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Rules Questions |
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Question: |
In 8-Ball, I knock an object
ball off the table, what do I do with it? |
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Answer: |
You spot it as soon as
your present turn is over. It is not a foul. You continue
shooting if you made at least one of your balls, waiting to spot the
ball when your turn is over. If during the turn you have made all of
your balls, you must spot the ball and make it, before shooting the
8-Ball.
Also remember, if it is the cue ball that goes off the table, it
is a scratch foul with ball in hand for your opponent. If the 8-Ball
goes off the table you lose the game. |
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Question: |
In 8-Ball, my hand or cue
stick accidentally knocks the 8-Ball into a pocket. Do I lose? |
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Answer: |
No, but you must replace the
8-Ball back to its original position. |
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Question: |
I move the 8-Ball with my
hand or cue stick accidentally. Is this a foul? |
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Answer: |
No, but you must replace the
8-Ball back to its original position (see previous question). Only
the cue ball is "hot". Meaning, if you touch the cue ball
accidentally it is ball in hand foul for your opponent. |
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Question: |
When should an inning
be marked? |
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Answer: |
An inning is marked
only after the second player misses. Also remember, an
inning should be marked when the second player scratches
on the 8-Ball thereby losing the game or match. And the second
player is defined as the player who lost the lag (or coin toss)
at the start of the match. The second player remains the same
throughout the entire match. If the second player wins the
game an inning should NOT be marked. |
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Question: |
The other team is coaching
from the side. Is this a foul? |
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Answer: |
Yes. Only the designated
coach can offer suggestions to the player while it is his turn and only then during a
time out. But remember that any comments made to the player
when it is not his turn at the table is not considered coaching. And
during the player's turn, other team members may give suggestions to
the coach so that he can pass it on to the player. Other team
members cannot give direct advice to the player during his turn at
the table. |
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Question: |
I have ball in hand. When
placing the cue ball on the table, the cue ball touches another
ball. Is this a foul? |
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Answer: |
Yes. |
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Question: |
What is the rule about jump
cues? |
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Answer: |
Special jump cues are not
allowed. You may however, attempt a jump with your regular game cue.
A jump shot is defined in the APA rules book as follows:
JUMP SHOT: A jump shot is when the cue ball is struck with the
cue tip in a downward fashion for the purpose of elevating or
jumping the cue ball over an impeding object ball to achieve a legal
hit. It is a foul to jump the cue ball by “scooping” it over the
impeding ball. |
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| Question: |
In 8-Ball, your player is
about to shoot the 8, but has failed to mark the pocket. The entire
team or any given member blurts out “mark your pocket!” , without a
time-out having been called. Is this a ball-in-hand foul? |
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Answer: |
No, it is not a foul.
This from page 25, section 11 of the 2006/7/8 APA Official Team
Manual:
Some examples of what is not considered coaching are
telling a player which category of balls is his, reminding him to
chalk up or to mark the pocket when shooting the 8-ball, or
telling a player a foul has occurred. Comments such as “good hit” or
“nice shot” or answering a player’s question concerning rules is not
considered coaching. |
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| Question: |
In 8-Ball, the opposing
player has fouled, but your player did not notice. Must a time-out
be called in order to apprise the player of a ball-in-hand? If no
time-out is called, does this present a ball-in-hand foul? |
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Answer: |
No, it is not a foul
nor is a Time-Out required. From the same paragraph above page 25,
section 11 of the 2006/7/8 APA Official Team Manual:
Some examples of what is not considered coaching are
telling a player which category of balls is his, reminding him to
chalk up or to mark the pocket when shooting the 8-ball, or
telling a player a foul has occurred. Comments such as “good
hit” or “nice shot” or answering a player’s question concerning
rules is not considered coaching.
But remember, only the player or coach can declare that a foul has
occurred. This from page 49, section 9 of the 2006-8 APA Official
Team Manual:
Only the player or the coach may officially call a foul, although
anyone may suggest to the player or the coach that a foul should be
called. |
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| Question: |
Is there anything one can
tell a player during that players turn at play, which does not
create a foul? i.e. Great Shot! or Watch out for that 8! or Don’t
let ‘em get a shot at X ball! |
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Answer: |
Lets break this one down.
There is no foul from anyone telling the player "Great Shot!"
See page 25, section 11 of the 2006/7/8 APA Official Team Manual:
Some examples of what is not considered coaching are
telling a player which category of balls is his, reminding him to
chalk up or to mark the pocket when shooting the 8-ball, or telling
a player a foul has occurred. Comments such as “good hit” or
“nice shot” or answering a player’s question concerning rules is not
considered coaching.
No illegal coaching has occurred, therefore no foul.
The following examples could be considered ball in hand foul:
"Watch out for that 8!" or "Don’t let ‘em get a shot at X ball!"
(where to leave the cue ball).
These examples could be considered a ball in hand foul if you
really wanted to be a stickler for the rules, although I'm not sure
I would call it on a normal league night. I might would just
politely ask them not to do it again and point to it in the rule
book. This probably falls under the "Coaching" definition found on
page 25, section 11:
Some examples of what is considered coaching are: giving
advice as to which ball to shoot [in APA 9-Ball this does not
apply], where to leave the cue ball, whether to shoot soft
or hard, or whether or not to use english. These types of comments
are considered coaching because they relate to the game situation.
And then if it is considered coaching as defined in section 11, a
ball in hand foul occurred as defined on page 50, section 9-f:
f. Receiving illegal aid (coaching from person(s) other than
the coach) during your turn at the table. To determine what is
and is not considered coaching, refer to COACHING in the General
Rules Section of this manual. |
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| Question: |
During the Break in 8-ball:
the first three balls of the rack are struck, but the cue ball goes
off the table, is it a foul and now your opponents turn from in the
“kitchen”? or is it not considered a legal break and re-racked for
the original player? |
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Answer: |
Yes, it is a foul
because the cue ball went off the table. Was it a legal break? See
page 45, section 3 of the 2006/7/8 APA Official Team Manual:
To be a legal break, players must break from behind the head
string, the head
ball or second ball must be struck first and at least four object
balls must be
driven to the rails or a ball must be pocketed.
If, in your scenario, the shot met the above requirements, then
the incoming player (the player coming to the table as a result of
the first player's foul) will have ball in hand from the "kitchen".
If the shot did not meet the above requirements then the balls
should be re-racked and the incoming player will break.
Don't forget, if the player that attempted the original break is
the bottom player on the score sheet, an inning should be marked on
their failed break attempt.
And please note that in your question you stated that "the first
three balls" were struck. For clarification, we assume that you are
referring to the head ball and the two balls touching the head ball.
These are the only three balls in a rack that are allowed to be
struck first. |
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