Safties

[Dave Nelson]

In a match with a friend the other day we got into an exchange of safties. an object ball and the cue ball were lined up very close to the head rail. He safed by nudging the object ball to the rail leaving the situation basically unchanged. I then did the same. He repeated and then told me that that made three safties on the same rail and I therefore had to do something else. I said that I thought that rule was no longer in the book. I have two sets of rules and it is not in either, but I agreed to go with his wishes for the time. Can anyone here give a definitive answer to this problem? I won the match anyway.

Dave Nelson

 

[mjantti]

In a match with a friend the other day we got into an exchange of safties. an object ball and the cue ball were lined up very close to the head rail. He safed by nudging the object ball to the rail leaving the situation basically unchanged. I then did the same. He repeated and then told me that that made three safties on the same rail and I therefore had to do something else. I said that I thought that rule was no longer in the book. I have two sets of rules and it is not in either, but I agreed to go with his wishes for the time. Can anyone here give a definitive answer to this problem? I won the match anyway.

Dave Nelson

It's not in the rulebook anymore. Instead, it has been replaced by the stalemate rule:
"1.12 Stalemate
If the referee observes that no progress is being made towards a conclusion, he will announce his decision, and each player will have three more turns at the table. Then, if the referee determines that there is still no progress, he will declare a stalemate. If both players agree, they may accept the stalemate without taking their three additional turns. The procedure for a stalemate is specified under the rules for each game. "
(http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=rules_tournament#1.12)

And in case of a stalemate in 14.1 it says:
"4.12 Stalemate
If a stalemate occurs (see 1.12 Stalemate), the players will lag again to determine who will shoot an opening break."

Even without a referee, it shouldn't be a problem declaring a stalemate under this rule.

For complete 14.1 rules, go to:
http://www.wpa-pool.com/index.asp?content=rules_141

Hope this helps.

 

[Bob Jewett]

In a match with a friend the other day we got into an exchange of safeties. an object ball and the cue ball were lined up very close to the head rail. He safed by nudging the object ball to the rail leaving the situation basically unchanged. I then did the same. He repeated and then told me that that made three safties on the same rail and I therefore had to do something else. I said that I thought that rule was no longer in the book. I have two sets of rules and it is not in either, but I agreed to go with his wishes for the time. Can anyone here give a definitive answer to this problem? I won the match anyway.

Dave Nelson

This situation has been referred to as a "nurse safety." The rule changed as of January, 2008.

The old rule varied a little, but basically, if the only rail contact was by an object ball that started less than a ball from the rail, only two such safes were permitted by each player before the ball was considered frozen to the cushion. Note that you are not required to go to a different cushion, but you do have to treat the object ball as if it starts frozen to the cushion. The cue ball going to that same cushion after contact would be OK, for example, or if you could somehow get the object ball to bounce off the cushion and then return to that same cushion again, it would be OK.

But that rule no longer exists.

The new rule is a stalemate rule. At 14.1, if a stalemate situation occurs in which no progress is being made towards a conclusion, you clear all the balls and lag for break. See the WPA website for the full text. Here it is: http://www.wpa-pool.com/download/WPA_Rules.pdf You may also want to get the Regulations, which cover some details of how the rules are supposed to be applied: http://www.wpa-pool.com/download/WPA_Regulations.pdf

And your friend was wrong about the old rule. Each player was allowed the same number of hits on the ball, so since he started it, he should have been the first one to have to try something else.

 

[Dave Nelson]

Thanks Mikko

That explains the matter very well.

Dave Nelson

Ooops: Thanks Bob and Mikko.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... Even without a referee, it shouldn't be a problem declaring a stalemate under this rule. ...

I ran into a similar situation a few weeks ago during a league match. I had tried to pocket a ball in a head pocket and come off the head cushion to nudge an object ball that was frozen on the side cushion six inches above the side pocket. Instead, the cue ball almost froze to the ball and all shots to the other balls on the table were blocked. My opponent and I started a series of safeties on that ball. Since the cue ball was above the ball, any contact on it moved it towards the side pocket, so some progress was being made even if it was slow. After about 10 minutes of safeties, one of us hit a shot slightly too softly when trying to take the cue ball to the cushion and left the ball straight in to the corner pocket.