Legal playing surface...

[TrumanHW]

I know if the cue ball goes up on to the clothed portion of the rail its legal -- but what about placing the cue ball on that portion with ball in hand?

I'm not asserting the rail in general is illegal (unclothed portion). But I'm assuming it is, just as a cube of chalk would be illegal for the cue ball to hit on the clothed portion of the rail.

Any rule nit pickers who'd know?

 

[ElCorazonFrio]

I know if the cue ball goes up on to the clothed portion of the rail its legal -- but what about placing the cue ball on that portion with ball in hand?

I'm not asserting the rail in general is illegal (unclothed portion). But I'm assuming it is, just as a cube of chalk would be illegal for the cue ball to hit on the clothed portion of the rail.

Any rule nit pickers who'd know?

The cueball going up onto the clothed portion...or any other portion of the rail (this is per the last BCA rulebook I memorized) is neither legal nor illegal. The cueball must come to rest on the playing surface without outside interference (which includes chalk cubes or anything else on the rails) for it to be a legal shot.

The cueball may not start off of the playing surface, which is defined as the single flat plane of the slate bed. If a cueball hops off of the bed and comes to rest on any part of the rail, it is a foul, therefore it is not allowed to start on the rail.

That said, if anyone I am playing with wants to contest that, I'll more than gladly let him play the ball from any part of the rail, a bar stool, his fat wife's cleavage, a bum's shopping cart, or anything else he may want to put his ball in hand on. I'm always up for a bit of amusement.

 

[TrumanHW]

The cueball going up onto the clothed portion...or any other portion of the rail (this is per the last BCA rulebook I memorized) is neither legal nor illegal. The cueball must come to rest on the playing surface without outside interference (which includes chalk cubes or anything else on the rails) for it to be a legal shot.

The cueball may not start off of the playing surface, which is defined as the single flat plane of the slate bed. If a cueball hops off of the bed and comes to rest on any part of the rail, it is a foul, therefore it is not allowed to start on the rail.

That said, if anyone I am playing with wants to contest that, I'll more than gladly let him play the ball from any part of the rail, a bar stool, his fat wife's cleavage, a bum's shopping cart, or anything else he may want to put his ball in hand on. I'm always up for a bit of amusement.

Nice thorough reply.

The ball wasn't makable because it was boxed in to a pocket by other object balls and I wanted to play off the top of the rail (portion with cloth).

I assumed it was unlikely that I could legally use the rail that way, but otherwise it was just going to be a game where we each took a couple of fouls then my opponent has to play a goofy safe.

Anyway, thanks for the reply. I'll look for another rule book that lets me do it when it suits me -- and keep that BCA rule in my pocket for when it doesn't.