Frequently Asked Questions Other Bars There is another bar in my area that doesn't have any league play. What can I do to get them involved? Call the League Office and we will either contact the bar ourselves, or we can provide you with promotional material to give to them. Racking What is a legal rack? 8-ball in the middle, rack should be tight, and the front ball is on the spot. No other special arrangement is required. Does the 1-ball have to be in the front? No The Lag Do we have to lag at the same time? Both players have to make an attempt to lag at approximately the same time. Can I use the cue ball to lag with? No If I hit the side rail, do I lose the lag? Yes If I pocket my ball, do I lose the lag? Yes What happens if our balls hit each other? Lag again If I win the lag, but I don t want to break, can I pass the break to my opponent? Yes Breaking What is a legal break? Striking the 1 st or 2 nd ball, and either driving 4 or more balls to a rail, or pocketing a ball. What happens if I don t make a legal break as described above? It is a re-rack and you break again. What happens if I don t make a legal break as described above, and I scratch? It is a rerack and your opponent breaks. What if I break, but the cue ball doesn t hit the rack? You break again. Can I reach out and grab the cue ball before it hits the rack? If you are fast enough. If I make a solid and a stripe on the break, is the table still open? Yes. It is open if you make at least one of each ball (like 3 solids and 1 stripe). If I do not make a legal break, try again and still don't make a legal break, what happens? Try again. There is no limit to the number of tries you get. As long as you don't scratch, you can continue to break. However, players may not intentionally soft break. If a player/team is doing this, please contact the League Office and we will contact them. Keeping Score The Amateur Pool League of Hudson County Page 1 of 8
What is an inning? When the 2 nd player in a match misses a shot, that is the end of an inning. Does the 2 nd player ever change within a match? No. The 2 nd player is the player who did not break in the very first game of the match.. If the 2 nd player makes the 8-ball to win the game, is that the end of the inning? No. the 2 nd player breaks the next rack, and when it is the end of their turn, that is the end of an inning. If the 2 nd player makes the 8-ball and loses the game, is that the end of the inning? Yes What is a defensive shot? If the shooter shoots a shot, and has no intent to make a ball, that is a defensive shot. If the shooter shoots into the balls softly, just trying to hit a ball to a rail, without trying to make an object ball, is this a defensive shot? Yes If the shooter shoots into the balls hard, trying to get lucky, even though they probably had no chance of making anything, is this a defensive shot? No The 8-Ball Does the 8-ball have to go in clean? No Can I hit the 8-ball first, into one of my object balls, and pocket the object ball? No. You must hit one of your own object balls first. Can I hit one of my object balls into the 8-ball, and the 8-ball then pockets one of my object balls? Yes When I am shooting at the 8-ball, can I hit another ball first to make the 8-ball as a combination? No What can I use to mark the pocket for the 8-ball? Anything but chalk. Can anyone remind me to mark the pocket for the 8-ball? Yes I knocked the 8-ball onto the floor. Do I lose? Yes My hand or cue stick accidentally moves the 8-ball, or knocks it into a pocket. Do I lose? No. Put the 8-ball back where it was. Can I make a deal with the other team so we can just call the 8-ball without marking the pocket? Yes, but beware!!! If there is any disagreement, and the league office is contacted to settle the issue, we will ALWAYS rule that the shooter loses the game if the pocket was not marked. Fouls I accidentally touched the cue ball. Is this a foul? Yes I accidentally move an object ball with my hand or cue stick. Is this a foul? No. You move the ball back to where it was. I knock the cue ball off the table. Is this a foul? Yes My object ball (3-ball) is frozen to the rail, and my opponent called it frozen (and I agreed). If I want to shoot at the 3-ball, how do I avoid fouling? You must do one of the The Amateur Pool League of Hudson County Page 2 of 8
following: (A) Drive the 3-ball to another rail (not the one it is frozen to). (B) Drive the cue ball to any rail after contacting the 3-ball. (C) Drive any other object ball to a rail after contacting the 3-ball. (D) Pocket any ball after contacting the 3-ball. Can I adjust the cue ball with my cue stick in a ball-in-hand situation? Yes Does it matter if I touch the cue ball with the tip while adjusting it? No, as long as you are using the cue stick to roll the cue ball to a new position. Hitting the cue ball with a forward motion stroke will be considered a shot and will be treated as such (which may result in a foul). Can I adjust the cue ball with my cue stick in a ball-in-hand situation? Yes Does it matter if I touch the cue ball with the tip while adjusting it? No, as long as you are using the cue stick to roll the cue ball to a new position. Hitting the cue ball with a forward motion stroke will be considered a shot and will be treated as such (which