LONG ISLAND POOL LEAGUE
·
All games will be
8-Ball.
· All rules common to the game of 8-Ball shall apply
unless otherwise specified within these league rules.
· The team captains may agree to modify any of the
“Supplementary Playing Rules” rules before the match begins. In the absence of
any prior agreements between the captains, the league rules will take
precedence.
·
The match will consist
of three sets of singles games (5 games for each set) and one set of doubles
games (3 games for the set).
·
One player may play
twice in each of the singles sets. The same player may not play twice in more
than one singles set. Two players may play twice in the doubles set.
·
A minimum of 4 players
is necessary for a match with no penalty.
·
A team may play with
only three players but the last game of each singles set and the last game of
the doubles set will be forfeited resulting in a five-point penalty.
·
No team may play with
less than three players (Automatic forfeit).
·
The starting time of the
match is 8:00PM. The match may be started with whatever players are available
at that time.
·
The home team will allow
the visiting team to practice on the table after 7:45 PM. (Practice games are
not free).
·
At least two players
from each team must be ready to start playing at 8:00PM. Grace period extends
to 8:15PM.
These two players may play the first three singles
games and the first doubles game while waiting for the rest of the team to
arrive. Please begin the match as soon as possible
with the players available so that everyone may get home at a decent hour. As
more players show up, they may be placed on the scoresheet to play a game.
·
If a team has only 3
players by 8:45PM, the last game of the first singles set will be forfeited.
·
If a team has only 2
players by 8:45PM, the entire match will be forfeited.
Note: Any time a rostered player shows up for a match, he/she may play
any remaining games in the match, but may not make up any previously forfeited
games. Once the names are posted on the scoresheet for a particular set of
games, the captain of either team may make changes to it as long as he/she
makes the other team aware of those changes and affords them the opportunity to
change their own lineup accordingly. Any changes made after the initial lineup
will be open to view as they are made. Any games forfeited during a match will
not reflect on either team's individual standings.
·
Each Singles game is
worth one point. Each Doubles game is worth 2 points. The entire match consists
of 21 points.
·
In the event of a
dispute over the rules, the game will continue and the dispute noted in the
comments section of the sign-in sheet. It will be brought before the
protest/rules committee who will make a final decision as to the outcome of the
game.
·
Poor sportsmanship and
unethical conduct may be grounds for forfeiture of a game/match or expulsion
from the league.
·
Fighting will result in expulsion from the
league for all teams involved; it is up to the team captain to maintain control
of their players.
·
The sponsors, teams and
players in the league are participating at their own risk. The Long Island Pool
League, its executives and assigns will not be held liable for any injuries,
damages or misconduct resulting from playing in the league.
·
The protest/rules
committee will make a binding decision on any protests, disputes or anything
not specifically addressed in these rules.
·
Under the discretion of
the home bar, each “team” my be asked to ‘chip-in’ $12.00 on the night of the
match to offset the cost of the games. The bar is responsible to ‘chip-in’
whatever difference between the money collected and the actual cost of the 18
games is.
·
The table surface should
be level, cloth should be in good condition and the table should be adequately
lit.
·
“Short Sticks” must be
available if necessary.
·
League rules, seasonal
schedule and weekly standings must be posted or made available in each bar
during any match.
·
The Cue Ball on the
table at 7:45PM will be the cue ball used for the entire match. During a match either team will not be
allowed to change the cue ball at anytime unless the cue ball is not in good
condition. Both teams must agree upon
the change.
Note: There are many factors that can affect the
environmental conditions of a match. There are some tables are 6 foot as well
as some that are 8 foot. There are red tables, blue tables, green tables, etc.
There is sometimes limited clearance, loud music and a host of other
distractions. It is the leagues position that every team that plays on a
particular table in a particular bar are subject to the same environmental
handicaps or distractions.
·
The score sheets must be
filled in legibly and signed by both captains. Please note that if you have 3
guys named Mike or Joe on your team, be sure to differentiate them on the
scoresheet. Also, we have no idea who “Bubba” or “Doogie” might be unless you
note it on the sign-in sheet.
·
It is the responsibility
of the Home team to supply a blank scoresheet and an envelope at
the beginning of each match
·
It is the responsibility
of the winning team to mail both the original scoresheet with the roster form
to the league every week.
