Rules on playing POOL

These rules have been agreed by the District and and will be used for all future games!


DISTRICT 1145 RULES FOR PLAYING POOL  Rules as a PDF document!  

TO PLAY BEST OF FIVE GAMES:    Team that wins by three games wins the match.

OBJECT:   Team pocketing all their group of object balls in any order, and then legally pocketing the black ball, wins the game.

START THE GAME:   
1.) Opening player plays at the object balls racked. An object ball must be pocketed, or at least TWO object balls, to be classed as a 'fair break'.  a.) Failure to do so is a foul break and results in the balls being re-racked.  b.) The opposing player than starts the game with 2 visits.

2.) If black is pocketed from the break shot, all balls are re-racked and the same player restarts. No penalty will be incurred. This applies even if a foul shot is played.

3.) If the Cue Ball is potted on a fair break, it is a Non-Standard Foul that is penalised by the turn passing to the opponent.

4.) Colours are determined by the first legally potted object ball. If one or more balls are potted then that player must nominate his group of object balls.

5.) If a ball is legally pocketed, that player continues until the player either:-  a.) Fails to pocket one of their own set of balls,  or,    b.) Commits a foul at any time.

FOULS:   
1.) When cue ball is pocketed - except in the case of a fair break.
2.) Hitting an opponent's ball before hitting one of your own.
3.) Failing to hit any ball.
4.) Hitting the black ball before hitting one of your own.
5.) Potting any opponent's ball.
6.) Ball off the table.
7.) If a player's body or clothing should touch any ball.
8.) Striking cue ball more than once.
9.) Failing to nominate when required to do so.

PENALTY:   
1.) Offending player loses their next visit to the table, giving their opponent two visits.
2.) On the first shot only of their first visit, the oncoming player may, without nomination, play the white on to any ball without penalty, including any opponent's ball, or black ball.    
a.) If any object ball is pocketed directly, or by combination, the player is deemed to have pocketed a legal ball, and continues with the first visit.
b.) The player must not pot the black ball, unless they are on the black ball.
3.) When the player fails to pot a ball on the first or subsequent shot of the first visit, play then continues with the second visit.

FINISHING A GAME:   
1.) If a player pockets the black ball before all their own group of object balls, loses the game.
2.) A player going in off the black ball when the black ball is pocketed loses the game.
3.) A Player pocketing the black ball and any other ball on the same shot will lose the game. Except following a foul when only the black ball and ball(s) of the opponents group ore on the table, then with the first shot of the first visit, the player may legally pocket the black ball as well as ball(s) of the opponent's group by any combination and in any order.
4.) A player fails to make any attempt to play a ball of their own group will lose the game.

TOUCHING BALL:   
1.) Touching opponent's ball or black ball - the player MUST play a ball of their own group.
2.) Touching any ball the player is legally entitled to play - the player must play away from the touching ball, and be deemed to have played that ball.

COMPLETION OF GAME:   The game is completed when the black ball is pocketed in any pocket

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