3 Foul Rule in 9 Ball Question

SCCues

< Searing Twins
Silver Member
Last night, I was playing in my 9 ball league and a 3 Foul rule question came up. Here's the scenario:

I played a safe with 7 balls on the table and my opponent kicks and hits the correct ball and luckily leaves it where I can't hit it.

I fouled and gave him ball in hand. (1st foul)

He decides to skim off the ball and put me back where I was knowing I couldn't hit the ball again.

I hit into the pack of balls trying to loosen them up so he couldn't do that to me again. (2nd foul)

He comes to the table and pockets 2 balls with ball in hand and then turns to me and says I'm on 2 fouls and gets ready to play another safe!

I told him that once he pocketed a ball legally I wasn't on 2 fouls any more!

Am I right or was I still on 2 fouls after he shot 2 balls in?

Thanks in advance.
 

SCCues

< Searing Twins
Silver Member
Him making legal balls doesn't negate your fouls,,,,, sorry

I don't know what I was thinking other than I could of sworn that once a legal ball is made the fouls go away. This has never come up in a match before that I played in and if my opponent had played safe and put me there it would have been easier to accept, but it was just more dumb luck on his part that put the next ball in a spot where it couldn't be hit. He got every roll a human could get in that match and then wins a game on a rules question. I was a higher ranked player than he was and dealing with losing the match was in the back of my mind.

We were playing a race to 9 in the league and he had me down 5-0 before I won a game! He made 3 9 ball combos after the break to get that 5-0 lead and that didn't help my state of mind at all when the rules question came up. He finally got on the hill and had me down 8-3 and I was so down about him getting so lucky I decided to go for it and stop playing tentatively. I ran off 5 games in a row and the better I played the worse he played when he came to the table. I got the score to 8-8 with me breaking and I ran down to the 9 ball in the deciding game and I had a cut on the 9 into the corner. The shot was a fairly thin cut and right when I pulled the trigger to shoot the shot I thought to myself don't scratch in the side pocket after all this work and I let up on my stroke. I'd fought back from being down 8-3 to 8-8, shooting the 9 ball to win and hung the 9 up in the corner pocket after all that work to get the win in the match. There was a small crowd watching since we were the last match being played and the whole crowd couldn't believe what I did. Everyone was saying after all those good shots and run outs they couldn't believe I hung up the 9 ball to come back and win! I couldn't believe the 9 ball didn't fall, but that's what I get for worrying about a fluke scratch in the side instead putting my mind on making the ball.
 

nine_ball6970

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't know what I was thinking other than I could of sworn that once a legal ball is made the fouls go away.

That applies if you are the one shooting. Say you are on 2. You make a ball legally and then foul on the next shot. The fouls reset and you are on 1 now.
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Last night, I was playing in my 9 ball league and a 3 Foul rule question came up. Here's the scenario:

I played a safe with 7 balls on the table and my opponent kicks and hits the correct ball and luckily leaves it where I can't hit it.

I fouled and gave him ball in hand. (1st foul)

He decides to skim off the ball and put me back where I was knowing I couldn't hit the ball again.

I hit into the pack of balls trying to loosen them up so he couldn't do that to me again. (2nd foul)

He comes to the table and pockets 2 balls with ball in hand and then turns to me and says I'm on 2 fouls and gets ready to play another safe!

I told him that once he pocketed a ball legally I wasn't on 2 fouls any more!

Am I right or was I still on 2 fouls after he shot 2 balls in?

Thanks in advance.




Also, you should check with the league operator regarding the timing of when a player is supposed to notify his opponent that he's on 2 fouls. Usually, it's after he finishes his turn at the table and before you start yours ---- between innings --- not while a player is at the table shooting.
 

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Also, you should check with the league operator regarding the timing of when a player is supposed to notify his opponent that he's on 2 fouls. Usually, it's after he finishes his turn at the table and before you start yours ---- between innings --- not while a player is at the table shooting.

Good point. If your opponent does not tell you when you go to the table that you are on 2 and you commit a 3rd foul, I am under the impression that you are still in the game because he did not tell you. Usually, this may only happen when someone is not familiar with the rule.
 

nine_ball6970

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Good point. If your opponent does not tell you when you go to the table that you are on 2 and you commit a 3rd foul, I am under the impression that you are still in the game because he did not tell you. Usually, this may only happen when someone is not familiar with the rule.

I feel like that is an unsportsmanlike loop hole. If opponent told you that you are on two and you confirm that you are it should not matter if it is before or after opponent plays safe.

