I think in strict banks, (which I'm not at all fond of) the side tit functions as a missed pocket and would be disallowed along with any other titty fluke. 
@ titty fluke.
@ titty fluke.
Bank pool shot / Is this legal
- Thread starter harleydon1950
- Start date
Except in banks it's not call pocket, if it was you could hit another ball on the way in and it would be good. Banks have to clean.
Because I like to break things down into their simplest form...
Here are the rules as listed on page 1:
13.5 VALID BANK SHOTS
For a bank shot to be valid, the athlete must indicate the object-ball, one or more cushions in order that the ball will contact, and the pocket the object-ball will go into. Incidental cushion contacts on the two rail sections adjoining the target pocket as the ball enters the pocket are not counted as cushion contacts for or against the shooter.
In addition, the following requirements must be met. The cue-ball must contact the called ball before it contacts any other ball or any rail. The called ball must not contact any other object-ball or the cue-ball a second time. The object-ball must not contact uncalled rails except for the incidental contact mentioned above. There must be no foul during the shot.
***********************
I'm going to break down each of the 7 sentences in the rules but the most important sentences are 2 and 6, the others minute details.
1) The first sentence in the first paragraph is easy enough - call the OB, call the amount of rails it will contact, call the pocket that it will fall in.
2) The second sentence in the first paragraph tells the reader that two rail "sections" adjoining the target pocket are not counted as cushion contacts. Let's break this down further.
A) What is a rail section?
* According to google:
A rail section on a pool table refers to one of the individual wooden or synthetic frames (topped with a rubber cushion and covered in felt) that border the playing surface and bounce the balls back into play.
A standard pool table has six individual rail sections in total:
Side Rails (Long Rails): Two longer rails running down the two long sides of the table, separated by the side pocket opening.
End Rails (Short Rails): Four shorter rail pieces—two at the head end (where you break) and two at the foot end (where you rack) separated by the corner and side pockets.
So, there are, in fact (according to google) 6 different rail sections and there are 2 on each of the long sides of the table. And just to clarify - Adjoining means "being in direct physical contact, sharing a common border, wall, or line with something else." In other words, the two rail sections on either side of any pocket are adjoining rail sections - which means, once you go past that side pocket the rail is no longer joining and is; therefore, a separate rail. Think of the Alaskan pipeline - The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System is made of about 100,000 individual forty-foot sections of steel pipe. Each individual "section" of pipe makes up the pipeline - on the long rail of a pool table there are two sections.
3) The first sentence in the second paragraph is simply telling you the following sentences are going to define the requirements that must be met during the shot.
4) Second sentence of the second paragraph says the CB must contact the OB before it contacts any other OB or any rail. Pretty simple.
5) Third sentence of the second paragraph states that the called OB must not contact any other object ball or the cue ball a second time. Pretty simple.
6) The sixth sentence is the big one - BUT - it must be combined with the information from sentence 2 in the first paragraph to paint the whole picture - The object-ball must not contact uncalled rails except for the incidental contact mentioned above. Essentially, once you call the pocket, there are two adjoining rails that are considered incidental, those two rails are the individual "sections" that are directly connected to the called pocket. If you hit ANY other "section" (including the section of rail on the other side of the side pocket) of rail, it is NOT considered a valid shot.
7) This last sentence simply points out there can be no fouls - i.e. scratch, contact with other balls by your body (if all ball fouls is in play), etc.
In short, sentences 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 are basically general information while sentences 2 and 6 are the meat of the rule. Sentence 2 defines a rail "section" and sentence 6 tells you what "sections" you can contact during the shot and, by these rules, the shot mentioned is, in fact, not a legal bank.
Here are the rules as listed on page 1:
13.5 VALID BANK SHOTS
For a bank shot to be valid, the athlete must indicate the object-ball, one or more cushions in order that the ball will contact, and the pocket the object-ball will go into. Incidental cushion contacts on the two rail sections adjoining the target pocket as the ball enters the pocket are not counted as cushion contacts for or against the shooter.
In addition, the following requirements must be met. The cue-ball must contact the called ball before it contacts any other ball or any rail. The called ball must not contact any other object-ball or the cue-ball a second time. The object-ball must not contact uncalled rails except for the incidental contact mentioned above. There must be no foul during the shot.
***********************
I'm going to break down each of the 7 sentences in the rules but the most important sentences are 2 and 6, the others minute details.
