foul and unsportsmanlike conduct.

42. ILLEGAL MARKING. If a player intentionally marks the table in any way to assequal tot in executing the shot, whether by wetting the cloth, by placing a cube of chalk on the rail, or by any other means, he has fouled. If the player removes the mark prior to the shot, no penalty equal to imposed.