Pool Billiards - The Rules of Play (Effective 1/1/08)
14.1 Continuous Pool, also known as straight pool, is played with fifteen numbered balls and the cue ball. Each ball pocketed on a legal called shot counts one point and the first player to reach the required score wins the match. 14.1 is continuous in that after fourteen balls are pocketed, they are re-racked and the shooter continues.
Players lag to determine who will shoot first. (See 1.2 Lagging to Determine Order of Play)
For an opening break shot, the fifteen balls are racked in a triangle with the apex ball on the foot spot. When the balls are re-racked, the apex ball is omitted if only fourteen balls are being racked. The marked outline of the triangle will be used to determine whether an intended break ball is in the rack area.
The following rules apply to the opening break shot:
(a)
The cue ball begins in hand behind the head
string.
(b) If no called ball is pocketed,
the cue ball and two object
balls must each be driven
to a rail or the shot is a breaking
foul. (See 8.4 Driven to a Rail.) This is
penalized by subtracting two points from the breakers score. (See 4.10 Breaking Foul.) The non-breaking player may accept the
balls in position or may require the
breaker to play another opening break
shot, until he satisfies the requirements for an opening break or the non-shooting player accepts the
table in position. (See 4.11 Serious Fouls.)
The shooter remains at the table as long as he continues to legally pocket called balls or wins the game by scoring the required number of points. When fourteen balls from a rack have been legally pocketed, play is suspended until the balls are re-racked.
Shots must be called as explained in 1.6 Standard Call Shot. The shooter may call safety in which case play passes to the opponent at the end of the shot and any object ball pocketed on the safety is spotted.
All balls pocketed on fouls, or on safeties, or without a called ball having been pocketed, and all balls driven off the table are spotted. (See 1.4 Spotting Balls.) If the fifteenth ball of a rack needs to be spotted and the fourteen balls have not been touched, the fifteenth ball will spot on the apex spot and the referee may use the triangle to assure a tight rack.
The shooter scores one point for legally pocketing a called shot. Each additional ball pocketed on such a shot also counts one point. Fouls are penalized by subtracting points from the offending players score. Scores may be negative due to penalties from fouls.
When the cue ball or fifteenth object ball interferes with racking fourteen balls for a new rack, the following special rules apply. A ball is considered to interfere with the rack if it is within or overlaps the outline of the rack. The referee will state when asked whether a ball interferes with the rack.
(a) If the fifteenth ball was pocketed
on the shot that scored the fourteenth ball, all fifteen
balls are re-racked.
(b) If both balls
interfere, all fifteen balls are re-racked and the cue ball is in hand behind
the head string.
(c) If only the object ball interferes, it is placed on the head spot or the center spot if the cue ball blocks the head spot.
(d) If only the cue ball
interferes, then it is placed as follows: if
the object ball is in front of or on the
head string, the cue ball is in hand behind
the head string; if the object ball
is behind the head string, the cue ball is spotted on the head spot, or on the center
spot if the head spot is blocked.
In any case, there is no restriction on which object ball the shooter may play as the first shot of the new rack.
|
Cue Ball Lies 15th Ball Lies |
In the rack |
Not in the rack and not
on the head spot* |
On the head
spot* |
|
In the rack |
15th Ball:
foot spot Cue Ball: behind
head string |
15th Ball: head spot Cue Ball:
in position |
15th Ball: center
spot Cue Ball:
in position |
|
Pocketed |
15th Ball:
foot spot Cue Ball: behind head
string |
15th Ball: foot spot Cue Ball:
in position |
15th Ball: foot
spot Cue Ball: in position |
|
Behind the head string but not on the head spot* |
15th Ball: in
position Cue Ball: head spot |
|
|
|
Below the head
string and not in the rack |
15th Ball: in
position Cue Ball: behind head
string |
|
|
|
On the head
spot * |
15th Ball: in position Cue Ball: center spot |
*On the head spot means to interfere with spotting a ball on the head spot. |
|
Table 1. Summary of the Rules for 14.1 Racking Situations
If the shooter commits a standard foul, a point is subtracted from his score, balls are spotted as necessary, and play passes to his opponent. The cue ball remains in position except as noted below. The following are standard fouls at 14.1:
6.1 Cue Ball Scratch or off the Table; The cue ball is in hand behind the head string (see 1.5 Cue Ball in Hand)
6.3
No Rail after Contact
6.4 No Foot on Floor
6.5
Ball Driven off the
Table (All object balls driven off the table are respotted.)
6.6 Touched Ball
6.7
Double Hit / Frozen Balls
6.8 Push Shot
6.9
Balls Still Moving
6.10 Bad Cue Ball Placement
6.11 Bad Play from Behind
the Head Strong
for a foul under the
second paragraph of 6.11, the cue ball is in hand behind the head
string for the incoming player
6.12 Cue Stick on the Table
6.13 Playing out of Turn
6.15 Slow Play
A breaking foul is penalized by the loss of two points as mentioned under 4.3 Opening Break Shot, as well as a possible re-break. If both a standard foul and a breaking foul happen on one shot, it is considered a breaking foul.
For Rule 6.14 Three Consecutive Fouls, only standard fouls are counted, so a breaking foul does not count as one of the three fouls. A point is subtracted for the third foul as usual, and then the additional fifteen-point penalty is subtracted and the offending players consecutive foul count is reset to zero. All fifteen balls are re-racked and the offending player is required to shoot under the requirements of the opening break.
For 6.16 Unsportsmanlike Conduct, the referee will choose a penalty depending on the nature of the offense.