1. TCGPL-8 BALL
Organization of the Rule Book
We’ve made every attempt to make this the most complete rule book in the game of 8­
ball. For virtually every situation that may arise, you have a clear resolution. However, a
complete rule book contains a very large body of rules. In order to help you easily find
any given rule, this book is organized into eight separate major sections of your rules in
an outline style as described below.
SECTIONS ­ Each of the eight sections is a logical grouping of the major areas of
your league rules. See the Contents for these section headings and their location.
Since many rules will affect more than one of these sections, cross­referencing is
provided in several areas.
PARAGRAPHS ­ The next area is further defined into groups of rules within the
section. These groups relate to a more specific part of your play and are called
paragraphs. All are listed in the Table of Contents. In some of the smaller sections,
individual rules are listed as paragraphs.
Subparagraphs and Rules ­ Some paragraphs are so large that they are further
divided into subparagraphs. Subparagraphs and many of the more involved individual
rules are in smaller case and underlined. Most individual rules are not. The
subparagraphs and involved individual rules are listed in the Table of Contents.
Rules and NOTES: ­ The lower levels of organization contain the smaller details and
notes explaining rules. These are not listed in the Table of Contents, but are easy to
find since they are logically connected to the higher levels that are listed. If you spend
a little time getting familiar with this outline organization, you should have no problem
in quickly finding the rule you need.

2. OFFICIAL RULE BOOK 2013
1st Edition
Table of Contents
A. GAME RULES
1.THE RACK
2.THE BREAK
3.RESULTS OF BREAK
4.LEGAL STROKE
5. OPEN TABLE
6.FOLLOWING STROKES
7.WINNING THE GAME
8.FOULS
a) BREAK FOULS
b) BALL IN HAND FOULS
c) GAME ENDING FOULS
9.SPECIAL GAME RULES!!
a) Accidentally Moved Balls
b) Accidentally Pocketed Balls
c) Hanging Ball
d) Jumped Ball
e) Jump Shots

3. f) Masse Shots
g) Stale Mated Games
h) Accidentally Shooting the Wrong Group of Balls
i) Jammed Balls
j) Interference with Stroke
k) Final Position of Balls
10.REQUIRED WARNINGS
a) 45 Degree Rule
b) Split Hit
c) Object Ball Frozen to the Rail
d) Cue Ball Out of the Kitchen
e) One Foot on the Floor
f) Coaching Violations
B. COACHING
1. DEFINITION OF COACHING!
2. CHOOSING THE COACH
3. CHANGING THE COACH!
4. RESTRICTIONS ON THE COACH
5.WHEN COACHING IS IN EFFECT
6.COACHING PERIOD
7.TIME LENGTH OF COACHING PERIOD

4. 8.TIME OUTS
9.COACHING VIOLATIONS
10.SPORTSMANSHIP IN COACHING
C.SPORTSMANSHIP
1. THE MEANING OF GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP
2. BAD SPORTSMANSHIP
a) Contempt for league rules
b) Displays of anger
c) “Nit picking”
d) Sharking
e) Signals
f) Slow play
g) Verbal abuse
h) Threats
i) Violent behavior
3. PENALTIES FOR SPORTSMANSHIP VIOLATIONS
a)Warnings
b)Forfeiture of set, match or points
c)Removal of captain or coach
d)Suspension
e)Expulsion

5. 4. RIGHT OF APPEAL
5. HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BAD BEHAVIOR OF AN OPPONENT
6.SPORTSMANSHIP VIOLATIONS AT TOURNAMENT
D. LEAGUE AND TEAM STRUCTURE
1. BOARD MEMBERS
a) Term of duty
2. PROTESTS
a) Notification of protest
3. CAPTAIN
4. COACH
E. FINANCIAL RULES
1.MEMBERSHIP DUES/FEES
a) Individual
b) Sponsor
1. Use of League Fees
F. GLOSSARY OF TERMS
A. GAME RULES
The game is played with one cue ball and 15 numbered balls. One player will have the
solid­colored group of balls (1­7) and the other will have the striped group of balls

6. (9­15). For each player the object of the game is to pocket all of their group and then
pocket the black 8­ball to win. All major pool leagues, including TCGPL, use “ball in
hand” rules. Be sure to consult the glossary for an accurate definition of any term used
in this section. There are various types of fouls and penalties for those fouls. See
FOULS paragraph near the end of this section for further information regarding “FOULS”.
1. THE RACK ­ There are three requirements for an acceptable rack:
a) The 8­ball must be in the center of the third row.
b) The first ball of the rack must be centered on the foot spot.
c) The balls must be racked “tight” (each ball frozen to all adjoining balls).
d) If any of these conditions is not satisfied, the breaker has the right to have the balls
re­racked.
NOTES:
1) The condition of the felt often makes it impossible to perfectly satisfy rules b
and c above. In this case, use reasonable judgement to accept the best rack possible.
2) Although the breaker’s opponent normally racks the balls, the opponent may
designate anyone they wish to rack.
2. THE BREAK
a) The cue ball must be stroked from within the kitchen.
b) The first object ball contacted by the cue ball must be in one of the first three rows.
c) At least four balls from the rack must make contact with a rail. If an object ball is
pocketed on the break, this rule does not apply.

7. d) The break must be a HARD stroke. Intentional soft­breaking is not allowed, even if
four balls have contacted a rail.
NOTES:
1) If the cue ball has been placed outside the kitchen prior to the break, the opponent
must warn the breaker (see later paragraph ­ REQUIRED WARNINGS).
2) Failure to comply with the rules b, c or d is considered a nonlegal break. The balls
are re­racked and same player is allowed to break again. If the shooter has
committed a break foul, the balls are re­racked and the opponent has the break. (see
later paragraph, FOULS).
3) The cue ball does not count as one of the four balls to contact rails. Its also not
required for the cue ball to contact a rail.
4) Intentional soft­breaking is a violation of sportsmanship rules. If your opponent has
been doing this, contact league commissioner/president.
3. RESULTS OF THE BREAK ­ The break shot is a unique stroke. Several possibilities
exist:
a) Break Foul ­ If a foul has been committed, the following results do not apply (see
later paragraph­ FOULS).
b) Nonlegal Break ­ (see previous paragraph ­ THE BREAK).
c) No Balls Pocketed ­ The breakers turn ends and the opponent has an open table.
d) One group of the Balls Pocketed ­ The breakers turn continues. They must shoot that
group of balls.

