Somebody actually dug out this rule tonight!!!

Black Cat 5791

I get all the Breaks
Silver Member
You can actually use a piece of chalk as a purposely placed rail target for banking and kicking purposes. I normally support every rule being that I am a Division Rep however...... I was blown away by this one.

Black Cat :eek:
 
i have used that method when coaching one of the lower level players on my team. as the poster above said, it cant be touching the cloth.

it beats t pointing at a spot on the table and walking away , then turn around and see they hit the rail 4 inches from where you wanted them to.:grin-square:
 
In my opinion that is like not fair, what difference does it matter whether it's touching the cloth or not. It's still and artificial point of reference that isn't built into the table, I can't see how it can possibly be legal.

When in a coaching time out situation you can place your finger on the rail to show the aim point till your player fixes on the spot then remove your finger and leave the table area before they shoot, but to actually place a reference point has always been an illegal ploy.

Black Cat :eek:
 
In my opinion that is like not fair, what difference does it matter whether it's touching the cloth or not. It's still and artificial point of reference that isn't built into the table, I can't see how it can possibly be legal.

When in a coaching time out situation you can place your finger on the rail to show the aim point till your player fixes on the spot then remove your finger and leave the table area before they shoot, but to actually place a reference point has always been an illegal ploy.

Black Cat :eek:

It happened to my team a couple weeks ago in our Sunday 9-ball league

None of us had a clue that as long as it is not touching the cloth it is legal

I too think it should be illegal but oh well. At least now you know I guess.
 
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I have had people complain because I use my cue to see the line of where a bank will go, etc. If coaching is allowed then it should not be a problem for a better player to help a player see the right place to hit a rail, etc.

I understand a difference, it is my own system to see where to hit the rail and it should be the player finding the way to make the shot, but if coaching is allowed, then it should not be a problem.
 
It's an odd rule but it doesn't bother me. The only people that really benifit from it are the SL2's and 3's. if it helps the other team on occasion I'm sure at some point it will help my own SL2's and 3's too.
 
I had an opponent do that to me and I allowed him to spend about 5 minutes lining it up perfectly.
When he started back to the other side of the table to shoot, I jumped up and started chalking with it.
He laughed then I laughed and we continued playing.
Another trick is to chalk your cue heavily and put it on the line for a kick , then drag the tip back or mark the rail .
Just clean the table with a nice damp rag when they do this.
This would be even more effective if you were from a high humidity area and your opponent was not .
All the rules I have ever seen forbid the use of any type of assistance whether marking the rails or using chalk etc.
I believe you when you say someone showed you the rule , but I am surprised that they would change it.
Is this league play or ?
 
I had an opponent do that to me and I allowed him to spend about 5 minutes lining it up perfectly.
When he started back to the other side of the table to shoot, I jumped up and started chalking with it.
He laughed then I laughed and we continued playing.
Another trick is to chalk your cue heavily and put it on the line for a kick , then drag the tip back or mark the rail .
Just clean the table with a nice damp rag when they do this.
This would be even more effective if you were from a high humidity area and your opponent was not .
All the rules I have ever seen forbid the use of any type of assistance whether marking the rails or using chalk etc.
I believe you when you say someone showed you the rule , but I am surprised that they would change it.
Is this league play or ?

I assume he is talking about APA because he mentions in the original post that he usually supports rules being a "Division Rep"

If you look in his signature below his post it says 'APA Division Rep'

I also had it happen to my team in APA
 
You can actually use a piece of chalk as a purposely placed rail target for banking and kicking purposes. I normally support every rule being that I am a Division Rep however...... I was blown away by this one.

Black Cat :eek:

c'mon man, a division rep supposed to know the rules.:wink:
 
This used to be illegal in APA, but they changed the rule 2 years ago or so.

To me it's the same as holding your finger on the rail until they line up. The only difference being that you have to remove your finger before they shoot.

Although, now that a piece of chalk can be left there it seems pointless to require that your finger be removed before they shoot. Why not just let people leave there finger there in that case?
 
This used to be illegal in APA, but they changed the rule 2 years ago or so.

To me it's the same as holding your finger on the rail until they line up. The only difference being that you have to remove your finger before they shoot.

Although, now that a piece of chalk can be left there it seems pointless to require that your finger be removed before they shoot. Why not just let people leave there finger there in that case?

I think because you could press you're finger into the rail altering the shot or maybe even touch the ball altering the shot in some way

Who knows though
 
OP, please, next time try to comment which rules are you talking about.

Overall I think all the APA/WHATEVER LALA rules should be simply erased.

WSR's are the only way to go. So sick of having many sets of rules.
 
c'mon man, a division rep supposed to know the rules.:wink:

My LO was trying to talk me into being a Division Rep last night...sigh. :p

I have read the rules more than a few times, and I still don't remember this being in them. I have heard that it is allowed, however. Of course, I have also heard many other things, as well. :)

I actually used this rule, sort of, with my SL2 a few nights ago. She needed to cross-side bank a shot (it was the only shot for her on the table, otherwise I would never suggest it to her) and there was a piece of chalk already on the table in the exactly necessary spot. So I told her to aim at it. I wouldn't ever use that rule,myself, and actually put a piece there purposely, but this had been sitting there all game. In the perfect position. (Both players had their own chalk.). I said what the hell, and she made the shot. And had a BIG grin afterwards...
 
i use this rule all the time in league play.

i dont see anything wrong with playing within the rules. Same reason I also dont get hot and bothered that Im not allowed to use jump cues or push out after the break. It is what it is.
 
I can see why they would allow the chalk to be used as a marker since any attempt to prevent it could not be effectively enforced.

Chalk is often randomly placed on the table throughout the match and if a player chose to place a piece of chalk on the rail in a place that happend to help him sight a shot....who would know unless he was blatantly obvious in his actions.

If a player can do it without penalty in an unobvious manner, why should a player be penalized for doing it in an obvious manner?

What would happen if a player randomly placed the chalk on the table and his opponent didn't like it's position, thinking it could be a marker, and broke his opponents rhythm by requesting the chalk be moved before taking the shot?

9 out of 10 would call that sharking, which incidently is also against the rules.

The player may not have been using the chalk as a marker and the opoonent may not have been sharking but both players are now in a position to cry foul.

It would seem that the best option for all players is to tollerate the rule allowing for the chalk to be a marker as this prevents complex disputes that make the game less enjoyable for everyone.

Few advanced players would need a marker so only the "up & coming" players would truly benefit from this rule. Can anyone see a good reason to prevent newer players the opportunity to become more proficient in a sport that is trying to grow nationally?

There are too many good reasons to allow the rule.
 
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