8 Ball Umpire

8 Ball Umpire APP

Documentation on this APP is available in the Wiki.

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Copyright © 2020 by Greg Dingle

All rights reserved. This APP and documentation or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a review.

Email: 8ballumpire@gmail.com

Web: https://www.8ballumpire.com.au

A The Spirit of the Game

The Game is known as Eight-Ball Pool.  It is expected that players will always play the game in the true spirit and in a sporting manner.  The Referee will take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the spirit and rules of the game are observed.

B Equipment

The Game of Eight-Ball Pool is played with:-
(1) A “Cue Ball” – being a white ball.
(2) Fifteen “Object Balls” – consisting of:-
 (a) “Colours” – being a group of seven red balls, (or balls numbered 1 to 7) and a group of seven yellow balls (or balls numbered 9 to 15).
 (b)  The “Eight-Ball” – being a black ball marked with a number “8”.
(3) A six pocket rectangular Pool Table with general characteristics as follows:-
  (a) The cloth will be marked with a “Spot” at the position where a straight line drawn diagonally from the centre of a side pocket to the centre of a corner pocket would intersect with a straight line drawn diagonally from the centre of the opposite side pocket to the centre of the other corner pocket.
  (b) The cloth will be marked with a “Baulk Line”, being a straight line, drawn from cushion to cushion, parallel to, and one fifth of the length of the table from, the face of the cushion that lies the greatest distance from the Spot.

All TEXT is controlled via the Main Score Board.

All SCORES are carried across to all other Score Boards.

Event Name (text you can edit)

Home | Away (text you can edit)

+ | – ( add or minus scores)

Round | Race to (text you can edit).

All Text and Scores will save until you press the recycle button on the Main Score Board)

National Officiating Accreditation Development  (NOAD)

Online Officiating Course
Developed to assist officials learn the basic skills to officiate effectively.
For further information on becoming and accredited official visit the online e-learning portal;

INFO: https://www.8ballumpire.com.au/index.php

EXAM: https://aebf.asn.au/index.php

SPORTAUS: https://ausport.gov.au

8 Ball Umpire – Calling Procedures

BLACK BALL POTTED ON THE BREAK SHOT:
Call: – “Void Break” . (Retrieve all Balls and re-rack) …
”Same Player to Re-start Frame, No Penalty”.

FOUL BREAK:
Call: – “Foul Break” …… (Re-rack Balls) ……
“Opponent to Re-start Frame with Two Visits”.

CUE BALL POTTED ON A FAIR BREAK:
Call: – “Foul” …… Timing to re-start on handing the cue ball to the oncoming player.
Call: – “One Visit, Time Running”.

This guidance should be read in conjunction with the AEBF Rules, W.E.P.F. Rules and the E.P.R.A. Calling Procedure.

Should any guidance contained herein conflict with the instructions of a Head Adjudicator, the instructions of the Head Adjudicator shall take precedence.

1. Equipment (rule B)
Players may not use equipment or accessory items for purposes, or in a manner, other than for which the items were intended.
A rest should be provided as part of in house equipment. Most venues will also supply other forms of mechanical bridge (for example spider, swan neck) however, if these are not available no allowances should be made.

2. Definitions (rule C)
The word ‘Striking’ means making contact between the cue tip and a ball.

(1) The Object Balls are racked as shown with the Eight-Ball on the Spot.
(2) In the absence of any competition / tournament rules to the contrary, a coin will be tossed or players will ‘lag’ to determine which player will break.
Rules for the ‘lag’

The winner of the toss or lag shall decide who will break first. If a series of frames is to be played (A Match), the break of each subsequent frame will alternate.

(3) The first shot of a frame is called the “Break”. To “Break”, the Cue Ball is played at the triangle of Object Balls from Baulk. The frame is deemed to have commenced the instant that the Cue Ball is played.
(4) (a) The Break will be deemed a “Fair Break” if:-

(i) At least one Colour is potted.
OR
(ii) Four Object Balls (at least) are driven to a cushion.
(b) If the Break is not a Fair Break it is a Non-Standard Foul and:-
(i) The opponent is awarded two visits.
(ii) The balls are re-racked.
(iii) The opponent re-starts the game and is under the same obligation to achieve a Fair Break.

