When does a shot end?

[mullyman]

In a local tournament a problem came up with whether the timing of a foul is important. In particular, the player made the point but then failed to get his hand off the table in time and a moving ball touched his hand. Clearly this is a foul, but the TD was wondering whether the point counts.

Two questions:

1. How would you play it?

2. Which rule is applicable?

USBA rules were in force.

Before I read through this thread I'm going to give my 2 cents.

1. The shot ends when the balls stop moving. After they stop moving it's beginning the next shot. If you foul AFTER the balls stop moving then the previous point stands and you lose out on taking that next shot. Why would that point be taken away? You didn't commit a foul while the balls were in motion.

2. If you score point and a foul is committed while the balls are still moving, that negates that point and you sit down.

To answer Bob's first question, if I scored a point and accidentally made some sort of foul while the balls were still moving, no matter how slowly, I would apologize to my opponent and sit down WITHOUT marking that point.

Anyone that would argue that is not someone I would wish to play with.
MULLY

 

[mullyman]

I hear ya - and call me crazy, but doesnt that leave room for someone to foul on purpose? or move a ball on purpose?

I'll respond about my previous post 2morrow.

Yeah, it would leave that option open.....but why would you want to do that? What tactical advantage would you have giving up the table?
MULLY

 

[Mr. Bond]

Yeah, it would leave that option open.....but why would you want to do that? What tactical advantage would you have giving up the table?
MULLY

I dont think there would be any advantage to giving up the table, per say...I was just pondering the possibilities, to get at the logic behind the rule, as they are usually a little more black and white. But the 'nature' (or intent) of the foul, in this case, seems to be based in part on the judgement of the ref -who determines if it was on purpose or not.
I just suppose that 'intent' could be very tricky to call sometimes.