·
It is the responsibility
of both teams to keep a copy of the scoresheets for every match they played.
· All scores must be called in to the League Phone (516)
213-4482 by the winning team before 6:00 PM on the day after the match. If the
winning team fails to call in their score they will be penalized one point from
their score that week. If the winning team failed to call in their score and
the losing team did call in the score, the losing team will get the point that
the winning team forfeited. For the 1st infraction you can call to
plead your case and I’ll correct the score. After that, you lose the point
regardless.
·
Scoresheets and
standings will be posted in each bar on the night of the match. If for some
reason they can not be posted they must be made available to the visiting team
on the night of the match.
·
Individual standings
will be mailed out beginning with the 5th week of the season. The
individual standings will not reflect the current week’s match due to the delay
in receiving score sheets. There will be awards for the top players in the
league. Scoresheets for all matches must be submitted to the league. A player
competing for one of the individual awards may forfeit his/her eligibility if
all the scoresheets for the season for that player’s team were not submitted to
the League.
·
You must be at least 21 years
old to participate in the league.
·
Rosters must be
submitted with the registration form at the beginning of each season. All player names must be printed legibly.
·
Whenever a new player
signs the roster form, he/she will be automatically added to the roster of that
team provided all of the following conditions have been met:
ü
He/she has not played
with any other team in the league.
ü
It is not the 8th
or later week of a 14 week season.
ü
There are less than 10
players already on the roster. A player may be dropped from the roster at the
same time that one is added.
·
It is the teams'
responsibility to keep track of the number of players on their own roster. When
a player signs the roster form he/she is automatically added to that team’s
roster. No team is allowed to have more than 10 active players on the roster at
any time. If you add an 11th player without deleting one from the
roster, the games that player plays will be forfeited.
·
Remove a player from
your roster simply by writing a note stating which player or players are being
removed on the comments section located on the back of the scoresheet. This may
be done at the same time a player is added to the roster.
·
All players must
print legibly and sign their name on the back of the white scoresheet each
week they play. If a player does not sign the back of the scoresheet he/she
runs the risk of losing all points for any games that he/she played (including
doubles).
·
Once a player plays a
game for a particular team, he/she may not play on any other team in this
league without express permission of the league.
·
If there is a dispute as
to a player’s eligibility on a team, make a note of it on the
"comments" section of the scoresheet. The disputed player’s signature
will be checked against the league records. If it is determined that a player
was ineligible to play, any games that he/she played on the night in question
will result in a forfeited. If there is a question as to whether the player
that signed the roster is the same player that is playing in the match, ask for
ID. Any player that refuses to show ID when asked will be regarded as an
ineligible player and will forfeit all games played that night. If the ineligible player(s) on the team
brings the team’s total below three players in the match, the disputing team
has the option to either take the points as stands at the end of the match or
take the forfeit.
·
In the event of a
forfeit, the team that forfeits will receive no points for the match. Their
opponents will receive their average for the season rounded off to the nearest
whole number, or the difference between 21 points and the average of the games
played by the team that they were supposed to play rounded off to the nearest
whole number, or 11 points, whichever is higher. This average will be calculated
on a weekly basis as the season progresses but will never be less than 11
points.
·
In the event of a
forfeit that is not made up, the team that forfeited will play their next match
at the opponents bar (pending availability of an open table on the night of the
match).
·
Any team that forfeits
twice without notifying the league or their opponents will be dropped from
further league play.
·
Any team that forfeits
three times, regardless of the reasons, will be dropped from further league
play.
·
Any rescheduled match MUST
be coordinated through the league. We will verify the date and time of the
rescheduled match with both team captains.
Note: Any team that forfeits twice during the season or forfeits their
last "away" match will also forfeit any trophies or awards that the
team or the players on the team may have been entitled to. They will also
forfeit their right to participate in the playoffs. In addition
to the above, their team or sponsor will have to pay a $25 forfeit fee before
being allowed to participate in any subsequent seasons.
The following are the guidelines to be
followed if it becomes necessary to postpone a match during the season. In all cases, it is the league that must be notified first
of the postponement. No make-up matches can be played or
rescheduled after the last week of the regular season regardless of the rules
below. The rules below apply for the first time that a team finds it necessary
to postpone a match. Any subsequent postponements, regardless of the prior
notice given, will be treated in accordance with the rules governing "Less
than 24 Hour Notice". The team that is accepting the postponement must
supply the make-up dates on the night of the originally scheduled match. If
both teams can agree on a date that falls outside the prescribed windows below,
they may do so.
