DAKOTA
POOL LEAGUE
9
BALL RULES AND REGULATIONS
2006
EDITION
Rules
in this edition supersede all former rule books used by the Dakota Pool
League. This book should be read in
its entirety as rules which are mentioned in one section may be limited or
clarified in another section. Any
sanctioned player of a Dakota Pool League shall be eligible to participate in
and receive stated rights of the league and shall be governed by rules
herein. Interpretation of all rules
will be the sole job of the coordinator.
The coordinator’s decision will be final.
I. MEMBERSHIP
To
be a member of any division team, except for youth divisions, a person must be
of legal drinking age and be a member of the Dakota Pool League. To become a member of the Dakota Pool
League the person must fill out a sanction sheet and pay a sanction fee to the
league. Dakota Music Inc. reserves
the right to deny or expel any player from the league. This includes anyone whose participation
is not in the best interest of the Dakota Pool League, competitors and their
employees and anyone who is disruptive to organized league play. The sanction fee may be used for
operational expenses. Any funds not
used for operational expenses will be returned to league members in the form of
tournament prize money. No person
shall be considered a league member nor shall any scores count until the player
has filled out a sanction sheet and paid the sanction fee. If a score sheet is handed in with the
name of a new player and no sanction information for that new player, the new
player's score shall not be counted but that position will instead be given a
dummy score and the opponent will be given the wins.
II. RULES
COMMITTEE
Each
division shall have a rules committee which will be made up of all the team
captains. This committee will
decide on all optional rules. This
committee will judge on all disputes which cannot be mutually settled by
opposing team captains or mediated by the coordinator. Their decision shall be
final.
III.
TEAMS
Each
team may have nine (9) players on their roster. In the event a team must add a 10th
member the captain must notify the secretary which present member is to be
dropped. If the secretary is not
notified of which player to drop the new player cannot be added and shall
receive dummy scores. A dropped
player may not be re-signed during that season except by unanimous approval of
all other division captains. No 5
player team shall be allowed to play with more than two dummy scores. No 4 player team shall play with more
than one dummy score. No one shall
be considered a team member until a sanction fee is paid, played one night of
play and has an average posted on the weekly standing
sheet.
Each team within the
division shall elect a captain. The
team captain's responsibilities shall be to keep the team organized and informed
of all league activities, including meetings, tournaments, rule updates,
etc. The captain or person
appointed to act in his absence shall have the exclusive right of voting on
behalf of the team at all division or league meetings. When the captain is the home team
captain (playing in his sponsor's bar) he shall be responsible for putting the
division funds and score sheet in the envelope, sealing it, and getting it to
the proper place in the bar. In the
event the money in the envelope is incorrect, the division secretary shall
consider all missing funds as not having been paid by the home team. If a team is short a player and does not
pay for that player, the home team captain must indicate such shortage or the
shortage will be deducted from the home team funds.
IV. NEW PLAYER
RESTRICTION
No
team may add new players in the last three weeks of either half season (or
season end) unless prior approval of all division captains is secured. If a new name appears on a team roster
in the last three weeks of either half and notification of approval by all
division captains is not given within 1 week and 24 hours after the player has
played, he or she will be considered legal. If a written protest is received by the
coodinator, that name may not be added and dummy
scores will be given in that position.
V. MATCH TIME AND
RESCHEDULING
Any
team not showing and ready for play by 30 minutes after the scheduled beginning
time shall forfeit the match. In
the event a team cannot show for a match and wishes a chance to make the match
up, they must notify the opposing captain 24 hours before the scheduled
match. Any rescheduled matches must
be made up before the next regularly scheduled match.
VI. LINE-UP
PROCEDURE
The
home team breaks first and writes their line-up down first. Teams may line up in any order they
like.
When
adding a new player who does not have a handicap they will receive 0 for a handicap
score.
Any
variations in the line-up procedure must be agreed upon by both team captains
before play begins. The line-up
order must be checked before any games are played and shall be considered legal
as stands once play begins.
VII.
FEES
The
nightly fees to be paid by the division members shall be decided by a meeting of
the division. These fees will be
used for (1) secretary fee, (2) coins to operate the pool tables, (3) trophies,
(4) banquet tickets, (5) pay-back at the end of the year to division teams as
per the number of match points won.
VIII.
SEASON
The
length of the season shall be decided by a meeting of the division. The division decision must meet with the
approval of the coordinator. The
season will be divided into two halves and season winners will be determined as
follows:
If the same team wins
both halves - that team will be first.
If different teams win
first in the halves they will play off to determine first.
If the same team wins
second both halves and there is a play off for first, the team who won second
both halves will play off with the team who loses the play off for first to
determine second and third places.
