Another dreaded APA rules question...........

[Celophanewrap]

Perhaps something has changed since this was posted but it appears the MR is not legal for any kind of APA play. http://apa-atlanta.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1181 I've read this in other places and specifically asked our league operator about it as well with the answer being the same.

It would appear as though the APA has spoken

 

[nobcitypool]

APA better add that to the manual because how can anybody be expected to find the forum post referenced above?

I actually do not understand why they wouldn't allow it. I guess because balls could potentially land on it or change the path of a ball that rolls over it. The thing is APA already allows slop. If you allow slop what is the problem with a ball changing direction by a really small amount?

APA is what it is. Overall, I happen to think it is one of the best things pool has going in the USA. I just participated in an APA State sanctioned tournament in Indiana where well over 1,000 players showed up and participated. From the thread I read about the US Open, they would do well to hire the Indiana APA guys to run that tournament. The organization for the 1,000 player plus tournament was EXCELLENT!

To your question. There is a huge range of skill levels in APA. I suspect (don't know for fact) there are concerns over the potential controversy that could arise by using the MR. Serious pool enthusiasts, such as most posters here, may take these things for granted. Keep in mind many APA participants are purely recreational. I wish for myself they allowed jump cues to be used. Given that many of the locales for APA are relatively crowded, I'm not sure however I want an APA S/L 3 trying a jump shot where my head is as likely to get hit as the OB is.

Whether you like, agree or whatever regarding APA rules, they are the rules. The important thing is both players are playing on the same table, same balls, same set of rules. It is a reasonably level playing field. The vast majority of the time, the better player wins. With the handicap, if the lesser player is improving or the better player has a bad day, the lesser player may win. What's bad about that? Seems like most gambling is conducted with one player giving the other player some type of spot, what's the difference?

 

[CreeDo]

Good catch nobcity. I guess it's all a moot point.

For the sake of debate, let's say Ted wants to switch to a different (APA-legal) rack.
Are these agreements "gentlemen's agreements" or are they some binding APA contract?

If no rule forbids switching equipment, then it's just a friendly off-the-record agreement, and can be broken at any time. You aren't violating an APA rule, you're just annoying the other guy and look like someone who goes back on his word.

Rule-wise it's OK. Etiquette-wise, it's apparently out of line.

 

[Maniac]

You mentioned that Joe was making balls with the triangle, but not how Ted was doing. I bet he had some dry breaks. It sounds to me like Ted did not want an important match to be decided by lady luck, so he used a rack that he knows guarantees the balls are dead nuts frozen.

Actually, I said that Ted was making 1 or 2 balls every break in my OP. For the life of me, the way he was breaking using the triangle, I cannot figure out why he wanted to change racks at that point.

My player Joe was either breaking dry, scratching (once I believe) or knocking the cueball off the table (in rack #1).

Maniac (thanks for all the replies, guys!!!)

 

[Rio19]

I have encountered this situation before. One player did not like using the triangle and the other did so they agreed to rack their own balls. One using the triangle and the other used the magic rack. It was not a big deal to us because we didn't feel it gave one player an advantage over the other.

If they came to the agreement to Rack their own then I feel they be able to use whatever they feel will give them the best rack. Just my opinion:grin-square:

 

[KMRUNOUT]

Couple things here....

#1 Quit wasting your time with the APA

Why? How is this relevant to the conversation?

#2 You should never us anything other than the mud cueball because otherwise your going to play like shit in vegas if you make it

This is not very smart advice. In Vegas they use the green logo Aramith ball. Plays nothing like the mud ball.

#3 people change equipment all the time during matches... Putting on a glove, changing shafts, changing cues, shaping their tip.....

Again, this is not relevant. Those are all examples of personal equipment. The table, balls, cue ball, and rack are all not personal pieces of equipment...they are used by both players. It is assumed (or should be) that these items will remain constant throughout the match unless both players agree to change them.

#4 This has NOTHING to do with the rule book, this has to do with the fact that it was discussed before the match, and Ted obviously agreed by default when he started the match and didn't rack with the MR. If he wanted to use the MR so badly, then he should have demanded it at the start of the match, and maybe a compremize could have been made... The fact that he just tried to sneak in the MR is a complete joke to me, and if anything your team should be pissed about him trying to kanive you like that.

Agree 100%

Finally, if you can't get a tight rack with a triangle rack, then why the **** are you racking your own?!

Whether you *believe* you can rack tightly is often different than whether you can rack tightly. Likewise, you may believe that regardless of your own racking abilities, your opponent may not rack well, either on purpose or by accident.

KMRUNOUT

 

[DelaWho???]

lol.

but to the OP Ted may have just mistakenly started to use the MR.

Mistakenly????


seriously?