Chalk placement question

L.S. Dennis

Well-known member
Just wondering is it illegal to casually place your chalk on a diamond after chalking up (with the intention of using it for a marker) before geting down to shoot from a different part of the table?
 

pw98

Registered
Just wondering is it illegal to casually place your chalk on a diamond after chalking up (with the intention of using it for a marker) before geting down to shoot from a different part of the table?
Yes it is a foul. Placing your stick on the table without holding it is a foul too.
 

jimmyco

NRA4Life
Silver Member
Am I missing something? I know it's a foul, but why would you need to mark a sight?
 

The_JV

'AZB_Combat Certified'
How do you prove intent?
Don't know the 'rule' regarding proof. However, I've never seen a player but an object into their field of view before playing a shot. Usually they'll go out their way to remove something that may be distracting. ...so after the first instance I'd make a polite suggestion not to do it again. If it was a habit I'd get an organizer to watch the the opponent's play.
 

L.S. Dennis

Well-known member
How do you prove intent?
This is precisely the point, is it also a foul ANY time the chalk is inadvertently layerd on a diamond whether using it as a marker or not? And why would someone put a marker on a diamond that is meant for a sight assistance? That’s easy because when you are down low in your stance you can not always see the diamond in the rail.

I believe I read a post that Bob wrote once where he says he does it once in a while, and he knows the rules better than anyone else!
 

MitchAlsup

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I just came her to indicate the correct orientation for chalk is "up" so the dust does not soil the rails on the table.

As to proving intent, If I start to get down on a shot and see the chalk cube anywhere near the shooting line, I get up and move the cube. It is the gentlemanly thing to do.
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
This is precisely the point, is it also a foul ANY time the chalk is inadvertently layerd on a diamond whether using it as a marker or not? And why would someone put a marker on a diamond that is meant for a sight assistance? That’s easy because when you are down low in your stance you can not always see the diamond in the rail.

I believe I read a post that Bob wrote once where he says he does it once in a while, and he knows the rules better than anyone else!
He really is a scoundrel.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
Bob Byrne tells a story about Bob Bills who used to own Palace Billiards in San Francisco (until about 1980). He was playing in a golf game on a 6x12 snooker table. (Golf is a game where each player has his own object ball and the goal is to make it in each of the six pockets around the table in order. It has a lot of kicking, banking and safety play. Also, there are often six or more people playing. They are not playing for fun. Anyways....)

Bob has his ball by the required side pocket but the guy who shot just before him left the cue ball on the same side rail so Bob has to kick cross-side to make his ball and advance to the next pocket. Bob carefully measures out the kick by the double-the-distance formula and places his chalk on the rail by where he has to hit. While he is walking the 20 feet back to the cue ball to shoot the kick, one of the players in the game stretches his cue out and moves the chalk a few inches to the right. Bob notices nothing, gets down on the shot, shoots, and makes his ball.(y):eek:

Sometimes it's better to leave bad enough alone. ;)

At snooker the players to not leave their chalk on the table for fear of being thought to be marking a position. They will only do it when a stretch for a shot will crush the chalk. At carom, the players do leave their chalk on the table but are careful to leave it in a useless place. Sang Lee went further and placed it on a useless diamond.
 

L.S. Dennis

Well-known member
Thanks Bob for some interesting feed back, didn’t I read some where that Babe Cranfield used to leave his chalk on a diamond?
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Bob Byrne tells a story about Bob Bills who used to own Palace Billiards in San Francisco (until about 1980). He was playing in a golf game on a 6x12 snooker table. (Golf is a game where each player has his own object ball and the goal is to make it in each of the six pockets around the table in order. It has a lot of kicking, banking and safety play. Also, there are often six or more people playing. They are not playing for fun. Anyways....)

Bob has his ball by the required side pocket but the guy who shot just before him left the cue ball on the same side rail so Bob has to kick cross-side to make his ball and advance to the next pocket. Bob carefully measures out the kick by the double-the-distance formula and places his chalk on the rail by where he has to hit. While he is walking the 20 feet back to the cue ball to shoot the kick, one of the players in the game stretches his cue out and moves the chalk a few inches to the right. Bob notices nothing, gets down on the shot, shoots, and makes his ball.(y):eek:

Sometimes it's better to leave bad enough alone. ;)

At snooker the players to not leave their chalk on the table for fear of being thought to be marking a position. They will only do it when a stretch for a shot will crush the chalk. At carom, the players do leave their chalk on the table but are careful to leave it in a useless place. Sang Lee went further and placed it on a useless diamond.
I've recently been admonished while playing billiards for leaving chalk on the rail after missing. Large data sample!

I tried to explain that it wasn't actually 'my' chalk, but my argument was not accepted at the table.
 

straightline

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Not crazy about those marking rules. The rule could be no chalk on the rails but since there is no such rule, ruling on its placement is totally nitty. Is it a foul to specifically relocate a drink or any other object in your field of vision? Drawing on the cloth is about the only instance I'd call.
 

Chili Palmer

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
In APA you can use the chalk as an indicator, I do it all the time when teaching lower skilled players where to hit.

Outside of APA, I could care less if they need to use a piece of chalk. As someone mentioned earlier, if that's what they need then I'll be happy to play them.
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I've recently been admonished while playing billiards for leaving chalk on the rail after missing. Large data sample!

I tried to explain that it wasn't actually 'my' chalk, but my argument was not accepted at the table.
There is a local carom player who warned his opponent about leaving chalk on the table. Next violation he picked it up and threw it at him and not gently. :eek:
 

hang-the-9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
How do you prove intent?

Probably not easily but you can see how they line things up. Same thing as pattern racking. You know they are doing it when they don't just simply put the balls in the rack but start moving them around deliberately.
 
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