If different teams win second each half and there is a play off for first
the loser of the play off has second and the two second place winners will play
off for third.
If different teams win
second each half and there is not a play off for first then the two second place
winners will play off for second and third places for the year. There will be a 1 week break after the
first half and any ties in the first half standing will be broken on the regular
night of play during that week. The
competition will take place in the bar whose team has accumulated the most
points.
To
qualify for 1st, 2nd or 3rd place for the year, a team must compete in at least
85% of the scheduled matches.
IX. PROTEST
PROCEDURE.
Only
the team captain or acting captain can file a protest. A protest must be filed with the league
coordinator in writing within 24 hours of the match. A $15.00 fee must accompany any
protest. A meeting of the rules
committee will settle the protest.
If the protest stands, the $15.00 will be returned.
All
games will be played on pool tables owned and operated by Dakota Music and
Amusement Inc.
X. GOOD
SPORTSMANSHIP WILL PREVAIL AT ALL TIMES.
No
coaching will be allowed. Any
coaching will be considered poor sportsmanship. Continued poor sportsmanship can result
in disqualification.
A. OBJECT OF THE
GAME
Nine
ball is played with nine object balls numbered one
through nine and a cue ball. On
each shot the first ball the cue ball contacts must be the lowest-numbered ball
on the table, but the balls need not be pocketed in order. If a player pockets any ball on a legal
shot, he remains at the table for another shot, and continues until he misses,
fouls, or wins the game by pocketing the 9-ball. After a miss, the incoming player must
shoot from the position left by the previous player, but after any foul the
incoming player may place the cue ball anywhere on the table. Players are not required to call
any shot.
B. RACKING THE
BALLS
The
object balls are racked in a diamond shape, with the one ball at the top of the
diamond and on the foot spot, the nine ball in the
center of the diamond, and the other balls in random order, racked as tightly as
possible. The game begins with cue
ball in hand behind the headstring.
C. START OF PLAY
The
home team breaks first and writes their line-up down first. The grace period to start a match is 1/2
hour. A game starts as soon as the
cue ball crosses over the headstring on the opening
break.
D. LEGAL BREAK
SHOT
The
rules governing the break shot are the same as for other shots
except:
1. The breaker must strike the 1-ball first
and drive 3 object balls to a cushion or pocket one or more balls. Failure to do so is a foul and requires
a rerack.
Their opponent then has the option of breaking.
2. When spotting the cue ball for a break
shot the player shall position the cue ball fully behind the head string. The opposing player must inform the
breaking player of improper positioning of the cue ball before the shot is made
or the shot is considered legal.
3. If the cue ball is pocketed or driven
off the table, it is a foul, and the incoming player has cue ball in hand
anywhere on the table.
4. If on the break shot, the breaker causes
an object ball to jump off the table, it is a foul and the incoming player has
cue ball in hand anywhere on the table.
The object ball is not respotted. (The incoming player will get any points
for that ball.)
5. Making the nine ball on the break is an automatic win for the player
breaking. However, if the cue ball
is scratched when making the nine ball, the nine ball
is respotted.
(Using another stripe from
tray.)
E. CONTINUING
PLAY
On
the shot immediately following a legal break, the shooter may play a “push
out.” If the breaker pockets one or
more balls on a legal break, he continues to shoot until he misses, fouls, or
wins the game. If the player misses
or fouls, the other player begins his turn and shoots until he misses, fouls or
wins. The game ends when the nine
ball is pocketed on a legal shot.
F. PUSH OUT
The
player who shoots the shot immediately after a legal break may play a push out
in an attempt to move the cue ball into a better position for the option that
follows. On a push out, the cue
ball is not required to contact any object ball nor any rail, but all other foul
rules still apply. The player must
announce his intention of playing a push out before the shot, or the shot is
considered to be a normal shot. Any
ball pocketed on a push out (the incoming player will get any points for that
ball pocketed) remains pocketed, except for the nine ball. Following a legal push out, the incoming
player is permitted to shoot from that position or to pass the shot back to the
player who pushed out. A push out
is not considered to be a foul as long as no rule is violated. An illegal push out is penalized
according to the type of foul committed.
G. FOULS
1. All fouls must be called and
acknowledged before the next shot is taken. There is no such thing as an automatic
foul.
2. Touching or moving the cue ball is a
foul.
3. Touching a ball before it stops moving is a foul.
4. Shooting out of turn is a
foul.
5. Shooting the cue ball into a pocket or
off the table is a foul.
6. If the first object ball contacted by
the cue ball is not the lowest numbered ball on the table, the shot is a
foul.
