Here is the scenario in our 9-ball handicapped tournament last night. An "A" ranked player was playing a "C" ranked player in the semi-final match. Hill/hill game and the C player is getting ready to play a shot on the 7-ball, with the cue ball about 2-3 inches away from it, nearly straight in the side pocket.
The A player, from his chair, waves me down to judge what he figured could be a potential double-hit by his opponent, but doesn't say anything to his opponent requesting me to judge the shot, as he didn't want to interrupt him as he was getting ready to shoot it. I am behind the C player who is already set to play the shot. I'm guessing there's a pretty good chance this guy doesn't know the rule on double hits or even what a double hit is. I position myself to get a clear look from just behind him, and he plays the shot nearly straight on in the side, pockets the 7-ball and the cue ball chases right behind the 7-ball at the same speed, somehow avoids scratching in the side and comes off a few more rails for good shape on the 8-ball, although it wasn't necessary for him to attempt to play it this way, as the 8-ball was very close to the corner pocket and he would have had a fairly easy shot if he'd just elevated his cue, stabbed at it with bottom and cinched the 7 in the side and stopped the cue ball. This was as easy and obvious a double-hit call as I've ever had to make.
When I immediately informed player C he had committed a double-hit foul, he looked at me astonished and couldn't believe it. I knew he didn't know the rule, and at that moment I didn't feel it was my responsibility to go into detail and explain it to him and further delay player A's ball-in-hand shot on the 8-ball. Player A proceeded to run out, at which time I attempted to explain in more detail the double-hit rule to player C and why I knew that he'd fouled. Regardless, he felt like he'd been robbed and left in a huff and may likely never set foot in here again.
A few questions I have regarding this situation, as the Tournament Director, how I chose to judge this shot / handle this situation. Am I required to inform the shooter before he shoots that I've been asked by his opponent to closely observe and judge the shot for a potential foul? Secondly, in the case of a player that I'm strongly guessing doesn't know the double-hit rule, is it appropriate or out of line for me to explain before he attempts to shoot it, what a double hit is, what will constitute me calling a double hit foul on him and how he could possibly play the shot legally without being a double-hit?
To answer my first question, as I was able to get in a position behind him to correctly judge the shot, in this case I didn't feel a need to have to interrupt him and inform him I was judging the shot. If it was the case of whether he would be hitting the correct ball first, then I'd have no choice but to likely have to inform him, to get myself in a better position to judge the shot from, but in this case I didn't feel like I needed to.
As to my second question, I don't feel it is my responsibility in the middle of the tournament to explain to a player, regardless of their handicap ranking or ability level, before he shoots a shot, what is and isn't a legal shot. In my opinion that would be out of line and offering unfair advice.
Unfortunately I don't have this gentleman's contact information, so I don't know if I'll be able to reach out to him to try to apologize to him, not for my actions, but for having to call this on him on such a crucial shot, and offer him the opportunity to come back in so I can further explain and demonstrate to him in more detail the double hit rule, so he'll know for the future and hopefully will return to play in more tournaments.
Did I handle the situation correctly, or for the future, how could I have handled it better? Thanks
The A player, from his chair, waves me down to judge what he figured could be a potential double-hit by his opponent, but doesn't say anything to his opponent requesting me to judge the shot, as he didn't want to interrupt him as he was getting ready to shoot it. I am behind the C player who is already set to play the shot. I'm guessing there's a pretty good chance this guy doesn't know the rule on double hits or even what a double hit is. I position myself to get a clear look from just behind him, and he plays the shot nearly straight on in the side, pockets the 7-ball and the cue ball chases right behind the 7-ball at the same speed, somehow avoids scratching in the side and comes off a few more rails for good shape on the 8-ball, although it wasn't necessary for him to attempt to play it this way, as the 8-ball was very close to the corner pocket and he would have had a fairly easy shot if he'd just elevated his cue, stabbed at it with bottom and cinched the 7 in the side and stopped the cue ball. This was as easy and obvious a double-hit call as I've ever had to make.
When I immediately informed player C he had committed a double-hit foul, he looked at me astonished and couldn't believe it. I knew he didn't know the rule, and at that moment I didn't feel it was my responsibility to go into detail and explain it to him and further delay player A's ball-in-hand shot on the 8-ball. Player A proceeded to run out, at which time I attempted to explain in more detail the double-hit rule to player C and why I knew that he'd fouled. Regardless, he felt like he'd been robbed and left in a huff and may likely never set foot in here again.
A few questions I have regarding this situation, as the Tournament Director, how I chose to judge this shot / handle this situation. Am I required to inform the shooter before he shoots that I've been asked by his opponent to closely observe and judge the shot for a potential foul? Secondly, in the case of a player that I'm strongly guessing doesn't know the double-hit rule, is it appropriate or out of line for me to explain before he attempts to shoot it, what a double hit is, what will constitute me calling a double hit foul on him and how he could possibly play the shot legally without being a double-hit?
To answer my first question, as I was able to get in a position behind him to correctly judge the shot, in this case I didn't feel a need to have to interrupt him and inform him I was judging the shot. If it was the case of whether he would be hitting the correct ball first, then I'd have no choice but to likely have to inform him, to get myself in a better position to judge the shot from, but in this case I didn't feel like I needed to.
As to my second question, I don't feel it is my responsibility in the middle of the tournament to explain to a player, regardless of their handicap ranking or ability level, before he shoots a shot, what is and isn't a legal shot. In my opinion that would be out of line and offering unfair advice.
Unfortunately I don't have this gentleman's contact information, so I don't know if I'll be able to reach out to him to try to apologize to him, not for my actions, but for having to call this on him on such a crucial shot, and offer him the opportunity to come back in so I can further explain and demonstrate to him in more detail the double hit rule, so he'll know for the future and hopefully will return to play in more tournaments.
Did I handle the situation correctly, or for the future, how could I have handled it better? Thanks
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