Partners Rules of Tournament Play

Start of Match                      Flip a coin to determine home and away. You will alternate team breaks. (not individual breaks) Players will follow the same order throughout the entire match. If a player ends the game and it is his team’s turn to break, he will break. If it is the opponent’s break, then the player that follows the person who ended the game will break. Follow the shooting order or it will be a foul.

                                           Note: Ending the game means making the 8, scratching on the 8 when making it, knocking the 8 in early, four foul rule or any other manner to end the game.

 

The Break                            The game does not begin until the rack is struck and four numbered balls

                                            contact the rail, unless a player fouls on the break by jumping the cue ball off

                                            the table, scratching or double hitting the cue ball with his cue. If this occurs it

will be the opponent’s break. Opposing player must notify shooter prior to the

shot if he feels cue ball is beyond the headstring. The entire cue ball must be

behind the head-string. After the break, if a player puts the ball in play in an area

that is clearly outside the kitchen, it will be a foul. The foul must be called

immediately after that shot or the offending player will be allowed to continue.

 

After the Break                  The table is open after the break.  The 8-ball is neutral on an open table only.

                                             At that time, it may be used to start a combination. A stripe may also be played

                                             into a solid or vice versa to determine your group.

 

The Game                           The game will be straight in 8-ball. Obvious shots need not be called, but banks

  and combinations should be called. If the opponent is unsure as to the pocket

  called, he should ask the shooter before the shot or the shot will stand.

 

Ball in Hand Fouls             Cue ball in hand occurs with the following infractions:

                                                 *Failure to follow the shooting order (except break).

 *Any movement of any ball that interferes with the path of the cue ball

 *Failure to contact a rail or pocket a ball after cue ball contact.

                                            *Scratching on a shot.  (Scratching on the break will result in the opposing      

                                              player having the shot from behind the head-string).

                                            *Knocking a ball off the table. The ball will be re-spotted.

                                            *Moving more than one ball with cue, clothing or body.

                                            *Cue ball fouls also moving the cue ball prior to the shot or while placing it in

                                              a ball in hand situation and contacting another ball. (positioning with the

                                              shaft when putting the ball in play is allowed).               

                                            *Double hit: Striking the cue ball twice while attempting a shot.

                                            *Push shots: Shooting directly through a shot on a frozen or semi-frozen

                                              situation is considered a foul. (semi-frozen is usually measured as a chalk’s

                                              distance or less. The cue ball cannot travel more than a balls distance past the

                                              object ball, even if the cue ball goes past and draws back.                                                            

                                             *Scratching while shooting at the 8-ball and not making the eight.

                                                               

Loss of Game Fouls            Scratching when pocketing the 8 ball or pocketing the eight ball in the

                                              wrong pocket or knocking the eight ball off the table.

                                                               

                                              Any 4 consecutive fouls by the same team.  Offending team must be warned

                                               by their opponents after the 3rd consecutive foul and be able to immediately

   document the three fouls in order for the consecutive foul rule to be in place.

 

 Breaking out of turn          When the wrong person breaks, the game will count only if the game

                                              is completed. Otherwise the game must be re-started. It is up to both teams to

                                                   know who’s turn it is to break.

 

Coaching                               A coach may occur once per game. The coach may approach the table to

                                               accomplish this. Either party may initiate the coaching.  If you coach from

                                               the sidelines this will count as your coach. A foul may be called from the

                                               sidelines but this will be considered the 1 coach allowed. If the coach for that

                                               game has already been taken, then the foul will be disallowed and the player

                                               at the table continues to shoot from where the ball lies. Teammates may talk

                                               between innings, but once a player’s turn is up, the talk shall cease.  Failure

                                               to abide by the coaching rules will result in un-sportsmanlike conduct.

 

Scoring                                  Race to your teams power ranking.  Power ratings may be adjusted during a

                                               tournament if new players are involved. A team’s power rating in partners is

                                               determined by adding the two ind. ratings, dividing by two times 80%.                                  

 

Scoring Cont.                           The person winning the game will receive 115 points. The loser 10 pts. per

                   ball in. You cannot win or tie a match on an illegally pocketed ball. The

                   match point must be a called shot. Match point cannot occur on the break.        

                   If during the course of a run a player sinks his opponents winning ball, that                  

                   player will be allowed to finish the game or get to their ranking and put the  

                   match into sudden death. If it is not possible for the shooting team to get to

                   their ranking then the match is over. Sudden death is played with the same

                   team breaking and winner wins.

 

8 ball Break                           If an 8 ball break occurs, the shooter has the option to either spot the

                                                eight and remain at the table shooting from where the cue lies or request a

                                                re-rack. If the shooter scratches on the 8-ball break, the opponent then has

                                                the option of spotting the eight and shooting from the kitchen, breaking a

                                                new rack or request that the original shooter break a new rack.

 

Safety Play                            If a player is playing safe by pocketing one of his balls, he must make sure his

                                               opponent acknowledges the safety or he will be forced to retain his turn.

 

Jump and Masse Shots        Legal jump and masse shots are allowed.  Jump Cues are allowed. A jump

                                               cue must be as long as the width of the table, rail to rail.

 

Forfeitures                             Once a match is called, the match must be started within 10 minutes or the

                                                absent team will forfeit the first game, and one game every for every

                                                additional five minutes thereafter. Matches will not start before posted times

                                                unless both teams agree.

 

Breaking cue apart                If a player, in view of his opponent, breaks apart his cue before the

                                                 game/match is completed, it will be considered (s) he has conceded the

                                                 game/match. This rule does not apply to jump/break cues or if your break

                                                 cue is no longer needed in the match. 

 

Courtesy                                 A player leaving the playing area during a game, or otherwise impeding

                                                the progress of a match will be ruled un-sportsmanlike. Breaks must be taken

                                                between games. Slow play will not be tolerated. A shot clock may be used.           

                                               

Un-sporstmanlike Conduct Un-sportsman-like conduct will not be tolerated and may result in a warning,

                                                foul, forfeiture of the game or match, or player’s ejection from the tourney

                                                and/or future tournaments by the tournament director or designee.

                                                               

 ALL DECISIONS BY THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTOR OR  DESIGNEE ARE FINAL      2/04/04