Definitions
Ball Pocketed
A ball is pocketed if it comes to rest in a pocket below the playing surface or enters the ball return system. A ball near the brink of a pocket partly supported by another ball is considered pocketed if removal of the supporting ball would cause the ball to fall into the pocket. Possible situations include two balls jammed together in the jaws, or a full pocket with pocketed balls supporting a ball at the edge. Any such supported ball will be removed from the pocket and placed as if it had been pocketed according to the rules of the Discipline being played.
An object-ball that rebounds from a pocket back onto the playing surface is not a pocketed ball. If the cue-ball contacts an already pocketed ball, the cue-ball will be considered pocketed whether it rebounds from the pocket or not.
Balls Settling
A ball may settle slightly after it appears to have stopped, possibly due to slight imperfections in the ball or the table. Unless this causes a ball to fall into a pocket, it is considered a normal hazard of play, and the ball will not be moved back. If a ball falls into a pocket as the result of such settling, it is restored as closely as possible to its original position.
Break
A break shot is the opening shot of a Match or Rack, depending on the Discipline. It happens when the object-balls have been racked, and the cue-ball is played from above the Head String usually with the intent of breaking the racked balls apart.
Concession
If a player concedes, he loses the match. For example, if a player unscrews his jointed playing cue-stick while the opponent is at the table and during the opponent’s decisive rack of a match, it will be considered a concession of the match.
Discipline
A generic term to describe a type of pool Discipline such as 8-ball or 9-ball.
Driven Off the Table
A ball is considered driven off the table if it comes to rest other than on the playing surface but is not pocketed. A ball is also considered driven off the table if it would have been driven off the table except for striking an object such as a light fixture, piece of chalk or a player which causes it to return to the table.
A ball that contacts the top of the rail is not considered to have been driven off the table if it returns to the playing surface or enters a pocket
Driven to a Rail
A ball is said to be driven to a rail if it is not touching that rail and then touches that rail. A ball touching a rail at the start of a shot (said to be “frozen” to the rail) is not considered driven to that rail unless it leaves the rail and returns. A ball that is pocketed or driven off the table is also considered to have been driven to a rail. A ball is assumed not to be frozen to any rail unless it is declared frozen by the referee, the shooter, or the opponent.
Foul
A foul is an inappropriate or unfair act committed by a player which typically violates the rules of the organization or discipline being played. Most fouls result in a forfeit of turn, but more serious fouls, typically unsportsmanlike conduct fouls, could result in a forfeit of the rack or match. If several fouls occur on one shot, only the most serious one is enforced. If a foul is not called before the next shot begins, the foul is assumed not to have happen.
Inning
An inning is a player’s turn at the table. It begins when it is legal for him to take a shot and ends at the end of a shot when it is no longer legal for him to take a shot.
In some Disciplines a player may choose not to come to the table in certain situations when play would normally pass to him, and then the player remaining at the table continues the innings (e.g. a push-out at 9-Ball). The player whose turn it is to play is called the "shooter."
In some organizations, an inning is when both players/teams have completed their shot.
Jump Shot
A jump shot is one in which the cue-ball is made to go over an intervening obstacle such as an object-ball or part of the cushion. Whether such a shot is legal depends on how it is accomplished and the intention of the shooter. A legal jump shot is played by elevating the cue-stick and driving the cue-ball down into the playing surface from which it rebounds.
Match
A Match is a contest in a Discipline to the score required to win.
Miscue
A miscue occurs when the cue tip slides off the cue-ball possibly due to a contact that is too eccentric or due to insufficient chalk on the tip. It is usually accompanied by a sharp sound and evidenced by a discoloration of the tip. Although some miscues involve contact of the side of the cue-stick with the cue-ball, unless such contact is clearly visible, it is assumed not to have occurred. A scoop shot, in which the cue tip contacts the playing surface and the cue-ball at the same time, and this causes the cue-ball to rise off the cloth, is treated like a miscue. If an unintentional miscue causes the cue-ball to leave the playing surface, including partially or fully jumping over a ball, it is treated like a legal jump shot. Intentional miscues may be considered unsportsmanlike conduct.