Less
than 24 Hour Notice:
The opposing team has the
option of supplying one date between the first Sunday immediately following the
postponed match and the 3rd Sunday following the postponed match to
make-up the match or accepts a forfeit. If they opt to accept a forfeit, they
will be awarded the forfeit points as outlined above and the team requesting
the postponement will get zero points.
At
least 24 Hour Notice with no prior postponements:
The league will do it’s best
to coordinate a date to make up the postponed match. In the event that a
convenient date for both teams can’t be scheduled, the league may, at it’s
option, declare a double forfeit and award each team 10 points for the
postponed match.
On rare occasions, arguments can occur during a match
that can not be settled amicably. It is not leagues position to force a team to
continue a match when the end result may erupt in a fight between the teams or
any of the players on the teams. If a team feels that their safety is in
jeopardy, they may opt to leave the match at any time. The league will, at its
option, declare the match a double forfeit (in which case both teams receive 10
points), or pro-rate the match based on the games that were played (if a
scoresheet is submitted to the league). If the league determines that any team
uses this rule to their own advantage, their games will be forfeited and the
team will be dropped from further league play.
If a player starts a fight, he/she will be banned from the league
indefinitely and his/her team runs the risk of the entire team being banned.
In the event that a "Winter Storm Warning" is
in effect as of 6:00PM on the night of a scheduled match all requests for
postponements will be honored provided that the team captain (or a
representative) calls the league to request the postponement. The league phone
will be manned from 6:00PM until 11:00PM during "Winter Storm Warnings"
to answer calls and will do it's best to reschedule all matches to another
evening. If the match can not be made-up on a mutually agreeable date, the
league will, at its option, declare the match a double forfeit (in which case
both teams receive 11 points). In the event that the league postpones all
matches for a particular evening, that entire week will be skipped on the
schedule and made up at the end of the regular season.
·
The balls are racked at
the foot spot with the 8-Ball in the center, a stripe in one rear corner and a
solid in the other rear corner.
·
Home team racks the
first game. Visiting team racks the second game. The rack for each game
alternates till the end of the match.
·
A player must either
pocket a ball other than the cue ball or drive two or more balls to the rails
for a legal break. Penalty: The opposing
player has the option to play the table as it stands or have the balls
re-racked and break the rack.
·
If on the break, a
player pockets the 8-Ball without committing a foul, he/she wins the game.
·
If on the break, a
player pockets the 8-Ball and fouls, he/she loses the game.
·
Choice of group is not
established on the break, regardless of which group or how many of which group
of balls are pocketed. A player who pockets any ball on the break (other
than the cue or 8-Ball) may continue to shoot.
·
Choice of group is
established only when a player legally pockets a called ball after the break.
·
Ball and pocket must be
called on all shots after the break, whether or not choice has been
established.
·
You must strike one of
your own type balls first for a legal combination shot.
·
Before choice is
established, a player may use any combination, including the 8-Ball as
long as the 8-Ball is not the first ball struck (by the cue ball) in the
combination.
·
The 8-Ball may be used
in any combination shot as long as you strike one of your own group of balls
first.
·
No coaching is allowed during the execution of the shot and
under no circumstances may any person other than the player himself or his
partner in a doubles game be within 3 feet of the perimeter of the table during the execution of a shot.
·
Double-Kisses are legal
shots as long as the object ball drops in the pocket that was called.
·
Coaching is limited to
one teammate being able to approach the table but that teammate is not allowed
to touch the table or extend any object or part of his/her body over the table.
There can be only one incident of coaching per shot and a maximum of three
incidents per game and each limited to less that 1 minute per incident.
For the first round of playoffs, coaching is limited to two incidents per game.
For the second round of playoffs, only one incident per game is allowed. After
the second round of the playoffs there is no coaching allowed. Violation will
result in loss of turn.
Note: The player may step away from the table to ask for help at any time as
long as no other teammates approach the table or
call out to the player (else it will be counted as a coaching
incident)
This
rule was implemented with the expressed intent of preventing a player from
winning a match by making it impossible for his/her opponent to hit the 8-Ball.