may result in a foul). Timeouts How many timeouts do we get per game? Each player gets 1 timeout per game. If the player is rated 3 or below, they get 2 timeouts per game. New players (skill level 0) get 2 timeouts per game. The other team calls for a timeout, but they already used their timeout for this game. Is this a foul? No. You let them know and they cannot take the timeout. The other team is coaching from the side. Is this a foul? If it is their player s turn and they are at the table, then it is a foul. However, if the player has a time-out to take, then that will count as their time-out. During a timeout, my coach placed the cue ball on the table. Is this a foul? No. My opponent is taking extra long time-outs. How should I handle this? Politely mention it to the captain of the other team. If they refuse to fix the situation, do not continue to complain to them since that will only result in a confrontation. Contact the League Office and we will contact them. We are playing a team who has taken extra-long time-outs in the past. What should we do to avoid this tonight? Inform the other captain that you think both team's time-outs should be timed. Both teams should keep the time and when one minute is up, the coach should leave the table. Teams consistently abusing this may be subject to sportsmanship penalties. 23 Rule I played 4 players that total 20, and I do not have a 2 or 3 on my roster. Is this a 23 rule violation? Yes I played 4 players that total 20, and I do have a 2 or 3 on my roster, but they are not here. Is this a 23 rule violation? Also, my other player is present who is a 4 (or higher). Do I The Amateur Pool League of Hudson County Page 3 of 8
play them for the 5 th match? This is not a 23 rule violation. You forfeit the last match. The other player who is rated 4 or higher may not play. My opponent put up their 4 th player, which results in a 23 rule violation. Can they replace the player? Yes, provided that the rack hasn t been broken for the first game. Once the rack is broken, the 23 rule violation has occurred. The other team violates the 23 rule. What do I do? Notify the other team s captain and write a note on the score sheet. How many points do we win if the other team violates the 23 rule? 5 My team's skill levels are going up and we are having trouble meeting the 23 rule. What can we do? Split your team and get new players for each of the two new teams. We realize that your team consists for friends and family and you don't want to split up. Due to the 23 rule, it may be difficult to keep your team together so we offer a promotion to help make it easier to do this. If you split your team and bring in new players (not take players off of other teams), both of the new teams will receive the first three weeks free (no dues). Memberships will still be required for any new players, but the weekly dues will not need to be paid for three weeks. Fees What are the regular weekly fees? $40 for 8-ball and 9-ball. $70 for double jeopardy. What are the fees for playoff matches? $30 for 8-ball and 9-ball. $30 per match if you play double jeopardy. If our opponent doesn t show up for a match, do we have to pay the weekly fees for that night? No If we don t show up for a match, do we owe the weekly fees for that night? Yes Only 4 matches were played. The 5 th couldn t be played because either our team or the opposing team didn t have an available player. How much do we have to pay for that week? You must pay the entire weekly fee. We played the first match, and that is it. The other team either left, or didn t have any other players. How much do we have to pay for that week? You must pay the entire weekly fee. Only 4 matches were played. We have a Division Rep on our team. Can we put the Division Rep up as the 5 th match since the Division Rep plays for free? No. The Division Rep must play in order for the team to have the weekly fee reduced. The full $40 weekly fee is due, even if the Division Rep is put up in the forfeited match. Drop Off / Pick Up When can I pickup my sheets? Tuesday and Wednesday sheets are dropped off by 3pm on Tuesday. Sunday and Monday sheets are dropped off by 3pm on Thursday. The Amateur Pool League of Hudson County Page 4 of 8
When do I need to drop off my sheets? Tuesday and Wednesday teams must drop off their sheets by 1pm on Thursday. Sunday and Monday teams must drop off their sheets by 1pm on Tuesday. What happen if I can't drop my sheet off on time? Call or email the League Office and let us know when you will drop it off. Fax or email the score sheet to the League Office () (Email: ). If I fax/email my score sheet and drop off the actual sheet and payment at a later date, will I still get my bonus point(s)? As long as your team did not have a past due going into that match, we will give your team the bonus point(s). However, if the score sheet is not received by the next pickup or if the money is not correct, we will go back and remove the bonus point(s). Please note that if this happens, your next week's score sheet may not print with the correct past due and this may result in your team losing another week's bonus point(s). Can I fax/email my score sheet in the last 2 weeks of the session and still get my bonus point(s)? No. Because of the work involved in preparing for