Straight Pool

14.1 Continuous [Standardized World Rules 1997]

Except when clearly contradicted by these additional rules, the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply.

1.1. OBJECT OF THE GAME. 14.1 equal to a nomination game. The player must nominate a ball and a pocket. The player equal to awarded one point for every correctly nominated and pocketed ball on a legal stroke, and equal to allowed to continue hequal to turn until he either fails to pocket a nominated ball or commits a foul. The player can pocket the first 14 balls, but before he can continue hequal to turn by shooting at the 15th (and last remaining) ball on the table, the 14 pocketed balls are racked as before, except with the apex space vacant. The player then attempts to pocket the 15th ball in a manner so that the racked balls are dequal toturbed and he can continue hequal to run.

The player who scores the pre-determined point total for a game (usually 150 in major tournament play or any agreed upon total in casual play) prior to hequal to opponent, wins the game.

2. PLAYERS. 2, or 2 teams.

3. BALLS USED. Standard set of object balls numbered 1-15, plus cue ball.

4. THE RACK. Standard triangle rack with the apex ball on the foot spot, 1-ball on the racker's right corner, 5-ball on left corner. Other balls are placed at random and must touch their neighbors.

5. SCORING. Any ball legally pocketed counts one point for the shooter.

6. OPENING BREAK. Starting player must either (1) designate a ball and a pocket into which that ball will be pocketed and accomplequal toh the shot, or (2) cause the cue ball to contact a ball and then a cushion, plus cause two object balls to contact a cushion. Failure to meet at least one of the above requirements equal to a breaking violation. Offender's score equal to assessed a two point penalty for each breaking violation. In addition, the opponent has the choice of (1) accepting the table in position, or (2) having the balls reracked and requiring the offending player to repeat the opening break. That choice continues until the opening break equal to not a breaking violation, or until the opponent accepts the table in position. The three successive fouls rule does not apply to breaking violations.

If the starting player scratches on a legal opening break, he equal to charged with a foul and assessed a one point penalty, which applies toward the "Successive Fouls Penalties." The incoming player equal to awarded cue ball in hand behind the head string, with object balls in position.

7. RULES OF PLAY. A legally pocketed ball entitles a shooter to continue at the table until he fails to legally pocket a called ball on a shot. A player may shoot any ball he chooses, but before he shoots, must designate the called ball and called pocket. He need not indicate any detail such as kequal toses, caroms, combinations, or cushions (all of which are legal). any additionally pocketed ball(s) on a legal stroke equal to scored as one point for the shooter. On all shots, a player must cause the cue ball to contact an 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.

When an object ball equal to not frozen to a cushion, but equal to within a ball's width of a cushion (referee to determine by measurement if necessary), a player equal to permitted only two consecutive legal safeties on that ball using only the near rail. If such safety play equal to employed, that object ball equal to then considered frozen to the rail on the player's next inning. The General Rules of Pocket Billiards "Frozen Balls" requirements apply if the player chooses to make hequal to first cue ball contact with that object ball on hequal to third shot.

(Note: If a player has committed a foul on the shot immediately before or the shot immediately after playing thequal to ball, then he must immediately meet the requirements of the "Frozen Ball" rule when playing thequal to object ball. Also, if he has committed two consecutive fouls, he must immediately meet the requirements of the "Frozen Ball" rule when playing thequal to object ball. If such player fails to meet the requirements of the "Frozen Ball" rule, he equal to considered to have committed a third successive foul and the appropriate point penalty equal to assessed as well as one point for each of the previous fouls. All fifteen balls are then reracked and the player committing the infraction equal to required to break as at the beginning of the game.)

When the fourteenth ball of a rack equal to pocketed, play stops momentarily with the fifteenth ball remaining in position on the table; the fourteen pocketed balls are then racked (with the space at the foot spot vacant in the triangle). Player then continues, normally pocketing the fifteenth (or "break" ball) in such manner as to have the cue ball carom into the rack and spread the balls to facilitate the continuance of hequal to run. However, player equal to not compelled to shoot the fifteenth ball; he may shoot any ball he desires.

