I've posted this before in a thread about league discussion, but since nobody reads that one anymore, I'll repost it here. It's a basic description of the structure and rules of a hypothetical new league for everyone, but mainly masses of mostly average and lower players. I'd actually like to see this one or a similar one founded throughout Europe, as we lack a similar competition here. Also, European people would be much more familiar with the game rules. What do you think about it as somewhat of an alternative to APA, GPPA and such?
League structure
- teams of 3 to 6 players
- if there's a difference in number of players between the teams, some (or all) players in the team with less players get to play twice (they can decide who'll play)
- unlimited number of reserve players and substitutions per team
- rating system based purely on score (levels 1-7)
- all players start as level 4
- there's a rating limit per team: 4 x number of players in the larger team (3-6)
- rating of every player who gets to play twice counts in the limit two times (e.g. if a level 5 plays twice, he "spends" 10 points from his team's rating limit)
- number of matches played: every player in the larger team has to play one match, players from the smaller team can't play more than twice
- NO handicapping
- teams divided by regions, every region competes for itself
- at the end of the first "round", first few teams from each region go to the second stage, where they play first teams from other regions
- the best teams then move to the final round, where they have the chance to win the money
Game: a version of last pocket 8 Ball
Rules
- the referee needs to be ready to answer any questions about the rules if players are uncertain about a specific situation, but the players have to learn the rules before they join
- random selection of which player plays which (drawing straws, papers etc.)
- team who wins the lag gets the first break
- opponent racks the balls
- racking: 8 ball goes on footspot, in the center of the triangle, other balls in a stripe-solid-stripe-solid order, with either solids or stripes in the corners
- later: alternate breaks to the end of the match
- races from 4 to 7 (referee decides based on the number of players who showed up and the number of tables)
- Legal break: breaking from the kitchen, CB has to make contact with the rack first (if it hits a rail first it's a foul), at least 4 balls (including the CB) need to touch a rail after contact)
- if a player accidentally shoots out of kitchen area, miscues, fails to hit the rack or hits the rail first, he can re-rack and break again, but only ONCE per match
- otherwise, the opponent can either re-rack and break himself, or he can give more chances to the original breaker (his choice)
- if the 8 ball is pocketed on the break, it's spotted on the footspot or as close as possible
- if only stripes or solids drop on break, the breaker keeps that group to the end of the game
- if at least one ball from each group is pocketed, the groups remain undetermined until either player pockets a ball from only one group
- scratch on the break: if the break was legal, CB simply goes to the headspot and the opponent gets the turn at the table (just like regular scratch described below) - balls pocketed by the breaker count, if he dropped only one group he still keeps it
- scratch (during game) - Balls pocketed on scratch count. The player's turn ends, CB goes to the headspot and the incoming player has to shoot across the center of the table. If he hits any ball or rail above the line which connects the middle part of both side pockets, or he fails to cross that line with the CB, it's a foul and the other player gets the turn. In case a player keeps illegally hitting rails and balls above the center, then it's unsportsmanlike conduct as well.
- If a player doesn't place the CB on the headspot on scratch or moves it anywhere before shooting, and repeats it intentionally or accidentally, it's also considered unsportsmanlike conduct, and the referee determines the punishment
- Hitting any ball or rail above the head string on scratch is INSTANT UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
- if there are balls completely blocking the headspot or preventing the player to make a legal shot, the team needs to call the referee, who'll place the CB behind the headspot as much as it's necessary for the player to make any legal shot
- Legal shots - the CB has to make contact with a ball from the player's group or a rail first, or make no contact at all
- No requirement for any ball to hit a rail on any shot
- NO shot calling
- If CB makes direct contact with the 8 ball or an opponent's ball first, it's a foul and the player loses his turn
- players keep shooting as long as they make at least one ball of their group per shot (it doesn't matter if they pocket one or more opponent's balls as well)
- balls pocketed under foul remain pocketed, but the player's turn is over
- a player can decide to end or skip his inning at any time, and the opponent gets to shoot from the position where the CB stopped
- jumping and jump cues allowed
- all balls driven off the table are spotted frozen on either the head rail or the foot rail, as close as possible to the central diamond (referee decides which "spot" is more fair based on the position of the CB and the incoming player)
- to win the game, a player has to legally pocket the 8 ball in the same pocket where he dropped his last OB
- if that pocket is already the last pocket of his opponent, then his last pocket becomes the opposite hole (the other side pocket or the corner pocket diagonally across the table)
- pocketing the 8 ball under foul, driving it off the table, dropping it in a wrong pocket, or in any pocket before the player pockets all his OBs, means the loss of game
- if a player who has only the 8 ball remaining fails to touch it three times in a row, he loses the game
- in case the 8 ball is left hanging on any pocket which isn't someone's last pocket, the referee has to spot it the same way balls driven off the table are spotted
- if a player accidentally touches or moves any ball other than the CB, the referee needs to place it as close as possible to the original position, and the other player gets the turn
- any contact between the cue tip and the CB is considered a shot, double shots or pushing the CB are fouls, repeating them is unsportsmanlike conduct
League structure
- teams of 3 to 6 players
- if there's a difference in number of players between the teams, some (or all) players in the team with less players get to play twice (they can decide who'll play)
- unlimited number of reserve players and substitutions per team
- rating system based purely on score (levels 1-7)
- all players start as level 4
- there's a rating limit per team: 4 x number of players in the larger team (3-6)
- rating of every player who gets to play twice counts in the limit two times (e.g. if a level 5 plays twice, he "spends" 10 points from his team's rating limit)
- number of matches played: every player in the larger team has to play one match, players from the smaller team can't play more than twice
- NO handicapping
- teams divided by regions, every region competes for itself
- at the end of the first "round", first few teams from each region go to the second stage, where they play first teams from other regions
- the best teams then move to the final round, where they have the chance to win the money
Game: a version of last pocket 8 Ball
Rules
- the referee needs to be ready to answer any questions about the rules if players are uncertain about a specific situation, but the players have to learn the rules before they join
- random selection of which player plays which (drawing straws, papers etc.)
