Rule Question

[cueman]

In the BCA rule book it is not all that clear on what constitutes a legal shot. I had always thought if you hit the first ball then go three or more rails and hits the second ball it is good. I was under the understanding that if the first ball hit the second ball it did not matter, but if the cue ball hits the second ball before going three rails it was bad. Example: if you hit the first ball then the cue ball hits the second ball before hitting three rails, but goes ahead and hits three rails and then hits the second ball again it is bad. Someone was telling me that would still be a good shot. I tried to find the answer in the BCA rule book I have laying around and it was not clear. Sorry for my ignorance here. But I don't want to cheat my opponent if that is really a good shot.

 

[mbvl]

No, that is not a good shot. The cue ball must contact the cushions at least three times before it contacts the second ball [for the first time]. Also, note that it needn't be three different cushions, and cushions hit before contact with the first ball count -- e.g., cushion-ball-cushion-cushion-ball is a legal pattern.

Mark

 

[cueman]

No, that is not a good shot. The cue ball must contact the cushions at least three times before it contacts the second ball [for the first time]. Also, note that it needn't be three different cushions, and cushions hit before contact with the first ball count -- e.g., cushion-ball-cushion-cushion-ball is a legal pattern.

Mark

That is what I thought and how I always played, but the guy insisted I was wrong. Thanks for the clarification.

 

[mbvl]

One more thing: under the official rules it is legal for the first object ball to hit the second object ball (a "time shot"), and it is legal for the cue ball to contact the first object ball more than once (a "kiss shot"). However, it is fairly common that the "house rules" don't allow either of these. It's best to get this understood at the beginning.

Mark