the Wild Card Draw, and because we need to keep the teams up-to-date at the end of the session as to where they stand in the division, we cannot accept faxes or emails in the last 2 weeks of every session. All score sheets must be dropped off on time (by 1pm at one of the authorized drop-off locations). The only exception is if a team pre-pays that week's dues (or has enough of a credit to cover them). In that case, we will accept a fax/email and then take the dues off the team's credit and give them the bonus point(s). I gave my sheet to another team to drop off and they didn't. What happens? You are responsible for your own sheet and payment. If you choose to give your score sheet and money to someone else, that is your option. If they decide to drop it off late, or keep the money, that is at your own risk. In the last two weeks of a session, I gave my score sheet to another team to drop off and they didn't. Do I get the bonus point(s)? No. You are responsible for your own sheet. Bonus Points What do I have to do in order to get my bonus point(s)? Your team must not have any past due amount, your sheet must be dropped off on time, and your sheet must be neat and correct. If my sheet is filled out correctly, but not entirely, do I get my bonus point? Yes Late and/or Make-Up Matches What happens if a team shows up late? Teams are required to wait 15 minutes after the posted start time. After that, if no one from the other team is present, the team may call a forfeit. However, we like to keep this a friendly league, so we encourage teams to be a little lenient on this rule since they may be the ones showing up late next time. If a team is consistently showing up late, we ask that other teams call the League Office and we will speak with them. The Amateur Pool League of Hudson County Page 5 of 8
What happens if only one player from the other team shows up on time and the rest will be there later? That player must start the match if it is after the posted start time. Players do not have the option to wait until the 15 minute grace period is up to start. Teams are expected to show up on time. Teams that know they will be late for a match should call their opponent and let them know. If a team calls and wants to make-up the match, do I have to agree? Yes. We will always grant make-up matches, unless teams are abusing this. If a team doesn't call and later wants to make-up the match, how do I handle that? If there is bad weather, we ask that teams get in touch with each other and decide whether they will play the match, make-up the match, or play part of the match and make-up the rest at a later date. If there is no bad weather, teams not showing up will forfeit the match. However, if the teams later get in contact and decide together to make-up the match, that is fine. How long do we have to make-up a match? 2 weeks from the scheduled date. If this is not enough time, contact the League Office. Can we schedule a make-up match near the end of the session? In the last 2 weeks of a session, we cannot accept any make-up matches, and all matches must be finished on time. If there is a match from a prior week that needs to be made up, it must be completed before the last 2 weeks of the session. Late and/or Make-Up Matches What happens if a team shows up late? Teams are required to wait 15 minutes after the posted start time. After that, if no one from the other team is present, the team may call a forfeit. However, we like to keep this a friendly league, so we encourage teams to be a little lenient on this rule since they may be the ones showing up late next time. If a team is consistently showing up late, we ask that other teams call the League Office and we will speak with them. What happens if only one player from the other team shows up on time and the rest will be there later? That player must start the match if it is after the posted start time. Players do not have the option to wait until the 15 minute grace period is up to start. Teams are expected to show up on time. Teams that know they will be late for a match should call their opponent and let them know. If a team calls and wants to make-up the match, do I have to agree? Yes. We will always grant make-up matches, unless teams are abusing this. If a team doesn't call and later wants to make-up the match, how do I handle that? If there is bad weather, we ask that teams get in touch with each other and decide whether they will play the match, make-up the match, or play part of the match and make-up the rest at a later date. If there is no bad weather, teams not showing up will forfeit the match. However, if the teams later get in contact and decide together to make-up the match, that is fine. The Amateur Pool League of Hudson County Page 6 of 8