8. e) Both Group of Balls Pocketed ­ The breakers turn continues and they have an open
table.
f) 8­Ball is Pocketed­ The breaker wins the game. If the cue ball is also pocketed or is a
jumped ball (see glossary), the breaker has committed a game­ending foul (see later
paragraph ­ FOULS).
NOTES:
1. The number of balls pocketed on the break does not affect the result. It is the
TYPE of balls that determines the outcome. As an example, if the breaker pockets one
solid and two stripes, he/she still has an open table and may choose solids.
g) All shots are “call pocket”.The object ball must fall in the intended pocket for the
shooters turn at the table to continue. There is no requirement to call rails to be
contacted or to call caroms with other balls. Since most shots are obvious before the
stroke, its not necessary to verbally or physically indicate the desired pocket unless the
shot is ambiguous or the opponent asks the shooter. If the opponent is unsure of the
intended shot, its their responsibility to ask the shooter before the stroke is made.
4. LEGAL STROKE ­ On every stroke after the break shot, the shooter must satisfy two
rules in order to execute a legal stroke.
a) The first ball contacted by the cue ball must be one of the shooters group of balls. If the
object ball is not obvious, please ask your opponent to indicate which ball he/she intends to
make contact with after first striking the cue ball.)

9. b) After that initial contact, a ball must contact a rail or fall into a pocket.
NOTES:
1.) A legal shot has occured once you have first made contact with your object ball
and ANY ball has been driven to a rail or a pocket. It doesn’t have to be the first object ball
struck or the cue ball.
2.) Any rails contacted by the cue ball BEFORE the initial contact with
an object ball do not count. If the shooter has “lagged out” to make a “legal hit” with their
object ball, they must still drive a ball to a rail or pocket a ball after the contact.
3.) The stroke is not a legal shot if some other form of foul is committed on the stroke, even
if rule a and b have been satisfied.
5. OPEN TABLE ­ The table remains open until only one group of balls has been
pocketed on a legal stroke (which might be the break stroke ­ see previous
paragraphs). With an open table, the shooter may strike any object ball first to pocket
any other ball. Any mixture of combination shots may be used if the table is open. The
only exception to this is the 8­ball can not be the first ball contacted. (The 8­ball is not
neutral).
NOTES:
a) The table remains open if a foul has been committed on that stroke.
b) The table remains open if both groups of balls are pocketed, even if one group was
the intended object ball and the other group was pocketed accidentally.
c) The 8­ball can legally be used at any time in a combination shot as long as it’s not

10. the first ball struck by the cue ball.
6. FOLLOWING STROKES ­ The player continues shooting until they have failed to
pocket one of their group of balls or have committed a foul. Each player attempts to
pocket each of their group of balls until all have been pocketed.
NOTES:
a) If a player intends to play a safety, the should tell their opponent that they are about
to play a safety. A player that repeatedly “plays safe” without calling them is violating
sportsmanship rules.
b) A safety ends a shooters turn. If an object ball is pocketed after the shooter has
called a safety, they do not continue shooting.
7. WINNING THE GAME ­ There are three ways to win a game:
a) The shooter pockets the 8­ball on the break shot (see earlier paragraph ­ RESULTS
OF THE BREAK).
b) The opponent commits a game­ending foul (see later paragraph ­ FOULS).
c) After all their group has been pocketed, the shooter sinks the 8­ball in a properly
called pocket on a separate legal stroke. It is not allowed for a player to pocket their
last object ball and the 8­ball on the same stroke.
8. FOULS ­ There are three types of fouls. If more than one type of foul is committed
on the same stroke, the higher penalty applies. Any foul must be called before

11. another stroke is taken. (An attempt to avoid the penalty for a foul by hurrying the
following stroke is an act of bad sportsmanship and is forbidden. These categories
are:
A) BREAK FOUL (on break stroke only) ­ the penalty is ball in kitchen
1) The cue ball is scratched
2) The cue ball is a jumped ball (see glossary)
3) The shooter interferes with the travel of the cue ball when the cue ball could possibly
scratch. This rule requires some level of judgement. It is not a foul if the speed and
direction of the cue ball before interference could not be reasonably considered to be
able to fall in a pocket. (“Benefit of Doubt’ goes against the shooter).
B) BALL­IN HAND FOUL (on any stroke following the break) ­ the penalty is ball­in­
hand:
1) The cue ball fails to make its first contact with the shooter’s object ball.
2) No ball contacts a rail or falls in a pocket after the first contact between the cue ball
and object ball.
3) The cue ball is scratched or a jumped ball.
4) The shooter interferes with the travel of the cue ball when the cue ball could possibly
scratch.
5) The cue tip contacts the ball more than once on the same stroke. This is most
commonly a double­hit shot (see the 45 Degree Rule in later paragraph ­ REQUIRED
WARNINGS).
6) A push shot is committed. Illegal jump shots are a form of push shot (see jump shots

12. in next paragraph ­ SPECIAL GAME RULES).
7) An object ball is accidentally moved during a stroke and then makes contact with the
cue ball or has been moved from a spot that the cue ball passes through.
8) The shooter allows ANY item(their hand, hair, sleeve, piece of chalk, etc.) to contact
the cue ball at any time. There are two exceptions:
a) The game isn’t “live” until a stroke is executed on a shot involving the kitchen (see
GLOSSARY). It is not a foul if the cue ball is contacted prior to the break stroke or the
stroke following a break foul.
b) If the shooter has a ball­in­hand, they may adjust the position of the cue ball with
their hand only. ANY use of the cue stick or tip to adjust the cue ball is a stroke. If that
stroke does not satisfy the requirements of a legal stroke, a foul has been committed.
If the shooter causes the cue ball to make contact with any other ball while placing it,
they have committed a foul.
9) The shooter strokes while a ball is still in motion. A spinning ball is in motion.
10) The shooter clearly takes a ball­in­hand shot when they were only entitled to ball­in­
kitchen (see later paragraph­ REQUIRED WARNINGS).
11) The shooter strokes without at least one foot on the floor while a bridge is available
and after having been warned (see paragraph­ REQUIRED WARNINGS).
12) The shooters team has violated coaching rules (see COACHING section).
13) In some uncommon situations, the shooter may feel that they are in a position
where they can only worsen their chances by taking a stroke. In this case, the

