DAKOTA POOL LEAGUE
8 BALL RULES AND
REGULATIONS
2016
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
Player can play every night of league, but players can only play on one team
per night. 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 coordinator, 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.
If a team forfeits a 3rd time, your team may be turned into a bye.
VI. LINE-UP PROCEDURE
16
& 25 GAME FORMAT
The home
team will fill in their roster first.
Players may be lined up in any order.
NOTE: 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 1 day set aside for
ties and end of the year playoffs. The
competition will take place in the bar whose team has accumulated the most
points.
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.
A.
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.
B. OBJECT OF THE GAME
1.
The balls are racked in a triangle at the foot of the table with 8-Ball in
the center of the triangle with the stripes and solids in a random, mixed up,
order.
2.
The object of the game is to make one group of numbered object balls -
either stripes or solids - and then sink the 8-ball which wins the game.
C. SCORING
1.
The winner of the game will receive 8 points. The loser will receive 1 point for each of
his object balls which have been pocketed.
2.
In the case of an absent player the dummy score will be 3 points per
round. If a player is present when the
match begins and misses any succeeding games he will receive 0 points for the
games missed.
3.
If the game ends and the group of balls has not been determined (8-ball
is pocketed early) the loser will receive points for the group which has the
least balls pocketed.
4.
If a dummy score is used the points will be given to whatever name
appears on the score sheet. If you wish
your dummy score (3 or 8) to be figured in the personal average of the player
who does not play, then enter the player's name. If you do not wish to have the 3 or 8 figured
in the player's personal average enter dummy and the points will be figured in the dummy's average.
5.
The total of the scores of each player in a match constitutes a match
score. The team with the highest match
score is the winner of a match point. In
the event of a tie in the match total, the team with the most 8's will be
awarded the match point. In the event of
a tie in score and 8's a half game will be awarded the match point. One match point will be given for each match
plus 1 match point for the total team points of the night.
D. BREAKSHOT AND CUE BALL POSITIONING
1.
The breaker must 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 breakshot 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.
The table will be considered open regardless of the outcome of the
break. If a player legally pockets a
ball after the break the player then continues shooting at that group of balls
as long as the player legally pockets a ball on each shot.
4. Any object ball (except the 8-ball)
knocked off the table while breaking will be spotted. Making the 8-ball or knocking it off the
table on the break is a rerack.
Scratching
while making the 8-ball on the break will be a rerack and the same player will
break. When necessary for a rerack take
the quarters out of the envelope to get the balls back. Make a note on the score sheet and Dakota
Music will put the quarters back in the fee envelope.
5.
If the player breaking the racked balls does not make any balls, the
opponent then shoots having an open table.
E. CALL POCKET
On all shots after the break shot, before each
shot, the player must call the ball number and indicate into which pocket it is
being played. If the opponent does not
hear, or is not clear on the shooter's call, he must ask for clarification
before the shot is made. If he does not
ask for clarification the call is considered made and legal. Failure to call the ball to the pocket, after
being asked for clarification, will result in loss of turn but will not
constitute a foul. The shooter must
indicate into which pocket he is playing the 8-ball however an 8-ball patch is
not necessary.
F. OPEN TABLE
1.
The table will be considered open regardless of the outcome of the
break.
2.
On an open table the player can shoot at either group of balls. The first ball can be pocketed by a direct hit
from the cue ball or by any combination of balls including a stripe to make a
solid or a solid to make a stripe. The
8-ball can also be used in a combination on an open table.
G. PLAY
1.
Any contact of the cue stick and cue ball will be considered a shot.
(Except for positioning the cue ball for the breakshot).
2.
All balls pocketed, legally or not, remain pocketed with the exception
of the note under fouling. Any object
ball knocked off the table will be handled accordingly. (A) If the ball is the shooter's ball it will
be spotted on the foot spot. (B) If it
is the opponent's ball it will be dropped in a pocket.
3.
Each player continues to shoot, so long as the player pockets a ball
legally.
4.
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 touched the
table. (The chalk is part of the table).
5.
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.
6.
The game is over when the balls stop moving on the winning shot and is
scored with all balls then down.
7.
Raising the cue above the armpit and attempting masse shots is illegal,
scoop or jump shots are illegal. Doing
so is a foul.
8.
There must be one foot on the floor while attempting a shot. Failure to do so is loss of turn.
9.
Parts of rules 7 and 8 will be modified as necessary if player is
handicapped or when using an artificial bridge.
10. Push Shots and Double Hits
are illegal. See Fouling for details
H. SPECIAL RULES FOR THE 8-BALL
1.
Knocking the cue ball off the table, scratching the cue ball or touching
a moving cue ball while shooting at the 8-ball is an automatic loss of
game. (Must be called before next game
begins.)
2. Except on the break, the eight ball
knocked off the table or pocketed before its time or made in any pocket other
than the one called is an automatic loss of game.
3.
Committing a foul while pocketing the 8-ball is a loss of game except
failure to hit the 8-ball while shooting at it is a foul but not loss of game.
4.
Fouling after the 8-ball is pocketed but before the other balls have
stopped moving is loss of game.
I. LEGAL SHOTS
A player must use the cue stick to strike
the cue ball. The bridge is not a cue
stick. On all shots the player must
cause the cue ball to strike one of the player's group of balls first and then
either (1) pocket the object ball, or (2) cause the cue ball or any other ball
to contact a rail. Failure to do so
constitutes a foul.
J. FOULING
All fouls must be called by the opposing
player before the next shot is taken.
There is no such thing as an automatic foul. The following result in fouls: (1) Failure to
make a legal shot as noted above. (2)
Shooting the cue ball into a pocket or off table. (3) Scratching the cue ball on a legal
break. (4) Touching a ball before it
stops moving. (5) Shooting out of
turn. (6) Accidentally moving the cue
ball. (7) Other infractions noted in
these rules.
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.
Note: If a player concedes to a foul by picking up
the cue ball, it will be handled as follows:
The opponent may put the cue ball back to its original spot and make the
shooter shoot it.
Note: 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. Unless the moved ball (or
balls) make contact with the cue ball or any moving object ball. Then it is a foul and the object balls remain
where they rest. 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.
K. PENALTY FOR FOULING
1.
After a foul, the player has cue ball in hand (anywhere on the table).
2.
A player must stop shooting when a foul is called and resume shooting
after the opponent's turn.
3.
If a player refuses to yield to a foul call, the opponent must stop the
game and notify the team captains or a tournament official.
L. 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:
A.
The balls may be placed as nearly as possible to the original position
or...........
B.
If the 2 players involved do not agree on position of the balls the game
will be reracked and replayed.
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