English Pool Tournament

[marron]

There is going to be an English Pool Tournament held every week at my local Snooker and Pool club. I heard that Stu Green won the last one and he beat my mate in the 1st round. My friend was playing with a snooker style cue and said he has been for a few months now. Can you play with a snooker cue as i have one but not a pool cue.

Also, I know that 4 balls have to hit the cushion off the break if a ball isn't potted. Does a certain amount of balls have to hit the cushions during a normal shot, after the break-off, for it to be deemed a legal shot?

[Robert602]

You're fine with a snooker cue. In fact there's really no such thing as an 'English pool cue'; they're the same thing as snooker cues. Some pool players favour a slightly smaller tip, and occasionally a shorter length, but that's all. It's US pool that uses the very different cues because the balls are much heavier.

You don't say which rules you're playing to but if it's in England chances are it'll be EPA World rules. That has the 'cushion foul' rule, which applies only if you don't pot anything. In that, at least one ball (any ball, including the white) has to hit a cushion after the white has hit an object ball. In practice you've got to be careful when covering a pocket /attempting a pot dead weight or when laying snookers (you can't roll up). The full rules are here.

[marron]

Cheers for that. The rules we are playing are stated to be 'world rules'.

[Robert602]

No problem. Just one thing I forgot to add; the cushion requirement is waived if you can't see both edges of any one of your balls, but you have to declare 'total snooker', and the referee/opponent will confirm. Good luck in the tournament.

[marron]

Cheers for that again. If Stu Green is in the tournament again i will need all the luck i can get .

[marron]

Another thing am i right in saying that ball in hand only occurs when a time foul is made. And does that mean the player can place the ball anywhere on the table or only behind baulk. Then all other fouls mean the opposition gets 2 shots? When i play and i am awarded 2 shots (may not be the correct rul) if i pot a ball on the first shot then miss the next are my 2 shots are over. Am i right in playing this?

[marron]

Anyone with an answer

[Robert602]

Not in world rules. Two shots 'carry', so if you pot then miss you still have another visit remaining. The black is no exception.

'Ball in hand' means you can place it anywhere behind (or on) the line. Time foul gives the option of ball in hand, but the incoming player can take it from where it lies if he wants, and he also gets two visits in either case. In-offs also give ball in hand and two visits to the opponent, as do situations where the cueball is forced off the table. In-off on the break is a special case, it gives ball in hand but just one visit to the opponent (going off the table on the break is two shots).

The only other situation I can think of is WR's equivalent of snooker's free ball, the foul snooker. If a player fouls and leaves the opponent snookered (same definition as I posted before) then the incoming player can declare a foul snooker, where he gets two shots from where the ball lies, or from baulk. If he chooses not to move it or cannot move it to an unsnookered position anywhere in baulk, then he can choose to nominate any ball as a free ball. Like snooker, you can treat the free ball as if it was your own; you can pot it, use it to plant another, etc. As long as you pot a legal ball your two shots carry. The one exception; you can nominate the black as a free ball but potting it out of turn is loss of frame. Does that make sense?

Since you're obviously not used to playing under world rules I'll also mention a couple of other differences from normal 'pub pool' that are worth bearing in mind.

Firstly, if you pot off the break you can choose a colour. Whichever you choose, you must nominate, failing to do so is a foul. If you nominate a colour that you've potted, you are that colour for the rest of the frame (even if your next shot is a foul). Otherwise you have to pot your choice, or the nomination doesn't stick (leaving an open table). If the table is 'open' when you come to it you don't have to nominate, and can plant a yellow into a red etc if you want. If you pot one of each in this situation you can choose a colour and must nominate. To sum up: If you're coming to the table, you never have to nominate, if you pot (at least) one of each colour OR pot any colour off the break, you have to nominate for you next shot.

Second thing, deliberate fouls are 'legal' (they're standard fouls (2 shots) rather than serious fouls (2 is loss of frame)). That's quite a big thing and it takes a while to adapt into your game effectively, but a simple use would be to pot an opponent's ball if it's blocking a pocket.

Okay, I think that covers the major differences, although I'd advise looking over the link I posted for details. Technically the referees can only answer questions on a shot after you've played it, although if it's a club competition they'll probably be more lenient.

Just to sum up the things that most often catch out people new to world rules.

1. Remember to nominate off the break
2. Remember to call 'total snooker' and 'foul snooker' when appropriate.
3. Remember the cushion rule whenever you're playing a safety.
4. Don't pick balls out of pockets (some refs rule loss of frame for this), let it drop.

Hope that helps. The rules are quite hard to state succinctly but if anything's not clear let me know and I'll give it another go.

[marron]

Thanks for that again. I will let you know how i got on later in the week.

[Watford]

You really need to be familiar with the rules @ world rules. The whole deliberate foul and blocking pockets is nothing like the old EPA or BAPTO rules.
Watch how good fudging players play this is a good way to learn but World rules should be about potting so just get in there and dish 'em up!