8 Ball Pool Phuket Friendship League Rules
General Rules
Matches MUST be played on a Tuesday unless there are emergency or exceptional circumstances preventing that from happening. A lack of players will not be considered exceptional circumstances.
Matches should start by 7PM on English tables and by 7:30PM on American tables.
Food: the league does not expect food to be provided by the home team, but is highly appreciated.
All match results are to be submitted by posting a photo of the score board on the Leagues Facebook Group – Tuesday or the latest on Wednesday.
BOTH team Captains MUST ensure that the match result has been submitted on the night of the match or at least by 12 noon, at the latest, the day after the match was played.
Note: if no results are received from either team by the cut-off point above then no points will be awarded to both teams and the match will be scored 7 – 0 against both teams with the top four players of each team having the match points scored against them. Teams failing to submit results will be fined 1,000 Baht for the first offence, 2,000 Baht for a second offence, 3,000 Baht for a third etc...
Fixtures, results and league tables will be updated on a weekly basis. These will be on the League website and on the Tuesday Facebook group.
The final League standings are decided in the event of two teams having the same points at the end of the season then it is the team with the better leg difference who will take the higher position in the League. If the leg difference is the same then it will be the team who has won more beer legs that will take the higher position. Should that total be the same it will be the team that has won the most beer leg frames and if that is the same it will be decided on the seasons head to head meetings.
If that is the same a deciding match will be played at a neutral venue of the Leagues choosing.
Postponements & Cancellations
Any game that needs to be postponed must be played either before the match date or prior to the Tuesday (Tuesday League) following that scheduled match date. Both teams must notify the league of the postponement and the time & date to which the fixture is rearranged.
Games should only be postponed in the case of an emergency or a serious event affecting one or both teams. The fact that regular best players are unavailable is not a valid reason for a postponement.
If any team cancels a game the opposition will be awarded a 7-0 whitewash and the four players who have played for them the most games will be awarded the individual points. The cancelling team will have a further 7 frames deducted (14 points in total) and their most played four players will have the individual points deducted from their rankings.
The cancelling team will also be fined 3,000 Baht which, if they are the away team, will be paid to the home team or if they are the home team, will paid into League funds.
Condition of Tables
Match tables must be kept in good condition. It is accepted that most owners make every good effort to keep their tables in good condition and well balanced, however, in the past, there have been tables that have not been maintained to the standard the League requires. The league recommends that all tables used for League & Cup matches should go no longer than 18 months without being recovered with good quality cloth and fully maintained with cushions and table balancing being carried out. It is also recommended that tables should be regularly balanced and regularly/daily vacuumed to remove chalk residue from underneath and within the cloth. Opposing teams should not be expected to play on threadbare, worn or torn cloths.
Tournaments & Events
The venues for singles & doubles tournaments along with the end of season registration night & social will be drawn from a hat and rotated around each of The Leagues Member Bars.
Teams & Matches
Each team will comprise of 4 players. Each match will consist of:
- 4 x Singles Legs [best of 3 games]
- 2 x Doubles Legs [best of 3 games]
- 1 x Beer Leg [best of 3 games]
[If a leg goes to the third frame the break of that frame should be decided by the toss of a coin]
The beer leg will be played one player a shot i.e. the first shot is played by player number one and if he pots the next shot is played by player two and if he pots the next shot by player three etc. The player who pots the black in the frame hands over to the next player in his team to break the next frame.
The order of play for all matches will be picked randomly one player at a time.
All players that are to play in a match must be in attendance prior to the match start time unless a dispensation has been granted.
Teams may not be changed after the initial draw has taken place unless agreed by both Team Captains.
There will be at least two "Farangs" in a team unless the team plays a South East Asian female. If two South East Asian females play then only one "Farang" player has to play. If three or more South East Asian females play then there is no need for a "Farang" to play.
A maximum of two male South East Asian players can be used in a team in the Tuesday League only.
Up to 4 female South East Asian players may be used in any one team.
A players gender for Pool League purposes will be that which is shown on their ID card or passport.
All Games MUST be refereed by a competent home team member or an independent referee.
The Referees decision is final.
Categories of Players & Transfers
There are two categories of players:
Occasional Player:
- Any player with less than 5 games with a single team is an Occasional Player.
- Occasional Players can change bars freely.
- Once an Occasional Player has played 5 games for a single team they then become classified as Regular Players.
Regular Player:
- Any player who plays 5 or more games with a single team is a regular player.
- Regular players are linked to the team with which they have played 5 or more games with.
- A regular player may move from one team to a different team only once during the course of the season.
- The League MUST be notified of such a move prior to it being made.
- That same player is then excluded from playing for any other team in the League other than their original team.
- Should that player make the move back to their original team the League MUST be informed.
- That player may not change teams again.
Any team appearing to try to gain an advantage by manipulating this rule or by attempting to poach players from another team may be excluded from the league. If a Player has any doubt about a Team move please ask the Committee.
