Is it a Foul to Knock Chalk onto the Pool Table?
4/22/2008 6:49:35 PM
Is it a Foul to Knock Chalk onto the Pool Table?
Is it any kind of foul to misplace a piece of chalk on the table and then take a shot even if nothing hits the chalk, and the chalk is in no way used for sighting in the shot.
This happened to me today, by an opponent who placed the chalk near an end rail (he though it was on the end rail), and the chalk was out of his line of sight during shot setup and execution, and no ball even came close to the chalk cube during the shot.
How strict should the rules be interpreted before this kind of event changes the continuance of an inning?
This question relates to the following billiard rules:
Is it a Foul to Knock Chalk onto the Pool Table?
Replies & Comments
billiardsforum on 4/22/2008 6:57:07 PMWelcome to the billiard forums. Can you clarify? So you mean it was your shot, and the opponent accidentally knocked the cube of chalk on to the table while you were taking your shot?
Fenwick on 4/22/2008 8:01:45 PM
“F.O.D.” - Any Foreign Object Debris that falls or spills onto the playing surface. A piece of attached clothing will not constitute F.O.D. unless it touches one of the Balls during play. Whereas it may be necessary for a shooter to transit the playing surface to retrieve or shoot the Shooter Ball, a player’s shoes or feet may not touch the playing surface or bumpers. The defender may not be on or somehow resting on the playing surface when anticipating a Shooter’s play.
Vague answer.
I never thought it was a foul.
- billiardsforum on 4/22/2008 8:29:41 PM
Thats right. I totally forgot about that.
Mitch, are you talking casual play, or league play? If it's casual play we're talking, I'd tend to say "no harm, no foul" and I'll almost bet anything that an organized game would treat it the same way. I wonder if the rule is only in there as a safeguard. By that I mean; If the interference causes actual disruption, then yes, foul would be called. The shooting player, I believe, has the right (and obligation) to monitor for fouls that he or she feels affects their play. If, as you say, the shooter was not affected in any way, then again, I say "no harm no foul" for this situation.
Still though, it would be nice to have this validated by someone who regularly plays in higher-level tournaments.
quickshot on 4/22/2008 10:26:28 PMI would not call it a foul as long as it did not interfere with the play in motion. Unless it was done deliberately in an attempt to distract the shooter. I'm with @billiardsforum on this. It would be nice to have validation on the situation.
Mitch Alsup on 4/24/2008 12:35:06 PM
To calirify: It was his shot, casual play, and it was pretty obvious to me that he thought he was placing the chalk on the rail (body language), its just that the chalk ended up on the table and was out of his view (so he could not notice the issue). I did not bother to call a foul.
- quickshot on 4/24/2008 4:25:18 PM
I think you did the right thing. You did not make an issue out of what you deemed to be accidental.
tedmauro on 4/29/2008 12:23:40 AMTo the best of my knowledge, the posts above are correct. It only becomes a foul if a ball in motion touches it. This would be a foul on the shooter no matter who put the chalk on the table. This would hold true for the 4 leagues that I know quite a bit about. APA, BCA, TAP, ACS
No foul unless a ball in motion touches chalk or other object.
In some leagues you have to mark the pocket on the eight ball. Players use keys or cell phones many times. If your marker is hanging over the rail and a ball touches it (key or phone antenna) it IS A FOUL.
Is it a Foul to Knock Chalk onto the Pool Table?
- Title: Is it a Foul to Knock Chalk onto the Pool Table?
- Author: Mitch Alsup
- Published: 4/22/2008 6:49:35 PM