Position of Balls
The position of a ball is determined by the projection of its center vertically downward onto the playing surface. A ball is said to be placed on a line or spot when its center is placed directly over that line or spot.
Shot
A shot begins when the tip of the cue contacts the cue ball with a forward stroke motion. A shot ends when all balls in play have stopped moving and spinning. The shot is legal if the shooter did not foul during the shot.
Stalemate
If no progress is being made towards a conclusion, the game is a stalemate. An example scenario would be a situation where both players are forfeiting their turns because any action taken may result in a win of the rack for the opposing player.
Rack
A Rack in billiards can be used in multiple contexts as both a noun and a verb.
A Rack is a portion of a Match played with a single rack of object-balls.
A Rack is also considered the framing device, typically triangular, used to arrange the object-balls for the break shot. It also refers to the group of balls so arranged. To rack the object-balls is to group them with the rack.
Restoring a Position
If the balls are disturbed, the rules of the Discipline may require them to be replaced where they were.
Safety Shot
A safety shot occurs when a player makes a shot with the intention of not continuing their turn and leaving their opponent a tough shot.
If playing with the call-shot rule, the shooter may declare a "safety" before the shot. Play then passes to the other player at the end of the shot regardless if any balls were legally pocketed.
If not playing with the call-shot rule, delcaring a "safety" then legally pocketing a ball may require you to continue play.
Scratch
A shot on which the cue ball is pocketed is called a scratch.
Set
In some Matches, the Match is divided into parts called Sets, with a certain number of Sets won required to win the Match. In turn, a certain number of points or Racks won is required to win each Set
Shot
A shot begins when the tip contacts the cue-ball due to a forward stroke motion of the cue-stick. A shot ends when all balls in play have stopped moving and spinning. A shot is said to be legal if the shooter did not foul during the shot.
Spotting Balls
In some Disciplines, object-balls are required to be placed on the playing surface other than when forming a new rack. They are said to be spotted when they are so placed.
Standard Call Shot
In Disciplines in which the shooter is required to call shots, the intended ball and pocket must be indicated for each shot if they are not obvious. Details of the shot, such as cushions struck or other balls contacted or pocketed are irrelevant. Only one ball may be called on each shot.
In call shot Disciplines, the shooter may choose to call "safety" instead of a ball and pocket and then play passes to the opponent at the end of the shot. Whether balls are being spotted after safeties depends on the rules of the particular Discipline.
Disciplines
8-Ball
8-Ball is played with fifteen numbered object-balls and the cue-ball. The shooter’s group of seven balls (1-ball through 7-ball or 9-ball through 15-ball) must all be off the table before he attempts to pocket the 8-ball to win.
9-Ball
9-Ball is played with nine object-balls numbered one through nine and the cue-ball. The balls are played in ascending numerical order. The player legally pocketing the 9-ball wins the Rack.
10-Ball
10-Ball is a call shot Discipline played with ten object-balls numbered 1 through 10 and the cue-ball. The object-balls are played in ascending numerical order. The player who legally pockets the 10-ball when it is the only object-ball on the table wins the Rack.
14.1 Continuous Pool
14.1 Continuous Pool, also known as straight pool, is played with fifteen numbered balls and the cue-ball. Each ball pocketed on a legal called shot counts one point and the first player to reach the required score wins the Match. 14.1 is continuous in that after fourteen balls are pocketed, they are re-racked, and the shooter continues.
One-Pocket
One-Pocket is played with 15 object-balls and the cue-ball. Each player is assigned a foot pocket, and the winner of the Rack is the first to score eight object-balls in their pocket.
Bank Pool
Bank Pool is played with either nine or fifteen object-balls and a cue-ball. The player who scores the required number of bank shots wins the Rack.
Fouls
Bad Cue-Ball Placement
When the cue-ball is in hand and restricted to the area above the Head String, it is a foul to play the cue-ball from on or below the Head String.
