Rule on spotting 8 after break bca

NINEBALLART

NINEBALLART

NINEBALLART
Silver Member
During league a player broke and made 8....He was trying to decide if he wanted to spot it or break again...He put the 8 ball down on spot so he could get a better look at lay out with 8 on the spot...The other player says "you cannot now pick 8 back up ..You must now play the rack as is..""Once you put it on spot you cannot pick it up again"

Whats the ruling on this? Can you spot the 8 while trying to decide , then pick it up and decide to break again instead?
 
Looking over the rules I would say he can still rerack if he chooses.

There is nothing that says you have to decide before spotting that I saw in the rules. Nor do I see an advantage given to them by spotting the ball first and then deciding, which to me would be what to look for. I think we all have imaginations good enough that allow us to picture the ball being there as we decide.
 
NINEBALLART said:
During league a player broke and made 8....He was trying to decide if he wanted to spot it or break again...He put the 8 ball down on spot so he could get a better look at lay out with 8 on the spot...The other player says "you cannot now pick 8 back up ..You must now play the rack as is..""Once you put it on spot you cannot pick it up again"

Whats the ruling on this? Can you spot the 8 while trying to decide , then pick it up and decide to break again instead?
Click to expand...

Have you read the rules about it? https://www.billiards.com/article/official-bca-8-ball-rules
 
The way the rule reads is that you ask for a re rack or spot it and keep shooting. It looks like to me if you spot it you keep shooting. I wouldn't hold someone to that if they changed their minds before shooting anything.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
NINEBALLART said:
During league a player broke and made 8....He was trying to decide if he wanted to spot it or break again...He put the 8 ball down on spot so he could get a better look at lay out with 8 on the spot...The other player says "you cannot now pick 8 back up ..You must now play the rack as is..""Once you put it on spot you cannot pick it up again"

Whats the ruling on this? Can you spot the 8 while trying to decide , then pick it up and decide to break again instead?
Click to expand...

I think it ought to be the non-shooter who spots the ball and that the ball should not be placed on the table until after the continuing player makes a decision.

In general you are not allowed to use a ball to estimate clearances and such. I think placing a ball on the table to see how the run looks is similar.
 
Bob Jewett said:
I think it ought to be the non-shooter who spots the ball and that the ball should not be placed on the table until after the continuing player makes a decision.

In general you are not allowed to use a ball to estimate clearances and such. I think placing a ball on the table to see how the run looks is similar.
Click to expand...



What about putting down the cue ball with ball in hand?
 
9. 8 BALL POCKETED ON THE BREAK. If the 8-ball is pocketed on the break, the breaker may ask for a rerack or have the 8-ball spotted and continue shooting. If the breaker scratches while pocketing the 8 ball on the break, the incoming player has the option of a rerack or having the 8 ball spotted and begin shooting with ball in hand behind the head string

(for those that didn't want to click.)

I have to agree with those that say have have to play on. The rule says rerack or choose to have it spotted. Once you choose one you can't choose the other. The act of spotting the ball is making the decision.
In this case, if you can't visualize the run-out without the ball being there you had better rerack.
 
I've asked the refs at BCA Nationals many times to spot the 8 so i can determine my next move. There has never been an issue with this in my experience.
 
briandlau said:
I've asked the refs at BCA Nationals many times to spot the 8 so i can determine my next move. There has never been an issue with this in my experience.
Click to expand...
Are you allowed to ask for a rerack after seeing the respotted 8?
 
Bob Jewett said:
I think the BCAPL does not allow you to use cue-ball-in-hand to measure things.
Click to expand...

Right but you can put it down, look at things, and then change your mind and pick it up to put it somewhere else.

But after reading the posts and looking at the rules I can see your side better - BCA rules do specify that you can move BIH around until you shoot, but it doesn't say that about spotting the 8-ball.
 
BRussell said:
Right but you can put it down, look at things, and then change your mind and pick it up to put it somewhere else.
Click to expand...

Here is the rule:

g. You may only use your vision to judge whether the cue ball or an object ball would fit through a gap, or to judge what ball the cue ball would contact first. You may not use any ball, cue, rack, chalk cube, or any other equipment or other part of your body as a width-measuring device. (AR p. 79).​

In addition, the Applied Ruling mentions moving the cue ball and points out that it is sometimes difficult to decide whether a measurement is being made.
 
Bob Jewett said:
Here is the rule:

g. You may only use your vision to judge whether the cue ball or an object ball would fit through a gap, or to judge what ball the cue ball would contact first. You may not use any ball, cue, rack, chalk cube, or any other equipment or other part of your body as a width-measuring device. (AR p. 79).​

In addition, the Applied Ruling mentions moving the cue ball and points out that it is sometimes difficult to decide whether a measurement is being made.
Click to expand...

"But sir, I was attempting to spot the cueball right there for my next shot only to realize that it won't fit."
 
GideonF said:
Bob,

Can you give us your views on what happens to the non-shooter in the situation in this recent thread? http://forums.azbilliards.com/showthread.php?t=426361

Gideon
Click to expand...
In that thread, the non-shooter was spotting a ball and accidentally brushed the cue ball. I think the referee or the person acting as the referee cannot be called for a foul. Now if he purposely messed up the position because he saw the 9 ball was dead (at 9 ball) then you have a different can of worms.
 
briandlau said:
I've asked the refs at BCA Nationals many times to spot the 8 so i can determine my next move. There has never been an issue with this in my experience.
Click to expand...

I absolutely agree. You can definitely spot the ball to see how the table lies before deciding whether or not to rerack.
 
Bob Jewett said:
In that thread, the non-shooter was spotting a ball and accidentally brushed the cue ball. I think the referee or the person acting as the referee cannot be called for a foul. Now if he purposely messed up the position because he saw the 9 ball was dead (at 9 ball) then you have a different can of worms.
Click to expand...

Funny that we have two threads about this issue in less than 24 hours.

In that other thread I was the acting referee in the tournament, but I was not there when the player brushed the cue ball. I determined that the player who was spotting the ball was acting in a referee's role, thus i did not call a foul on him.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top