I was playing a match when my opponent played a soft safe off the rack attempting to send the cue up table but the cue ball never made it to a rail. As I was getting out of my chair, my opponent picked up the cue ball. I told him that I believe that is a 15 point foul. He stated No it wasn't. I did not know where to find the rule. I gave him his way only taking one point off and I then had to take the cue in the kitchen which turned out bad for me because I scratch off the rack. I felt it really worked against me and he was the one who picked up the cue ball. Need some help...
Yeah, I think the way Jim laid it out was right. The only way you get to the fifteen point foul is through the mechanism of unsportsmanlike conduct.
"6.17 Unsportsmanlike Conduct
The normal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as for a serious foul, but the referee may impose a penalty depending on his judgment of the conduct. Among other penalties possible are a warning; a standard-foul penalty, which will count as part of a three-foul sequence if applicable; a serious-foul penalty; loss of a rack, set or match; ejection from the competition possibly with forfeiture of all prizes, trophies and standings points.
Unsportsmanlike conduct is any intentional behavior that brings disrepute to the sport or which disrupts or changes the game to the extent that it cannot be played fairly. It includes
(a) distracting the opponent;
(b) changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot;
(c) playing a shot by intentionally miscuing;
(d) continuing to play after a foul has been called or play has been suspended;
(e) practicing during a match;
(f) marking the table;
(g) delay of the game; and
(h) using equipment inappropriately."
It did not sound like unsportsmanlike conduct, the way you described it, but then I always had trouble figuring out how tapping the cue ball with your ferrule was unsportsmanlike and how catching the cue ball as it enters the pocket is unsportsmanlike.
If he was on a foul, you did not need to make a legal hit. Was there any other way you could have optimized your advantage? intentional foul available?
Had he left the cue ball in the kitchen before he picked it up. If so, if you took ball in hand in the kitchen you were probably a little better off than had he kept his mitts off it.