Why Pool Leagues Should Embrace “ALL BALL FOULS”

I will start by trying to convince VNEA to follow the new WPA rules (since I play in a VNEA league and know some of the leadership). There really are not that many difference, and the differences are small. I would think they would be proud to say (and market) that they are the first league to completely follow the official rules of pool.
Get the APA to agree to it and you might have some luck. I personally don't think it will ever happen.
 
That’s not even close to being what this is 😂 again I speak from a place of experience with this rule from 30 years ago. theres a reason they changed the rules to you can move the ball back.
The point is, the rules of the game have never stopped someone from playing the game.

People try to make the same argument in golf with respect to playing the ball as it lies.

If you tell new players the rules, they'll play by the rules.
 
Any knowledgeable player who has played in leagues before knows that many (if not most) players (and many refs at the national tournaments) are clueless concerning how to accurately detect double hits and wrong-ball-first fouls. And bad or disagreeable calls in these situations, which come up often, certainly result in arguments, bad feelings, and less fun.

Would having fewer fouls in US amateur league play make the game more enjoyable for the bulk of the American league players? The list of possible fouls is currently very long. And the long description of all the special cases for "CB Fouls Only" is a bit ridiculous.

Maybe I should do a video on why the APA should embrace "No Ball Fouls." Just play and have fun. Don't worry about all the "silly" fouls called in other leagues like:
- CB touches with or without ball in hand
- double hits
- no rail contact after the hit with and without rail-frozen balls
- wrong-ball-first for close, near-split-hit shots
- push shots
- intentional miscues
- scoop jump shots
- cue lift shots (already allowed in the APA)
- driving balls off the table
- not having a foot on the floor during a hit
- not marking the pocket for the 8 (currently penalized in the APA)
- etc.!
What do you and others think?
Don’t think this is coming across how you’re intending it, unless of course that intention is to be a pompous douchebag in that case you’re nailing it!

Harsh but
 
Watch the entire video again when you can find the time. I think I make a strong case that "CB Fouls Only" is much more prone to arguments.
I understand your rationale, but in a dark bar with players under the influence of alcohol, there would be endless arguments about whether a ball was moved. I get the complexities you brought up with only cue ball fouls, but in the 20 years of league I’ve played in, those have rarely happened- it is simpler when only one ball (cue ball) is in question
 
... in league play, or just when playing under drunken "bar rules?"

Whenever people in my league think a drunken slob might get too close during a shot, they let the drunken slob get out of the way first, or they politely ask them to move aside briefly.
Mostly get in line king of the table. I stayed away from leagues. The format was entirely commercial and a waste of time for me. If I was in a bar, I was there to get some pool in. The one thing the leagues accomplished was showing the crowd a logical ruleset - its own can of worms but better than "house rules". Anyway, having a protocol for determining stalemate would be useful to quote in those unsanctioned situations.
 
Mostly get in line king of the table. I stayed away from leagues. The format was entirely commercial and a waste of time for me. If I was in a bar, I was there to get some pool in. The one thing the leagues accomplished was showing the crowd a logical ruleset - its own can of worms but better than "house rules". Anyway, having a protocol for determining stalemate would be useful to quote in those unsanctioned situations.
WPA rules already do.....
 
What about girls with huge breasts? What do they do . How do they stop them from hanging down when trying to shoot a shot? That was another common sense reason we changed the rules.
I just got a private message from someone too embarrassed to specifically ask their question:

Where exactly do you play? He/she wanted the address, day, and exact time your league plays. They also wondered if there was ample spectator seating.

Not sure why they are so embarrassed. Just trying to help.
 
Interference, intentional or not?
They both are treated differently.

Layout, with a wedge of balls and neither player willing to do more than just bump em because the 8 ball is trapped/stalemate.
Rerack after 3 wedgies per player.
Or if they both agree then rerack/rebreak original breaker of that rack.
 
Interference, intentional or not?
They both are treated differently.

Layout, with a wedge of balls and neither player willing to do more than just bump em because the 8 ball is trapped/stalemate.
Rerack after 3 wedgies per player.
Or if they both agree then rerack/rebreak original breaker of that rack.
More specifically, player is down on complex shot and an unconcerned patron walks into stick, irretrievably destroying the situation. What then? Say there is a ref presiding - say he was even paying attention and has the world class background and he wants to reset the situation. WTF?
 
After a 25 year break i came back to pool a couple years ago and just endured the worst bitchingest, whinefest, shark move infested league team ever and now Dr Dave wants to give clowns like that another excuse to create drama. Ill pass unless there are full time refs. First time I have ever disagreed with him on anything. And if As he says you can just say I didn't touch it then wtf is the point of a rule that cant be enforced anyway?

Tap actually is getting away from rules instead of going towards them. Example now as long as you jack up you cant double hit a ball according to TAP..

Rant over.

Games have rules. No?

The rules don't exist to punish or reward.

They don't exist to help or to hinder.

