The playing area within the cushion faces shall measure 11ft
8˝in x 5ft 10in (3569mm x 1778mm) with a tolerance on both dimensions of +/-
˝in (+/- 13mm).
Height
(b)
The height of the table from the floor to the top of the cushion
rail shall be from 2ft 9˝in to 2ft 10˝in (851mm to 876mm).
Pocket Openings
(c)
(i) There shall be pockets at the corners (two at the Spot end
known as the top pockets and two at the Baulk end known as the bottom
pockets) and one each at the middle of the longer sides (known as the centre
pockets).
(ii) The pocket openings shall conform to the templates authorised by the
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
Baulk-line And Baulk
(d)
A straight line drawn 29in (737mm) from the face of the bottom
cushion and parallel to it is called the Baulk-line, and that line and the
intervening space is termed the Baulk.
The "D"
(e)
The "D" is a semi-circle described in Baulk with its
centre at the middle of the Baulk-line and with a radius of 11˝in (292mm).
Spots
(f)
Four spots are marked on the centre longitudinal line of the
table:
(i) the Spot, 12žin (324mm) from a point perpendicularly below the face of
the top cushion.
(ii) the Centre Spot, located midway between the
faces of the top and bottom cushions.
(iii) the Pyramid Spot, located midway between the
Centre Spot and the face of the top cushion.
(iv) the Middle of the Baulk-line.
Various cue rests, long cues (called butts and half-butts
according to length), extensions and adaptors may be used by players faced
with difficult positions for cueing. These may form part of the equipment
normally found at the table but also include equipment introduced by either
player or the referee (see also Section 3 Rule 18). All extensions, adaptors
and other devices to aid cueing must be of a design approved by the WPBSA.
Stringing is when both players (or one from each side) play
together from the Baulk-line on either side of the "D" to the top
cushion, with the object of leaving the ball played closer to the bottom
cushion that the ball played by the opponent.
A stroke is made when the striker strikes the cue-ball with the
tip of the cue.
(b)
A stroke is fair when no infringement of Rule is made.
(c)
A stroke is not completed until all balls have come to rest.
(d)
A stroke may be made directly or indirectly, thus:
(i) a stroke is direct when the cue-ball strikes an object ball without first
striking a cushion
(ii) a stroke is indirect when the cue-ball strikes one or more cushions
before striking the first, or second object ball.
A pot is when an object ball, after contact with another ball
and without any infringement of these Rules, enters a pocket. Causing a ball
to be potted is known as potting. A pot is also known as a winning hazard.
An In-off is when the cue-ball, after contacting an object ball
and without any infringement of these Rules, enters a pocket. If both object
balls are contacted by the cue-ball, it is held to have gone In-off the first
object ball contacted. An In-off is also known as a losing hazard.
English Billiards is played by two persons or sides and the game
can be summarised as follows:
(a)
Three balls are used: a plain white by one side, a spot white
(with two or more black spots for identification) by the other side, and a
red.
(b)
Scoring strokes in a player's turn are made by pots, In-offs and
cannons singly or in combination.
(c)
Points awarded for scoring strokes are added to the score of the
striker.
(d)
Penalty points from fouls and misses are added to the opponent's
score.
(e)
A tactic employed at any time during a game is to leave both
object balls in Baulk when the next player is In-hand such that any attempt
at disturbing the balls must be by means of an indirect stroke.
(f)
The winner of a game is the player or side
(i) who has scored most points in the agreed or stipulated time,
(ii) who first reaches the agreed or stipulated number of points,
(iii) to whom the game is awarded under Section 4 Rule 2, or
(iv) to whom the game is conceded.
(g)
The winner of a match is the player or side winning most games
or, where aggregate points are relevant, with the greatest total.
The choice of white ball and which side is to play first shall
be decided by stringing or any mutually agreed manner, the winner having both
options unless all players mutually agree on these options.
(a)
The order of play thus determined must remain unaltered
throughout the game.
(b)
The red is placed on the Spot and the first player plays from
In-hand, the game commencing when the cue-ball has been placed on the table
and contacted with the tip of the cue, either
(i) as a stroke is made, or
(ii) while addressing the cue-ball
(c)
If the wrong white ball is used for the opening stroke, that
stroke is void and the game must be started with the correct ball. Once the
game has started, it is the responsibility of the striker to ensure that he
plays with the correct white ball even if the wrong white ball is passed to
him by the referee.
The players play alternately, or in turn, unless a score is
made, in which case the striker continues the break playing from the position
left or, after an In-off or if touching another ball as provided for in
Section 3 Rule 13, from In-hand. When the striker fails to score, his turn
ends and the next player plays from the position then left, this being from
In-hand if his cue-ball is off the table or touching another ball as provided
for in Section 3 Rule 13. After a foul the next player has the additional option
of playing from In-hand with both object balls spotted as provided for in
Section 3 Rule 15 (c) (ii).
