Tip Of The Week

Number: 25 Jim Tellier November 2011

TOPIC: FOUL!

CATEGORY: All Skill levels

INTRODUCTION:

An example from Dr. Dave shows a fairly uncommon situation, but one that everyone should be aware of. The APA rules do cover this, but its not always clear what the intent of the rule is. Simply put: if you accidentally bump a ball during the course of your shot, its not necessarily a foul. BUT, if bumping that ball interferes with either the path of an object ball that is pocketed, OR the cue ball. That is a FOUL.

TECHNIQUE:

Diagram 1 shows example where an obstacle ball is bumped accidentally with the cue or bridge hand during a shot. The standard rule in this situation is all-ball fouls (see WPA Rule 6.6). In this case, you are not allowed to come in contact with any ball before, during, or after a shot. The only exception is the cue tip hitting the CB during a single-hit, legal stroke. A common variation on this rule in many tournaments and leagues is called CB fouls only. In this case, the illegal contact applies only to the CB. An exception is when any touched or moved ball affects the shot by directly or indirectly changing the path of any ball in motion, in which case the unintentional contact is a foul. In shot 10 (the 1-ball shot in Diagram 1), the bridge hand unintentionally touches and moves the 4-ball during the shot. If playing under all-ball fouls, this would, by definition, be a foul. But if playing under CB fouls only, this shot would be fair, because the 4-ball never comes into play (i.e., it doesnt [affect] any moving ball). Your opponent has the option to reposition any unintentionally moved balls to their original locations, but there is no foul. In shot 65, however, the CB hits the 5-ball after the 5-ball is unintentionally moved during the shot. So even if you are playing under CB fouls only, this shot would be a foul, because the 5-ball affects the CBs motion.

Summary: Its always best to try avoiding any unwanted contact with anything other than the CB during your shot. But remember this: in APA rules, replacing any accidentally moved balls after you have moved them involves two steps:

1)     you MUST wait until your shot is complete before any action is taken, and

2)     it is up to your opponent to decide:

a.     whether or not to return any moved ball(s) to original position, and

b.    what the actual original position of the ball(s) was.

DO NOT automatically or arbitrarily move any balls back into position where you think they belong! At best, its unsportsmanlike; at worst (especially in a tournament situation) it may result in a foul being called against you.