when does the game restart

[itsnoteasy]

When someone goes in off with the white and the ref picks the white out and places it on the top cush , is the game stopped? or still live, e.g. if i knocked say the yellow by mistake before i had picked the white up after the in off is it a foul or has the game not restarted until i pick the white up.

[Souwester]

When someone goes in off with the white and the ref picks the white out and places it on the top cush , is the game stopped? or still live, e.g. if i knocked say the yellow by mistake before i had picked the white up after the in off is it a foul or has the game not restarted until i pick the white up.

No, the game is never stopped, and all the balls are always 'live' if on the table, so if you disturb any, whilst the striker, then you have committed a foul. However, the cue ball is 'in hand' from the time it goes in a pocket (or forced off the table) until it is played fairly from in hand (or a foul is committed whilst it is on the table before being struck).

[Souwester]

You may find the definitions of 'striker and turn' and 'stroke' quite useful, from s2 of the rule book:

5. Striker and Turn
The person about to play or in play is the striker and remains so until the final stroke, or foul, of his turn is complete and the referee is satisfied that he has finally left the table. If a non-striker comes to the table, out of turn, he shall be considered as the striker for any foul he may commit before leaving the table. When the referee is satisfied that the above conditions have been met, the incoming striker’s turn begins. His turn and his right to play another stroke ends when:
(a) he fails to score from a stroke; or
(b) he commits a foul; or
(c) he requests the opponent to play again after his opponent has committed a foul.

6. Stroke
(a) A stroke is made when the striker strikes the cue-ball with the tip of the cue.
(b) A stroke is fair when no infringement of Rule is made.
(c) A stroke is not completed until:
(i) all balls have come to rest;
(ii) the striker has stood up, in readiness for a succeeding stroke, or leaving the table;
(iii) any equipment being used by the striker has been removed from a hazardous position; and
(iv) the referee has called any score relevant to the stroke.
(d) A stroke may be made directly or indirectly, thus:
(i) a stroke is direct when the cue-ball strikes an object ball without first striking a cushion;
(ii) a stroke is indirect when the cue-ball strikes one or more cushions before striking an object ball.
(e) Following the final stroke of the opponent’s turn, if an incoming player plays a stroke/strikes the cue-ball before the balls have come to rest, he shall be penalised as if he were the striker, and his visit to the table shall end.

[itsnoteasy]

thanks for that Souwester

[Souwester]

Always glad to help!