I understand the reason for the rule being like that in straight pool but don't think it should be the same for rotation games.
 

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I feel like that is an unsportsmanlike loop hole. If opponent told you that you are on two and you confirm that you are it should not matter if it is before or after opponent plays safe.

I understand the reason for the rule being like that in straight pool but don't think it should be the same for rotation games.

I play in a Monday night league where this is a rule but a lot are unfamiliar with. I have put myself on 2 by scratching on the break and then missing a kick. I had to tell the person that they should tell me because they didn't know. However, I was referring to playing for money. If I know I am on 2 and the person doesn't tell me, playing for money, then I don't consider it unsportsmanlike. The rules are the rules. If they don't tell you and you shoot, and then they say that was your 3rd foul without telling you that you were on 2, my understanding is, you are still in the game. Is this correct?
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I feel like that is an unsportsmanlike loop hole. If opponent told you that you are on two and you confirm that you are it should not matter if it is before or after opponent plays safe.

I understand the reason for the rule being like that in straight pool but don't think it should be the same for rotation games.
I think the right way to do it at all games is to have a visible indicator of how many fouls a player is on.
 

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I feel like that is an unsportsmanlike loop hole. If opponent told you that you are on two and you confirm that you are it should not matter if it is before or after opponent plays safe.

I understand the reason for the rule being like that in straight pool but don't think it should be the same for rotation games.

I forgot to mention in previous post re straight pool.

In 14:1 as far as I know you don't have to notify the person they are on 2. You are keeping score and they know when they foul and they know that 3 consecutive fouls is a 15 point deduction plus 1 for the 3rd foul for a total of 18 points.
 

Renegade_56

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
If you know you are on 2 fouls and try to use technicalities like who told who what, and when,,,,,,, nothing more unsportsmanlike than that.
 

DogsPlayingPool

"What's in your wallet?"
Silver Member
I forgot to mention in previous post re straight pool.

In 14:1 as far as I know you don't have to notify the person they are on 2. You are keeping score and they know when they foul and they know that 3 consecutive fouls is a 15 point deduction plus 1 for the 3rd foul for a total of 18 points.

Under World Standardized Rules, 3 fouls is covered under fouls for all games that have a three foul rule, straight pool included. You must inform the player he is "on two" when he comes to the table. If you fail to notify him and he fouls again the fouls do not reset but he is still considered to be on two fouls.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Under World Standardized Rules, 3 fouls is covered under fouls for all games that have a three foul rule, straight pool included. You must inform the player he is "on two" when he comes to the table. If you fail to notify him and he fouls again the fouls do not reset but he is still considered to be on two fouls.
I think there is an exception for a visible scoreboard on which the fouls are noted.
 

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Under World Standardized Rules, 3 fouls is covered under fouls for all games that have a three foul rule, straight pool included. You must inform the player he is "on two" when he comes to the table. If you fail to notify him and he fouls again the fouls do not reset but he is still considered to be on two fouls.

Thank you, that answers the question. It's not a sportmanship question, it's what's the rule.
 

DogsPlayingPool

"What's in your wallet?"
Silver Member
Thank you, that answers the question. It's not a sportmanship question, it's what's the rule.


I'm not sure the way I explained it was completely clear so let me confirm. If you do not inform him he's on two and he fouls a third successive time it does not count as a third foul. But he is still on two, not back to zero. ;)
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
While many players, especially gambling, subscribe to the "you snooze, you lose" scenario, personally I have more integrity than that. I have ALWAYS called my own fouls (even those that may result in loss of game), whether my opponent knew it, saw it...or not. You still have to look in the mirror. Either you have integrity or you don't. The day I have to cheat to win a game of pool, I will be hanging my cue up for good! JMO I like Bob's idea of a visual foul indicator.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

However, I was referring to playing for money. If I know I am on 2 and the person doesn't tell me, playing for money, then I don't consider it unsportsmanlike. The rules are the rules.
 

BeiberLvr

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
While many players, especially gambling, subscribe to the "you snooze, you lose" scenario, personally I have more integrity than that. I have ALWAYS called my own fouls (even those that may result in loss of game), whether my opponent knew it, saw it...or not. You still have to look in the mirror. Either you have integrity or you don't. The day I have to cheat to win a game of pool, I will be hanging my cue up for good! JMO I like Bob's idea of a visual foul indicator.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Scott,

This has been brought up plenty of times here.

If I'm on two, and foul, then I'll definitely call it on myself. However, if my opponent doesn't tell me I'm on two (which is their responsibility not mine), then tough luck for them.

Following the rules does not and should not diminish one's integrity.
 
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