"hangfire pocketing" and fouling?

[Fastolfe]

Hey everybody,

I have a rules question that probably concerns any pocket billiard: suppose player 1 tries to pocket a ball, the ball stops right at the edge of the pocket. Player 2 then takes his shot, but the ball drop before he releases the shot. Did player 2 foul? I would think the player 2 should stop shooting and let player 1 back at the table. But I've seen people argue that player 2 disturbed the table ever so slightly by setting up his shot, and he was responsible for making the ball finally drop, or in other words, he moved a ball without using his cue.

I guess a more general way of asking this question is: at what time does player 1's inning stops and player 2's start? When player 2 sets himself up for the shot, or when the tip of his cue touches the cueball?

 

[greyghost]

if the ball is still standing after the 5 sec rule then its the upcoming players turn to shoot.


After that 5 seconds, say its 20 sec later and you drop down and right as you pull the trigger the obj ball drops and you scratch.

Both balls spot up to their closest original position and the player shoots again.

I've actually had that happen to me and it was well over a minute before I shot and the ball fell b/f the cb got there....IT FREAKED ME OUT!!! lol

Grey Ghost

 

[Fastolfe]

if the ball is still standing after the 5 sec rule then its the upcoming players turn to shoot.

Are you sure? Suppose you're sitting while your opponent is playing. He misses and the balls hangs by the pocket. 6 seconds after the ball stops, the ball drops, so according to you, you fouled and your opponent gets ball in hand?? Sounds odd to me since you haven't even moved your arse out of the chair...

 

[Rod]

Are you sure? Suppose you're sitting while your opponent is playing. He misses and the balls hangs by the pocket. 6 seconds after the ball stops, the ball drops, so according to you, you fouled and your opponent gets ball in hand?? Sounds odd to me since you haven't even moved your arse out of the chair...

No since you have not shot the ball spots up. Your turn

Rod

 

[iusedtoberich]

No, you misunderstood.

If the ball drops spontaneously, (after 5 seconds), it is considered an "act of god". It is replaced hanging in the pocket and the player who was supposed to shoot it still does. No change of turn occurs.

If the ball fell during the shot, but before the cue ball got to it, it and the cueball are returned to their prior spots, and the player gets to "repeat" the shot. Any other balls that may have moved are also replaced as close as possible to their original spots.

There is no foul or other penalty on either player.

 

[the420trooper]

if the ball is still standing after the 5 sec rule then its the upcoming players turn to shoot.


After that 5 seconds, say its 20 sec later and you drop down and right as you pull the trigger the obj ball drops and you scratch.

Both balls spot up to their closest original position and the player shoots again.

I've actually had that happen to me and it was well over a minute before I shot and the ball fell b/f the cb got there....IT FREAKED ME OUT!!! lol

Grey Ghost

I remember an instance where I was playing barbox 8 ball with a friend...He broke dry, and the 8 ball hung VERY deeply in the side pocket.

I surveyed the table, made my choice of colors, and began to run out. As I was practice stroking on the 8 ball, it fell before I ever pulled the trigger...It was like having someone yank the chair out from under you before you sit down. It must have been 3 minutes after the break that the ball dropped...

I never even contacted the cue ball, so my buddy and I agreed with the "act of God" rule, and he conceded that I would have made the 8, and gave me the game, rather than spend another 75 cents to replace the 8.

(This was on a very awful Valley, that rolled off like it was placed on a hill.)

 

[Bob Jewett]

Hey everybody,

I have a rules question that probably concerns any pocket billiard: suppose player 1 tries to pocket a ball, the ball stops right at the edge of the pocket. Player 2 then takes his shot, but the ball drop before he releases the shot. ...

As was pointed out, a shot is completely over 5 seconds after the balls stop (visibly) moving. What to do if a ball then falls in is pretty well covered by the written rules. Here is a link: http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=rules_tournament#1.7

 

[Fastolfe]

Yep, I should have read the rules. My bad...
Thanks for the replies guys, as always they were enlightening