APA Frustration with Constant Double Hit Violations

holland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don't quite understand this point. There seems to be no rule in the APA rule book against double hits. Here are the official rules on the official APA site: http://cdn4.poolplayers.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/2012_Rules-Booklet-FINAL_LR.pdf

If double hits are legal why not triple hits? If you are hooked, shoot the cue ball out into the open, then before it stops, hit it again to where you will have position, and then before it stops shoot in the ball you played position on. So far as I can see, there is no rule against this.

Many rule sets for pool allow you to contact the cue ball only once on each shot, but the APA rules allow far more creativity.

altering the course of the cue ball is what applies in a double hit, triple hit, etc. If it didn't then I can hit the ball around the table, and stop it with my tip to get position. Hey, double hits are legal! :thumbup:
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
They do mention double hits in the preface paragraph to the list of fouls. Not sure why it's listed there. And they say it's also called "double-clutching," as if that clears things up :confused: .
As I read the APA rules, which are somehow more confusing every time I struggle through them, that "double-clutching" applies only when the cue ball is in hand. I suppose it is for the case when the cue ball is in hand and the player taps the cue ball lightly on the warm-ups and then shoots and says the first hit was just a position adjustment.

Double hits are not listed in the list of fouls. Evidently they are fouls only when you have ball in hand.
 

woody_968

BRING BACK 14.1
Silver Member
One of the rules stated if a moved ball comes into contact with the moving cueball it is a foul. The SHOULD read if a moved ball comes into contact with ANY ball in motion it is a foul.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
altering the course of the cue ball is what applies in a double hit, triple hit, etc. If it didn't then I can hit the ball around the table, and stop it with my tip to get position. Hey, double hits are legal! :thumbup:
I assume you are referring to "altering the course of the cue ball" as in:
f. A game is forfeited if you alter the course of the
8-ball or the cue ball in a game losing situation.
I'm describing a game-winning situation, not a game-losing situation. Or did you mean somewhere else in the rules where altering the path of a ball is mentioned?

By a close reading of the rules, even the first hit on the cue ball is illegal.
 

Hits 'em Hard

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Double hits are not listed in the list of fouls. Evidently they are fouls only when you have ball in hand.

The cue ball is close(<2") from the object ball, you shoot, the cue ball contacts the object ball and momentarily stops. As your stroke continues, you contact a (currently/momentarily) stopped cue ball, and alter its path. That's the basic context behind any double hit. Does the rule for fouls g. above not cover that situation?
 

chevybob20

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
That's the rule you use to enforce a double hit in the APA. Glad I don't have to count on you being a ref.

The APA rep will tell you there is no double hit or push in that league. You can't will it to be true.

edited to add;

Anyway, by your interpretation of the rules the a double hit is an immediate loss of game in certain situations.

10.f. A game is forfeited if you alter the course of the
8-ball or the cue ball in a game losing situation.
 
Last edited:

nobcitypool

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The APA rep will tell you there is no double hit or push in that league. You can't will it to be true.

Our LO will say there is a double hit and understands what's involved quite well. Taking that to enforcing the rule is the league is another matter altogether.
 

holland

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Or did you mean somewhere else in the rules where altering the path of a ball is mentioned?

By a close reading of the rules, even the first hit on the cue ball is illegal.

LOL, yes. I'm looking at that same spot for multiple hits. For manipulating the cue ball, this is where I interpret the double hit, triple hit, etc. A multiple hit causes movement outside of the first strike. For that section, I interpret it that the first legal strike is accepted, and all else is illegal.

Code:
g. Causing movement of the cue ball, even
accidentally, is a foul.
 

Mitchxout

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Our local APA doesn't call foul on dbl hits, pushes, etc. It sucks but we haven't ever had an argument over it either.
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It seems the APA rules gets loopier each time I read about them.

I solved the APA rule issue for myself at least.