Simply stated, the rules below specify that you will lose the game if you do
not hit the 8-Ball first with the exception that if your opponent does not
leave you a "clear shot" at the 8-Ball and you do not hit it, you do
not lose the game but your opponent gets Ball-in-Hand. If you leave yourself
"blind" and don’t hit the 8-Ball, you lose the game. If your opponent
leaves you a clear shot at the 8-Ball and you opt for something more creative
and miss it, you lose the game.
·
After legally pocketing
his entire group of balls, a player must then pocket the 8-Ball in the pocket
of his choice.
·
The 8-Ball must be hit
first but does not have to go into the called pocket cleanly. (After being
struck by the cue ball the 8-Ball may strike any combination of rails or
opponents balls before dropping into the called pocket.)
·
If a player pockets the
8-Ball before pocketing all of his/her group of balls or if he/she pockets the
8-Ball in a pocket other than the one that was called, he/she loses the game.
·
If, during your turn at
shooting, you sink the last of your group of balls, you must hit the 8-Ball
first. Penalty: Loss of Game
·
If, on beginning your
turn to shoot, the 8-Ball is all that is left for you to shoot at and you have
a "clear shot", you must hit the 8-Ball first. Penalty: Loss of Game.
·
If, on beginning your
turn to shoot, the 8-Ball is all that is left for you to shoot at and you do
not have a "clear shot", you must hit the 8-Ball first. Penalty:
Ball-in-Hand (cue ball anywhere on the table) for your opponent.
Clear Shot
Definition: A player will be considered to have a "clear shot" when
it is physically possible for the player to strike the center of the 8-ball
with the cue ball without having to use any rails or use any
"english" on the cue ball.
Note: A
player is considered to have a "clear shot" unless he/she notifies
his/her opponent before attempting to execute the shot. If there is any dispute
as to whether or not a "clear shot" as defined above is available to
a player, the dispute must be resolved before the shot is attempted.
· If you commit a foul and as a result of that foul your
opponent is left with only the 8-Ball left to shoot at, your opponent will be
awarded Ball-in-Hand.
·
When shooting the
8-Ball, a player need only touch the 8-Ball with the cue ball to constitute a
legal shot (unless the player does not have a ‘clear shot’ as described above).
Neither the cue ball or the 8-Ball has to be driven to a rail.
·
If a player commits a
foul as listed below (with the above exceptions): Penalty – Loss of game
·
If a player pockets the
cue ball or knocks the cue ball off the table it is a foul. The cue ball will
be placed anywhere behind the headstring.
·
If a player shoots while
a ball is spinning or in motion, it is a foul.
·
If a player knocks any
ball other than the cue ball off the table it is a foul.
(Opponent has the option of
spotting the ball at the foot spot or having the ball removed from play.)
·
If the cue tip remains
in contact with the cue ball after it strikes an object ball or strikes the cue
ball more than once it is a foul.
(Opponent has the option of
leaving the cue ball where it is or placing it anywhere behind the headstring.)
·
If the cue stick makes
contact with the cue ball after the cue ball has hit any ball or a rail, it is
considered a foul
(Opponent awarded “Ball-in-Hand”)
·
If the player does not
hit one of his group of balls before any other ball, it is a foul.
·
If, after the initial
contact between the cue ball and the object ball, a ball is not pocketed or a
ball, including the cue ball is not driven to a rail, it is a foul. If the
object ball is frozen to a rail it or the
cue ball must be driven to a different rail unless the cue ball strikes a
different rail before contacting the object ball.
Note: If there is a question as to whether or not a ball is ‘frozen to” a rail, it must be determined before the shot is executed.
(Opponent has the option of
leaving the displaced ball where it lies or move it back to its original
position.)
Note: On any penalty where the opponent is awarded
Ball-behind-Headstring or Ball-in-Hand, he/she has the option of leaving the
cue ball where it lies.
· During any singles or doubles game each
player/team has the option to invoke the “Consecutive Foul” rule on his/her
opponent only one time per game.
·
In order to invoke the
rule the player must notify his/her opponent that the foul that was just
committed is being counted towards the “Consecutive Foul” rule. If the player
that committed the foul is not notified that it is being counted, any foul
(consecutive or otherwise) that the player commits after that can only be
counted as the first foul.
