Ball Resting at Edge of Pocket, and Player Knocks the Pool Table

Ball Resting at Edge of Pocket, and Player Knocks the Pool Table

I am pretty sure I know the answer, but will ask anyways. Here's the scenario:

The shooting player is at one end of the pool table and is shooting the 8-ball. He sinks the 8-ball in the called pocket and sends the cue ball to the far corner pocket. It hangs there for a second or two before that same player (the shooter) gently hits his fist onto the corner of the pool table opposite to where the cue ball is resting. The cue ball then falls in the pocket.

My thought is that it would still be a loss of game even though his hitting the table gently with his fist very likely had nothing to do with the cue ball falling into the pocket. The cue ball scratched on his shot and the player interfered with the table.

Thoughts?

user1681425119

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Ball Resting at Edge of Pocket, and Player Knocks the Pool Table

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1. billiardsforum on 1/28/2025 8:15:20 PM

   Interesting scenario. I wonder why the player would have done that? This player basically interfered in his own game play and potentially to his own detriment!

   Either way, the short answer is that he has lost the game for committing a foul when pocketing the 8 ball.

   Lets examine how and which World Pool-Billiard Association rules apply in this scenario. There are several WPA rules which could have come into play:

   The first is the rule #8.3 "Ball Pocketed", which tells us three things:

   1. That "5 seconds" is the magic number to wait to see if a ball which is on the edge will fall into the pocket,
   2. It is up to the referee (or the opponent, if no referee is present) to ensure that no other shot is taken within that 5 second period, if the ball comes to rest on the edge, and,
   3. If the ball does fall within those 5 seconds, it shall be considered pocketed.

   Here is that full section from the WPA rules:

   8.3 Ball Pocketed

   A ball is pocketed if it comes to rest in a pocket below the playing surface or enters the ball return system. A ball near the brink of a pocket partly supported by another ball is considered pocketed if removal of the supporting ball would cause the ball to fall into the pocket.

   If a ball stops near the edge of a pocket, and remains apparently motionless for five seconds, it is not considered pocketed if it later falls into the pocket by itself. During that five second period, the referee should ensure that no other shot is taken.

   [...]

   Having not witnessed the situation first hand, you'll have to decide whether it would have fallen on it's own, or whether it was his "gentle" fist hit on the opposite corner of the table which caused it.

   If a referee had decided that it would not have fallen had the player not struck the pool table with his fist, this player would have been assessed an "Unsportsmanlike Conduct" foul based on rule 6.17, subsection (b) which tells us that it is unsportsmanlike conduct if the player "changes the position of the balls in play other than by a shot":

   6.17 Unsportsmanlike Conduct

   The normal penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct is the same as for a serious foul, but the referee may impose a penalty depending on his judgment of the conduct. Among other penalties possible are a warning; a standard-foul penalty, which will count as part of a three foul sequence if applicable; a serious-foul penalty; loss of a rack, set or match; ejection from the competition possibly with forfeiture of all prizes, trophies and standings points.

   Unsportsmanlike conduct is any intentional behavior that brings disrepute to the sport or which disrupts or changes the game to the extent that it cannot be played fairly. It includes

   • [..]
   • (b) changing the position of the balls in play other than by a shot;
   • [...]

   Even though, as you saw above, the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty varies depending on the infraction and is up to the judgement of the referee, it is typically still a foul nonetheless, and as you probably know, if you foul at all when pocketing the 8 ball, that's a loss of the game according to rule 3.8 "Losing the Rack":

   3.8 Losing the Rack

   The shooter loses if he:

   • (a) pockets the eight ball and fouls.;
   • [...]

   But again, even with knowing these rules, however, the real crux of the decision hinges upon whether that ball would have fallen on it's own. It sounds like it would have.

   Having written all of this out, it is becoming clear that regardless of how the referee called it (e.g. legitimately scratched, or, unsportsmanlike conduct), the outcome is loss of game for the player because either ruling would have resulted in a foul.

   Hope that all makes sense!

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Ball Resting at Edge of Pocket, and Player Knocks the Pool Table

• Title: Ball Resting at Edge of Pocket, and Player Knocks the Pool Table
• Author: user1681425119
• Published: 11/22/2024 7:09:12 PM
• Last Updated: 1/28/2025 8:14:16 PM
• Last Updated By: billiardsforum (Billiards Forum)