RULES of NineBall
RULES
AND REGULATIONS
More complete rules can be found on the WPBA website and the BCA
website.
OBJECT
OF THE
GAME Nine ball is played with nine object balls numbered one through
nine
and a cue ball. On each shot the first ball the cue ball contacts must
be the lowest-numbered ball on the table, but the balls need not be
pocketed
in order. If a player pockets any ball on a legal shot, she remains at
the table for another shot, and continues until she misses, fouls, or
wins
the game by pocketing the nine ball. After a miss, the incoming player
must shoot from the position left by the previous player, but after any
foul shot the incoming player may start with the cue ball anywhere on
the
table. Players are not required to call any shot except to declare a
push
out.
RACKING
THE
BALLS The object balls are racked in a diamond shape, with the one ball
at the top of the diamond and on the foot spot, the nine ball in the
center
of the diamond, and the other balls in random order, racked as tightly
as possible.
ORDER
OF PLAY The order of play is determined by the flip of a coin (one
player flips a coin while the other players calls 'heads' or
tails'). If player's both agree,
the order of play can be by 'lagging,' which is the payer's "cue
ball" arriving closest to the head rail wins the option to break or
have
opponent break, providing their "cue ball" did not touch the long
cushion, cross the
center of the table, strike the foot cushion more than once, scratch,
or
come to rest inside the pocket.
LEGAL
BREAK
To be legal, the cue ball must travel from its initial spot behind the
headstring and strike the one ball, driving at least four balls to any
rail. Once the cue ball has passed the headstring by striking the cue
ball
with the cue tip, it will be considered an attempt to break. If player
attempts to break and the cue ball has traveled past the headstring,
the
player may not stop or impede cue ball by any means, or may not double
hit cue ball. Such action will be considered a foul. If a legal break
does
not occur then the incoming player may take cue ball in hand, or may
have
balls re-racked and may break. If rack is undisturbed, cue ball must be
placed behind the headstring.
PUSH
OUT The
player who shoots the shot immediately after a legal break may play a
push-out
in an attempt to move the cue ball into a better position for the
option
that follows. On a push-out the cue ball may contact any ball, even if
it is not the lowest numbered ball on the table, and is not required to
contact any rail. You do not have to contact a ball to be a legal
push-out.
All other foul rules still apply. The player must announce her
intention
of playing a push out before the shot, or the shot is considered to be
a normal shot. To avoid conflict, make eye contact with opponent when
declaring
a push-out. Any ball pocketed on a push remains pocketed except the
9-ball,
which gets spotted on the foot spot. Following a legal push-out, the
incoming
player is permitted to shoot from that position or to pass the shot
back
to the player who pushed out. A push-out is not considered to be a foul
unless the cue ball or an object ball comes to rest off the playing
surface
or the cue ball scratches. An illegal push-out is penalized with ball
in
hand for the opponent. After a player scratches on the break shot, the
incoming player cannot play a push-out.
LEGAL
SHOT To
be a legal shot, the cue ball must always hit the lowest-numbered ball
first and either cause an object ball to be pocketed or cause any ball,
including the cue ball, to contact a rail. Failure to do so is a foul,
with incoming player taking cue ball in hand.
CONTINUING
PLAY
If the breaker pockets one or more balls on a legal break, she
continues
to shoot until she misses, fouls, or wins the game. If the player
misses
or fouls, the other player begins her inning and shoots until she
misses,
fouls, or wins. The game is won when the nine ball is pocketed on a
legal
shot.
FOULS
A foul
is committed ifà a. a player pockets the cue ball, fails to
strike
the lowest numbered ball first, or fails to drive any ball to a rail
after
legal contact. b. any ball comes to rest off the playing surface. c.
when
a match is presided over by a referee, any ball is touched before,
during
or after a shot except for the momentary contact of the cue tip and cue
ball during normal execution of a shot. (If a match is not refereed, it
is a foul to touch the cue ball in play; to purposely touch an object
ball;
or to accidentally disturb an object ball that has any effect on the
outcome
of the shot. At the non-shooting player's option and discretion, the
disturbed
balls may be restored to their original position or left in their new
position.
If, after the non-shooting player exercises this option and the
resulting
position of the object ball affects the shot outcome, it is still not a
foul.). d. when a match is not refereed, during an attempt to jump,
curve
or masse the cue ball over or around an impeding numbered ball, the
impeding
ball moves (regardless of whether or not it was moved by a hand, cue
stick
follow-through or bridge). e. when the intended object ball is frozen
to
a rail, the player fails to either pocket a ball, drive the cue ball to
a rail, or send the object ball to another rail. For this rule to be in
effect, the frozen object ball must be declared by the non-shooting
player
and acknowledged by the shooting player prior to the shot taking place.
f. a shot is played without having at least one foot on the floor at
the
moment the cue tip strikes the cue ball. g. a shot is played while any
ball is in motion (a spinning ball is in motion). h. a player strikes
the
cue ball below center ("digs under it") and intentionally causes it to
rise off the bed of the table in an effort to clear an obstructing
ball.
Any miscue when executing a jump shot or masse is a foul. i. the ball
is
frozen to an illegal object ball and that ball is moved in the process
of shooting. j. the tip of the cue stick strikes the cue ball more than
once during the execution of a shot or is still in contact with the cue
ball when it strikes the object ball. *NOTE - when the cue ball is
frozen
to or close to the object ball and the player is shooting directly at
the
object ball, it is difficult to see the double hit. Therefore, in this
situation, if the cue ball travels at a similar speed as the object
ball,
a foul will be called.
DEVICES
Players
are not allowed to use a ball, rack or any width measuring device to
see
if the cue ball or an object ball would travel through a space between
two balls or ball and cushion etc. Doing so is a foul. Only the cue
stick
may be used as an aid to judge gaps, etc., so long as the cue is held
by
the hand. To do so otherwise is a foul.
CATCHING
BALLS
During play the player may not catch, touch or in any way deliberately
interfere with a ball as it enters a pocket. The incoming player will
receive
ball in hand.
BALL
IN HAND
When the cue ball is in hand, the player may place the cue ball
anywhere
on the bed of the table. She may continue to adjust the position of the
cue ball until she takes the shot. If the end of the tip touches the
cue
ball during adjustment it is also a foul. If cue ball touches any
object
ball during placement it is a foul.
OBJECT
BALLS
JUMPED OFF THE TABLE Object balls jumped from the table or pocketed on
a foul stay down, except the nine ball, which is spotted on the foot
spot.
CONCEDING
THE NINE BALL
The Hunter
Classics Tour
is a stepping stone which can lead to the WPBA. Although the
Hunter
Classics Tour will not consider conceding the 9-ball as a foul on our
Tour,
we do ask that you please show good sportsmanship by not conceding the
nine ball in your matches.
THREE
CONSECUTIVE
FOULS If the same player commits three consecutive fouls during a game,
it is loss of game. Any foul committed on the break counts towards the
three foul rule. The opponent, or referee, if present, must warn player
that she is on two fouls, for third foul to result in loss of game;
otherwise
player remains on two fouls unless a legal hit is executed.
OTHER
COMMENTS;
Any rules not covered here that are printed in the WPBA Handbook or BCA
rule book are valid and in effect.
|
