scratch w/ object ball in kitchen

[wigglybridge]

last night a rules question came up that Seemed like it should have a special rule, but i can't find one.

with 2 object balls remaining, both in the kitchen, my opponent scratched. as far as i can tell, this means it's a bad roll for me?

as luck had it, one of the balls was close enough to a pocket that i could (and did) kick it in. but i got predictably non-optimal position for the remaining ball as my break ball following the table-length kick.

and i'm wondering if WPA rules section 4.9 & 1.5 imply something different. 1.5 says in this instance, i could request the ball nearest the head string to be spotted; but presumably, this means the foot (rack) spot, right? because if it could be spotted on the head spot, then also by 1.5 it becomes legal to shoot, since it is on the head string by definition. and that would have made the position play quite convenient!
http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/index.asp?id=116&pagetype=rules#1.5

any thoughts? it seems pretty goofy to have your opponent scratch, yet not be able to have a direct shot yourself!

 

[JusticeNJ]

if i'm not mistaken, the one closest to the rack gets spotted, just like in one pocket. as in a spot shot.

i might be wrong though, certainly not a rare occurrence for that to happen.

 

[Bob Jewett]

last night a rules question came up that Seemed like it should have a special rule, but i can't find one.

with 2 object balls remaining, both in the kitchen, my opponent scratched. as far as i can tell, this means it's a bad roll for me?

as luck had it, one of the balls was close enough to a pocket that i could (and did) kick it in. but i got predictably non-optimal position for the remaining ball as my break ball following the table-length kick.

and i'm wondering if WPA rules section 4.9 & 1.5 imply something different. 1.5 says in this instance, i could request the ball nearest the head string to be spotted; but presumably, this means the foot (rack) spot, right? because if it could be spotted on the head spot, then also by 1.5 it becomes legal to shoot, since it is on the head string by definition. and that would have made the position play quite convenient!
http://www.wpa-pool.com/web/index.asp?id=116&pagetype=rules#1.5

any thoughts? it seems pretty goofy to have your opponent scratch, yet not be able to have a direct shot yourself!

I think it is fairly clear, but 1.5 should probably specify the foot spot or refer to 1.4 which only discusses spotting at the foot spot. Spotting on the center spot and the head spot only occurs in 14.1 and not often then.

 

[wigglybridge]

thanks! knowing that rule would've made my life a lot easier, because a spot shot on the other ball would've left the ball near the pocket as useable break ball from almost anywhere on the table, and a very good one from almost half the table. unlike the one i played for, which was tough to get a good angle on, even when not on a kick!

live and learn.