13. shooter has the right to pick up the cue ball and hand it to their opponent. This is to
be scored as a safety by the shooter. The opponent then receives a ball­in­hand
(also see Stalemated Games in the next paragraph­ SPECIAL GAME RULES).
NOTES:
a) Although you are not required to call foul before taking a ball­in­hand, PROTECT
YOURSELF. You should call the foul and get an acknowledgement from your opponent
before picking up the cue ball. If the player has picked up the cue ball and cannot establish
that a foul was committed by their opponent, they themselves committed a ball­in­hand
foul.
C) GAME­ENDING FOULS (on any stroke) ­ The normal penalty for any of the fouls
listed below is loss of game. However, ALL game­ending fouls provide the opponent
with a choice. Whenever a shooter has committed a game­ending foul, their
opponent may choose to take a ball­in­hand penalty instead of the game win. If the
shooter has pocketed the 8­ball and their opponent has chosen this ball­in­hand
option, it’s the shooter’s responsibility to retrieve the 8­ball and the 8­ball is spotted
(see GLOSSARY). If the 8­ball has been pocketed in some other way than the result
of a stroke (players body, interference with the shot, sweep of the cue stick etc.), it is
placed by the opponent as near as possible to its original position. IF YOU’VE
COMMITTED A GAME­ENDING FOUL, DON’T TOUCH ANY BALL UNTIL YOUR
OPPONENT ACCEPTS THE GAME WIN! A shooter should either wait for their
opponent to choose or ask the opponent for their choice. If the shooter has moved
any balls, every reasonable attempt should be made to return those balls to their
original position. Just as in the case of an accidentally moved ball, the opponent
controls the placement. In cases where it is impossible to reconstruct the table (and

14. ONLY then), the shooter will receive a game win. Players who have this ball­in­hand
option are expected to make their own decision. Advice from a teammate is an act of
coaching. The coach may provide advice if there is a time­out called, but if a
teammate who isn’t the coach provides advice OR the coach provides advice when
there isn’t a timeout called, the player loses this option and MUST accept the game
win. If a player exercises this ball­in­hand option and takes a stroke, the game is
“live”. If they miss or foul, the player who had committed the game­ending foul is able
to shoot and may win the game. Game­ending fouls are:
1) The 8­ball is a jumped ball (see GLOSSARY).
2) On a stroke following the break, the 8­ball is pocketed before all of the shooter’s
group of balls have been pocketed (“8 out of turn”). (There is one possible exception
to this­ see Accidentally Shooting the Wrong Group of Balls in next paragraph ­
SPECIAL GAME RULES.)
3) The 8­ball is pocketed on the same stroke that pockets the shooter’s last object ball.
4) The cue ball is scratched or a jumped ball (see GLOSSARY) while the shooter’s
object ball is the 8­ball.
5) The cue ball is scratched or is a jumped ball on a break stroke that also pockets the
8­ball.
6) The shooter commits any type of ball­in­hand foul during a stroke in which the 8­ball
is pocketed.
7) The shooter interferes with any ball that then causes or allows the 8­ball to be

15. pocketed.
8) The shooter interferes with the cue ball or the 8­ball in a game­losing situation.
NOTES:
a) It is NOT a game­ending foul if the shooter merely fails to executes a legal stroke
while they are shooting at the 8­ball (hitting another ball first, failing to drive a ball to a
rail, etc.). Unless some other form of game­ending foul has also been committed, this
is a ball­in­hand foul.
9. SPECIAL GAME RULES ­ This paragraph lists rules that cover special situations that
arise in the game of 8­ball. They are:
A) Accidentally Moved Balls ­ Rules covering movement of the cue ball are listed in the
previous paragraph ­ FOULS. Accidental movement of object balls is not a foul. If the
object ball is moved prior to the stroke, the shooter must stop and allow their
opponent the option of returning the balls to their original position or to accept the
resting position of the moved balls. If more than one ball is moved , the opponent
must either return all moved balls or accept the resting position of all balls. If the
accidental movement is caused during or after the stroke, all balls must be allowed to
come to rest without interference. After this, the opponent has the same option as
described above.
NOTES:
1) It is not an automatic foul if the shooter attempts to return an accidentally moved ball.
The important issue is that the opponent controls the replacement or acceptance of

16. the moved ball. If the shooter has replace the ball, the opponent can accept that,
replace it themselves, or place it back to the moved position.
2) The opponent DOES NOT have the right to place the ball anywhere they wish. They
must make an honest attempt to place it in the position it had actually occupied. A
player who tries to take advantage of the situation by placing the ball in some new
position is acting in bad sportsmanship.
3) It sometimes happens that so many balls have been moved that it is impossible to
return them to their original position. In this case, the opponent has the choice of
accepting the moved position or calling for a re­rack of the balls. A re­rack is handled
as described in the Stalemated Games later in this paragraph.
b) Accidentally Pocketed Ball ­ An accidentally pocketed ball is one that the shooter has
caused to fall into a pocket by some other action than a stroke. If this ball is the cue
ball, it is treated the same as if it had been pocketed on a stroke (see previous
paragraph ­FOULS). If this ball is the 8­ball it is a game­ending foul. If this is one of
the other object balls, it is treated as an accidentally moved ball. If the opponent
chooses to have this ball replaced to its original position, it is the shooter’s
responsibility to retrieve the ball.
c) Hanging Ball ­ If a ball comes to a complete rest at the edge of a pocket for at least
three seconds, it is a hanging ball. If this ball later falls into the pocket due to vibration
of the floor or seems to fall for no apparent reason, it is not considered pocketed. It is
to be replaced as near as possible to its original position. If both players agree, the
ball may be left pocketed.

