Interesting 9-ball game *and* rule question

[mikepage]

Fascinating 9-ball game. This is last year's WPC, and the Hungarian here, Vilmos, is the guy who just knocked Shane out this year.

I suggest watching this game with the sound off to see whether you pick the same strategy.

THEN I have a referee/rules question

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVetU5b3LRs

At 3:20, Luong can't make a legal hit, so he takes an intentional foul. It's not only an intentional foul by hitting the wrong ball, but it's an intentional double hit. Is an intentional double hit sportsmanlike?

 

[jsp]

At 3:20, Luong can't make a legal hit, so he takes an intentional foul. It's not only an intentional foul by hitting the wrong ball, but it's an intentional double hit. Is an intentional double hit sportsmanlike?

I noticed that too when I first watched it. It's a good question, because I was wondering about that also.

 

[tjlmbklr]

I say what does it even matter? In reality he could have just took his hand and moved the cue ball for a foul. A foul is a foul. I know people that still think an "intentional foul" is poor sportsmanship no matter what.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... At 3:20, Luong can't make a legal hit, so he takes an intentional foul. It's not only an intentional foul by hitting the wrong ball, but it's an intentional double hit. Is an intentional double hit sportsmanlike?

At present, I think the only rule specifically against intentional double hits are in the onepocket.org rules of one pocket. .... Well, it looks like their rule 6.6 would cover this, but it's not specific enough to clearly forbid intentional double hits as a permitted (but foul) way to move object balls around.

So, I guess the answer is it depends on what the official thinks is unsportsmanlike.

You can imagine positions in which you are almost certain to double-hit the cue ball.

An extreme example of this kind of intentional foul is at one pocket when the cue ball is almost frozen to the side of the nearly full rack and you have no way to kick to clear the three balls in front of your opponent's pocket. You can roll the dice by shooting the cue ball through the rack and praying that it will stop in the jaws of your opponent's pocket, leaving him no shot.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Fascinating 9-ball game. This is last year's WPC, and the Hungarian here, Vilmos, is the guy who just knocked Shane out this year.

I suggest watching this game with the sound off to see whether you pick the same strategy.

THEN I have a referee/rules question

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVetU5b3LRs

At 3:20, Luong can't make a legal hit, so he takes an intentional foul. It's not only an intentional foul by hitting the wrong ball, but it's an intentional double hit. Is an intentional double hit sportsmanlike?

I think this was the shot discussed under the title "Smart defensive play?"

The important thing to note about the intentional double-hit shot is that it takes two object balls away from the problem area, which is needed to prevent an easy safe by Vilmos. The same result could not have been obtained so easily without the double hit. Also note that Luong intentionally placed the cue ball for the double hit play.

 

[Cuebacca]

In reality he could have just took his hand and moved the cue ball for a foul. A foul is a foul.

Actually, I don't think this is correct. If he were allowed to move it with his hand, then I think he'd be allowed to do nothing and say "go ahead, I pass, ball in hand". He tried to do that on one of those fouls and the ref made him hit the cue ball to take the foul.