Rules Question - Does breaking down your cue mean loss of game?

lstevedus

One of the 47%
Silver Member
Does breaking down your cue before your oponent pockets the last ball, be it 8 ball or 9 ball, mean loss of game. This is what I have always been told. Today I was playing a guy a set of 9 ball, race to 7. The score was 6 to 6. I am shooting a kind of difficult shot on the 9, and I hear him breaking down his cue behind me. Loss of game. I win the set. Right or wrong?
 
the action you describe is a negative mannerism and signals Concede.
however... it is not surrender and in fact it's many times used as a physcological offset to tharwt the opposition into missing.
should that occur, you put that fishpole right back together and go to work!
 
Does breaking down your cue before your oponent pockets the last ball, be it 8 ball or 9 ball, mean loss of game. This is what I have always been told. Today I was playing a guy a set of 9 ball, race to 7. The score was 6 to 6. I am shooting a kind of difficult shot on the 9, and I hear him breaking down his cue behind me. Loss of game. I win the set. Right or wrong?

Depends who you're playing, where and what. For the experienced players, it is common knowledge that breaking down your player (not necessarily your J/B) is a concession. In many tourneys, it's a rule.

It's distracting and rude for an opponent to break down their cue when your trying to close out a match. It's a total lack of class/respect as a minimum and a move at the max. I've raked the balls on the last rack when it's happened to me against an experienced player. I've gotten the WTF look, but it stuck. I wouldn't do that to someone that may not know better.
 
Does breaking down your cue before your oponent pockets the last ball, be it 8 ball or 9 ball, mean loss of game. This is what I have always been told. Today I was playing a guy a set of 9 ball, race to 7. The score was 6 to 6. I am shooting a kind of difficult shot on the 9, and I hear him breaking down his cue behind me. Loss of game. I win the set. Right or wrong?

It is a rare form of sharking for sure. Why would he/she, break down while you are about to shoot a hard shot on the pay ball on the hill? He was thinking you would be distracted of course. But, you still should have made the 9 ball to be sure of the win.
Many Regards,
Lock N Load.
 
Yep - one of the oldest moves out there

Depends who you're playing, where and what. For the experienced players, it is common knowledge that breaking down your player (not necessarily your J/B) is a concession. In many tourneys, it's a rule.

It's distracting and rude for an opponent to break down their cue when your trying to close out a match. It's a total lack of class/respect as a minimum and a move at the max. I've raked the balls on the last rack when it's happened to me against an experienced player. I've gotten the WTF look, but it stuck. I wouldn't do that to someone that may not know better.

Hate when they do that. I just get up & go to them & say "Thank You" with my hand out to shake. If they don't shake then I just walk away. If they start up with the "but I blah, blah blah" then I just say "if you're breaking down your cue that means you are done and conceding the game to me". If that doesn't work it is still to my benefit because I have had time to "get over it" and refocus.

I have kids, so YES I do have eyes in the back of my head :grin:
 
Does breaking down your cue before your oponent pockets the last ball, be it 8 ball or 9 ball, mean loss of game. This is what I have always been told. Today I was playing a guy a set of 9 ball, race to 7. The score was 6 to 6. I am shooting a kind of difficult shot on the 9, and I hear him breaking down his cue behind me. Loss of game. I win the set. Right or wrong?

:grin-devilish:
Yes it is in my books, whether it is league play or a gambling session because it is a form of sharking your opponent. Now I will also say that it should be specified either in the local rules of the league or the local rules of where you are gambling. I have had players pull that shit on me over the years, my response is simple. I walk over and sit down or I collect the stake money (bet) and refuse to shoot the last ball until the player put his cues back together and sits down, sharking can be a two edged sword. In most cases the player will put their cue back together and sit down, but I have also had cases where players stormed out of the room which leaves know doubt that they have conceded the bet.:) However, in either case I will shoot the last ball at some point, but depending upon how I personally feel about the guy that stormed out I may miss the ball on purpose so that when the story is retold the event will haunt the individual for the rest of their pitiful life!!!!!!!!:grin-devilish::grin-devilish::grin-devilish:

Best Regards

"Warlock 1"
 
I pocketed the 9 and turned around and told the guy that was a shark move and some people might get a little upset about it. He's a nice guy, and I think maybe he really didn't know, maybe. This is not the first time this has come up. I am surprised that so many people claim not to know this. Where I played in my younger days everybody gambled, and there was an unspoken rule that you stayed out of other people's games. Violating this rule could lead to bodily harm. Things sure have changed. Thanks to all for your comments.
 
According to World Standardized Rules breaking down your cue is expressly covered in the rule regarding concessions.

1.11 Concession
If a player concedes, he loses the match. For example, if a player unscrews his jointed playing cue stick while the opponent is at the table and during the opponent’s decisive rack of a match, it will be considered a concession of the match.

However, in a match where there is no referee to make the call it is always a good idea to confirm it with your opponent. Or you might just go ahead and unscrew your own cue go to shake his hand, and see what he says - but in any event don't disturb the balls! If he argues that he wasn't conceding and it can't be resolved, I would call a break and let him sit there for a while before coming back to the table and firing in the last ball.
 
To me it's no different than when they walk up to the table and start pulling balls from the pockets.

I dont shoot, I look up and help em or shake hands. Either way.
 
From the BCA Rulebook:

1-44 Concession of Match
When your opponent is on the hill, if you make a motion to unscrew your playing cue
during your opponent's inning you lose the match. (AR p. 93)
 
From the BCA Rulebook:

1-44 Concession of Match
When your opponent is on the hill, if you make a motion to unscrew your playing cue
during your opponent's inning you lose the match. (AR p. 93)

what's the date on that please? when was that rule incorporated?
thanks.
 
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June 1, 2012 is the date on the book. I will have to check on when it was incorporated..
 
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It is also in the 2011 rule book, effective 1 June 2011. I have nothing going back further than that.
 
I watched a match in 1992, in St Charles, IL, where a player had six cues lined up by his table. He would ask the spirits what cue to use and would use a different cue for each shot.

How many cues could be broken down before he is considered to have conceded?

I actually did not watch much of the match. I left after a few minutes.
 
To me it's no different than when they walk up to the table and start pulling balls from the pockets.

I don't shoot,.

I have a guy that does this to me...I stop my stroke and push the money ball toward him..... he looks at me and I tell him "I'm taking a win"
 
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Me and my buddy were playing a round robin tourney and I watched this one guy say, "good game" before the nine ball was pocketed. My buddy shook his hand and reported the score without shooting the nine while the guy had his jaw dropped.

When I played him it was an exact instant replay only his jaw dropped a little lower.
 
I watched a match in 1992, in St Charles, IL, where a player had six cues lined up by his table. He would ask the spirits what cue to use and would use a different cue for each shot.

How many cues could be broken down before he is considered to have conceded?

I actually did not watch much of the match. I left after a few minutes.



Thanks for the laugh I needed it tonight!!!!!!:)
 
Breaking down is an act of concession and automatic loss.Just to be sure when anyone does this or a similar move,don't shoot the game/match ball just turn and shake his/her hand.
 
I don't care whether there's a rule or not. If a player starts breaking down their cue, I immediately stop shooting and say "Concede?". If they reach in the pocket, I immediately stop and help them empty the pockets.

It usually doesn't take but one time to stop the obnoxious behavior. What I refuse to do is shoot my shot while they're in the act of sharking. :cool:
 
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