1) The first sentence in the first paragraph is easy enough - call the OB, call the amount of rails it will contact, call the pocket that it will fall in.
2) The second sentence in the first paragraph tells the reader that two rail "sections" adjoining the target pocket are not counted as cushion contacts. Let's break this down further.
A) What is a rail section?
* According to google:
A rail section on a pool table refers to one of the individual wooden or synthetic frames (topped with a rubber cushion and covered in felt) that border the playing surface and bounce the balls back into play.
A standard pool table has six individual rail sections in total:
Side Rails (Long Rails): Two longer rails running down the two long sides of the table, separated by the side pocket opening.
End Rails (Short Rails): Four shorter rail pieces—two at the head end (where you break) and two at the foot end (where you rack) separated by the corner and side pockets.
So, there are, in fact (according to google) 6 different rail sections and there are 2 on each of the long sides of the table. And just to clarify - Adjoining means "being in direct physical contact, sharing a common border, wall, or line with something else." In other words, the two rail sections on either side of any pocket are adjoining rail sections - which means, once you go past that side pocket the rail is no longer joining and is; therefore, a separate rail. Think of the Alaskan pipeline - The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System is made of about 100,000 individual forty-foot sections of steel pipe. Each individual "section" of pipe makes up the pipeline - on the long rail of a pool table there are two sections.
3) The first sentence in the second paragraph is simply telling you the following sentences are going to define the requirements that must be met during the shot.
4) Second sentence of the second paragraph says the CB must contact the OB before it contacts any other OB or any rail. Pretty simple.
5) Third sentence of the second paragraph states that the called OB must not contact any other object ball or the cue ball a second time. Pretty simple.
6) The sixth sentence is the big one - BUT - it must be combined with the information from sentence 2 in the first paragraph to paint the whole picture - The object-ball must not contact uncalled rails except for the incidental contact mentioned above. Essentially, once you call the pocket, there are two adjoining rails that are considered incidental, those two rails are the individual "sections" that are directly connected to the called pocket. If you hit ANY other "section" (including the section of rail on the other side of the side pocket) of rail, it is NOT considered a valid shot.
7) This last sentence simply points out there can be no fouls - i.e. scratch, contact with other balls by your body (if all ball fouls is in play), etc.
In short, sentences 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7 are basically general information while sentences 2 and 6 are the meat of the rule. Sentence 2 defines a rail "section" and sentence 6 tells you what "sections" you can contact during the shot and, by these rules, the shot mentioned is, in fact, not a legal bank.
More like bar pool.
I like playing that it counts, just because it's more fun; the one fluke available in bank pool.
But - now it occurs to me that if the entire long rail is considered incidental, an intentional, called bank off a pocket point down the rail is not a bank.
I might have to change my mind. Drat.
(Or just accept that there's a special case for straight backs. I have no problem with that either. Just remember to clairfy before you start.)
But - now it occurs to me that if the entire long rail is considered incidental, an intentional, called bank off a pocket point down the rail is not a bank.
I might have to change my mind. Drat.
(Or just accept that there's a special case for straight backs. I have no problem with that either. Just remember to clairfy before you start.)
No, it's still ambiguous. There are tables where the "section" is one continuous wood piece for the entire 9 foot rail. Google with general knowledge doesn't help us in this specialized case. Trying to use Google to interpret a piss-poorly written rule is futile.
Garbage in = Garbage out, and in this case the garbage in was the entire way the rule was written.
Have a good day.
CajunPopeye
Well-known member
Just for clarification, I can (kick) bank the cue ball off the top rail to the bottom pocket, hitting the object ball near the pocket? I've called banks before (reading this) and anyone I've played called it good.
That is not bank pool. At bank pool, the first thing the cue ball hits must be the ball to be banked -- no rails first. And then the banked ball must hit the called cushions in the called order before going into the called pocket, and the banked ball must not kiss off any other ball. The bank must be entirely clean except for maybe hitting the rails close to the pocket as the ball approaches the pocket. (This discussion is about which rails are OK.)
Kick shots are entirely different, and you can never kick at a ball in bank pool.
Bank pool is a common game in the area where the Derby City Classic is held, and the DCC short-rack banks division is by far the largest bank pool tournament of the year.
Technically thats not a legal bank as i understand the rules
I'm pretty sure I've seen that too, that is also the way I generally play.
Thats a ring game rule
I play banks that way with friends so when the pockets get blocked we can try a skill shot to score rather a skill shpt for safe