Actually, I think you're the one who should reread the rule book regarding jump shots, KMRUNOUT. The current manual (2012/2013 & 2013/2014) actually says "... a regular playing cue", not "... your regular playing cue". It's a small change, but the distinction is very important. It means that you CAN switch to just about any other cue if you want to shoot that jump shot, just not a jump cue. It also means that YOU as a player do not get to decide what a regular playing cue is. It's specifically worded that way (I should know, I helped word it) so people who like to take advantage of the way rules are written can't shoot the whole match with a jump cue just to claim it's legal for jump shots, should one happen to come up.
APA Operator,
It would be impossible for me to re-read the very newest version of the rule book, as I have not yet read it once. I have one in my hand now, and consulted the relevant sections. As it turns out, the APA has followed its typical pattern of not thinking *all the way* through what they say and do. I sure hope you guys didn't spend too much time on section 33 of the general rules. If you assisted in the "rewording", then perhaps next book, you could offer the most help by recommending they get some *outside* help in writing this stuff.
The changes in the current version of the book do essentially nothing. Yes, section 33 now says "masse and jump shots...must be attempted using
a regular shooting cue. The only confusion this might address is that now a player need not be the *owner* of the cue they use. If you then consult the glossary to get the definition of a "regular shooting cue", you will see that wording has changed from "a cue that the player shoots the majority of his or her shots with" to "a cue
designed to shoot the majority of shots in a game of pool".
Here is where that definition comes up short: Phenolic tips are allowed in the APA. Hence I could put a phenolic tip on my playing cue and shoot every single shot with it if I so chose. Likewise, pro player Mike Dechaine shoots all of his shots with a 314-2 shaft on a BK2 break cue butt. There is absolutely nothing barring this in the APA. Hence, there is nothing barring me from shooting 100% of my shots with my BK2 break cue, phenolic tip and all.
I can't understand why the APA overlooked the obvious. Simply make a rule that states that cues less than a certain length may not be used for jumping. Likewise, they could simply state that a player must designate a particular cue as their regular playing cue, and if they wish they may designate a different cue for breaking. You are not allowed to jump with your designated break cue.
There are many things they *could* have done, but for some odd reason they didn't. As it stands now, the rules are still ambiguous enough to allow the use of a jump cue for every single shot. If your goal was to word the rule in such a way to prevent that, you didn't. I'm sorry if this bothers you. Let me know if you want my help for the next revision.
KMRUNOUT