·
The player that
committed the foul can be made to shoot again.
·
Any of a players
teammates can alert the player that a foul was committed but only the player
(or his partner in doubles) can invoke the “Consecutive Foul” rule by notifying
his/her opponent that they are doing so.
·
The following penalties
apply only to consecutive fouls being counted
unless specifically stated otherwise in this rules supplement:
ü
1st foul -
loss of turn.
ü
2nd
consecutive foul - opponent gets Ball-behind-Headstring.
ü
3rd
consecutive foul - opponent gets Ball-in-Hand.
ü
4th
consecutive foul - loss of game.
·
After a scratch shot an
object ball must be completely in front of the headstring to be eligible for a
legal shot. (No part of the ball may touch the Headstring line.)
·
After a scratch shot the
cue ball may be placed anywhere behind the headstring such that the base of the
cue ball (the point where the cue ball touches the table) is behind the
headstring.
·
If, after a scratch,
none of the players’ group of balls is eligible for a legal shot, the player
has the option of executing a bank shot or having one of his group of balls
spotted. If there is more than one ineligible ball, the only one that may be
spotted is the one that is closest to the cushion behind the footstring.
·
Whenever an object ball
is to be spotted, it will be spotted on the long string as close to the foot
spot as possible and shall be frozen to any interfering ball.
·
If a “called” ball
(including the Eight Ball) falls into a “called” pocket prior to the
“execution” of a shot by the players opponent, the original “called” shot
counts and that player will continue his turn of play.
· If any ball (other than a “called” ball) falls into a pocket at any
time without any obvious external stimuli by a player or team member, the ball
will remain in the pocket and there is no foul charged to either player.
·
If any ball falls into
a pocket as a result of obvious external stimuli by a player or team
member, that player loses his/her turn and is charged with a foul.
·
Given the above,
“Possession of Table” is only important when the Eight Ball is hanging
precariously close to a pocket that was not “called”.
o If the Eight Ball falls into a pocket that was not
called, the player that has possession of the table at that time, loses the game.
o A player takes possession of the table when that
player touches the table (or anything on the table) or 1minute elapses from the
time that either team captain decides to actually track the time.
o The players have the option through mutual agreement
to reposition the eight ball so that it will not accidentally fall into the
pocket if they so desire. Once they agree, if the eight ball drops before they
have a chance to reposition it, a replacement eight ball will be used to
replace the one that dropped.
SPECIAL
RULES/NOTES
·
Under the discretion of
the bar, each team my be asked to chip-in $12.00 to help pay the cost of the
table for the 18 match games. The bar is responsible for supplying enough
quarters (or open the table) so that the players can play the 18 match games.
The bar is responsible for making up the difference between the $24.00
collected and the actual cost of the 18 match games. It is the responsibility
of each team to chip-in their $12.00 regardless of the actual cost of the
table.
· The above rule regarding chipping-in for the
table does not apply to any playoff games after the end of the regular season.
It is the hosting bar’s responsibility to supply a free table for any playoff
games.
·
The registration fee
that is paid to the League entitles a team to an equal number of scheduled home
and away matches during the regular season. The registration fee does not
include playoff matches. Scheduling of playoff matches is solely at the
discretion of the league.
·
While the League does
its best to minimize the number of forfeited or postponed matches, it can not
be held responsible for them.
·
The Double Elimination
Tournament Finals will be held at a location of the League’s choice.
o
Typically, the Double
Elimination will be held at The Pool House (Bellmore Billiards) because
arrangements with the owner to supply the tables (and an hour of practice time)
for free. The tables are kept in excellent shape at all times and there’s
plenty of room to accommodate the extra people that attend the tournament.
·
The final match(es) of
the playoffs will be held at a location of the leagues choice.
o
Note that for any of the
finals playoff matches that would normally be held at a neutral bar, if any of
those teams are based out of The Pool House, the league will schedule their
finals match(es) at somewhere other than The Pool House.
o
All Sunday matches will
begin at 6:00 PM
·
To be eligible to play
in the playoffs, a player must have played at least one game in each of 7
different weeks in a 14 week season season (5 different weeks in a 10 week
season). Eligibility requirements will be adjusted accordingly for forfeits.