17. d) Jumped Ball (on the floor) ­ Rules covering the cue ball or 8­ball coming to rest out
of play are listed in the previous paragraph ­ FOULS. Causing another object ball to
be a jumped ball is not a foul. Any jumped ball other than the cue ball and the 8­ball
is spotted (see GLOSSARY) before the following stroke. If there is more thatn one
jumped ball, the opponent chooses which is to be spotted first. If the shooter has
otherwise executed a legal shot and pocketed one of their group of balls, they
continue to shoot.
e) Jump Shots ­ There are legal and illegal jump shots. A jump shot executed with a
level or nearly level cue stick aimed at a low spot on the cue ball is a form of push
shot and is a foul. A jump shot executed by a downward stroke aimed near to a line
passing through the center of the cue ball is a legal stroke. A jump caused by an
accidental miscue is not a foul.
f) Masse Shots ­ Masse shots are legal by league rules.
g) Stalemated Games ­ It will rarely occur that neither player chooses to attempt to
execute a legal stroke. If each player commits two consecutive intentional fouls (a
total of four consecutive foul strokes), the game is stalemated. Upon a stalemated
game, the balls are re­racked, and the original player that broke the rack breaks
again.
h) Accidentally Shooting the Wrong Group of Balls ­ Occasionally, the shooter will
mistakenly start shooting at the opponents group of balls. This is obviously a ball­in­
hand foul on the first such stroke taken. However if the opponent does not call the foul
and instead allows the shooter to continue, the opponent loses the right to call fouls

18. for this violation. After the shooter strokes at two or more of the opponent’s balls, the
opponent can only inform the shooter of this and choose one of these options:
1) The shooter must return to their own group of balls. If they have pocketed an object
ball without committing some other type if foul, their inning continues.
2) The game is re­racked as described in the previous rule (Stalemated Games).
NOTE:
a) If the opponent has allowed the shooter to pocket all of the wrong group of balls
and otherwise legally pocket the 8­ball, the shooter has won the game. The shooter will
receive credit for the game win and any of their correct group of balls pocketed, but will
not receive credit for any other balls remaining on the table.The opponent will receive
credit for their correct group of balls.
i) Jammed Balls ­ In an extremely rare case, it is possible for two or more balls to
become clustered in the jaws of a pocket in such a way that one or more of these
balls would fall into the pocket if the other balls were not preventing this. Any ball that
both players agree would otherwise fall into the pocket should be placed in the pocket
before the next stroke.
j) Interference with Stroke ­ It sometimes happens that another person accidentally
strikes the shooters cue stick while they are preparing to stroke. This may then cause
the cue stick to contact the cue ball. The outcome depends on WHO that other person
is:
1) The person causing the interference is a member of the shooter’s team or is a
spectator clearly present “with” the team, the contact with the cue ball is considered a
stroke. (Rules in LEGAL STROKE and FOULS paragraph apply.)

19. 2) The person causing the interference is a member of the opposing team or a spectator
“unconnected” to the shooter’s team, no stroke has been made. The balls are
returned to their original position before the interference and the shooter then
continues (“no harm, no foul”).
k) Final Position of Balls ­ The outcome of a stroke is determined by the position of the
balls AFTER motion has stopped. If a ball goes into a pocket and is “spit out” onto
the table, it has not been pocketed. If a ball jumps off the table and returns to rest on
the table bed after striking the pool table light or a piece of chalk, it is not a jumped
ball. There are several variations to this, but the basic meaning of the rule is that a ball is
considered to be where it STOPS , not where it has been. The only exception
to this is a case where that ball has been contacted by the shooter’s body or an object
held by the shooter. In this exception, the ball is considered to be a jumped
ball.
10. REQUIRED WARNINGS ­ Some situations require a warning by the opponent
BEFORE the stroke is executed. In most of these, a foul can’t be called for this
violation unless the warning was given. In two situations, (split hits and cue ball­out­
of­kitchen), “benefit of doubt” will weigh in the favor of the shooter.”Benefit of doubt”
means that it must be clear to both teams that a foul was committed or the shooter
prevails. It’s obvious that the opponent should protect their own interest in a “benefit of
doubt” situation by giving the warning first. Any member of the opposing team is
allowed to give the required warning.

20. a) 45 Degree Rule ­ The one foul that is most often misunderstood by many players is
the double hit shot. Double hits become extremely common in shots where the cue
ball and intended object ball are very close to one another. Because of these facts
and because most matches do not have a qualified neutral referee present, the 45
degree rule is provided to allow teams to have an easily defined distinction.When the
cue ball and the first object ball to be contacted are within a distance equal to the
diameter of the ferrule of the shooter’s cue stick (approximately 1/4 inch) or closer,
the cue stick must be stroked from an angle of 45 degrees or more from the line of
centers between the cue ball and the object ball (either vertically or horizontally). If
uncertain, the shooter has the right to ask the opponent before stroking th verify that
they have satisfied this requirement.
b) Split Hit ­ (“bad hit”) ­ Although a true “split hit” is almost impossible to execute, the
limits of human perception often make players unable to determine which object ball
has been the first one contacted. This becomes the one game situation most likely to
create emotional arguments. Both sides will truly believe the other is wrong. Luckily,
the majority of these shots are obvious as potential fouls before the stroke is
executed. The opponent should protect themselves by warning the shooter to wait
until both teams can agree on a referee or referees to watch the shot and call the “hit”
legal or foul. The decision of the referee is final. Although a foul may be called after
the stroke if a warning was not made, “benefit of doubt” will rule if favor of the
shooter. A shooter who ignores a proper warning and strokes without waiting for an
agreed referee has committed a ball­in­hand foul.

21. c) Object Ball Frozen to the Rail ­ If an object ball is frozen to a rail, the contact of that
ball to that rail cannot be considered to satisfy the requirements of a legal shot. No
ball is considered as frozen to the rail unless it has been identified and agreed to be
frozen BEFORE the stroke. If this object ball is the first ball contacted, one of the
following must occur or a foul has been committed.
1) The object ball later contacts another rail.
2) The cue ball later contacts a rail. This can be the same rail.
3) A different object ball contacts a rail.
4) A ball is pocketed.
d) Cue Ball Out of the Kitchen ­ The kitchen exist on two strokes only ­ the break shot
and the shot following a break foul. On these strokes, the cue ball must be stroked
from position inside the kitchen and its first contact must be with an object ball or rail
outside of the kitchen. A ball is determined to be “in” or “out” by the point at which the
centerline of that ball contacts the table. A foul can only be called for violating this
requirement if it is absolutely clear to all parties that the violation occurred. Therefore,
a warning is emphatically recommended.
e) One Foot on the Floor ­ It is a foul to stroke without at least one of the shooter’s feet
in contact with the floor. The exception to this is that a bridge must be available at the
location or the rule doesn’t apply. No foul can be called for this violation unless the
shooter was warned prior to the stroke and a bridge was made available.