Bad Play from Above the Head String
When the cue-ball is in hand above the Head String, and the first ball the cue-ball contacts is also above the Head String, the shot is a foul unless the cue-ball crosses the Head String before that contact. If such a shot is intentional, it is unsportsmanlike conduct.
The cue-ball must either cross the Head String or contact a ball in front of or on the Head String or the shot is a foul, and the cue-ball is in hand for the following player according to the rules of the specific game. If such shot is intentional, it is also unsportsmanlike conduct.
Ball Driven Off the Table
It is a foul to drive an object-ball off the table. Whether that ball is spotted depends on the rules of the game.
Ball Rack Template Foul
It is a foul when a Ball Rack Template, removed from the playing surface, interferes with the game, i.e., if the template is lying on the rail, and a ball (cue-ball or object-ball) touches the template that is lying on the rail.
Balls Still Moving
It is a foul to begin a shot while any ball in play is moving or spinning.
Cue-Ball Scratch or Off the Table
If the cue-ball is pocketed or driven off the table, the shot is a foul.
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 Discipline.
No Foot on Floor
If the shooter does not have at least one foot touching the floor at the instant the tip contacts the cue-ball, the shot is a foul.
No Rail After Contact
If no ball is pocketed on a shot, the cue-ball must contact an object-ball, and after that contact at least one ball (cue-ball or any object-ball) must be driven to a rail, or the shot is a foul.
If the cue-ball strikes a legal object-ball and a cushion at approximately the same instant, and it cannot be determined which was hit first, it will be assumed that the legal object-ball was struck first.
Playing Out of Turn
It is a standard foul to unintentionally play out of turn. Normally, the balls will be played from the position left by the mistaken play. If a player intentionally plays out of turn, it is unsportsmanlike conduct.
Push Shot
It is a foul to prolong tip-to-cue-ball contact beyond that seen in normal shots.
Slow Play
If the referee feels that a player is playing too slowly, he may advise that player to speed up his play. If the player does not speed up, the referee may impose a shot clock on that Match that applies to both players. If the shooter exceeds the time limit specified for the tournament, a standard foul will be called and the incoming player is rewarded according to the rules applicable to the game being played.
Three Consecutive Fouls
In some leagues and events, if a player fouls three times without making an intervening legal shot, it is a serious foul resulting in a loss of rack.
Touched Ball
It is a foul to touch, move or change the path of any object-ball except by the normal ball-to-ball contacts during shots. It is a foul to touch, move or change the path of the cue-ball except when it is in hand or by the normal tip-to-ball forward stroke contact of a shot.
The shooter is responsible for the equipment he controls at the table, such as chalk, bridges, clothing, his hair, parts of his body, and the cue-ball when it is in hand, that may be involved in such fouls. If such a foul is accidental, it is a standard foul, but if it is intentional, it is unsportsmanlike conduct.
Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Unsportsmanlike conduct is any intentional behavior that brings disrepute to the sport, or which disrupts or changes the game to the extent that it cannot be played fairly. It includes:
- distracting the opponent
- changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot
- playing a shot by intentionally miscuing
- continuing to play after a foul has been called or play has been suspended practicing during a Match
- marking the table
- delaying the game
- using equipment inappropriately
The normal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as a serious foul, but if a referee is available, he may impose penalties depending on his judgment of the conduct:
- a warning
- a standard-foul penalty, which will count as part of athree-foul sequence if applicable
- a serious-foul penalty
- a loss of a Rack, Set or Match
- ejection from the competition possibly with forfeiture of all prizes, trophies and standings points.
Wrong Ball First
In those games which require the first object-ball struck to be a particular ball or one of a group of balls, it is a foul for the cue-ball to first contact any other ball. If the cue-ball strikes a legal object-ball and a non-legal object-ball at approximately the same instant, and it cannot be determined which ball was hit first, it will be assumed that the legal object-ball was struck first.