APA rule check and a warning

[TheJackal]

I always knew the APA rule was to mark the pocket. When I first started playing league, my team manager would yell to me to mark the pocket, even as I was reaching for my marker.

Last night I played a guy, and he was on the 8 ball. He called his pocket, and I acknowledged that I saw it.
After the rack was over, I mentioned to him to always check with your opponent before the lag if it's OK to just call the pocket (which I'm perfectly fine with). He told me APA changed the rule that as long as your opponent acknowledges your called pocket, it's OK. I can't seem to find anything about that rule change.
Here's the kicker....the next rack, I was on the 8 ball. I went to call the pocket (which was obvious anyway), and lo and behold, he was 'preoccupied' on his phone and didn't acknowledge me. So, I reached into my pocket and marked the pocket.

Was it a slimeball move? Maybe, maybe not (I think it was since i was up by a game).

Either way...a word of warning, mark your pocket. My manager told they will call you on it during playoffs and later in a heartbeat.

 

[justadub]

That rule has not been changed. If folks are friendly and you can trust them, then calling it vs marking it not unusual. But in any High Level Tournament, it will be required.

I know most everyone that I play with, and have for years. Often I have opponents tell me I don't have to mark it, I can call it. I politley just go and mark it anyway, telling them its my routine. And offering them to call theirs if they wish, since they offered.

But it still is a rule to mark your pocket.

 

[Poolhall60561]

Get a big marker

 

[jayman]

It's fairly simple really, The APA Sucks. Join a better league and enjoy life.

 

[trob]

It's fairly simple really, The APA Sucks. Join a better league and enjoy life.

I enjoyed life playing apa I just didn’t take it to seriously . I played to win but didn’t get mixed up in apa drama. There are douche bags in all leagues and just hanging out at the pool hall. That’s life lol

 

[TheJackal]

It's fairly simple really, The APA Sucks. Join a better league and enjoy life.

Since i never played league before, i have nothing to compare it to.
The only rule that I really don't like is that 'push out' shots are not allowed in 9. I don't mind marking it. But, don't tell me you're OK with calling the 8 ball, and then pretend to be busy when it's my turn.

 

[loggerhead12]

Only a douchebag opponent would be on his phone during a match.

 

[APA Operator]

That rule has not been changed. If folks are friendly and you can trust them, then calling it vs marking it not unusual. But in any High Level Tournament, it will be required.

I know most everyone that I play with, and have for years. Often I have opponents tell me I don't have to mark it, I can call it. I politley just go and mark it anyway, telling them its my routine. And offering them to call theirs if they wish, since they offered.

But it still is a rule to mark your pocket.

The rule actually was changed a few years ago, but not in the manner suggested in the OP. It was reworded to give you the opportunity to do the sportsmanlike thing if you knew where the shot was going. The phrase "and you call loss of game" was added. It's in the section titled "How to Win a Game". No acknowledgement necessary, just common sense.

 

[fastone371]

So APA 8 ball is slop until you get to the 8 ball??

I know this has happened to everyone here that has played for more than a year or so but when I shoot a ball (not the 8) into the corner pocket with a little too much pace and it rattles, banks across the short rail then goes into the original pocket you were shooting at I sometimes feel like sitting down even though I made the correct ball in the correct pocket.

 

[gmiller]

So APA 8 ball is slop until you get to the 8 ball??

APA jokingly stands for "Any Pocket Anytime".

 

[Chili Palmer]

It's fairly simple really, The APA Sucks. Join a better league and enjoy life.

The APA has a purpose and it serves that purpose well. I wll also add that their 9B handicapping system is the best there is. The only limitation is the skill levels top out at 9, so high level players that are above a 9 (550'sh Fargo and above?) do have an advantage but for those that fall within their ratings you won't find a better handicapping solution.

 

[The_JV]

I've been playing Masters for a handful of years, and only did a few seasons of regular CPA(APA). Not once have I marked a pocket in Masters, (at home or Vegas). I would never consider only calling the pocket in reg. CPA. Although the rules are the rules. Nits abound in the regular handicapped league. There's a breed of CPA player that would leave an upper decker in their grandma's house if it meant getting an extra point on league night.