22. B. COACHING
One of the major purposes of the TCGPL is to teach pool­playing skills to it’s less
experienced members. Because of this, the right to coach players is essential. However,
coaching can be abused and slow down play significantly. This section will explain the
rules both allowing and restricting coaching which TCGPL uses to achieve a fair
balance.
1. DEFINITION OF COACHING ­ Coaching consists of providing advice to the shooter
about what to shoot, how to shoot it, or calling fouls on the player’s behalf. Request
for rule interpretations are not coaching IF that request is initiated by the player and
that player has no private conversation with a teammate.
2. CHOOSING THE COACH ­ Each player has the right to choose their own coach at
the beginning of the set. The coach should be identified to the opposing team at the
set’s beginning. If your opponent hasn’t identified the coach, you can avoid confusion
by asking them who is acting as coach.They must tell you.
3. CHANGING THE COACH ­ Once the player has chosen their coach, they are not
allowed to change coaches. There is only one exception to this rule. If a match is
being played on two tables and the coach is called by their team to play on the other
table, they are not allowed to continue coaching. The player then has the right to
choose another coach. Coaches are not to be changed for ANY other reason.
4. RESTRICTIONS ON THE COACH

23. a) The coach must be a member of the team.
b) The captain does not have automatic rights to be the coach. The captain cannot
perform coaching duties unless the shooter has chosen them as their only coach.
c) If the coach has to leave the match for any reason, the player must complete the
game without a coach.
d) The coach cannot interrupt because they have to temporarily leave the match (going
to the bathroom, purchasing drinks, etc.). Play continues in their absence.
e) Only the coach can provide direct advice to the player, but the coach can confer with
other team members as long as the shooter is separated and can not hear the
discussion.
f) The coach can not touch any ball.
g) The coach can not leave any marks on the table.
h) The coach must leave the table before the shot. This must be a distance of 5 feet or
more. The coach can not stand in the shooter’s line of site.
i) Non­coaches can not directly provide advice to the shooter or call out fouls. Teams
are responsible for the actions and statements of nonmembers who are in their
company.
5. WHEN COACHING IS IN EFFECT ­ Calling fouls on the players behalf AT ANY TIME
is coaching.Players are allowed to talk to their teammates and discuss strategy
between games and during the opponent’s turn, but coaching is assumed if they
continue that talk after the opponent has ended their turn at the table (balls have

24. stopped rolling).
6. COACHING PERIOD ­ The coaching period begins soon as the advice is started or
the foul is called. The coaching period ends when the player takes the following
stroke. After calling foul for the player, the coach is allowed to advise them on their
shot. The coach can leave the table and return as long as no stroke has been made
and time is not excessive.
7. TIME LENGTH OF COACHING PERIOD ­ The time length of a coaching period
should be kept to one minute or less. This is not a hard limit, but a guide line.The
true issue here is the pace of play.If an occasional coaching period is longer than one
minute, there is no problem. If a coach or team is habitually taking longer than a
minute, they are violating the rules of league sportsmanship.If you feel that your
opponents are abusing this rule, contact you league commissioner.
8. TIME OUTS ­ A time out is an interruption of play. Before any interruption, you are
heavily requested to inform your opponent that you want a time­out and wait for
acknowledgement from them. This helps you to keep your match smoothly controlled
and will help to avoid confusion and arguments. It will also help you to avoid
unnecessary fouls. There are four acceptable reasons for calling a time­out:
a) Time­out for a referee­ Any player may call for a referee to watch the shot.This is
NOT coaching. Teams are recommended to avoid potential conflict by agreeing to
have someone watch a shot which may be arguable (such as a “split hit” or a “double
hit”). That referee will then call the shot as a legal stroke or a foul. Their judgement is
final.

25. b) Time­out for a rules call ­ Only the shooter or their coach can interrupt play for a rule
interpretation. If this is initiated by the coach, it IS coaching. If it is initiated by the
shooter and the shooter has any private conversation with their coach , it IS
coaching. If it is initiated by the shooter and a member of the opposing team is
present to hear everything said, it is NOT coaching.
c) Time­out to check status ­ Only the shooter can call for a time­out to check the status
of the set (such as the score or the coachings available). This is NOT coaching
unless initiated by the coach.
d) Time­out for coaching ­ Only the shooter or their coach can initiate coaching. The
proper way to initiate coaching is to call for a time­out and obtain an
acknowledgement from the opponent.
9. COACHING VIOLATIONS ­ Any action of a league member that doesn’t conform to
the above rules is a coaching violation. Violations are to be handled as described in
the next two paragraphs on sportsmanship and penalties.
10. SPORTSMANSHIP IN COACHING ­ Please remember that the league is a
combination of competition AND recreation and that players often forget these
restrictions. We need to work together to avoid both extremes of “nit picking” and of
rules abuse. Sportsman like behavior consist of both of respecting the rules of the
league AND of forgiving your opponents for minor transgressions. Teams that
continue to commit coaching violations after being warned are not acting in good
sportsmanship, but you are expected to give warnings for most first­time violations.

26. C. SPORTSMANSHIP
Good sportsmanship is at the same time the most important characteristic of league
members and the most difficult to regulate. The concept of sportsmanship is basically
stated best by a very ancient rule: DO ONTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM
DO UNTO YOU! The simple fact is that this spirit is sometimes lost in the combination of
personalities, alcohol consumption, and competition that exists in a recreational league.
This action will attempt to explain the meaning of sportsmanship in TCGPL and to
describe the penalties for violating that meaning. (The use of term “sportsmanship” is
in no way intended to slight are equally valuable female members – “sportsmanship” is
a term used in virtually all types of competition to denote a sense of fair play. They’re
play means respect for the rules of the game, respect for the individual players, in
respect to the spirit of competitive play.)
1. THE MEANING OF GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP –players join the league
for many reasons, but the most important one is to have a good time. You have the right
to enjoy yourself, but you don’t have the right to ruin other members’ enjoyment.
A good sport is polite and non­abusive towards their opponents. They
understand that issues of behavior are often very complicated and that it’s
possible for honest people to disagree. They don’t allow their temper to cause
them to act in ways they normally wouldn’t. They recognize that almost all
emotional disputes escalate because both parties feel justified to act badly
because “the other person started it.” Because of this, they understand that they

