Question rule in our pool league

BigDeal52

Don Pearce
Silver Member
We have a special rule in our pool league. Someone said it was a rule but I have never found it. I am hoping for clarification from our distinguished straight pool experts.

The 15th ball and the cue ball were both in the rack. So all 15 of the balls were racked and the cue ball was put in the kitchen. My opponent was on a foul; so I intentionally fouled the cue ball in order to make my opponent shoot a long shot at the rack in hopes that he would leave me a shot or at least give me a good safety opportunity. My opponent along with our league director said I could not foul this way; they said I could do an intentional foul but the cue ball had to cross the head string first. Since I am a Missouri born fellow I asked them to Show Me the rule. They were unable to; the director said a former player in our league said if you did that it was a ball in hand foul.

I don't think there is any such rule but am willing to be enlightened.

What do you folks say?
 

sparkle84

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Yes, you have to shoot across the headstring. If not it would be an unsportsmanlike conduct foul ( I think). However, there is no such thing as BIH in straight pool. Not under any circumstance.
 

AtLarge

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Your opponent and your league director were correct. In that situation (all 15 object balls racked), you must shoot the cue ball across the head string.

From the WPA (world-standardized) rules.

  • 6.11 Bad Play from Behind the Head String
    ... The cue ball must either cross the head string or contact a ball in front of or on the head string or the shot is a foul, and the cue ball is in hand for the following player according to the rules of the specific game. If such shot is intentional, it is also unsportsmanlike conduct.

As you were told, you can take an intentional foul, e.g., by shooting the CB to the foot rail and back into the kitchen, or to a side rail (across the head string) with spin and back into the kitchen, or to any place across the head string (perhaps just an inch or less). Or, you could even shoot it into a side pocket or a foot-rail pocket (not the best choice).

But you cannot just tap the CB in the kitchen or (horrors) place it behind one of the jaws of a corner pocket and tap it there, leaving your opponent corner hooked. Doing such things intentionally would be unsportsmanlike conduct.
 

AtLarge

AzB Gold Member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Yes, you have to shoot across the headstring. If not it would be an unsportsmanlike conduct foul ( I think). However, there is no such thing as BIH in straight pool. Not under any circumstance.

But, as you know, BIH in 14.1 means behind the head string. Perhaps that's what the person meant who said that to the OP.
 
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Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
... Since I am a Missouri born fellow I asked them to Show Me the rule. They were unable to; the director said a former player in our league said if you did that it was a ball in hand foul.

I don't think there is any such rule but am willing to be enlightened.

What do you folks say?
I think it would be good for you to print off a copy of the World Standardized Rules (from the WPA website):

http://wpapool.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/WPA_New_Rules_01MAR2016-fixed-spelling.pdf

and give them to the people who run your league. If you want to get ahead of the game, read the rules before you give them the copy.

There are some situations that are covered in the "Regulations" rather than the rules, so you probably should look at those, too.
 
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