Is this a foul?

slach

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
My opponent is stretching over the table to reach a shot. As he shoots he brushes a cube of chalk off the rail onto the table in front of the corner pocket. The cue ball rolls back and hits the chalk and stops. The cue ball might have scratched, can't say for sure. Is this a foul? If so, ball in hand in the kitchen or play it where it lies?
 
Steve: I know it is a foul, and I think play it where it lies, just like if you touch the cue ball with your hand or accidentally with tip.
 
ANY interference with the cue ball's travel - including fouling an object ball in the path of the cue ball - is a foul. I believe some games (you didn't specify what you were playing) offer you the option of making the fouling player shoot from where the balls lie if you don't like the layout. GF
 
ANY interference with the cue ball's travel - including fouling an object ball in the path of the cue ball - is a foul. I believe some games (you didn't specify what you were playing) offer you the option of making the fouling player shoot from where the balls lie if you don't like the layout. GF

This was posted in the 14.1 forum so I would most likely assume that the game being played is 14.1.
 
What if your pet parakeet, who's been on your shoulder, jumps off your shoulder and moves the path of the ball? What if it's your opponent's parakeet? :p
 
Steve: I know it is a foul, and I think play it where it lies, just like if you touch the cue ball with your hand or accidentally with tip.

You're right, Dennis. The penalty is loss of one point, not BIH. BIH behind the head string in 14.1 really only occurs on a scratch or jumped ball, where the cue ball can't be played from position because it's not on the table. A similar situation occurs when you take an intentional foul. You lose a point but the opponent must play the CB in position.

Typically, when the CB is on the table BIH only occurs as a penalty to the player committing the infraction in games like 9 Ball or 8 Ball. Where there otherwise wouldn't be a penalty, ball in hand is the penalty. But in straight pool you are penalized by losing a point, so no BIH.

Per the World Rules, BIH behind the head string only occurs on a scratch or CB off the table, or less commonly under certain circumstances when there is a bad play from behind the head string with BIH.
 
Last edited:
What if your pet parakeet, who's been on your shoulder, jumps off your shoulder and moves the path of the ball? What if it's your opponent's parakeet? :p

Reminds me of the golf game between God and St. Peter....

God tees off and slices it a bit. A squirrel snatches the ball and runs it up into his nest. A hawk sees the squirrel do this and steals the ball from the nest thinking it's food. When the hawk realizes it isn't food, he drops it out of the sky and right into the hole.

St. Peter says to God ... you come here to play golf or screw around?
 
There don't seem to be a whole lot of bird - billiards puns, and we've proven there are no GOOD ones. :smile:
 
Back
Top