27. are responsible for their own actions and they will not allow an abusive opponent
to make them retaliate. A good sportsman does not “nit pick” or “shark” their
opponents. They want to win, but they’re not willing to “do anything” for a victory.
They remember that they were once new and inexperienced, and they don’t try to
take advantage of the confusion of the new teams or players. They attempt to be
helpful to members who don’t fully understand the league rules without being
condescending. Although the calling of a fowl an important league right, a player
may choose to overlook the fowl in the interest of good sportsmanship. This is
especially likely when their opponent is new to the league and unsure of the
rules. They are forgiving of the minor transgressions of others and understand
that “what goes around, comes around.” All players should show evidence of
good sportsmanship by shaking hands after the set and congratulating the
winner on their performance. An obvious and important requirement of good
sportsmanship is to be honest towards your opponent. Even though teams are
not required to disclose strategic information such as which members will be
playing in that match, players ARE required to give honest answers to their
opponents’ questions.
Some specific examples are:
a) Shooters sometimes forget which group of balls they are shooting.
If asked by the opponent, the players must give an honest answer.
b) If the opponent asks the shooter if they have committed a foul, the

28. shooter must answer honestly. They cannot refuse to answer or wrongfully
deny that they have committed a foul.
c) If the opponent asks for an explanation of a league rule, the player
will answer honestly to the best of their knowledge. They will not refuse to
answer or knowingly give an incorrect interpretation. They will not claim
knowledge of a rule that they don’t fully understand.
d) During the period when teams are allowed to make roster changes
“ on the spot,” the captain MUST inform their opponent of any new players
being added to the team if the opponents asks. If the opponent asks and the
captain has either refused to answer or has replied that there would be no new
players added to the team that night, that captain has lost the right to use a
player that is already printed on the roster form.
e) Whether asked by the opponent or not, all shooters are expected to
call safety when they play safety. They should inform both their opponent and
the scorekeeper. Although it’s not possible for teams to call penalties on an
opponent for failing to do this, you should inform league management if your
opponent ignores this rule.
f) The league Manager will penalize any player who has shown
repeated abuse of any of these requirements.
2. BAD SPORTSMANSHIP ­ Following are some specific areas of
unacceptable behavior within the league. Some of these are subtle and some
are very serious. All are forbidden. Please notice that many of these require a

29. decision based on the intent of the action or statement. Any decision which
attempts to determine what is in the mind of the player is of course an opinion
and must be made by a neutral party (league management or a peer board of
players.) It is simply not possible for teams to directly enforce sportsmanship
penalties on one another. Any attempt to do this would actually have the effect of
INCREASING unacceptable behavior.
a) Content for league rules –any member who refuses to acknowledge
official rules of the league can only suffer by doing it. It is your own
responsibility to know these rules, and you have the right to introduce your
rule change ideas to be considered by your fellow TCGPL members.
b) Displays of anger – Players who make obvious displays of anger or
frustration are acting in a childish and unacceptable manner. Even if that
anger is not directed towards an opponent, it’s unsportsmanlike behavior.
Any member who damages equipment at a host location is responsible for
making full restitution to that location before continuing play in the league.
Any member who damages their own equipment has themselves to thank in
the morning.
c) “Nit picking” – Sometimes people join the league who are so obsessed
with winning that they will clutch at any possibility, no matter how minor, to
gain advantage. LIGHTEN UP! Experience has shown that the vast majority
of “nitpicks” that create emotional arguments never wind up making a

30. difference in the match. It is much more likely that players will be “thrown off
their game” by heightened anger. Please carry an attitude that the game will
be decided by the shots taken at the table and keep an “easy going” style. If
league management decides that a team is using “nit pcking” as a form of
sharking, the team will be penalized.
d) Sharking ­ Many players misunderstand the meaning of “sharking” and
confuse it with “hustling.” Sharking is an action or statement intended to
cause the opponent to lose concentration and make a mistake. There are
several techniques that have been used to this end and some are very subtle.
It’s not always possible to separate sharing from unintended behavior, but
“sharks” often show themselves by repeating this behavior at critical times.
Remember that your best defense against sharking is to not let it affect you.
Sharking can only work when the opponent allows it. SHARKING IS
CHEATING! Some traditional sharking techniques are:
1) Verbal banter – The shark with constantly comment on the
opponent’s shots. They may repeatedly accuse them of blind luck or
comment on the difficulty of making the next shot or “getting out.” They may
constantly remind the opponent of the importance of the match or shot. They
may also profusely congratulate them for repeated “great shots.” As you can
see, this is not easy to separate from the normal commentary that happens in
pool The difference is the amount and timing of these remarks.
2) Approaching the table – The Shirt ma constantly “hang over” the

31. table during the opponents turn. They may wait until the shooter is ready to
stroke and then walk up to pick up a piece of chalk. They may stand in the
direct line of sight of the shooter. Players are to stay well away from the table
when it is the opponent’s turn.
3) “Breaking down the stick” – One of the oldest and surprisingly
successful methods of sharking is to unscrew your two piece cue when your
opponent appears to be winning the match. DO NOT DO THIS! At
tournaments, a player is assumed to be sharking when they do this. Any
player who “breaks down their stick” during the opponent’s turn at a
tournament has just conceded the game.
e. Signals – Any form of signal system is also cheating. If you have an
opponent that you believe is using signals to avoid coaching restrictions,
notify league management.
f. Slow Play – Excessively slow play is another difficult area to control.
Sometimes slow play is a sharking technique and sometimes it is just the
natural pace of the shooter. In order to achieve a balance that is in the
interests of the majority of league members, management will consider any
pattern of slow play to be a violation of sportsmanship rules. If your natural
tendency is to be highly deliberate in considering every shot, you will have to
make a conscious effort to “pick up” your pace of play.
g. Verbal abuse – Verbal abuse can take many forms. Nobody has the right

32. to act insultingly towards his or her opponent. Especially offensive our racial,
sexual, or ethnic insults. Any number that uses any slurs of this type towards
another member will be required to make full apology or their membership will
be suspended. Any member who does this repeatedly is not welcome in
TCGPL and will be expelled. Everyone has the right to believe what they
wish, no matter how bigoted. But no one is allowed to express those bigoted
insults towards another TCGPL member. Other forms of verbal abuse are
dealt with according to the severity and frequency of the abuse.
h. Threats – threats of physical harm are considered extremely serious and
can, depending on the situation, be treated the same as physical abuse. No
one has the right to cause another member to fear for his or her safety.
i. Violent behavior – Any form of physical abuse of a league member is
immediate grounds for expulsion. Any member who initiates violence towards
another member is automatically expelled from the league.
3. PENALTIES FOR SPORTSMANSHIP VIOLATIONS – dealing with
violations of sportsmanship rules is an extremely difficult area for two basic
reasons. The first is that it is impossible for teams that are playing self
supervised matches in their regular divisions to impose penalties on each other.
Instead of solving behavioral issues, it would tend to make them worse. The
second is that the league management, who must make these decisions, is at a
disadvantage due to the fact that the manager was not present and must decide