I have never played in an APA league nor plan to as long as there are leagues that use "real" rules. Or tournaments. Or just plain pool halls or pool tables somewhere.
 

jeffj2h

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here is how to spot a double hit:

- If the CB and OB depart from the cue and travel down the table close together and at about the same speed, it was a double hit

- If the CB moves forward of it's position at impact and then backs up due to draw, it was a double hit
 

woody_968

BRING BACK 14.1
Silver Member
- If the CB moves forward of it's position at impact and then backs up due to draw, it was a double hit

This one is not an absolute. With an elevated cue, especially a jump cue, it is possible to hit the upper part of the OB as the CB rises and have the CB go forward before drawing and not double hit the CB.
 

4onthebreak

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Local bylaws?

While the "regular" apa manual is spotty on the subject my local bylaws cover a double hit vs a push shot. The LO goes over the double hit every other tournament/ league event. We have to warn someone if it looks like they might double hit and tell them how to avoid it. If they foul then we can call a foul.l

And I always do. Why?

Because everyone should be playing by the same rules.

Everyone should be reading the bylaws or at least your captain. I don't know where the "chalk width" nonsense came from but it's nonsense. Nonsense passed down from one player to another. Maybe at some point someone who says "well I was a ref for so and so" blah blah and more blah. I hate that.

It's either in the rules or it isn't. If it isn't clear then that's what your division rep is for. I don't know about anyone else but our division rep info is on our weekly score sheets. Our LO also sends a weekly newsletter with the score sheets and this gets covered at least once a session.

I've seen too many games lost due to a double hit foul not being called to just not call it because someone is ignorant of the rules.

Once you watch a few videos and know what to watch for IT'S EASY TO SEE what a double hit is.
 

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
While the "regular" apa manual is spotty on the subject my local bylaws cover a double hit vs a push shot. The LO goes over the double hit every other tournament/ league event. We have to warn someone if it looks like they might double hit and tell them how to avoid it. If they foul then we can call a foul.l

And I always do. Why?

Because everyone should be playing by the same rules.

Everyone should be reading the bylaws or at least your captain. I don't know where the "chalk width" nonsense came from but it's nonsense. Nonsense passed down from one player to another. Maybe at some point someone who says "well I was a ref for so and so" blah blah and more blah. I hate that.

It's either in the rules or it isn't. If it isn't clear then that's what your division rep is for. I don't know about anyone else but our division rep info is on our weekly score sheets. Our LO also sends a weekly newsletter with the score sheets and this gets covered at least once a session.

I've seen too many games lost due to a double hit foul not being called to just not call it because someone is ignorant of the rules.

Once you watch a few videos and know what to watch for IT'S EASY TO SEE what a double hit is.

I have never encountered the chalk width issue in apa but it was used quite extensively when I used to play bcapl. I was a newbie to leagues at the time and when the 1st time a situation come up with the chalk width rule my opponent said he wanted to have some one watch the shot. the lo came over to watch and I had him explain to me what the issue was. after he explained to me a double hit or push I made the shot and it was called a foul simply because the cueball travelled past the spot where the object ball was. I used a stop shot where the cueball rolled about an inch and a half past where the object ball was. never could understand why it was a foul.

as far as the apa in our area. double hits and pushing the cueball are fouls and always enforced. as far as people knowing what to look for we always call somebody over who knows what to look for. usually a master league player if the lo is not available.
 

Fatboy

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I really enjoy playing APA and understand many of the built in limitations. Far and away, my biggest frustration with APA is the constant double hit fouls that occur when the CB and OB are close together. It would be a rare evening where I don't see it happen more than once in our matches. It doesn't bother me much when I see relatively new players that are 2, 3 & 4's do it (although I think they should have this explained to them by their team captain) but when I see more experienced 6 and 7's blatantly violate the rule and make no attempt to do anything other than drive their cue stick through the CB & OB, it really frustrates me. Equally frustrating is to see one or more people on their team (or the Captain) who have been playing pool for decades and have to know this is a foul and make ZERO attempt to correct their team mates play.

We got butt raped in a critical match in the playoffs by this rule. We asked an observer to watch for it and stupidly didn't ask him to clarify his understanding of the rule. It was a blatant foul that allowed the shooter to win the game (next shot was 8 ball sitting in pocket). I asked the observer afterwards how it wasn't a foul and he seemed shocked that I thought it was. Upon further conversation, it was clear he had zero clue about double hits.

