Tournament Format
The tournament is a single-elimination tournament open to all Rossmoor Billiards Club resident members. There is no entry fee for the tournament.
All participants will compete in the same tournament bracket filled by random draw with no seeding. A match is determined by the first player to win two games.
Overview of Tournament Rules
Winner of a coin flip has the choice of whether to break or not for the first game, then breaks alternate.
After the break shot, the table remains open.
1 and 15-balls must be made in designated side pockets. If a player’s 1 or 15-ball is made in other than its designated pocket, it is spotted, unless it was made by the player’s opponent.
All shots after the break are required to be called.
At least one ball or the cue ball must hit a rail after contact with a ball from the shooter’s ball group, or contact with any numbered ball except the 8-ball on an open table, to be a legal shot.
Opponent gets ball in hand anywhere on the table after fouls and illegal shots except immediately after a break shot when it is ball in hand anywhere behind the head string.
All balls illegally pocketed or jumped off the table stay “down”, except for the 8-ball which results in loss of game for the shooter.
When playing the 8-ball, a scratch or foul is not loss of game if the 8-ball is not pocketed or jumped from the table.
Official Tournament Rules
These rules are for the “1 and 15” version of the game of 8-ball played with ball in hand after fouls and illegal shots. The tournament director is the final authority on interpretation of these rules. It is the responsibility of the players to know and understand these rules before competing. The most important rule is to have fun, be honest, and be respectful to the other players.
1.0 Object of the Game
To win a game, a player must legally pocket the 8-ball after which time his group of balls, either solids or stripes, is completely pocketed. The player must also pocket either the 1 or 15-ball that corresponds to his ball group in its designated side pocket. If a player’s 1 or 15-ball is made in other than its designated pocket, it is spotted, unless it was made by the player’s opponent.
2.0 The Coin Flip
At the beginning of each match, one of the players will do a coin flip and the other will call it. The winner of the coin flip has a choice of whether to break or not. Subsequent breaks within a match will alternate between the players.
3.0 Racking the Balls
The 15 balls are to be racked as tightly as possible with the foremost ball placed on the foot spot. The order of the remaining balls should be random with the exception of the 8-ball, which should be placed in the middle of the third row, and the two back corner balls, which should be a stripe and a solid respectively. The opponent may inspect the rack and, if not satisfied with the rack, may require the breaker to re-rack the balls one time. After one re-rack, if the players cannot agree that the rack is suitable, the tournament director will rack the balls for that game.
4.0 The Break
A legal break occurs when a) at least one object ball is pocketed or b) at least four object balls contact a rail. If a player fails to perform a legal break, the opponent has the option of accepting the table in position, or re-racking and breaking, or re-racking and allowing the offending player to break again.
4.1 Break Box
The cue ball may be placed anywhere behind the head string.
4.2 8-ball in on break
If the 8-ball is pocketed on a legal break shot, the breaker has the option of spotting the 8-ball and accepting the table in position or re-breaking. If the 8-ball is pocketed and the cue ball scratches or lands off the surface of the table, or any foul is committed, the opponent has the option of spotting the 8-ball and shooting with cue ball in hand anywhere behind the head string or re-breaking.
4.3 1 or 15-ball in on break
If either the 1 or 15-ball is pocketed in its designated pocket on a legal break shot, the breaker has the option of accepting the respective solids or stripes and the table in position or spotting the 1 or 15-ball and having the table remain open. If either the 1 or 15-ball is pocketed in a pocket other than its designated pocket, the 1 or 15-ball must be spotted.
4.4 Scratch or foul on break
If the breaker scratches, the opponent has the cue ball in hand anywhere behind the head string. If the breaker fouls in any other manner, the opponent has the option of accepting the table in position or taking cue ball in hand anywhere behind the head string. Any object balls off the table remain out of play except the 8-ball which is spotted.
4.5 After the break
After the break shot, the table remains open. In an open table situation, any ball except the 8-ball can be hit first in any combination shot. Once solids or stripes are determined for a player, only their respective balls (solids or stripes) can be struck first in a combination shot. The 8-ball can be used in a combination shot, just not struck first.
5.0 Called Shot
All shots after the break are required to be called. A called shot is defined as calling a legal object ball to be pocketed and the pocket in which it is to be pocketed. As long as a player shoots a legal shot (see 6.0) and the object ball called is pocketed in the called pocket, no matter how it gets there, the shot is good.
6.0 Legal Shot
A legal shot after the break occurs when:
a. The shooter pockets a legal ball in a pocket. Any extra balls that are pocketed in a legal shot stay pocketed.
b. The shooter's cue ball touches any numbered ball on the table, on an open table, with the exception of the 8-ball, and after contact any ball including the cue ball contacts a rail.
c. The shooter's cue ball touches a numbered ball that corresponds with the shooters ball group (solids or stripes), once determined, before hitting any other ball, and after contact any ball including the cue ball contacts a rail or any ball except the 8-ball is pocketed (unless the player is on the 8-ball).
d. If an object ball is frozen to a rail and is the intended ball on which to make a legal hit, the cue ball must either strike a rail after making contact with the frozen ball, or the frozen ball must contact a different rail.
