Maybe it is a clear rules violation but I'd need to see a rulebook before I stipulate to that. A referee should remove the template but with no referee Eddie was acting as a referee.
Regardless of the template or how a ball gets moved, if you're playing fouls on the cue ball only the incoming player has the right to leave the ball where it is or replace it to its original position.
It was mentioned earlier that the TD informed everyone at the player's meeting that refs would be responsible for removing the template. Don't need a rule book in this case.
Tin Man cleared this all up in post #54. He stated: "I played in the event as well. The tournament director had a player's meeting Friday night. He really wanted this to be a professional event so we played all ball fouls and we had 4 referees arms length away at all times. He set the rules that removing the magic rack was a foul if a ball was touched and that we were to ask a referee to do this. There was NEVER a delay with this request".
Maybe it is a clear rules violation but I'd need to see a rulebook before I stipulate to that. A referee should remove the template but with no referee Eddie was acting as a referee.
In that case it was a foul but if I was playing I wouldn't have called unless he moved the 9 to where he had a combination. Just me but I would not have called a foul - maybe mentioned to Eddie that the referee is supposed to pick up the template.
Since it was addressed in the players meeting, dont you think you should discuss it with your opponent before taking action on your own? Have the opponent remove it? Call for a referee? The were many options. The op chose the wrong one.
Perhaps but in this case removing the template is something a player like Eddie has probably done thousands of times. It's kind of a reflex action. If they said at the player's meeting you couldn't put chalk on the rail I imagine somebody would do it out of habit.
You have a ball marker fetish?
Sure, who doesn't? But that has nothing to do with pool.
I disagree because the template is provided for every table and not a ball marker because most people clean the cue ball before a rack if it needs it. If there was a rule no chalk on the rail and someone forgot that would be a similar scenario to what Eddie did. Players do it without thinking about it.
Just curious. If there were a "no chalk on the rails" rule in place, what would be the punishment for the offending player?
Well, I'd go for one or two warnings and then a standard foul for each occurrence, if there were such a rule.
I'm one of the those weird nits that pays attention to what's going on and follows the instructions of TDs. ...so although I would have most likely called the foul. I would have stopped Eddie before he reach the template, and told him I'd do so if he continued.
This reminds me of when I argue with my wife. You are making a case for it being a foul but you don't agree with the foul. I give up. You win the internet.
I don't know. What was the penalty here in the semi-final match of the same tournament Eddie is discussing?
There are many rules I dont agree with, but a rule is a rule. If I dont like them to enough of a degree, I wont play. There is no excuse for ignoring them because you dont agree with them. As I said before, discuss it with you opponent before you take your own brand of action. Communication can solve many problems before they start.