·
In order to be eligible
for any awards, a player must be on the roster and have played the minimum
number of singles games required for the season. (an average of 1.75 singles
games for each week of play, excluding forfeits and an average of 1.75 games
per week for the remainder of the season if the player has reached the minimum
number of games before the end of the season)
·
To be eligible for an
award if your team finishes in first place, you must have played at least 25
regular season singles games and must play an average of 1.5 singles per
playoff match.
·
If a player is eligible
for an individual award, the scoresheets for all matches that his/her team played
during the regular season must be submitted to the league or the player may
forfeit his/her eligibility for the award. Each team is responsible for
retaining a copy of the scoresheet for each of the matches played during the
regular season.
·
When it becomes
necessary to postpone a match, the team postponing the match must notify the
league as soon as possible. In the event that a postponed match is not made-up,
the League Rules/Protest Committee will decide how the points for the match
between the two teams will be allocated. Depending on the circumstances of the
postponement and the effort by the two teams to make-up the match, the
Committee may at its option award the team that requested the postponement, the
remainder of the normal match points after awarding the team that suffered the
postponement the greater of their seasonal average or 11 points.
·
One player may play
twice in only one of the singles sets. No player may play twice in more than
one singles set. Two players may play twice in the doubles set. If a team
places a player on the scoresheet who shouldn’t be able to play in a particular
set, it is the responsibility of the opposing team to alert them and have that
player replaced with a player who is eligible to play in that set. If nothing is said and the player starts the
game, the game will count towards the team points but will not be included in
the individual standings for the ineligible player.
·
Playing out of turn – If
a player other than the player listed on the scoresheet begins playing a game,
either team may stop the match as soon as the error is discovered and restart
the game with the correct players except that if the error is not discovered
until after both players have completed a turn at the table, the game will be
played to conclusion and the scoresheet corrected to show the names of the
players that did play. Once the game is finished, the outcome of the game
stands and may not be replayed.
·
Doubles rotation – The
order in which the players names are placed on the scoresheet for a doubles
game does not determine which player of a team must lead off.
·
Owners/Bartenders/League
Operators as players – An owner, bartender or league operator who is confined
to their home bar may play on up to two teams from that bar with prior
consent from the league. He/she may only play the home games during the
regular season. At the end of the regular season, that player must choose which
of the two teams they will be playing on during the playoffs and may not play
on the other (unchosen) team.
·
Breaking apart your cue
stick before the end of a game is considered unsportsmanlike conduct. If you
break apart your cue before the end of a game, the game is conceded to your
opponent and your opponent does not have to continue shooting. The only
exception to this rule is when a player breaks apart his/her cue during his/her
own turn at play to use the shortened cue because of an obstacle or obstruction
that makes it difficult to use a full length cue.
·
During playoffs and for
the first week of the season, all start times (and grace periods) are extended
by 15 minutes.
·
The league reserves the
right to modify any and all rules at any time during the season.
·
This league is fast
becoming one of the best to communicate information to the teams, owners and
players in the league. We have a website that is updated at least twice weekly
with up-to-date scores, stats and league information. From 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
on match night, the league phone is forwarded to my cell phone so that you’re
assured of getting a real person on the phone. Any other time that a message is
left on the league phone, I get an e-mail with your message attached and you’ll
usually get a prompt reply.
·
It is each players
responsibility to alert their team members with any information that they get
from the website or league mailings.
·
It is the sponsors’
responsibility to insure that his/her team captain(s) sees the standings sheets
and any other information that is mailed to the bar.
·
All rules, standings,
information, etc. is available on the league web-site and is usually more up to
date than what you receive in the mail. Of course the information posted on the
web (and sent in the mail) is only as good as the information that I get from
the teams. Call-in your scores as soon as possible after the match and mail in
the scoresheet.
·
E-Mail is the preferred
means of communication and I will answer every e-mail that you send me.
·
The winning team must
call their scores in immediately following the match to (516) 213-4482 and mail
the ORIGINAL WHITE COPY OF THE SCORESHEET
If
you have a problem during the match, please call
Laura
at (516) 213-4482, (631) 921-5582 or
Kim at (516) 233-5563
The
web-site for the league is http://nbpl.home.att.net
and E-Mail:
nassaubarpool@aol.com