Any failure to perform a legal shot is a foul ending that player’s inning and cue ball in hand is awarded to the incoming player.
7.0 Jump Shots
Jump shots are legal as long as the cue ball is not struck under the center line that is parallel to the surface of the table.
8.0 Continuing Play
A player continues to play until he fails to pocket a ball that corresponds to his ball group (or any numbered ball but the 8-ball on an open table) or the 8-ball once his ball group has been completely pocketed, or until a foul has been committed. A player is allowed to call a "Safety" and by doing so is allowed to pocket a ball that corresponds to his ball group while legally ending the inning.
9.0 Playing the 8-Ball
When playing the 8-ball, a scratch or foul is not loss of game if the 8-ball is not pocketed or jumped from the table. Incoming player has cue ball in hand. A combination shot can never be used to legally pocket the 8-ball. A player loses the game if he commits any of the following infractions:
a. Fouls when pocketing the 8 ball. Exception. See Sec.4.2 8-Ball in on Break.
b. Pockets the 8-ball on the same stroke as the last of his group of balls.
c. Jumps the 8-ball off the table at any time.
d. Pockets the 8-ball in a pocket other than the one designated.
e. Pockets the 8-ball when it is not the legal object ball.
10.0 End of Inning
If a player fails to pocket a ball on a legal shot, that player's inning ends and the opponent takes the table where the balls lie. A player’s inning also ends if a foul is committed (see 11.0).
11.0 Fouls
The following are fouls:
a. A player has ball in hand and moves an object ball while positioning the cue ball.
b. A player in any way causes the cue ball to move prior to the shot, except while positioning the cue ball after a ball-in-hand award. (It is not a foul if a player moves any resting object ball prior to the shot, but the opponent has the option to have a moved ball returned to where they think it was or leave it as moved.)
c. A player disrupts any moving ball immediately after a shot.
d. A player inadvertently moves a ball and it makes contact with a moving ball or it moves out of the way of being struck by the cue ball when it would have been, since the outcome of the shot has been affected. (It is not a foul if an inadvertently moved ball did not interfere with the shot, but the opponent has the option to have a moved ball returned to where they think it was or leave it as moved.)
e. Cue ball scratches or comes to rest off the surface of the table.
f. Any intentional moving, striking, disrupting, of any ball on the table at any time using any body part, element or device.
All fouls result in the opponent of the player who committed the foul being awarded cue ball in hand.
12.0 Illegally Pocketed Balls
After the break, all balls illegally pocketed or jumped off the table stay down, except for the shooter’s 1 or 15-ball which must be spotted until made in the designated pocket and the 8-ball which results in loss of game for the shooter.
13.0 Winning a Game
A player wins a game by legally pocketing the 8-ball after which time all the balls of his corresponding ball group have been pocketed (with either his 1 or 15-ball in its designated pocket).
14.0 Losing a Game
A player loses a game by committing any foul on a shot that results in the 8-ball being pocketed (see 9.0 for guidelines on playing the 8-ball), jumping the 8-ball off the table (comes to rest off the surface) at any time except the break shot, pocketing the 8-ball prematurely, pocketing the 8-ball in a pocket other than the called pocket. A player also loses a game by intentionally causing the cue ball to make first contact with a ball of the opponent’s ball group or the 8-ball when a ball of the player’s ball group remains on the table.
15.0 Referees
Players are to referee their own games and are expected to call fouls on themselves when they know they have committed a foul. In the case of a dispute, the tournament director has final authority on interpretation of these rules as applicable to the situation in dispute.
16.0 Conduct Unbecoming a Sportsperson
While a competitive sport, players are expected to demonstrate a superior level of sportsperson-like conduct. In the event a player exhibits behavior that the tournament director finds unacceptable, they will issue one warning. If behavior continues, the tournament director will issue a disqualification. The following are some examples of potential infractions:
a. Distracting the opponent.
b. Making derogatory comments to any player or spectator.
c. Receiving coaching or support.
d. Changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot.
e. Playing a shot by intentionally miscuing.
f. Continuing to play after a foul has been called or play has been suspended.
g. Practicing during a match.
h. Marking the table.
i. Delaying the game.
j. Using equipment inappropriately.
17.0 Not Ready to Shoot
If the player whose turn it is at the table is not there to approach the table, the tournament director should be called. For each two-minute interval that a player is gone from the table, the tournament director will issue a penalty by awarding a game to the player who is present.
18.0 Late for a Match
If a player is more than five minutes late for a scheduled match, the player forfeits the match. If a player is known to be at the tournament site, but not at the table for a scheduled match, opponent should call the tournament director at which time rule 17.0 will be exercised. If both players are late for a scheduled match, both will forfeit the match and it will count as a loss for both players.
19.0 Reporting Match Result
It is the winning player's responsibility to report the match result to the tournament director immediately after the match. Failing to turn in a match result can result in a forfeit for the non-recorded match.
20.0 Intoxication
If the tournament director deems that a player is drunk, high on drugs, or in any way intoxicated or impaired by a legal or illegal substance, the player will be disqualified from the tournament.