They simply exist to tell us how to play the game.

They're written to ensure that when different players encounter the same situation, they're able to respond in the same way...
 
I gotta say there are those technical intellects throughout the leagues and being accosted that way is a major annoyance. Thankfully no leagues currently. No need to schedule around, ignore, or otherwise avoid.
 
Too many league players already wield the rules as a cudgel. All ball fouls would just hand them an extra one.
I get the intent, and it would be nice if it worked out like we know is should, but I don't see it happening.
That’s a good way to describe the rules mavens that bother me. I typically call them rules mavens or rules nits. They get away from their duties on the HOA by playing league and sometimes are correct on a rule.
 
FYI, I just posted a new video that discusses and demonstrates why all leagues should follow the WPA official rules of pool, including “All Ball Fouls,” where it is a foul if you touch or move the CB or any OB, even by mistake, at any time during play. Check it out:


Contents:
0:00 - Intro
0:52 - All Ball Fouls
2:36 - CB Fouls Only
6:06 - Why Switch to “All Ball Fouls”
11:01 - Proper Behavior
16:40 - Other Possible Rule Changes
18:21 - What Do You Think?

As always, I look forward to your feedback, comments, questions, complaints, and requests.

Enjoy!
Dr. Dave,

I learned about pool in 1961 and endeavored to put object balls in the designated pocket on 9’ and 10’ tables.
I never saw any 7’ pool tables in the pool halls in NYC but you could find 7’ tables in bars with quarter slots or
maybe in a youth center. So I learned about pool basically in the pool halls in Bklyn, Manhattan and Bronx.

Nobody went to Staten Island back then and the only way to get there was by Ferry. The last burrough, Queens, was basically industrial enterprises back at that time, despite having apartment complexes like LeFrak City. I used to play pool at George Balabushka’s room in Bay Ridge and Ovington Billiards, aka Hall of Fame Billiards later on and Ames in Times Square. I never saw anyone play a game of pool where it wasn’t a foul if you inadvertently touched a ball, except the cue ball during a stroke.

No one was calling a foul because you leaned across the table to reach the cue ball and your neck tie was hanging and barely brushed another OB under your chest completely unknown to you. Nope, that was chicken shit. I don’t know if the rules at that time even covered it. What I know is if you touched any ball during a game, aside from racking, you committed a foul & your opponent could take the table as is or ball in hand in the kitchen for 8, 9 ball, 1 pocket, rotation or 14.1. All my life I have subscribed to the belief that’s how pool should be played and the popularity of 7’ tables & ball in hand fouls seems like changing the height of a basketball hoop to be lowered but still qualify for professional sports. It makes pool more enjoyable for recreational play but gosh, a lot easier. So I welcome the change but BIH still remains. If we want pool games to be faster and with more runouts, then BIH is necessary for broadcasting & tournaments too.

Now just like MLB needs ABS (automatic balls & strikes) due to miserable umpiring the last few years, the introduction
of a pitcher and batter time clocks has been a great thing. WPA should adopt it & so should local leagues. It is absurd how much time a player can take evaluating how to play their shot. And then after taking an agonizingly long time, well over a minute, then the player calls a time out. And that always takes more than a minute because you have to summon someone to coach the player on what to do. It is absolutely a tediously slow process so time clocks are also needed for leagues…..45 seconds……for the player or a time out……seems more than adequate. I’m likely in the minority on this change and with league players, I don’t think they’ll be embracing WPA’s new any ball touch foul rule.
 
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I’ve been in a league for about five years that has all ball fouls. There are less disputes and drama than you think. Sure occasionally there may be a dispute, but it is usually resolved without much of a problem. If it is a stalemate they just re-rack. Only saw that happen once.

A shirt touching isn’t a foul. Moving it with a shirt is. Hard to do and rare.

Worrying about boobs moving a ball is no different then a guys fat belly so equally still stands.

Again outliers are possible but rare, but moving the ball with a hand or stick is common and what this rule is for. I played APA and TAP before and I found it more irritating to play someone and watch the carelessly bump and move balls while making a shot. No penalty or consequences to get an easier shot. Balls get moved with a silly whoops. If you can’t make the shot without disturbing the table don’t take the shot or try and accept the foul if you fail.
 
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More specifically, player is down on complex shot and an unconcerned patron walks into stick, irretrievably destroying the situation. What then? Say there is a ref presiding - say he was even paying attention and has the world class background and he wants to reset the situation. WTF?
rerack, it's usually impossible to re-place 3 or more balls back to where there were.
 
Don’t think this is coming across how you’re intending it, unless of course that intention is to be a pompous douchebag in that case you’re nailing it!

Harsh but
Nice diarrhea of the mouth.

I hope ''this is not coming across as how you’re intending it ICNH, unless of course that intention is for YOU to be a pompous douchebag''.

Ironically.... I think we all Know NOW what your inserted clever name really is.
D.Bag
 
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