switching cue balls

There is not really a rule, but both players have to agree on the change. We change cue balls all the time.

If both parties agree i guess its fine. I once played with a guy who packed his own cueball and would not play with another one. he would refuse a game because someone wanted to use the cue that was on the table.... i think thats just another way of showing you have no guts or gamble, kinda like only playing on one table at your house and your opponent has to play with a broomstick and a quarter glued on the end.

No problem as long as both team captains agree.

I don't play APA but in our league each team gets a half an hour to warm up before hand. Home team first and away team just before play starts.

We often use a different cue ball. But, it seems to me that it's somewhat poor form to wait and then request using your own personal cueball after people have warmed up with a different one.

Just about every team in the leagues that I play in carries a regular CB that is used during matches.

I don't see a problem with it as long as the rest of the night was played with it.

I definitely wouldn't complain, the only stipulation I'd make is if he gets to play with it, he has to let everyone use it. Unless for some reason they prefer the bar ball.

I am a "Division Rep" for my APA league. While there is no rule in the book about the cue ball, each league operator can enact local "bylaws". These are typically rules voted on by the reps and sent out to the captains at the beginning of each session. I don't know if this is specific to my league operator or something all league operators do. In any case, the bylaw for us is this:

The home team can provide any cueball they want. The decision about which cueball to use is made at the beginning of each *individual* match, but the home player always has the final say. So for example, say I bring my own standard cueball to another bar. I tell the team captain and he agrees to use it. We play match 1 and 2 with it. Say we get to match 3 and the home player says he would rather use the bar ball. Then the bar ball will be used for that match. When the 4th match is about to start, the home player can decide to go back to the real cueball or stick with the bar ball. However, once an individual match is begun with a cueball, that cueball must be used for the duration of the match.

Personally I don' think this is the best. I personally think the captains should agree before the match, and whatever ball is decided upon should be used throughout the night. This is because it *could* effect your decision to play certain players who are particularly good or bad with a heavy or oversized ball. It would not be fair to find out after you already put a player up the the conditions would change.

Most of the teams in my division use a real cueball. This could be partly due to the fact that I have a standing offer to any team in the division that if they wish to convert to a real ball, I will give them a Super Aramith Pro cueball for free, with the stipulation that they must use it every week at home. I laugh at some of the people who believe that playing with a large or heavy cueball gives them a "home field advantage". They haven't though the topic through very well. First of all, 50% of their matches are played away, so you could just as easily consider it the home field game ruiner. Also, they are really missing some fundamental aspects of the way position is played, and their games typically show it. Also, the regional and state championships are played with a standard cueball, so why not be very comfortable with it. Finally, what about the fact that the cueball is *SUPPOSED* to be the same size and weight as the other balls. Anything else is a bad solution to a problem (making the cueball return on a coin op table). Why would people voluntarily do things the wrong way?

Anyway, theres my longwinded answer ha ha!

KMRUNOUT

Remember, the home team's regular cue ball that they are familiar with as to how it hits (mud ball perhaps) is switched out to a (better?) lighter cue ball would give the home team a disadvantage!

coolcue said:

Thanks for the reply. It will help in the future I'm sure.

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I was playing at a regional singles tournament once. The tables were 7' valley's. At the player meeting the TD told everyone that mud-balls would be provided on the table. "IF" a player had a aramith coin-op ball, they could use that instead "IF" both players agreed.

I always carry a coin-op aramith ball with me.... as did many of the other players... I played five matches with the aramith ball as each competitor agreed. I get to the simi-final and the next guy says "No"... he wants to play with the mud-ball as he has been playing with that during each of his matches. According to the rule, we had to play with the mud-ball.

Needless to say, I was not used to the mud-ball that day and couldn't move the ball as I wanted. He went to vegas. ... he had a good stratagy.

nancewayne said:

Remember, the home team's regular cue ball that they are familiar with as to how it hits (mud ball perhaps) is switched out to a (better?) lighter cue ball would give the home team a disadvantage!

Click to expand...

This may or may not be true. If those home players never leave that bar, never play on good tables, and all matches for the whole season are played at home, then I might agree with you. One other factor to consider is that people who play with the mud ball and don't realize it are VERY rarely good players, and changing balls will likely make no difference to them whatsoever, at least no difference they can perceive. Finally, I have many times witnesses people marveling at their new found draw abilities when they are used to a heavy ball and change to the correct ball.

Your mileage may vary.

KMRUNOUT

KMRUNOUT said:

I laugh at some of the people who believe that playing with a large or heavy cueball gives them a "home field advantage". They haven't though the topic through very well. First of all, 50% of their matches are played away, so you could just as easily consider it the home field game ruiner. Also, they are really missing some fundamental aspects of the way position is played, and their games typically show it. Also, the regional and state championships are played with a standard cueball, so why not be very comfortable with it. Finally, what about the fact that the cueball is *SUPPOSED* to be the same size and weight as the other balls. Anything else is a bad solution to a problem (making the cueball return on a coin op table). Why would people voluntarily do things the wrong way?

Anyway, theres my longwinded answer ha ha!

KMRUNOUT

Click to expand...

Sorry, but I disagree with this paragraph. Playing with a large CB is a huge advantage over people not familiar with its behavior. All the fundamentals are the same, your missing the different approach needed to play with the larger ball. What is supposed to be, IYO, is not what has been since pool tables have been in bars. Since the 50s, as I know it. Its a little different game, with some benefits and some limitations.

My question to you would be, why do you think your way is the right way?