- team who wins the lag gets the first break
- opponent racks the balls
- racking: 8 ball goes on footspot, in the center of the triangle, other balls in a stripe-solid-stripe-solid order, with either solids or stripes in the corners
- later: alternate breaks to the end of the match
- races from 4 to 7 (referee decides based on the number of players who showed up and the number of tables)
- Legal break: breaking from the kitchen, CB has to make contact with the rack first (if it hits a rail first it's a foul), at least 4 balls (including the CB) need to touch a rail after contact)
- if a player accidentally shoots out of kitchen area, miscues, fails to hit the rack or hits the rail first, he can re-rack and break again, but only ONCE per match
- otherwise, the opponent can either re-rack and break himself, or he can give more chances to the original breaker (his choice)
- if the 8 ball is pocketed on the break, it's spotted on the footspot or as close as possible
- if only stripes or solids drop on break, the breaker keeps that group to the end of the game
- if at least one ball from each group is pocketed, the groups remain undetermined until either player pockets a ball from only one group
- scratch on the break: if the break was legal, CB simply goes to the headspot and the opponent gets the turn at the table (just like regular scratch described below) - balls pocketed by the breaker count, if he dropped only one group he still keeps it
- scratch (during game) - Balls pocketed on scratch count. The player's turn ends, CB goes to the headspot and the incoming player has to shoot across the center of the table. If he hits any ball or rail above the line which connects the middle part of both side pockets, or he fails to cross that line with the CB, it's a foul and the other player gets the turn. In case a player keeps illegally hitting rails and balls above the center, then it's unsportsmanlike conduct as well.
- If a player doesn't place the CB on the headspot on scratch or moves it anywhere before shooting, and repeats it intentionally or accidentally, it's also considered unsportsmanlike conduct, and the referee determines the punishment
- Hitting any ball or rail above the head string on scratch is INSTANT UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
- if there are balls completely blocking the headspot or preventing the player to make a legal shot, the team needs to call the referee, who'll place the CB behind the headspot as much as it's necessary for the player to make any legal shot
- Legal shots - the CB has to make contact with a ball from the player's group or a rail first, or make no contact at all
- No requirement for any ball to hit a rail on any shot
- NO shot calling
- If CB makes direct contact with the 8 ball or an opponent's ball first, it's a foul and the player loses his turn
- players keep shooting as long as they make at least one ball of their group per shot (it doesn't matter if they pocket one or more opponent's balls as well)
- balls pocketed under foul remain pocketed, but the player's turn is over
- a player can decide to end or skip his inning at any time, and the opponent gets to shoot from the position where the CB stopped
- jumping and jump cues allowed
- all balls driven off the table are spotted frozen on either the head rail or the foot rail, as close as possible to the central diamond (referee decides which "spot" is more fair based on the position of the CB and the incoming player)
- to win the game, a player has to legally pocket the 8 ball in the same pocket where he dropped his last OB
- if that pocket is already the last pocket of his opponent, then his last pocket becomes the opposite hole (the other side pocket or the corner pocket diagonally across the table)
- pocketing the 8 ball under foul, driving it off the table, dropping it in a wrong pocket, or in any pocket before the player pockets all his OBs, means the loss of game
- if a player who has only the 8 ball remaining fails to touch it three times in a row, he loses the game
- in case the 8 ball is left hanging on any pocket which isn't someone's last pocket, the referee has to spot it the same way balls driven off the table are spotted
- if a player accidentally touches or moves any ball other than the CB, the referee needs to place it as close as possible to the original position, and the other player gets the turn
- any contact between the cue tip and the CB is considered a shot, double shots or pushing the CB are fouls, repeating them is unsportsmanlike conduct
This thread will likely be no different, no matter how many times you try to "repost" it.
