RULES OF PLAY Unsportsmanlike conduct from any individual will not be tolerated. Any one disturbing the tournament by loud and abusive language or being argumentive will result in ejection from this tournament. Any disrespectful conduct toward a referee or any APL staff member will not be tolerated. This will result in loss of game or loss of match or ejection from the tournament. NOTE: Important additions/changes to rules “11”, “21” and Double Hit Foul

1. Teams will win by playing pool, not through the interpretations of the rules. League Operator, Division Reps, and referees will be on site through out the tournaments in cases of controversy, their decisions are final! 2. Team Captains are responsible for checking their team in at the tournament desk prior to the start of the match. All registration fees, if any, have to be paid at the Captains meeting.

3. All matches will be played using the race grid.

4. This is a single elimination tournament.

5. All matches have a 4 hour time limit. At the end of 4 hours the proceeding match will be sudden death, a race to one.

6. The first team to win (3) matches will advance to the next round of play.

7. Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. Unsportsmanlike conduct calls will be made at the sole discretion of the Division Reps, Referees or League Operator. These calls are very serious and will result in penalties from ball-in-hand to loss of game or match or ejection from the tournament. Every player has earned their right to play here and we expect all players to conduct themselves as winners.

8. There will be a 45 second shot clock that will be randomly monitored by the officials. Slow play will be given a first warning, and then penalties will result from ball-in-hand to loss of game.

9. If a team is not present when their match is called the opposing team must wait 15 minutes before taking the 1st match and 5 minutes thereafter for each additional match until a 3-0 team win has been established. Once a match starts either team has (2)-two minutes to put up their next shooter.

10. Only the player (anyone on the team can keep score away from the table) is allowed in the playing area. Any person suspected of “sideline” coaching will be ejected from the playing area. Outside interference may result in a team being disqualified from competition.

11. The player must mark the pocket, when shooting the 9-ball, with an object that is large enough to see but not annoying to their opponent. Any player on the team may remind a player to mark the pocket. If a player is marking the wrong pocket and their coach or any player says mark the pocket when the player is ready to shoot and the player has no time outs left this is a ball in hand foul to the opponent. The coach and player must pay attention to their match. If there is a second marker left on the table for any reason after the shooter marks their pocket and makes the 9-ball does not constitute a loss of game as long as the shooter shoots the 9-ball in the pocket that they marked.

12. All Players will be allowed (1)-one minute time-out per game.

13. If there are less then four common players on both teams these common players cannot play the match. If there are four or more common players on each team playing each other in a Vegas Qualifier the two teams can pick players from each team to field a team of 5. This will avoid a match ending in a 2-2 tie.

14. Teams are responsible for reviewing their team roster for possible errors. The APL is not responsible for typographical errors. If an error is detected it must be reported to the Tournament Director before the start of that team’s first match. If an error is detected after the start of the team’s match any changes made will be for future matches and will be at the Tournament Director’s discretion.

15. A player cannot call safe and pocket a ball, on a good hit, and be considered a legal safe.

16. On the break, the breaking player must hit the first ball (1 ball) of the rack.

17. Any member of the team can call out “mark the pocket”. We ask that encouragement to be controlled. If anyone calls out mark the pocket when the shooter is marking the wrong pocket or if there is another marker on the table and the shooter does not have any time outs left will be a foul and cue ball in hand to the opponent. 18. No cell phones in the playing area. A player may mark the pocket with their cell phone as long as the phone in turned off.

19. A player and coach cannot talk to each other while the opponent is shooting. The coach and player may only confer if a legitimate time-out is called by either team. A player may speak to team between racks for encouragement for a very short period of time.

20. Handicaps can and will be moved. If a player goes up 2 s/l the team is disqualified. If 3 players from the same team go up 1 s/l the team is disqualified.

21. Teams can forfeit a match at any time. They must furnish the opposing team with the name of the player they are using for the forfeit. A player cannot shoot again once they are used to forfeit a match. The player they are using for the forfeit does not need to be present. The team must also show they are within the 25 point team handicap with at least 5 players on their roster. At the end of the 3rd or 4th match a team must show they can make the 25 point team handicap. If they cannot they loose the entire match. (Example: if a team uses 20 handicap points in the first 3 matches they must have a 3 and a 2 or two 2’s left on their roster or they will loose the entire match. If a team uses 23 handicap points in the first 4 matches they must have a 2 left on their roster or they will loose the entire match.) The Amateur Pool League rule book and or bylaws will prevail.

22. If a player has an *A next to their name they will have to fill out a membership application to play. If they did not fill one out before play the match will stop until an application is filled out. If an application is not filled out before play or while play is going on does not constitute a loss. There may not be an application available. The player may be suspended from league play until an application is filled out and sent to the league office.

23. Re: typo page 24 APL rule book; the paragraph should have read “all balls” knocked of the table, not just the opponent’s balls.

24 “Bill Oakes” rule; you may only use the tip to strike the cue ball. Striking the cue ball with the butt end of your stick is a foul and ball-in-hand to the opponent. 24 “Scott O’Donnell” rule; Legal Jump Shot, In order to perform a legal jump shot the butt of the cue must be raised at least 45 degrees and strike the cue ball with a downward stroke to rebound off the bed of the table in order to jump the cue ball over another ball. If the cue ball is struck on the bottom and intentionally scooped to jump the ball is a ball-in-hand foul to the opponent. 25.When a team puts up a player to play a match they cannot change their mind and put up another player. The player they put up first must play or forfeit their match..