Standard fouls are to be called by the referee as soon as they occur and the fouled player is in control, until all balls from that shot come to rest. The referee then awards two visits to the opponent.
(1) Potting the Cue Ball – “In Off” { except on a Fair Break – see (F) The Break (4)(c)(1) }
 The incoming player plays from Baulk { see (E) Playing from Baulk (d)(1) }
(2) Playing from outside Baulk when obliged to play from Baulk. { see (E) Playing from Baulk (2)(a) }
(3) Potting an opponent’s ball.  
 (except, when it is the properly nominated ball following a Foul Snooker or Foul Jaw Snooker)
(4) Playing out of turn. {A player who plays a shot immediately after playing a foul or immediately after the referee has called a foul on that player, has played out of turn.
(5) Accidentally striking the Cue Ball with any part of the cue other than the tip.
(6) Accidentally striking an Object Ball with any part of the cue or cue tip.
(7) Playing a shot before all balls have come to rest from the previous shot.
(8) Playing a shot before any balls that require spotting, have been spotted.

(1) Definition:  When an opponent plays a foul shot and this results in the incoming player being snookered, the incoming player is deemed to be Foul Snookered.
(2) If a player believes that a Foul Snooker exists, the player may ask the referee for a ruling.
(3) If the referee rules that a foul snooker exists, the player initially has the following options:-
 (a) Play the Cue Ball from where it lies. {see (4) (a) below}
  OR
 (b) Ask the referee to remove the Cue Ball so as to allow the player to play from Baulk. {see (4) (b) below}
(4) (a) (i) If the player chooses to play the Cue Ball from where it lies, the player may, if the player wishes, nominate the Eight Ball (but see (5) below) or any one of the opponent’s Colour.  The player can nominate a particular ball by verbal description of it or its position or by pointing at it.  The Referee may ask for further information if any doubt exists as to which ball has been nominated.
  (ii) Once nominated, a ball is deemed to “become one” of the player’s Colour for the first shot of the first visit.  The player may then play any of the player’s own Colour or the nominated ball. If any of the player’s Colour and/or the nominated ball is potted, the player continues with the first visit.
 (b) If the player chooses to play the Cue Ball from Baulk, a Foul Snooker may no longer exist.  In this case the procedure under the heading (E) Playing from Baulk (2) (d) & (2) (e) should be followed.  If the referee decides that a Foul Snooker does still exist, the player may nominate a ball and follow the procedure in (4) (a) above.

(3) Exceptions:
(a) On the Break, the conditions of a Legal Shot do not apply. {See (F) The Break}
(b) When playing out of a Total Snooker a player is only obliged to meet the conditions of (1)(a) above.
i) Definition: A player is in a Total Snooker when it is impossible to play any part of any of the player’s own Colour by way of a “straight line” shot. Leaving an opponent in a Total Snooker is not a foul.
ii) If a player believes that a Total Snooker exists, the player may ask the referee for a ruling.
iii) If the referee rules that a Total Snooker exists, the player’s obligations under the “Legal Shot” rule are relaxed as follows: – The player need only cause the Cue Ball’s initial contact to be with a ball “On”. The requirement to pot a ball and / or cause a ball to strike a cushion is waived.
iv) In a Total Snooker, the straight sections of the cushions DO come into consideration. If a player has to strike a cushion prior to impact with a “ball on”, then a “Total Snooker” does exist.
(4) Interpretations:
(a) If the Cue Ball’s initial contact is with an Object Ball that is touching a cushion, simply forcing that Object Ball into the same cushion does not constitute a Legal Shot.
(b) If the Cue Ball and an Object Ball are touching the same cushion, simply forcing the Cue Ball and / or that Object Ball into the same cushion does not constitute a Legal Shot.