8 Ball Umpire

World EightBall Pool Rules

World Eight Ball Rules: Calling Procedures 2020

01-01-2020 – Changes Highlighted  (valid to 31/12/2024)

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”.

  • In the event of a player showing reluctance to accept the cue ball, i.e., Gamesmanship, place the cue ball on the baulk rail and call;- “Time Running”.

ANY STANDARD FOUL WHEN GROUP NOT ESTABLISHED: Call: – “Foul, Two Visits”.

  • If it is the first time a player is in/takes control of the table. Call: – “Foul, Two Visits…Open Table”.

BREAK SHOT, ANY LEGAL BALL(S) POTTED: Call: – “Balls Potted”

  • If player nominates the group potted Call: – “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”.
  • If player nominates the group not potted Call: – “Red/Yellow Balls Nominated”.
  • If colour nominated is then potted Call: – “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”.
  • Failure to pot nominated colour Call: – “Open Table”.

BREAK SHOT, FAIR BREAK, NO BALLS POTTED: Call: – “Open Table”.

  • Should the next shot not establish a group, Call: – “Open Table” to the breaking player on their first return to the table.

OPEN TABLE ANY LEGAL BALL POTTED Call: -“Red/Yellow Balls in Play”
OPEN TABLE BOTH GROUPS POTTED Call:  “Balls Potted”

  • If player nominates a colour, Call  “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”
  • If player fails to nominate Call:  “Foul 2 visits, Open table”

FIRST APPROACH AFTER GROUPS ARE ESTABLISHED: On the first time only, that a player is in/takes control of the table, after groups have been established. Call: – “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”.

ANY STANDARD FOULS DURING A FRAME: Call: – “Foul, Two Visits”. No further call is made (other than time calls/fouls) until a pot “on” is missed. Then Call: – “Second Visit”. No call is made at the end of this visit.

NON STANDARD FOULS: Call: – “Foul”. Then impose relevant penalty and/or await direction from the oncoming player. Add “Open Table” if no group established and it is the first time a player is in/takes control of the table.

LOSS OF FRAME FOULS: Call: – “Loss of Frame”. Explain reason.

TIME FOULS: At 30 seconds, Call: – “Thirty Seconds”. This must be called on time even if the player appears to be about to stroke the shot. At Sixty Seconds, Call: – “Time Foul, Two Visits”. Add “Open Table” if no group established and it is the first time a player is in/takes control of the table

TIME OUT: If Time Out is granted or required by the Referee, Call: – “Time Out”.
At the end of the Time Out period, Call: – “Time Running”.

TOUCHING BALL(S): When the cue ball is in contact with any ball(s) “on”, Call: – “Touching Ball(s)”. Clearly point to ball(s) in contact with cue ball.

TOTAL SNOOKER/FOUL SNOOKER: After a request from a player only, Call: – “Total/Foul/Jaw Snooker”, or as appropriate, with “Time Out” calls if necessary.

STALEMATE: If the Stalemate Rule is invoked, Call: – “Stalemate, Re-start of Frame, Same Player to Break”, “One Visit”.

BALL NOMINATION: Where a player has a right of ball nomination, after nomination, point to nominated ball and Call: – “Red/Yellow/Black Ball Nominated”

REFERENCE: The Playing Rules are the copyright of the World Eight-ball Pool Federation

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