Rules for Coaches

1) A referee can declare anything a coach says that can affect the strategy of a game a time- out.

2) A coach cannot turn down a time-out from a player. A player cannot turn down a time-out from a coach. Coaches cannot ask things like: “Are you okay”? or “do you want a time-out”? These will be considered a time-out. If a coach asks a player if they want a time out, when there are no time outs left, will result in a ball-in-hand foul to the opponent. If a coach is not sure if his player has any time outs left should ask the opposing coach quietly if in fact his player has any time outs left. A player may ask the coach if they have a time out left without it being a foul.

3) Coaches should not leave their chairs except for a time-out during a game. If they do a referee can declare that a time out.

4) Coaches can call out “mark your pocket”, or “time out”. The Coach can also cheer their players on. We ask that encouragement to be controlled. If a coach’s encouragement is offending the opposing player or opposing captain they will be asked to refrain from talking or encouraging their players in between shots. Referees will determine if the encouragement is strategy or not. If it is determined as strategy it will be a ball in hand foul to the opponent.

5) The coach, captain and their player in a match can call fouls. Spectators or team mates cannot call fouls. Coach, captain and player please pay attention to your match. If a spectator or team mate calls a foul and the player, captain and or coach did not see it, or does not call it, there is no foul.

6) A coach, captain or player may ask a referee to watch a shot or make a call.

7) If a player, captain or coach has a question regarding rules they should ask the referee.

8) After each match, both teams must sign and turn in the score sheets for review.

9) A coach can be disqualified giving their player strategy if no time out is called.

10) There is no conferencing between players during a time out. Only the coach and shooter in the match may converse with each other. If a conference occurs between the coach and any member of the team, other then the shooter, will be a warning the first time. The second conference will be ball in hand foul to the opponent. The is per team match.

11) Coach cannot bring a cue to the table when a time out is called. Coach cannot use the players cue, a house cue or his own cue to show the player how to line up or shoot a shot during a time out. If this occurs it is a ball in hand foul to the opponent. Referees Function Referees are there to resolve disputes. They will not interject themselves into a match unless they are called to observe a situation. If a referee or tournament director sees a foul they cannot call the foul unless it is a blatant foul that needs clarification and the player that fouled or their coach or captain denies the foul. Make sure the captain, the coach, and your player pay attention to your game. Have total control of all matches. If there is a situation that cannot be resolved the referee will get advice from the head referee. If the dispute still cannot be resolved the head referee will confer with the tournament director whose decision is final. Referee will randomly monitor player shots. Shots should not take more then 45 seconds. Referee will monitor the (1) minute time

Game Forfeits The following will be considered automatic forfeit of the game if:

1) the opponent offers to shake hands before the 9-ball is shot;

2) the opponent picks up the rack before the 9-ball is shot;

3) a player rakes the balls on the table at any time even if they think the game is over;

4) if a player starts to break down their cue stick when their opponent is shooting the 9-ball. If other scenarios arise that are questionable the referee will make a decision if the scenario should be considered loss of game.

Moving Ball Violations and Other Fouls Player moves ball with butt of stick during warm up stroke: Opponent has the option of leaving the ball where it stopped or have the ball placed where it was. Player touches any ball with bridge at any time when shooting a shot: This is a foul since players are responsible for any accidents occurring when using specialized equipment. Player moves a ball with stick during shot and causes the ball to move out of the way keeping the cue ball from striking the ball when it should have: This is a foul since the cue ball moved into an area where the moved ball originally was. The outcome of the shot has been affected and restoration at this point is impossible. Player has ball in hand and while positioning the cue ball he drops it and moves an object ball or touches another ball with their hand or stick: This is a foul since the rule is very strict on placement. When placing the cue ball into position the hand becomes live and anything moved or touched with the ball or hand is considered a foul. A player his ready to shoot or is near the table and is bumped by another person and causes the cue ball or any other ball to move. This is not a foul and both players must agree to place the ball/s in question back where they were. A referee or tournament director should be called if this happens. If a ball which was accidentally moved when a shooter attempts a shot, makes contact with a moving ball (any object ball or cue ball) after the ball was moved. This is a cue-ball-in hand foul. Stopping the cue ball after shooting the 9-ball: This is a foul and loss of game since a player interfered with the cue ball before it came to a stop. It does not matter if the 9-ball was made or not it is still loss of game. If the opponent picks up the rack and shooter stops the cue ball after making the 9-ball is still a loss of game to the shooter. Make sure you do not touch the cue ball until it stops moving.

Double Hit Foul As long as the shooter hits the cue ball with a stroke, and not a push, is no foul when the cue ball and the target object ball are touching (frozen) or the distance (width) of a piece of chalk. A push is when the shooter lays the cue tip onto the cue ball and does not bring his/her arm back before the stroke and pushes the cue ball rather then stroking it. There is no foul if a shooter strokes the cue ball no matter where it is in relation to the object ball.

WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR TYPOGRAPHICAL ERRORS. THE TOURNAMENT DIRECTORS DECISIONS ARE FINAL.