FOULS IN POOL ... Everything You Need to Know

[DaWizard]

[snip]

Enjoy,
Dave

Just wanted to say that your work is amazing. Any topic in pool you dive into you dissect to the fullest and present the information in an easy to understand way.

 

[dr_dave]

Just wanted to say that your work is amazing. Any topic in pool you dive into you dissect to the fullest and present the information in an easy to understand way.

Thank you for your kind words. I appreciate it. And you're welcome. I aim to swerve.

 

[Digital1]

I just posted a new video as part of my "Everything You Need to Know" series that demonstrates everything you need to know about how to identify, detect, and avoid fouls in pool. Here it is:

Topics covered (with YouTube time-stamp links) include:
- legal shot (0:21)
- double hit (3:26)
- double hit detection (5:10)
- double hit avoidance (6:57)
---- small-gap angled hit (7:01)
---- elevated cue (7:14)
---- inside vs. outside spin (7:40)
---- short bridge and stroke (8:22)
---- small-gap grip tighten (8:30)
---- highly elevated cue (8:43)
---- hand against the rail (9:08)
---- reverse stroke with cue resting on table (9:28)
---- frozen CB shots (9:52)
-------- twice-as-full aiming system (10:58)
---- elevated follow shot (11:42)
- wrong ball first (12:37)
---- watching CB motion (12:53)
---- watching OB motion (13:31)
---- 3-frozen-OB proposition (14:10)
- miscue fouls (15:59)
---- herding unsportsmanlike intentional miscue foul (16:47)
---- cue lift unsportsmanlike intentional miscue foul (17:15)
---- unsportsmanlike intentional miscue safety foul (17:38)
---- illegal "scoop" jump shot (17:55)
- push shot (18:37)
---- push past frozen ball proposition (19:37)
- Pool Rules Quiz (20:01)

Please let me know if you have any feedback, comments, or questions. Also let me know if you think I left out anything important.

I wish all league players could somehow be required to watch this video. If they did, there would probably be fewer misunderstandings, disagreements, and arguments. It always shocks me how little most league players (even many good players) know about this important stuff.

Enjoy,
Dave

PS: FYI, all of the rules and fouls in the video are based on the standard WPA World Standardized Rules (the "official rules of pool"). APA, BCAPL, and VNEA league rules deviate slightly, but not by much. A good summary of all important differences can be found here:

differences among APA, BCAPL, and VNEA league rules​

PS: Here's another set of important "unwritten rules:"

"Pool Etiquette" thread
​

PS: Here are some additional videos useful for learning how to both detect and avoid fouls:

And much more information, and many more videos, can be found on the fouls resource page.

What? No belly fouls?

 

[dr_dave]

What? No belly fouls?

Good point. I should have recruited one of my overweight team members to help me with a demo of this. They have drank much more beer than me over the years.

 

[Pacecar]

Commentators discussing a possible foul in a 2001 match between Efren and Griffis. Watch the 5 minutes between the 14 and 19 minute marks.

 

[dr_dave]

Commentators discussing a possible foul in a 2001 match between Efren and Griffis. Watch the 5 minutes between the 14 and 19 minute marks.

That was an obvious foul. It is one of the shots I feature and discuss in this video:

Many more can be found here:

interesting and bad calls made in pro pool matches​

 

[Bob Jewett]

Here is an excellent discussion of the rules from the point of view of a head referee. It would be nice if every player watched this.

 

[891014+1]

Playing 8 ball, is it allowed to play on purpose to a opponents ball? How many fouls can be comited in a row, is it the same tree fouls as 9 or 10 ball? I've never played on wpa 8 ball rules...

 

[dr_dave]

Playing 8 ball, is it allowed to play on purpose to a opponents ball? How many fouls can be comited in a row, is it the same tree fouls as 9 or 10 ball? I've never played on wpa 8 ball rules...

If you hit an opponent’s ball first, it is a foul, rewarding ball in hand to your opponent. But sometimes it is good strategy to play an intentional foul like this.

There is no 3-shot rule in 8-ball.

 

[891014+1]

10 ball: i had 2 faults but my adversary forgot to worne me after #2, so, i made a 3rd fault but i didn't loose. Question: does the fault counter reset to zero or my opponent can still warn me next and if so a 4rt fault i loose? Thanks.

 

[dr_dave]

10 ball: i had 2 faults but my adversary forgot to worne me after #2, so, i made a 3rd fault but i didn't loose. Question: does the fault counter reset to zero or my opponent can still warn me next and if so a 4rt fault i loose? Thanks.

The counter does not reset, but you must be warned (before you shoot) that your next foul will result in loss of game.

 

[Bob Jewett]

10 ball: i had 2 faults but my adversary forgot to worne me after #2, so, i made a 3rd fault but i didn't loose. Question: does the fault counter reset to zero or my opponent can still warn me next and if so a 4rt fault i loose? Thanks.

The rules are available at https://wpapool.com/rules-of-play/

The part about three fouls (in Section 6) says in part:

The referee must warn a shooter who is on two fouls when he comes to the table that he is on​

two fouls. Otherwise a possible third foul will be considered to be only the second.​

 

[Mensabum]

I just posted a new video as part of my "Everything You Need to Know" series that demonstrates everything you need to know about how to identify, detect, and avoid fouls in pool. Here it is:

Topics covered (with YouTube time-stamp links) include:
- legal shot (0:21)
- double hit (3:26)
- double hit detection (5:10)
- double hit avoidance (6:57)
---- small-gap angled hit (7:01)
---- elevated cue (7:14)
---- inside vs. outside spin (7:40)
---- short bridge and stroke (8:22)
---- small-gap grip tighten (8:30)
---- highly elevated cue (8:43)
---- hand against the rail (9:08)
---- reverse stroke with cue resting on table (9:28)
---- frozen CB shots (9:52)
-------- twice-as-full aiming system (10:58)
---- elevated follow shot (11:42)
- wrong ball first (12:37)
---- watching CB motion (12:53)
---- watching OB motion (13:31)
---- 3-frozen-OB proposition (14:10)
- miscue fouls (15:59)
---- herding unsportsmanlike intentional miscue foul (16:47)
---- cue lift unsportsmanlike intentional miscue foul (17:15)
---- unsportsmanlike intentional miscue safety foul (17:38)
---- illegal "scoop" jump shot (17:55)
- push shot (18:37)
---- push past frozen ball proposition (19:37)
- Pool Rules Quiz (20:01)

Please let me know if you have any feedback, comments, or questions. Also let me know if you think I left out anything important.

I wish all league players could somehow be required to watch this video. If they did, there would probably be fewer misunderstandings, disagreements, and arguments. It always shocks me how little most league players (even many good players) know about this important stuff.

Enjoy,
Dave

PS: FYI, all of the rules and fouls in the video are based on the standard WPA World Standardized Rules (the "official rules of pool"). APA, BCAPL, and VNEA league rules deviate slightly, but not by much. A good summary of all important differences can be found here:

differences among APA, BCAPL, and VNEA league rules​

PS: Here's another set of important "unwritten rules:"

"Pool Etiquette" thread
​

PS: Here are some additional videos useful for learning how to both detect and avoid fouls:

And much more information, and many more videos, can be found on the fouls resource page.

Agree % and thank you for the yet again informative videos and postings!! You da mane, Doc!!