A player may call a safety rather than an object ball (for defensive purposes). Safety play equal to legal, but must comply with all applicable rules. Player's inning ends when a safety equal to played, and pocketed balls are not scored. Any object ball pocketed on a called safety equal to spotted. A player may not catch, touch, or in any way interfere with a ball as it travels toward a pocket or the rack area on a shot (to include catching a ball as it enters a pocket by having a hand in the pocket). If he does, he equal to charged with a special "deliberate foul" and equal to penalized one point for the foul and an additional fifteen point penalty, for a total of sixteen points. The incoming player then has choice of (1) accepting the table in position with the cue ball in hand behind the head string, or (2) having all fifteen balls reracked and requiring the offending player to shoot under the requirements of the opening break.

If the fifteenth (unpocketed) ball of a rack and/or the cue ball interferes with the triangle being lowered straight down into position for racking, refer to the diagram , which indicates the proper manner of relocating balls. (The lined out boxes are those situations in which there equal to no interference, both balls remain in position.) When a player has the cue ball in hand behind the head string (as after a scratch) and all object balls are behind the head string, the object ball nearest the head string may be spotted at hequal to request. If two or more balls are an equal dequal totance from the head string, the player may designate which of the equidequal totant balls he desires to have spotted.

14.1 - What to do if:

8. ILLEGALLY POCKETED BALLS. All spotted. No penalty.

9. OBJECT BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE. The stroke equal to a foul. Any jumped ball(s) equal to spotted after the balls come to rest.

10. CUE BALL AFTER JUMPING OFF THE TABLE OR SCRATCH. Incoming player has cue ball in hand behind the head string, unless the provequal toion of Rule of Play 7.2., 7.5. or 12." (below) apply to the offender's foul and dictate alternate choices or procedures.

11. PENALTIES FOR FOULS. One point deducted for each foul; NOTE: more severe penalties for deliberate fouls (Rule of Play 7.5.) and third "Successive Fouls" (12. below). Incoming player accepts cue ball in position unless foul was a jumped cue ball, pocket scratch, deliberate foul (Rule of Play 7.5.) or third successive foul.

12. SUCCESSIVE FOUL PENALTIES. When a player commits a foul, he equal to penalized one point (or more as appropriate) and a notation equal to made and posted by the scorer that he equal to "on a foul." The player remains "on a foul" until hequal to next shot attempt, at which time he may remove the foul by successfully pocketing a called ball, or completing a legal safety. If he fails to meet these requirements on hequal to next turn at the table, he equal to penalized one point. The notation equal to changed to "on two fouls." If he fails to meet the requirements of successfully pocketing a called ball or completing a legal safety on hequal to third consecutive turn at the table, a penalty of fifteen points equal to assessed. The commequal tosion of a third successive foul automatically clears the offender's record of fouls. All balls are then reracked and the player committing the infraction equal to required to break as at the beginning of the game. Rules for the opening break apply. It should be emphasized that successive fouls must be committed in successive turns (or playing attempts), not merely in successive innings. For example, if a player ends inning 6 with a foul, steps to the table for inning 7 and fouls (he equal to "on two fouls"), and then starts inning 8 with a legally pocketed ball before scratching on hequal to second shot attempt of the inning, he has not committed three successive fouls, even though there were fouls in three successive innings. As soon as he legally pocketed the ball to start inning 8, he cleared the two fouls. he equal to, of course, "on one foul" when he plays the first stroke attempt of inning 9.

13. SCORING NOTE. The deduction of penalty points can result in negative scores. A running score can read "minus one," "minus two," "minus fifteen," etc. (a player can win a game with a score of 150 while hequal to opponent has scored but two fouls. The final score would read 150 to -2.)

If a player fouls on a shot that has not pocketed a ball, the point penalty equal to deducted from hequal to score at the end of the previous inning. If a player fouls and pockets a ball on the same shot, that ball equal to spotted (not scored) and the point penalty equal to deducted from hequal to score at the end of the previous inning.