 

[Chili Palmer]

I've been playing Masters for a handful of years, and only did a few seasons of regular CPA(APA). Not once have I marked a pocket in Masters, (at home or Vegas). I would never consider only calling the pocket in reg. CPA. Although the rules are the rules. Nits abound in the regular handicapped league. There's a breed of CPA player that would leave an upper decker in their grandma's house if it meant getting an extra point on league night.

Masters was the last thing I played in APA, I enjoyed it and I never marked the pocket either unless we were in Vegas.

I had a girl call me out for not calling the pocket once (in masters). That game put me up 4-2 I think and I informed her she hadn't marked her pocket either, lol, her captain got involved (I was the captain on my side) and in the end we said bygones.

 

[justadub]

The APA has a purpose and it serves that purpose well. I wll also add that their 9B handicapping system is the best there is. The only limitation is the skill levels top out at 9, so high level players that are above a 9 (550'sh Fargo and above?) do have an advantage but for those that fall within their ratings you won't find a better handicapping solution.

The only SL9's we have here are in the 600's... the 550's are usually around SL7 or SL8. At least here.

 

[Chili Palmer]

The only SL9's we have here are in the 600's... the 550's are usually around SL7 or SL8. At least here.

Roger, I was just going by the chart on Dr. Dave's site, you'll also notice the 'sh and question mark

https://billiarduniversity.org/documents/BU_Rating_Comparisons.pdf

Out of curiosity, where do you live?

 

[justadub]

Roger, I was just going by the chart on Dr. Dave's site, you'll also notice the 'sh and question mark

https://billiarduniversity.org/documents/BU_Rating_Comparisons.pdf

Out of curiosity, where do you live?

Bangor, ME

We don't have a bunch of 600+ players in our APA division, but there are a few, and a quite few more than that in the 500's. If I had access to the Fargo app I could have a better answer, I only know what I do from watching the tournaments that are held in the area that use Fargo, and post the brackets. I watch to see "our guys" and how they're doing. Highest rated player that plays currently is 647.

There is a very active TAP league as well as our APA league locally, and while there are plenty of people who play both, there are also a bunch that are TAP-only, so we quite likely have more higher level players in our room than I know of.

 

[Chili Palmer]

Bangor, ME

We don't have a bunch of 600+ players in our APA division, but there are a few, and a quite few more than that in the 500's. If I had access to the Fargo app I could have a better answer, I only know what I do from watching the tournaments that are held in the area that use Fargo, and post the brackets. I watch to see "our guys" and how they're doing. Highest rated player that plays currently is 647.

There is a very active TAP league as well as our APA league locally, and while there are plenty of people who play both, there are also a bunch that are TAP-only, so we quite likely have more higher level players in our room than I know of.

Roger, was just curious. Here in Boise there were only a few 9's and minimal 8's, none of them over 600 except me, I was the only one over 600 that I am aware of.

 

[justadub]

Roger, was just curious. Here in Boise there were only a few 9's and minimal 8's, none of them over 600 except me, I was the only one over 600 that I am aware of.

I know of four that are 600+ in this area, and one of those doesn't play locally any longer. I expect there are probably a few more that I don't know. I have to think there have got to be 7-10 in the 500's that I know of. Three SL9's, and a couple of SL8's. Bunch of SL7's.

I'll never be in that stratosphere, but I enjoy seeing how "our players" do in the tournaments outside of APA.

 

[The_JV]

After reading the last few posts, I've realized that my local room is pretty sporty with the talent. Id guess that there's maybe 8 or so >600, a handful >650, and one >700. Several bouncing their heads off that 600 ceiling.

Although I haven't chased the numbers. It would be safe to say all of the >600 are comfortably 7/9's in CPA. Those off the top of my head floating below that 600 threshold typically hold a 7SL in 8ball but might hav the 9SL in 9ball.

 

[Chili Palmer]

After reading the last few posts, I've realized that my local room is pretty sporty with the talent. Id guess that there's maybe 8 or so >600, a handful >650, and one >700. Several bouncing their heads off that 600 ceiling.

Although I haven't chased the numbers. It would be save to say all of the >600 are comfortably 7/9's in CPA. Those off the top of my head floating below that 600 threshold typically hold a 7SL in 8ball but might hav the 9SL in 9ball.

What's the population of the area you live in? I recently found out that Idaho has less than 30 players over 600, of course, how many 600+ aren't in Fargo is hard to know but the players themselves would be known.

EDITED, it was 29 players over 600 in the state of Idaho, none over 700, according to Fargo.