7. If no object ball is pocketed, failure
to drive the cue ball or some object ball to a rail after the cue ball contacts
the object ball is a foul.
8. Pocketing the nine ball and the cue ball on the same shot is a
foul.
9. A ball driven off the table if it comes
to rest other than on the bed of the table is a foul. The jumped object ball is not spotted
and play continues. (The incoming
player will get any points for that ball.)
10. Shooting without at least one foot on
the floor is a foul.
11. Raising the cue above
the armpit and attempting masse shots is illegal, scoop or jump shots are
illegal. Doing so is a
foul.
NOTE: Parts of rules 10 & 11 will be
modified as necessary. If player is handicapped or when using an artificial
bridge.
Push
Shot Fouls: It is a foul if the cue ball is pushed
by the cue tip, with contact being maintained for more than the momentary time
commensurate with a stroked shot. (Such shots are usually referred to as push
shots.) With a cue and object ball
frozen, shooting the shot from any angle other than at least 45 degrees above,
or at least 45 degrees to the right or at least 45 degrees to the left of center
from the straight line of the frozen balls is a foul and must be so
called.
Double
Hit Fouls: It is a foul if the cue ball is struck
more than once on a shot by the cue tip (such shots are usually referred to as
double hits.) If the cue ball has
left initial contact with the cue tip and then is struck a second time in the
course of the same shot, it is a foul and must be so
called.
Accidentally
moving an object ball is not a foul.
The opponent may replace the ball to the original spot or leave it where
it rests. If the ball is knocked
into a pocket, quarters can be put into the table to retrieve the ball. A player may not use a ball as part of
their bridge.
H. PLAY
1. Any contact of the cue stick and cue
ball will be considered a shot.
2. In the event the cue ball or an object
ball stops on the edge of the pocket, it remains the shooter’s table until the
opponent has struck the cue ball.
3. Frozen ball to rail: If a ball is frozen to a rail, the
shooter must be notified before the player shoots. When playing such a shot, the player
must contact the frozen ball and (1) pocket the frozen ball, or (2) cause the
frozen ball to contact another rail , or (3) cause another ball to contact a
cushion or (4) cause the cue ball to contact the frozen ball and then contact
another cushion. Failure to do so
is a foul.
4. When there are only two object balls on
the table and a player scratches while pocketing the ball before the nine - it
shall be brought up and placed on the foot spot. (Using
another ball from the tray.)
5. The game is over when the balls stop
moving on the winning shot.
I. BAR ROOM
INFRACTIONS
In
the event of a player being caused to foul due to natural bar behavior (I.E. -
being bumped while in the act of shooting by a patron) the following may be
done:
1. The balls may be placed as nearly as
possible to the original position or...........
2. If the 2 players involved do not agree
on position of the balls the game will be reracked and
replayed.
J. END OF GAME
The
game ends at the end of a legal shot which pockets the 9
ball.
K. HOW TO KEEP
SCORE
Point
Balls are as follows:
one
ball = 1
pt.
three ball = 1 pt.
five ball
=
1 pt.
seven ball = 1 pt.
nine ball
=
6 pts.
1. In play, each player that legally
pockets a point ball receives the amount of points allowed to the
ball.
2. If a point is illegally pocketed the
opponent receives the point, except for the nine ball which is
spotted.
3. The nine ball legally pocketed on the
break is worth 6 points plus a bonus of 4 points bringing the total to 10 points.
L. FORFEITS
1. At least (3) players must be present by
forfeit time or the entire match is forfeited
2. If a team doesn’t show up or do not have
enough players, they forfeit all 32 games.
3. A player may not be substituted for
another player after the first round has been completed.
4. A team shooting with one player short, forfeits that game each round the player is not
present. But if the player shows up
late they may play their remaining rounds that they are present
for.
5. Teams must finish out the season
schedule. If a team drops out
anytime during the season they will forfeit any entitlement to any league moneys
or playoff eligibility.
6. The home team captain is responsible for
sending their score sheet and money each week.
M. FORFEIT
SCORING
1. Players receiving a forfeit will get 4
points per game or individuals scratch game average, whichever is higher. For instance, if your scratch average is
35.99 or less, you receive 4 points per game forfeit. If your scratch average is 36 to 43.99,
you receive 5 points per game forfeit, etc. Dummy will receive 0
points.
2. When a team wins by forfeit, they will
receive their weekly team average.
When a team forfeits, they will receive one half of their team’s weekly
average.
00
- 35.99 =
4
36
- 43.99 =
5
44
- 51.99 =
6
52
- 59.99 =
7
60
- 67.99 =
8
68
- 67.99 =
9
76
+
= 10