New WPA World Standardized Rules

[Bob Jewett]

In November, the WPA General Assembly accepted new Rules and Regulations for pool. The games covered are 9 ball, 8 ball, 14.1 and black ball (a game like 8 ball played in the UK and many Commonwealth countries). There is an explanation of the editing and revision procedure on the WPA web site, which is www.wpa-pool.com. The rules themselves are not up there yet but are available here:

http://www.sfbilliards.com/WPA_New_Rules_21Dec2007.pdf

Besides the rules, there is a set of regulations, which cover things like the penalties for being late, proper attire, and playing without a referee, and possible additional requirements for the break at nine ball. The regulations are available here:

http://www.sfbilliards.com/WPA_New_Regulations_30Nov2007.pdf

The rules are intended to remain the same for the next five years. The regulations are more malleable.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

In November, the WPA General Assembly accepted new Rules and Regulations for pool.

[...]

The rules themselves are not up there yet but are available here:

http://www.sfbilliards.com/WPA_New_Rules_21Dec2007.pdf

Bob, is it OK for me to print these out and give a copy to my local pool hall? Is it OK for the pool hall to display them?

What will be the jurisdiction of these rules? At what kinds of events will they be in force?

pj
chgo

 

[Bob Jewett]

Bob, is it OK for me to print these out and give a copy to my local pool hall? Is it OK for the pool hall to display them?

What will be the jurisdiction of these rules? At what kinds of events will they be in force?

pj
chgo

I think that any such non-commercial distribution of the rules is fine. The WPA has kept a PDF of the rules on the website and PDFs are made to be printed.

The rules are intended for any official competition sanctioned by any member organization of the WPA. National and World Championships would be typical examples, but the Mosconi Cup, which is also a WPA sanctioned event, uses the World Rules.

Unfortunately, some leagues in the US find it necessary to make up their own rules. Usually they are incomplete and unclear. I hope more of them move to adopting the WPA rules.

 

[Maniac]

Unfortunately, some leagues in the US find it necessary to make up their own rules. Usually they are incomplete and unclear. I hope more of them move to adopting the WPA rules.

Amen to that, Bob!!!!

Maniac

 

[James]

Bob,

I appreciate the rules being posted and I enjoyed reading over them. I have one sincere question. Is the wording used in the wheelchair section such that it won't be considered offensive to someone in such a position? I know that I was a little surprised to see terms like "one cheek" on the seat and not allowing a player to use his legs "or stumps" for leverage, etc. Not that I personally care, but is "stumps" really an acceptable term here?

-James

 

[FLICKit]

Unfortunately, some leagues in the US find it necessary to make up their own rules. Usually they are incomplete and unclear. I hope more of them move to adopting the WPA rules.

Cool! I'm looking at creating a league in Phoenix and I'd like to try utilizing these rules!

Thanks Bob

 

[Bob Jewett]

Bob,

I appreciate the rules being posted and I enjoyed reading over them. I have one sincere question. Is the wording used in the wheelchair section such that it won't be considered offensive to someone in such a position? I know that I was a little surprised to see terms like "one cheek" on the seat and not allowing a player to use his legs "or stumps" for leverage, etc. Not that I personally care, but is "stumps" really an acceptable term here?

-James

I believe the wheelchair section was provided by the people running the wheelchair competitions. So far as I know, they have a much better handle on what is offensive to the people concerned than the overall editors of the rules.

 

[vagabond]

Countires other than America do not appear to be consumed with political correctness and they are not overly sensitive about certain terminology/names/adjectives/descriptive terms /and terms used for identification.'Stump' is a well accepted non prejurative term.

 

[James]

Countires other than America do not appear to be consumed with political correctness and they are not overly sensitive about certain terminology/names/adjectives/descriptive terms /and terms used for identification.'Stump' is a well accepted non prejurative term.

I'm actually glad to see it stated the way it is. I simply mentioned it in case it had been overlooked, or written without the involvement of any handicapped players. My personal views and those which are in the best interest of a large organization unfortunately are not always in line. Just looking out.

IMHO, People hyperfocused on PC terms are retarded (see what I did there )

-J

 

[Dawgie]

I think buttocks would have been a better term. But what do I know? ha ha.

 

[mmwtdh]

"Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical, liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

 

[JoeyA]

In November, the WPA General Assembly accepted new Rules and Regulations for pool. The games covered are 9 ball, 8 ball, 14.1 and black ball (a game like 8 ball played in the UK and many Commonwealth countries). There is an explanation of the editing and revision procedure on the WPA web site, which is www.wpa-pool.com. The rules themselves are not up there yet but are available here:

http://www.sfbilliards.com/WPA_New_Rules_21Dec2007.pdf

Besides the rules, there is a set of regulations, which cover things like the penalties for being late, proper attire, and playing without a referee, and possible additional requirements for the break at nine ball. The regulations are available here:

http://www.sfbilliards.com/WPA_New_Regulations_30Nov2007.pdf

The rules are intended to remain the same for the next five years. The regulations are more malleable.

