This Page contains the current Thursday Invitation Pool league League rules and constitution

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CONSTITUTION

  1. The name of the Association shall be called the (Thursday Invitation Pool League), hereafter called the League.
  2. The League is formed for the purpose of promoting the game of Pool amongst all players who wish to participate, in and around Haverhill, Suffolk, and to organise individual, pairs and team competitions according to an agreed set of rules of the game as decided at an Annual General Meeting (AGM).
  3. Any alterations to the constitution and playing rules can only be made at an AGM of the League.

 

CONSTITUTIONAL RULES OF THE LEAGUE

  1. The League will be managed by a minimum of one (1) person.
  2. The League Manager(s) will be elected at the AGM by the representatives of the teams present.
  3. The League Manager(s) shall have full authority to make any decision that, in their opinion, is deemed necessary or beneficial to its teams or players.
  4. The League Manager(s) shall have the right to alter or amend any fixture that they decide is necessary.
  5. A Senior League Manager will be entered on the bank mandate, and be the sole signatory for all cheques.
  6. The League Manager(s) shall provide the details of all the previous years bank account activity at the AGM.
  7. The League shall make no more than £50 profit in any one season, thereby returning the majority of the League's income back to the teams and players in the League by way of prizes.

 

MEMBERSHIP

  1. Membership of the League will be open to all the teams who wish to participate and will commence as soon as they have paid the agreed registration fee for that season.
  2. Individual membership of a team will be open to any individual who wishes to participate.
  3. The League Manager(s) reserve the right to expel any team or individual from the League where a serious breach of conduct or spirit of the game occurs with no refund of any entry fees.
  4. No more than two teams may be entered from any one venue.

 

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETINGS

  1. The AGM of the League will take place one week after the finals night of the previous season.
  2. All prospective teams for the forthcoming season are allowed to attend the AGM, plus the League Manager(s).
  3. Voting at the AGM is: one (1) per team present.  The Senior League Manager will hold the casting vote if required.
  4. At the AGM, any person present may require the League Manager(s) to make a full and proper account of any actions taken by themselves during the previous season.

 

GENERAL

  1. All individual players should endeavour at all times to play to the rules of the game agreed at the previous AGM and in a sportsmanlike and courteous manner.
  2. The League Manager(s) will be reimbursed with all reasonable costs relating to the running of the League, from the League's bank account.

 

FUNCTIONAL RULES OF THE LEAGUE

  1. Each team will name its Captain and Vice-Captain to the league manager at the beginning of the season.  Only Captain’s Cup results from these two team members will be entered into the Captain’s Cup results.
  2. An open table will be provided for the visiting team between the Captain's Cup and the first game of the match, and is their opportunity to assess (and question if necessary) the condition of the playing surface.  The home team is responsible for the match table.
  3. If a team does not turn up for a match, the opposition must submit a fully completed and signed result card to prove that they had players available to claim the win.
  4. All teams will gain automatic entry to all cup tournaments.
  5. League games will be played over 10 frames.  5 singles followed by another 5 singles, where players can play once in each section (twice in total, not including the Captain’s Cup frame).  The Captain will nominate his chosen player for each frame in the first section, and players will be drawn against each other from a hat in the second section.  Any number of players from each team may go into the hat.
  6. Cup matches will be played over 19 frames.  5 singles followed by 4 singles in the first leg, and, 5 singles and 5 singles for the second leg.  The league match rules regarding participation in the singles and doubles sections will also apply to cup matches.
  7. All loosing first round league cup teams will be automatically entered into the losers cup competition.  Normal league cup rules apply.
  8. A player may play up to twice in any one match but no more (once only in each half), except for the Captain or their Vice-Captain who will also play in the Captain's Cup.
  9. Each venue will submit a registration fee of £50 per team, or £80 for 2 teams, payable by the deadline set at the AGM.
  10. Teams/Players either being dismissed or leaving the league during the playing season will not claim any monies back.
  11. If two divisions are in operation, promotion and relegation will operate on a 2 up, 2 down basis.
  12. If a team withdraws from the league during the playing season, then any players entered in the singles and doubles competitions will be allowed to continue in those competitions.
  13. Entries to the Singles, Doubles competitions will be at a cost of £2 per player, and entry to the Threes knock-out cup will be at a cost of £3 per team.
  14. Revenue gained from the Singles and Doubles and Threes competitions will be distributed as prize money.
  15. All Singles, Doubles and Threes Cup matches are to be played at the fixture venues and no later than the fixture date.
  16. Threes Cup match Format (Best of 9 frames): 1 v 1, 2 v 2, 3 v 3, 1 v 2, 2 v 3, 3 v 1, 1 v 3, 2 v 1, 3 v 2.  The home team will have choice of venue, and is also responsible for arranging the match at a mutually agreeable time and date.  The final will be played at a neutral venue.
  17. For the league table, the following points system will apply;
    1. Away Win - 3 Points to the Winners
    2. Home Win - 2 Points to the Winners
    3. Draw - 1 Point to Each Team
  19. All games in league matches must be played, providing enough players are present.
  20. At the Quarter and Semi final stages of the Singles and Doubles Cup Tournaments, the matches must be played on the dates given on the fixture list, and at the published venue.  All other Singles and Doubles matches must be played at the published venue, on or before the given fixture date.  Failure to meet these criteria will result in an automatic loss to the offending players.
  21. The player ranking system will be based primarily on the percentage of league games won, with a condition that at least 50% of the games must be played, in order to qualify for a position on the ranking table. The home side shall referee all frames and nominate their own players first in all matches.
  22. The winning team is responsible for posting the result card to the Rose Tavern.  If the result card is not received within 7 days of the match, then the winning team will be deducted 3 points at the discretion of the league manager.
  23. Match formats;
    1. League matches (Captain's Cup, then 5 Singles & 5 Singles*, 8 pm start)
    2. Cup Matches (1st Leg ; 5 Singles & 4 Singles*, 8 pm start, 2nd Leg ; 5 Singles & 5 Singles*, 8 pm start)
    3. Singles & Doubles (Best of 3 frames, finals best of 5 frames, 8 pm start)
    4. *Players drawn against each other from a hat*
  24. All players and guests will be invited to the Finals & Presentation night at the end of the season.
  25. The Captain’s Knock-Out Cup will be open to all the named Captains, or their Vice Captain, and will be held at the Rose Tavern.