I was playing a 9 ball match this past Tuesday against a 7. He had a shot where there was less than 2" between the OB and CB with a slight cut and they were around 6" off the short rail on the opposite end of where the next ball in sequence was. I saw him lining up and it was obvious to me what he was going to do. I hopped up and warned him he was going to foul. He was a bit of a trashbag and started arguing with me. He then turned around, took the shot with a huge follow through that drove the CB into the rail and down to the other end rail. The stroke happened so fast that I'm not sure he didn't drive the OB into the pocket. Either way it was a blatant foul.

Last night, my 6 team mate was in a tight 8 ball match with a 6 from the other team. CB flush to the rail, 8 ball about 1/4 to 1/2" from CB near direct in line with the opposite corner pocket. I saw the guy jacking up to take the shot and commit an obvious foul. This moron had ear plugs in and got all PO'd when I had to come to the table and wave out him. We got a knowledgeable observer, the moron continued with the same shot and had the foul called on him. I heard him cussing me and all PO'd because I'd interrupted him once he was ready to shoot. I suppose the fact he had the ear phones in and couldn't hear me when I first said something didn't enter into his limited thinking capability.

I'm wondering how other people handle this and I'm sure it comes up hundreds and thousands of time per day across the country. I've considered just ignoring it but I had a guy do this 3 times to me in a single game recently in one of the singles qualifiers. How do you explain to people, that clearly profess to not understand how this can possibly be a foul, in a way they can understand it? How would you handle these situations like I had the other night where the guy proceeded before I could even get a 3rd party observer?

I would add that I think it is a travesty and real negative towards the APA that this particular rule is covered minimally in their rules and they make no effort to clarify it with at least a video on their web site that could explain this quite clearly with some demonstrations and offer an alternative approach to acceptable taking the shot. Rather the ambiguity, it seems like it would make more sense to simply have a straight forward rule that absolutely requires hitting away from the line of the shot. I believe Valley Rules are clearer on this, not sure about BCA.


wow glad i never played league pool, sounds like the blind leading the blind.

if they are honorable they would call the foul on themselves, you can feel a double hit most of the time with your cue, or hear it.

second anyone who knows anything about pool, can tell by how the balls react if the hit was clean or not,

this is so simple its not anything to manage at all, when i was a C player i watched "hits"
in $1000+ action in 1985, the guys playing who asked me to watch could spot me the 5 ball or the 5/7.

blind leading the blind. wow how do you help that-intervention i suppose.

good luck and i hope it works out:smile:
 

jtompilot

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This one is not an absolute. With an elevated cue, especially a jump cue, it is possible to hit the upper part of the OB as the CB rises and have the CB go forward before drawing and not double hit the CB.

This is kinda true, however the CB cannot go thru the OB and then back up.
 

woody_968

BRING BACK 14.1
Silver Member
I don't know where the "chalk width" nonsense came from but it's nonsense. Nonsense passed down from one player to another. Maybe at some point someone who says "well I was a ref for so and so" blah blah and more blah. I hate that.
It originated in the BCA rule book. I'm not talking about BCA league, I mean the rule book that was always referred to before all these leagues with different rules. I have not read one of the recent issues, so it may have been changed, but the chalk width measurement was talked about in all the releases that I have read.

Edit: for my own curiosity I looked up the current BCA rules on their website. They have changed the wording of the rule and it no longer uses chalk as an example of width. It was in the older books and that is where the term came from.
 
Last edited:

Tommy-D

World's best B player...
Silver Member
It's never had an effect on me because I've never played in a league.

However,under mid-90's Pro Billiards Tour rules,it went like this.

If the CB and OB were within the distance of a chalk's width,as mentioned,if the cue ball went forward more than 1/2 a ball,it was indeed a foul.

If they were frozen,you were allowed to shoot straight thru the ball with a level stroke.

I've never questioned it. Tommy D.
 
Top