THE PLAYERS GUIDE
The WCPPA 9-Ball League Tournaments
will have 3 players per team. There shall be a maximum of one (1) nine and one (1) eight rank player per team. Tournament
fees are $7.00 per night per player totaling $21.00 per team per night. Forfeits must be paid in full prior to following
weeks play. Each single game forfeit is 1 loss for that team. The captain is responsible for collecting
the money every week. The captains will be responsible for maintaining a professional atmosphere for their team at all
establishments played in. The game of nine ball will consist of a race to 3. Three matches will be played except
in the event of a forfeit. A maximum of 3 wins and 3 losses per sheet. Each sheet shall have 9 games.
9-ball Rules and Regulations and
WORLD-STANDARDIZED RULES – 9-BALL Except when clearly contradicted by these additional rules,the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply. General Rules of
Pocket Billiards apply. 5.1 OBJECT OF THE GAME 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, he remains at the table for another shot, and continues until missing, committing a foul, or winning the game by pocketing the 9-ball. After a miss, the incoming player must shoot from the position left by the previous player, but after any foul the incoming
player may start with the cue ball anywhere on the table. Players are not required to call any shot. A
match ends when one of the players has won the required number of games. 5.2 RACKING THE BALLS RACKING THE BALLS The object balls are racked in a diamond shape, with the 1-ball at the top of the diamond
and on the foot spot, the 9-ball in the center of the diamond, and the other balls in random order, racked
as tightly as possible. The game begins with cue ball in hand behind the head string. 5.3
ORDER OF BREAK ORDER OF BREAK Winner of the lag has the option to break.
In 9-Ball, the winner of each game breaks in the next, unless otherwise specified by the tournament organizer.
The following are common options that may be designated by tournament officials in advance: (a)
Players alternate break. (b) Loser breaks. (c) Player trailing in game count breaks
the next game. 5.4 LEGAL BREAK SHOT LEGAL BREAK SHOT The rules governing
the break shot are the same as for other shots except: 1. The breaker must strike the1-ball first and either
pocket a ball or drive at least four numbered balls to the rail. 2. If the cue ball
is pocketed or driven off the table, or the requirements of the opening break are not met, it is a foul,
and the incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on the table. 3. If on the break shot, the breaker
causes an object ball to jump off the table, it is a foul and the incoming player has cue ball in hand
anywhere on the table. The object ball is not re-spotted (exception: if the object ball is the 9-ball,
it is re-spotted). 5.5 CONTINUING PLAY CONTINUING PLAY On
the shot immediately following a legal break, the shooter may play a "push out." (See Rule 5.6). If the breaker
pockets one or more balls on a legal break, he continues to shoot until he misses, fouls, or wins the game.
If the player misses or fouls, the other player begins an inning and shoots until missing, committing a
foul, or winning. The game ends when the 9-ball is pocketed on a legal shot, or the game is forfeited for
a serious infraction of the rules. 5.6 PUSH OUT 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 is not required
to con-tact any object ball nor any rail, but all other foul rules still apply. The player must announce
the intention of playing a push out before the shot, or the shot is considered to be a normal shot. Any
ball pocketed on a push out does not count and remains pocketed except the 9-ball. 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 as long as no rule (except rules 5.8 and 5.9)
is violated. An illegal push out is penalized according to the type of foul committed. After a player scratches
on the break shot, the incoming player cannot play a push out. 5.7 FOULS FOULS When
a player commits a foul, he must relinquish his run at the table and no balls pocketed on the foul shot
are re-spotted (exception: if a pocketed ball is the 9-ball, it is re-spotted). The incoming player is awarded
ball in hand; prior to his first shot he may place the cue ball anywhere on the table. If a player commits
several fouls on one shot, they are counted as only one foul. 5.8 BAD
HIT BAD HIT If the first object ball contacted by the cue ball is not the lowest numbered ball on the table,
the shot is foul. 5.9 NO RAIL NO RAIL If
no object ball is pocketed, failure to drive the cue ball or any numbered ball to a rail after the cue ball contacts
the object ball on is a foul. 5.10 IN HAND IN HAND When
the cue ball is in hand, the player may place the cue ball anywhere on the bed of the table, except in
contact with an object ball. The player may continue to adjust the position of the cue ball until shooting. 5.11
OBJECT BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE OBJECT BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE An
un-pocketed ball is considered to be driven off the table if it comes to rest other than on the bed of the table.
It is a foul to drive an object ball off the table. The jumped object ball(s) is not re-spotted (exception: if
the object ball is the 9-ball, it is re-spotted) and play continues. 5.12 JUMP AND MASSÉ SHOT FOUL JUMP
AND MASSÉ SHOT FOUL If a match is not refereed, it will
be considered a cue ball foul if during an attempt to jump, curve or massé the cue ball over or
around an impeding numbered ball, the impeding ball moves (regardless of whether it was moved by a hand,
cue stick follow-through or bridge). 5.13 THREE CONSECUTIVE FOULS THREE CONSECUTIVE FOULS
If a player fouls three consecutive times on three successive shots without making an intervening legal shot, the game is lost. The three fouls must occur in one game. The warning must be given between the second
and third fouls. A player’s inning begins when it is legal to take a shot and ends at the end of a shot
on which he misses, fouls or wins, or when he fouls between shots. 5.14 STALEMATE STALEMATE If the referee decides that neither player is attempting to win from the current position,
he will announce his decision, and each player will have three more turns at the table. Then, if the referee
still feels that there is no progress towards a conclusion, he will declare the rack a stalemate and the
original breaker of the rack will break again. 5.15 END OF GAME END OF GAME On the opening break, the game is considered to have commenced once the cue ball has
been struck by the cue tip. The 1-ball must be legally contacted on the break shot. The game ends at the
end of a legal shot which pockets the 9-ball, or when a player forfeits the game as the result of a 3-foul
- foul out.
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