 

COMMONLY MISINTERPERATED RULES OF THE GAME

  1. The centre of the White Ball may be placed anywhere behind the Baulk Line but not on it, where applicable.
  2. The Black may be potted in any pocket without nomination.
  3. Following a foul shot, the opponent may have the White ball moved to the Baulk Area by the referee if he/she cannot hit one of their own balls 'full on'.
  4. 2 shots may be carried to the end of a break.
  5. If the Black is potted or leaves the table from the break, the game shall be restarted in its original format.
  6. The Break & Choosing Colours:
    1. If no Colours are potted on the break, then the table is 'Open'.
    2. If one or more colours are potted on the break, then the player must nominate to the referee a choice of colour before proceeding.  Failure to do so is a foul.
    3. If the player nominates a colour that was potted on the break, the player is 'On' that colour for the remainder of the game.
    4. If the player nominates a colour that was not potted on the break, then to be 'On' that colour, the player must pot a ball of that colour on the next shot to confirm their choice.  Failure to pot such a chosen colour returns the table to being 'Open'.
    5. The colour 'On' cannot be decided from a foul shot.
    6. Potting the Black from the break results in a re-rack.
    7. If the table remains 'Open' after the break and either player pots one or more balls of the same colour, then the player is 'On' that colour.
    8. If the table remains 'Open' after the break and a player pots one or more balls of different colours, then the player must nominate a choice of colour to the referee to be 'On' that colour.  Failure to nominate is a foul shot.
    9. The failure of two balls to hit a cushion from the break is a foul shot.
  7. In the event of a 'Stale Mate' situation, the referee may call a reframe at their discretion.
  8. If a player can in no way hit any of their own balls without playing a foul shot, then the referee may call a reframe.
  9. If the referee judges a player to have deliberately played a foul shot to their own advantage, then they may award the game to the opposing player on the grounds of unsportsmanlike conduct.
  10. If an object ball leaves the table, it will be considered a foul and replaced on the black ball's spot.  If this is not possible, then it will be placed as near to the spot as possible, in a straight line down the centre of the table, behind the spot, without touching any other ball.  If the black ball leaves the table then the game is lost.
  11. Control of the table transfers to the opponent as soon as all the balls have stopped moving from the previous shot.
  12. Coaching is allowed.
  13. All standard fouls are awarded as two shots, which may be carried to the end of a break.  The first shot of the two may be taken as a 'Free' ball.
  14. “Push Shots” in the game of “Snooker” are allowed in the game of Eight-Ball Pool.  Generally, any shot played with speed will not be deemed to be a Push Shot regardless of the fact that the cue tip may have come into contact with the Cue Ball more than once.  Exceptions that are Standard Fouls:
    1. When, during the playing of a shot, the tip of the cue strikes the Cue Ball twice and the referee is able to actually see each contact.
    2. When, during the playing of a shot, a player plays the cue so slowly through the Cue Ball that the cue tip remains in contact with the Cue Ball so as to be visibly pushing it along.
    3. When the Cue Ball is played into a touching Object Ball.
  15. If the Cue Ball is touching an Object Ball, the player is obliged to “Play Away” from that Object Ball at an angle of more than 90 degrees.  (That is, play the shot without causing the Cue Ball to make any initial further contact with that Object Ball).  If, when playing away from a touching ball, the touching ball rocks or moves without being contacted further, but simply because the Cue Ball is no longer there, no penalty will apply.

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