33. based on secondhand information. Please see the next heading for advice to
help management make proper decisions. The difficulty is further complicated by
the fact that there is a huge range of possible penalties. Whenever it is practical,
the league manager shall convene a committee of neutral league members to
decide the disposition of serious sportsmanship violations. However, members
must recognize that the manager’s authority in this area is absolute. A member
that has violated sportsmanship rules can be penalized by the league manager
with anything from a warning to permanent expulsion from TCGPL(or anything in
between.) In all other areas of the rules, the decision is made without any
consideration of the history of the teams or players involved. A rule is a rule and
is always interpreted in the same way. However, sportsmanship is very different!
THE PAST BEHAVIORAL HISTORY OF A PLAYER OR TEAM ACCUSED OF
SPORTSMANSHIP VIOLATIONS WILL BEAR HEAVILY ON THE DECISION
MADE. The possible penalties are:
a. Warnings – whenever possible, management will give a warning to
an offending member or team before penalizing them. Some situations do not
allow this and please remember that there is no absolute right to be given a
warning.
b. Forfeiture of set, match, or standings points – If it’s the League
Manager’s opinion that a player or team and has achieved an unfair advantage
through unacceptable behavior, they will lose that advantage. This can go
beyond four forfeiture to include removing other team points that they had

34. previously earned.
c. Removal as captain or coach – a league member that is
frequently involving themselves in disputes with opponents can lose the right to
act as the team captain or the coach until it is management’s opinion that they
have demonstrated the maturity to perform these duties with sportsmanship.
d. Suspension – A member or team may be suspended from all
league events for a period of time determined by management. This suspension
can also be “open­ended” – to be enforced until payer or team has reasonably
shown that they are able to control the offending behavior.
e. Expulsion – This is the nuclear penalty. This applies to a member
or team that has so extremely violated the sportsmanship rules that they have
shown themselves to be completely unfit to participate. Their membership is
revoked, they are not allowed any league event, and they have no right to any
refund of league fees paid.
4. RIGHT OF APPEAL ­ Members who have been penalized for
sportsmanship violations have the right to appeal before a committee of neutral
league members. However, it must be recognized that this cannot be done
immediately and that the league presidents’ decision is binding until the appeal is
heard. This appeal is normally handled by the TCGPL board, but it is sometimes
heard by a neutral group of players from the team’s home division. The decision
of the appeal board or peer committee is final. They may uphold or overrule the

35. league presidents’ decision. They may specify a different penalty (either more or
less severe.) They may dictate a future action to be taken by the league
president if the player or team commits the future offence. This right of appeal is
a two way street. Other members have the right to appeal the league presidents’
decision if they feel that a penalty imposed on an offending player or team is not
severe enough.
5. HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BAD BEHAVIOUR OF AN OPPONENT – if
you are in the unfortunate position of having to deal with a poorly behaving
opponent, remember the first and most important rule KEEP YOUR OWN COOL.
You can’t control the behavior of opponents, but you can control your own. No
excuse is ever accepted for behaving badly because “the opponents started it.”
If one of your own teammates is out of line, it’s your team’s responsibility to
control them or get them out of the area. One of the most important
responsibilities of the captain is to maintain an adult level of behavior from their
own team. The captains are expected to control the situation and negotiate a
reasonable resolution. If this is not possible call your league office. There is
usually an official available by phone when you were playing. Since you can’t
impose sportsmanship penalties on each other, the only other possible wait to
get an immediate decision is through management. If unsportsmanlike behavior
continues, document it! Make a protest note on your score sheet and write a
description of the problem on a separate sheet the more evidence you can

36. supply, the better job management can do later to resolve the issue. If possible,
provide management with a way to contact a neutral observer or member of the
other team to support your statements.
6. SPORTSMANSHIP VIOLATIONS AT TOURNAMENTS – tournaments
provide a superior way to deal was sportsmanship issue because there is a
neutral official present and in authority. Decisions can be made on the spot.
Each team is provided with the “Rules of Tournament Sportsmanship” as they
begin any tournament. Please refer to those rules for details.
AS STATED ABOVE, THIS SECTION OF YOUR RULE BOOK IS THE MOST
DIFFICULT TO WRITE AND ADMINISTER. THANKFULLY, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF
LEAGUE MEMBERS DO ACT IN A SPORTSMANLIKE MANNER. THESE RULES
AND PENALTIES WILL PROBABLY NEVER AFFECT YOU. THANK YOU FOR
MAKING YOUR LEAGUE MORE ENJOYABLE BY YOUR ADULT AND CONSIDERATE
ACTIONS. HAVE A GOOD TIME AND REMEMBER = GOOD LUCK AND GOOD
POOL SHOOTING!!!
D. LEAGUE AND TEAM STRUCTURE
1. BOARD MEMBERS ­­ The League Board shall consist of the following membership:
President; Vice President; Secretary; and Treasurer.
a. President ­­ Voluntary and elected Board Member Role for the league.
Shall be the chief league overseer and shall be the primary contact for
explanation regarding most league rules and/or infractions unless otherwise specified in the
league rules. The league President shall also be responsible for following: Coordination of
and advertisement for each league season prior to start; organization of the pre­season team

37. captain’s meeting; confirmation with bars/sponsors as to sponsorship for teams; collection of
sponsor and individual membership fees; purchase of any necessary office equipment
necessary to performing league duties; coordination of year­end league banquet and
tournament; purchase of tournament/banquet door prizes; coordination with Webmaster,
Web Designer and Statistician in order to effectively run the league each season. In addition,
the League President shall have the joint responsibility of overseeing and managing the
league bank account and any funds. This person shall provide the league members and
sponsors with an itemization of the league income and expenditures for the each season.
The league Treasurer shall assist with these duties as well.
b. Vice President ­­ Voluntary and elected Board Member role for the league. This position
is voted on and elected at the the yearly pre­season captain’s meeting. The Vice President
shall be available for all Board Meetings and shall assist in overseeing the any and all league
matters when the President is not available or cannot be reached.
c. Secretary ­­ Voluntary and elected board member role for the league. Shall voluntarily
provide a record of league Board Meetings and decisions.
d. Treasurer ­­ Voluntary and elected Board Member role for the league. Shall voluntarily
provide an accounting of the leagues income and expenditures. This duty shall be
coordinated with the league President. The league Treasurer shall oversee the league funds
and banking information. The Treasurer shall have access to the league bank account,
checkbook and all funds in conjunction with the league President. This person shall provide
the teams/members and sponsors with a season end accounting of all league income and
expenditures. The Treasurer’s SS# shall be associated with the league tax number as the
Patriot Act requires that someone’s SS# be associated with any bank account.
2. League Contractors and/or Volunteer Roles ­­ The League shall consist of contractors
and volunteers who shall perform certain duties necessary for the league to function smoothly.
Those contractors and/or volunteers include, but may not be limited to, the following: Statistician;
Webmaster; and Web Designer. Some of these contractors may be paid for their services as
determined appropriate by the league board.
a. Term of duty ­­ It is expected that all board members, contractors and volunteers shall
perform their duties for a period of at least ONE LEAGUE SEASON unless otherwise determined
appropriate by the league board.

