Laying your stick on the table

You can line up a shot as long as you don't let go of the cue. You can lay the cue on the table if you are not using it as an aiming tool (taking a break, etc.).

Frankenstroke said:

You can line up a shot as long as you don't let go of the cue. You can lay the cue on the table if you are not using it as an aiming tool (taking a break, etc.).

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Exactly for the REAL rules but some of the leagues make up some of their own rules so who knows. 98% of pool players even the top ones dont know the rules that well. Just ask 3 of them about the push rule.

I remember seeing a pro tournament where a player was called for a foul for leaving his cue on the table while reaching down to get the bridge.

The WPA rules say (RULE 6.12) "If the shooter uses his cue stick in order to align a shot by placing it on the table without having a hand on the stick, it is a foul."

I don't see how it was called a foul, since he was not using the cue to align the shot.

Current BCA league rules allow you to lay a cue on the table and take your hand off, as far as I can tell. From section 1-3, Use of Equipment:

f. You may use your cue, held in your hand or not, to help align a shot.

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BRussell said:

Current BCA league rules allow you to lay a cue on the table and take your hand off, as far as I can tell. From section 1-3, Use of Equipment:

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quite surprised at that-sounds more APAish but you are correct-just read it myself.

Nostroke said:

quite surprised at that-sounds more APAish but you are correct-just read it myself.

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I don't think the APA addresses this at all. There is no rule preventing it

BRussell said:

Current BCA league rules allow you to lay a cue on the table and take your hand off, as far as I can tell. From section 1-3, Use of Equipment:

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Nostroke said:

quite surprised at that-sounds more APAish but you are correct-just read it myself.

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Yes, this is a recent change.

bca rules
6.12 Cue Stick on the Table
If the shooter uses his cue stick in order to align a shot by placing it on the table without
having a hand on the stick, it is a foul.
this is from billiard congress of America rules

HOWEVER

this is from bca pool league rules
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dabarber check your pm

Before there was a length requirement for cues, I used the shaft for jump shots. Tom Rossman showed us the benefits during an exhibition at SDSU. When the shot was in the middle of the table, I would use the butt end as a support for the bridge.

This would not be allowed now, but could you use the bridge stick in a similar way? The light would probably get in the way in the middle of the table.

Didn't Shannon Daulton do this occasionally? I thought I remembered him doing it in matches.

I saw Kim Davenport get this foul called against him at the U.S. Open a few years back by Mike Dechaine I believe it was.

Kim, in disbelief mumbled something to himself like "Have I been out of it that long?" He had no idea it was against the rules.

I think he ended up just getting a warning.

Celophanewrap said:

I don't think the APA addresses this at all. There is no rule preventing it

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well then the general rules for pool should prevail unless they wrote an entire new set of rules

bud green said:

Didn't Shannon Daulton do this occasionally? I thought I remembered him doing it in matches.

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im pretty sure ive seen shannon do it on an accustats make it happen dvd
there was no foul called

branpureza said:

I saw Kim Davenport get this foul called against him at the U.S. Open a few years back by Mike Dechaine I believe it was.

Kim, in disbelief mumbled something to himself like "Have I been out of it that long?" He had no idea it was against the rules.

I think he ended up just getting a warning.

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Rodney had it called too and a warning for a clear foul is even more stupid. U get a warning for behavior, slow play etc
but not rule violations

Nostroke said:

well then the general rules for pool should prevail unless they wrote an entire new set of rules

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But what are the "general rules for pool?" I don't think there's any agreement on that. If someone in APA tried to call a foul based on the fact that it's in the WPA or some other rules, even though it's not in APA rules, that would be pretty thin.

But to me the "hand on cue" rules seems reasonable.

Here's the complete BCAPL rule:

You may use your cue, held in your hand or not, to help align a shot. You may use your cue and hands to measure angles and distances for bank
shots and kick shots.No other cues, bridges or equipment may be used.

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What is interesting about the rule, and I didn't see this situation covered in the applied rulings, is it would appear by omission to allow you to unscrew your cue into two pieces then use the two separate pieces to say, measure the angle in and angle out of a bank or kick shot.

From a theoretical standpoint I'd say it should be against the rules. Using both short pieces of your playing cue would actually be better in many situations than using two separate cues because it would allow you to lay them down to measure many situations where there isn't room to lay two full length cues on the table.

But I wonder if there is anything specific written in the BCA Pool League rules that can actually be used as a basis for calling this a violation aside from perhaps referee discretion to declare it a foul in equity when an unusual situation arises.

BRussell said:

But what are the "general rules for pool?" I don't think there's any agreement on that. If someone in APA tried to call a foul based on the fact that it's in the WPA or some other rules, even though it's not in APA rules, that would be pretty thin.

But to me the "hand on cue" rules seems reasonable.

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Do the rules specify who's hand is on the cue? Does it have to be a real hand. It may all depend on what the definition of hand is.

Inaction said:

Do the rules specify who's hand is on the cue? Does it have to be a real hand. It may all depend on what the definition of hand is.

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The rubber hand could be the newest pool accessory.

BRussell said:

But what are the "general rules for pool?" I don't think there's any agreement on that. If someone in APA tried to call a foul based on the fact that it's in the WPA or some other rules, even though it's not in APA rules, that would be pretty thin.

But to me the "hand on cue" rules seems reasonable.

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Here they are-the rules that apply to 'all games'

http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/the_rules_of_play

but i dont get why the stick thing isnt addressed? Is the stick thing specific to 9 ball? Cant be WTH?

maybe Jewett will chime in