NH_Steve
07-09-2003, 06:02 AM
I'm working on some One Pocket rules, and am stuck on disagreement over dealing with a player shooting into the wrong pocket.
Grady Mathews doesn't address the issue in his rules Grady's Rules (http://www.poolbilliards.com/discus/messages/45/47.html?1047969930)
The World Pool-Billiard Association doesn't address One Pocket, although they have excellent general
pocket billiards rules General Rules of Pocket Billiards (http://www.wpa-pool.com/rules3.htm)
The BCA has One Pocket rules, but doesn't address shooting into the wrong pocket, beyond simply
making a ball for your opponent BCA One Pocket rules (http://www.bca-pool.com/play/tournaments/rules/rls_onepocket.shtml)
Every One Pocket player has certainly made the mistake of confusion over whose pocket is whose
before -- and had their opponent make the same mistake. Most players simply inform their opponent
(after letting them donate a ball /ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) that they shot at the wrong pocket. But once in a while, the
situation can go further, either because both players got confused, or perhaps because the recipient
of all those donated balls kinda likes the way things are going, so they strategically stay mum /ccboard/images/graemlins/cool.gif.
Clearly, if a player lines up and shoots a ball into their opponent's pocket, all agree that (as long
as there is no scratch, and the cue ball stays on the table) the ball counts for their opponent, and the shooter is not entitled to shoot again (unless they made a ball in their own pocket at the same time). That's entirely clear. But what if the opponent (or referee) fails to tell them they just shot at the wrong pocket, and consequently they simply keep right on firing away -- into the wrong pocket?
Some 'house rules' count all the balls for whoever legitimately had that pocket, period. Some say if the opponent allows the shooter to get 'out' by shooting into the wrong pocket, the shooter wins,
regardless of the fact they repeatedly shot to the wrong pocket.
I'm inclined to say that that any such additional balls made in the wrong pocket in the same inning (when the opponent lets the shooter keep on shooting into the wrong pocket) would be spotted, so neither player would benefit -- beyond the ball(s) made on the first such erroneous stroke, which all agree would count for the opponent. That is, any additional balls made beyond the point when the
shooter was supposed to sit down (not having made a legal ball in their own pocket), would be
spotted as illegally pocketed balls.
An alternative might be that if the opponent (and/or ref) lets the shooter continue in the same inning, then any additional balls (from the point when the shooter was supposed to sit down) would go ahead and count for the shooter, regardless of which pocket they were shot into -- based on the fact that the opponent let them keep shooting. That would certainly keep the opponent more honest in such a situation!
What does the 'house rule' -- or the traditional convention that you are familiar with say about this?
thanx
Grady Mathews doesn't address the issue in his rules Grady's Rules (http://www.poolbilliards.com/discus/messages/45/47.html?1047969930)
The World Pool-Billiard Association doesn't address One Pocket, although they have excellent general
pocket billiards rules General Rules of Pocket Billiards (http://www.wpa-pool.com/rules3.htm)
The BCA has One Pocket rules, but doesn't address shooting into the wrong pocket, beyond simply
making a ball for your opponent BCA One Pocket rules (http://www.bca-pool.com/play/tournaments/rules/rls_onepocket.shtml)
Every One Pocket player has certainly made the mistake of confusion over whose pocket is whose
before -- and had their opponent make the same mistake. Most players simply inform their opponent
(after letting them donate a ball /ccboard/images/graemlins/smile.gif ) that they shot at the wrong pocket. But once in a while, the
situation can go further, either because both players got confused, or perhaps because the recipient
of all those donated balls kinda likes the way things are going, so they strategically stay mum /ccboard/images/graemlins/cool.gif.
Clearly, if a player lines up and shoots a ball into their opponent's pocket, all agree that (as long
as there is no scratch, and the cue ball stays on the table) the ball counts for their opponent, and the shooter is not entitled to shoot again (unless they made a ball in their own pocket at the same time). That's entirely clear. But what if the opponent (or referee) fails to tell them they just shot at the wrong pocket, and consequently they simply keep right on firing away -- into the wrong pocket?
Some 'house rules' count all the balls for whoever legitimately had that pocket, period. Some say if the opponent allows the shooter to get 'out' by shooting into the wrong pocket, the shooter wins,
regardless of the fact they repeatedly shot to the wrong pocket.
I'm inclined to say that that any such additional balls made in the wrong pocket in the same inning (when the opponent lets the shooter keep on shooting into the wrong pocket) would be spotted, so neither player would benefit -- beyond the ball(s) made on the first such erroneous stroke, which all agree would count for the opponent. That is, any additional balls made beyond the point when the
shooter was supposed to sit down (not having made a legal ball in their own pocket), would be
spotted as illegally pocketed balls.
An alternative might be that if the opponent (and/or ref) lets the shooter continue in the same inning, then any additional balls (from the point when the shooter was supposed to sit down) would go ahead and count for the shooter, regardless of which pocket they were shot into -- based on the fact that the opponent let them keep shooting. That would certainly keep the opponent more honest in such a situation!
What does the 'house rule' -- or the traditional convention that you are familiar with say about this?
thanx