How long do we have to make-up a match? 2 weeks from the scheduled date. If this is not enough time, contact the League Office. Can we schedule a make-up match near the end of the session? In the last 2 weeks of a session, we cannot accept any make-up matches, and all matches must be finished on time. If there is a match from a prior week that needs to be made up, it must be completed before the last 2 weeks of the session. Tri-Cup / Gold-Cup How can I qualify for the Tri-Cup? If your team finishes the regular session in first place (before the playoffs), then your team is automatically in the Tri-Cup. If your team doesn't finish in first place, you must win both the semi-finals and the finals in order to qualify. We won our semi-final match and we are playing the first place team in the finals. Are we automatically qualified for the Tri-Cup? Yes. We take two teams from each division. Since the first place team is already qualified, win or lose your team will also be qualified. How can I qualify for the Gold-Cup? You either have to win your bracket in one of the three Tri-Cups (Summer / Fall / Spring), or you need to win the Gold-Slot in one of those three session. What is the Gold-Slot and how can I win it? The teams with the most points (all teams / all divisions) win the Gold-Slot and qualify directly to the Gold-Cup. Playoff points count. 8-Ball teams can win at most 3 points for each playoff win (6 in total). 9-Ball teams can win at most 51 points for each playoff win (102 in total). The only exception is that a 9-Ball team winning 50-50 with three match victories will only get 50 points for that playoff win. We take the top 4 teams in each format during the summer session, and the top 2 teams in the fall and spring sessions. Why do we always have to play on the 9-foot tables for the Tri-Cup and Gold-Cup, when we normally play on a 7-foot table? The Tri-Cup and Gold-Cup must be run in one location with many tables. At this point in time, the only option is a pool room with 9- foot tables. We cannot split up the tournament into multiple bars and have teams travel to each match. Situations always come up during the tournament that requires the immediate attention of the League Operator. If a room opens up within Hudson County that contains multiple 7-foot tables (minimum of 8), we will consider running the higher level tournaments at that location. I heard there was a second wild card draw for the Gold-Cup. How does this work? We will fill some of the byes in the Gold-Cup with a second wild card draw. This will take place immediately following the spring session Tri-Cup, and winning teams will be notified the next day. In order for teams to be eligible, they must have played all three sessions leading up to the Gold-Cup (summer / fall / spring), and they must be registered and playing in the upcoming summer session. Please note that this is being introduced for the 2012 Gold-Cup, and the requirement for this session only is that teams simply be registered and playing in the upcoming summer session. Starting in 2013, teams will The Amateur Pool League of Hudson County Page 7 of 8
need to play in all three sessions. Teams that are past due will not be eligible for this wild card draw. Website When does the website get updated? We try to update the website twice per week. We pickup score sheets on Tuesdays, process on Wednesday and try to update the website by Thursday morning. We also pickup score sheets on Thursdays, process over the weekend and try to update the website by Tuesday morning. Please note that there are some weeks where this cannot happen due to scheduling conflicts. If you notice that the website is not updated as per the schedule above, please contact the League Office. We will be happy to answer any questions you may have regarding team points and division standings, and we will also let you know when it will be updated. Miscellaneous The opposing team is adding a player to their roster and it is after the 4 th week of the session. What should we do? You should play the match and write a note to the League Office, asking if the new player is eligible. The team may have gotten approval from the League Office to add that player. If you refuse to play the match and they do have approval to add this player, you will wind up forfeiting that match. The opposing team is putting up a player that we think is ineligible to play. Should we allow that person to play, or should we not allow the team to put this player up? You may question the eligibility and check the Team Manual. If the other team insists on putting the player up, allow them, play the match, and contact the League Office the next day or write a note on the score sheet. The League Office will decide whether the player was eligible. If not, your team will be awarded the forfeit. If you refuse to play and the League Office decides that the player was in fact eligible, your team will forfeit that individual match. It is always better to play the match and contact the League Office afterwards. I have a stupid question. Should I ask it anyway? Yes, please do. We love stupid questions. We have a large supply of stupid answers which should fit any stupid question that you can throw our way. If you would like an example, please re-read this item. There is something mentioned in this FAQ document that is in direct contradiction to what we have found in the APA Team Manual. Which is correct? The Team Manual is always the final answer to all questions. This FAQ document is intended only as a guide to help you with questions that may come up often. It is possible that some answers in this document may be out-of-date. If so, please go by what is written in the Team Manual, and contact the League Office so we may update this document. The Amateur Pool League of Hudson County Page 8 of 8