The Break
The Rack will be set up as shown:
The object balls are racked with the eight-ball on the spot.
A coin will be tossed to determine which player will break.
The away team player will call the toss.
The first shot of a frame is called the "Break".
To "Break", the cue ball is played at the triangle of object balls from baulk.
The frame is deemed to have commenced the instant that the cue ball is played.
The break will be deemed a “Fair Break” if at least one stripe or spot ball is potted. and/or:
- Four object balls (at least) are driven to a cushion.
- If the break is not a fair break it is a foul and the opponent is either awarded a ball in hand or they can choose that the balls are re-racked and the opponent re-starts the game and is under the same obligation to achieve a fair break.
- If the cue ball is potted on a fair break it is a foul that is penalised by the turn passing to the opponent.
- If the break is not a fair break and the cue ball is potted, the penalty to perform a fair break applies. [see (2) above].
If the eight-ball is potted on any break:
- Black only – breaking player wins the frame
- Black and any other object ball potted – re-rack
- Black and the cue ball with or without an object ball the breaking player loses the frame.
Deciding Colours
On the Break
If no balls are potted on the break the table is "Open".
If one or more spots or stripes are potted on the break the player then has a right and obligation to verbally advise the referee of a choice of spots or stripes before proceeding. Failure to do so is a Foul.
- When the player nominates a ball that was potted on the break, the player must pot a ball of that type to be on that group.
- If the player nominates a group that was not potted on the break, to be on that group, the player must pot a ball of that group on the next shot.
- The table remains open until a nominated ball has been potted
- The table is open it is not a free ball i.e. a player may not hit a stripe onto a spot in order to pot a spot to be on that group this would be a foul and the opposition player receives a ball in hand.
After the Break
A player must nominate either a spot or stripe for each shot whilst the table remains open.
If a player pots one or more balls of the nominated group, the player is then “On” that Group.
If a player pots one or more balls of different groups, it is a foul.
During a frame, a 45 second shot clock will be enforced, with the referee informing the players at the table after 30 seconds and with 15 seconds remaining.
Foul shots are awarded with One Shot "Ball In Hand" and free ball.
If at any time a coloured ball that has come to rest on the lip of a pocket drops into the pocket without being touched by the white ball then the ball will be replace as close to its original position, without any foul being given or called.
If a player is unable to make a shot without fouling it is a re-rack [the final decision lays with the referee].
General Rules of Play
Jump Shots
It is a foul if a player strikes the cue ball in a way that intentionally causes it to jump off the bed of the table in an effort to clear an obstructing ball.
In cases where a jumping action occurs accidentally, such "jumps" are not to be considered fouls.
Snookers
A player is snookered when he cannot play both sides of any of his object balls by way of a straight-line shot.
A shot which leaves an opponent snookered is not illegal so long as the cue ball, or any object ball, makes contact with a cushion during the shot.
A shot where neither cue ball nor any object balls strike a cushion which results in an opponent being snookered is deemed a foul.
Touching Ball
If the cue ball is touching an object ball, the player must not strike the cue ball in the direction of that object ball.
He is considered to have hit the touching ball once he shoots away.
If, while striking the cue ball, the touching object ball should move it is deemed a foul.
General Rules
During Singles, players may not be coached by anyone. If coaching occurs it is a foul.
During Doubles partners may discuss shots. Coaching by anyone else is not allowed. If it occurs it is a foul.
During the Beer Leg only the player on and either the next player or the elected beer leg captain may discuss shots. Coaching by anyone else is not allowed. If it occurs it is a foul. It is the responsibility of the playing team to remember the order of the players – playing out of turn is a foul.
No one may "Mark" shots for any player in any way. To do so will constitute a foul.
No one other than the player on may touch the table. To do so will constitute a foul.
No one wants to stop banter but barracking a player at the table will constitute a foul.
Any physical interference with an opponent who is "At the table" taking a shot will constitute a serious foul and the frame will be awarded to the player taking the shot.
If the player is on the black 8 ball then a pocket is to be nominated prior to the player taking his shot unless his intent is obvious. If the 8 ball goes into any pocket other than the one nominated, then it is a foul shot and the game will be awarded to the opposition player.
On completion of the game the losing player will buy the winning player one drink, and on completion of the beer leg the losing team will buy the winning team one drink each. If a player is drinking water or a soft drink prior to winning a frame, he may not order an alcoholic drink from his opponent, unless agreed by the loosing player.
Gentlemanly conduct will be used at all times and teams breaching this conduct should be reported to the league and it will be dealt with accordingly.
Beer Leg
If the team loses the beer leg they pay for the other team each to have a drink up to 500 Baht for the whole team. Players may not change their awarded drink from what they were previously drinking unless the drink is similarly priced. Players may not go from a non-alcoholic to alcoholic beverage unless agreed by the opposition captain or bar owner.
Entry Fee
TBA THB per season per team.