Bob, thanks for keeping us up to date on the new WPA rules.

Is there a rule that governs the position of the racking of the balls. I see that the new WPA rules state that event promoters may choose to have the referees TAP the balls into place to make it easier to provide a consistent rack.

I have played in tournaments where my opponent has chosen to rack the balls slightly off center from the center of the black spot (from rack to rack). This movement is 1/8-3/16"" from the center of the spot in all outward directions. The one ball is still solidly sitting on the black spot but the head ball is moved around on the black spot intentionally. I was wondering if a rack is still considered a legal rack if the head ball is 1/8-3/16" away from the center of the black spot.

Thanks for your perspective and how this situation might be treated in the future.
JoeyA

 

[Island Drive]

"Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical, liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

It's definitely possible, I once saw a lawyer hanging from his coat tails.

 

[Peter@CEP]

The rules are intended for any official competition sanctioned by any member organization of the WPA. National and World Championships would be typical examples, but the Mosconi Cup, which is also a WPA sanctioned event, uses the World Rules.

QUOTE]

What exactly are the World Rules Bob if they are not the same as the WPA official rules?

Matchroom Sport who organised the Mosconi Cup are members of the WPA yet amended the rules so as to put the 9 ball on the foot spot instead of the 1 ball and said that three balls had to pass the head string.
What value are rules if they are not observed by the members of the WPA.

I am not complaining about what was done in this tournament and I understand why, having witnessed the effects of a soft break in Manila.

Are the rules meant to be broken?

 

[FLICKit]

Are the rules meant to be broken?

Doesn't sound to me like they were broken....

Sounds to me like they were slightly modified (up front) by the TD and associates for the purpose of fulfilling a specific purpose. Obviously in this case they wanted to minimize the effect of the soft break. The TD and associates believed that it'd make for a better or more exciting tournament. So be it.

 

[memikey]

In November, the WPA General Assembly accepted new Rules and Regulations for pool. The games covered are 9 ball, 8 ball, 14.1 and black ball (a game like 8 ball played in the UK and many Commonwealth countries). There is an explanation of the editing and revision procedure on the WPA web site, which is www.wpa-pool.com. The rules themselves are not up there yet but are available here:

http://www.sfbilliards.com/WPA_New_Rules_21Dec2007.pdf

Besides the rules, there is a set of regulations, which cover things like the penalties for being late, proper attire, and playing without a referee, and possible additional requirements for the break at nine ball. The regulations are available here:

http://www.sfbilliards.com/WPA_New_Regulations_30Nov2007.pdf

The rules are intended to remain the same for the next five years. The regulations are more malleable.

Bob......Scotland has one of the largest "Blackball" participation league and international set ups in the world of uk style pool.

There is some early extremely negative feedback regarding initial perceptions of some of their community members regarding the new rule wordings and presentation. You and the other rule drafters involved may may find this disappointing but no doubt you would want to know........see http://www.scottish.uk8ball.net/viewtopic.php?forum=63&topic=7684

Don't shoot the messenger

 

[etimmons]

rules

Bob, APA, BCA, and VNEA all play eight ball, not black ball ( a game like 8 ball ) Why would they use rules designed for a game like 8 ball when they actually play the game of 8 ball? Also the new BCA rules are very good and not incomplete or unclear.

"The rules are intended for any official competition sanctioned by any member organization of the WPA. National and World Championships would be typical examples, but the Mosconi Cup, which is also a WPA sanctioned event, uses the World Rules.

Unfortunately, some leagues in the US find it necessary to make up their own rules. Usually they are incomplete and unclear. I hope more of them move to adopting the WPA rules.[/QUOTE]

 

[FastMikie]

"Political Correctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical, liberal minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."

That's a great quote!
Any idea who said it first?

 

[Peter@CEP]

Doesn't sound to me like they were broken....

Sounds to me like they were slightly modified (up front) by the TD and associates for the purpose of fulfilling a specific purpose. Obviously in this case they wanted to minimize the effect of the soft break. The TD and associates believed that it'd make for a better or more exciting tournament. So be it.

Modified or Broken, who's to say.

The rule quite clearly states:

2.2 Nine Ball Rack

The object balls are racked as tightly as possible in a diamond shape, with the one ball at the apex of the diamond and on the foot spot and the nine ball in the middle of the diamond.

If TDs are going to change/modify/break the rulesetc. 2.2 should say, "
put the one ball anywhere you like!!!"

There is no point having rules if we are not going to comply with them.

The separate set of regulations don't do anything to clear this up.

As I said before, I have no argument with what was done, and I understand the reasons, my argument is with rules that are not well written.

There are holes in the new rules which should have been addressed earlier and I am surprised that Bob Jewitt (who I think was on the rules committee) did not pick up on them as he is a past master at finding the loopholes

Happy New Year

 

[softshot]

1.7 balls settling: what is the time frame between a made shot and a settled ball falling into a pocket... in other words I call the four in the corner it rattles, and hangs on the edge. as the next player is rising to shoot, the 4 falls where I called it...who's shot is it? and how do you tell the difference?