A cannon, pot white and In-off white shall each score two.
(b)
A pot red and an In-off red shall each score three.
(c)
If more than one hazard or a combination of hazard/s and cannon
are made in the same stroke, all are scored.
(d)
When an In-off is combined with a cannon, the In-off shall score
(additionally to the cannon)
(i) three points if the red was struck first by the cue-ball,
(ii) two points if the object white was struck first, or
(iii) two points if both object balls were struck simultaneously.
At the end of the period of time set for any session, the
referee shall call TIME. Any stroke that has been made shall be allowed to
finish and any points scored shall be added to the appropriate side. If other
sessions are to follow, the position of all balls shall be measured and noted
by the referee so that the next session may commence from the point of
interruption.
(b)
The end of the final session as above is the end of a game in a
time format.
(c)
In a game or match played to a time limit, it is possible that
the scores could be level at the end of the period of time allowed and the
rules setting the period of time should include any provision for any
necessary tie-break.
(d)
When playing to an agreed or stipulated number of points, the
end of the game is reached when a player first reaches or passes the required
number. Only the points required are counted, though the player shall be
credited with a break that includes all points scored.
To play from In-hand, the cue-ball must be struck from a
position on or within the lines of the "D", and
(a)
the referee will state, if asked, whether the cue-ball is
properly placed (that is, not outside the lines of the "D").
(b)
if the tip of the cue should touch the cue-ball while positioning
it, and the referee is satisfied that the striker was not attempting to play
a stroke, then the cue-ball is not in play.
(c)
The cue-ball must be played out of Baulk. If it contacts an
object ball then it is out of Baulk, the cue-ball is held to have been played
out of Baulk even though it may not physically cross the Baulk-line.
(d)
The cue-ball must contact a cushion or ball out of Baulk before
re-entering and coming to rest in Baulk, or before hitting a ball in Baulk.
(e)
The cue-ball may be played against a cushion in Baulk before
hitting a ball out of Baulk.
(f)
If an object ball is in Baulk, no part of its surface may be
played on directly from In-hand, even if that part of its surface is above
the Baulk-line.
If the red is pocketed or forced off the table, it is placed on
the Spot, or
(i) if the Spot is occupied, it shall be placed on the Pyramid Spot
(ii) if both the Spot and the Pyramid Spot are occupied, it shall be placed
on the Centre Spot.
(b)
If the red is potted twice in succession in one break from the
Spot or from the Pyramid Spot, not in conjunction with another score, it
shall be placed on the Centre Spot, or
(i) if the Centre Spot is occupied, it shall be placed on the Pyramid Spot.
(ii) if both the Centre Spot and the Pyramid Spot are occupied, it shall be
placed on the Spot.
(c)
For continued pots of the red, not in conjunction with another
score, it shall be placed on the Spot twice, then the Centre Spot once, in
sequence while those spots are not occupied.
(d)
The referee shall inform the striker upon request how many consecutive
pots have been made off the same spot.
(e)
A ball is not considered to be on any spot unless it was placed
there by hand.
(f)
If another ball should touch any ball that has been placed by
hand on a spot, that ball is no longer considered to be on that spot, even
though it may not have moved.
(g)
A player shall not be held responsible for any mistake by the
referee in failing to spot correctly any object ball.
Consecutive cannons, not in conjunction with a hazard, are
limited to seventy-five.
(a)
After seventy such cannons, the referee shall state SEVENTY
CANNONS. If the referee should fail to announce when seventy cannons have
been made, the striker shall be entitled to make five more such cannons after
the referee does announce SEVENTY CANNONS.
(b)
The referee shall inform the striker upon request how many
consecutive strokes of cannons have been made.
Consecutive hazards, not in conjunction with a cannon, are
limited to fifteen strokes.
(a)
After ten such strokes of hazards, the referee shall state TEN
HAZARDS. If the referee should fail to announce when ten hazards have been
made, the striker shall be entitled to make five more such hazards after the
referee does announce TEN HAZARDS.
(b)
The referee shall inform the striker upon request how many
consecutive strokes of hazards have been made.
(c)
If the non-striker's ball is off the table as a result of the
non-striker's last stroke, it shall be placed on the Middle of the Baulk-line
after the fifteenth hazard or, if that is occupied, on the right-hand corner
of the "D", viewed from the bottom end of the table.
If a ball falls into a pocket without being hit by another ball,
and being no part of any stroke in progress, it shall be replaced and any
points scored shall count.
(b)
If it would have been hit by any ball involved in a stroke:
(i) with no infringement of these Rules, all balls will be replaced and the
same stroke played again, or a different stroke may be played at his
discretion, by the same striker.
(ii) if a foul is committed all balls will be replaced and the next player
has the usual options after a foul. </