38. 3. PROTESTS – Unfortunately, situations do arise where a member or team is
dissatisfied with the result of a match or a management decision. The protest
procedure is established to achieve a balance between that member’s right of appeal
and the need to maintain a fair and efficient league. Protests can be made on an
informal or a formal basis.
a) Notification of protest – Disputes during team matches should be
handled by the team captains. They should use this rule book and
sportsmanlike negotiating skills to resolve their problem. If they are unable to
resolve the dispute, they should attempt to contact league management for
assistance. If the teams have failed to reach an agreement, they should
finish their match “under protest.” VERY IMPORTANT – THE PROTESTING
TEAM SHOULD MAKE NOTE ON THEIR SCORE SHEET OF THE FACT
THAT THEY ARE PLAYING UNDER PROTEST AND THE NATURE OF THE
PROTEST. To further their own case, the protesting team should write down
as much detail as possible to state and support their case. Neutral observers
or members of the opposing team who are in agreement are especially
valuable. If that note of protest is made on this score sheet, it is officially
logged. Protest by telephone within 24 hours will be accepted, but only if they
can be proven that the protest was made during the match. “after the fact”
protests are not accepted. No team can negotiate an agreement to a dispute
and later decide to protest because they lost. Notification to the league office

39. more than 24 hours after the incident will not be accepted.
4. Captains ­ The captain is the leader of the team. Although there is usually
one person serving as team captain, it’s acceptable for team members to share
or rotate the captain’s duties. The team is responsible for having a member that
league management can contact as the captain if necessary. The captain is
responsible for the following:
a) Organizer – the captains make sure that the team has the right
players at the right place at the right time. They ensure that the team roster is
correct and that member’s eligibility is maintained. They schedule the
members for play and are responsible for the team adjusting to any schedule
changes that may arise.
b) Communicator – the captain provides to league management with any
information needed to protect the team’s interests and to satisfy legal rules.
They make sure that team members are aware of the information provided by
league management and understand the ways that information affects the
members.
c) Negotiator – the captain represents the team’s interest in the issues
that regard negotiation with other teams (such as rules, questions, scheduling
of make­ups, etc.) They take control of any situation where emotions may
arise and ensure that the team acts in a sportsmanlike manner to resolve any
disputes that may occur.
d) Rules Authority – a captain is knowledgeable about the league

40. rules and helps their teammates to also learn these rules. They are provided
with a rule book and are invited to contact the league office for any
interpretation or further rule information needed.
e) Treasurer – The captain protects the team’s financial interest by
taking responsibility for keeping the records necessary to ensure that all fees
are paid by team member.
9. COACH – each player has the right to choose a coach. Details are listed in the
coaching rules section. Any team member can act as a coach, but the team must
remember that the captain is not necessarily the coach. If another member is acting
as a coach, the captain is not allowed to do such things as calling of fouls for the
player or providing direct advice on the player’s shot.
E. FINANCIAL RULES
The league shall take in fees and gift prizes from multiple sources in order to sustain league
costs and provide for a year­end banquet and league tournament. The worthy cause shall be
determined by the league board each season. Under no circumstances shall any board
member, league member, team or sponsor, personally benefit from any fees or gift prizes
collected for the league or league tournament. All monies and/or gift prizes donated to the
league shall be donated/given away to a worthy cause and/or used to purchase year­end
banquet/tournament trophies and/or prizes.
A) FEES COLLECTED BY THE LEAGUE ­­ Monies or season dues paid to the league by an

41. individual member or team sponsor.
1. Individual Player Fee ­­ Each individual player shall pay a one (1) time fee of $20.00 to
the league for each season of pool play. This fee must be paid in order for any regular player
to play in the league. The team sponsor fee shall be made payable to the Twin Cities Gay
Pool League or the league representative (President or Treasurer).
2. Team Sponsor Fee ­­ Team sponsors shall pay a fee of $150.00 per team sponsored.
The team sponsor fee shall be made payable to the Twin Cities Gay Pool League or the
league representative (President or Treasurer).
a. Use of League Fees ­­ The majority of all monies collected (at least 50%) by the
league during any season shall be donated by the league to a worthy cause. The
remaining funds shall be used to purchase/pay for league expenses incurred during
each pool league season.
1. Pool League Expenses­­ Costs incurred by the league during each league season.
a. Office Supply Costs ­­ Any supplies such as paper, ink, writing utensils, folders,
printing, flyers, labels, envelopes, etc that is purchases for and used for the league.
b. Mileage Costs ­­ Any mileage driven by a board member that is sustained by the
board member in accordance with performing his/her board member duties. Board
members shall not be paid for their time. However, it is reasonable not to expect
Board members to donate their money/gas in order to fulfill his/her expected Board
Member league duties.
c. League Contractors ­­ Any person who provides a service for the league for

42. which payment may or may not be required or has been determined appropriate by
the league Board. While the League Board can determine that a contractor is due a
certain fee for services, the person performing the service and/or duty to the league,
may decline payment and donate these monies back to the league if he/she wishes.
1. Statistician ­­ Person responsible for collecting all of the scores for each pool
league game. This person shall keep a running tabulation of points and wins for
each league member and team. The league statistician shall be paid a fee of
$100.00 for each season that he/she performs the duties of this role.
2. League Webmaster ­­ This person volunteers to be responsible for the
development and continued functionality of the Pool League website. This
person shall work along side the Board Members, Statistician and Web
Designer in an effort to provide for the leagues best and common interests.
3. Web Designer ­­ This person volunteers to be responsible for the
development of web graphics and further design of the league website.
d. Trophies and Awards ­­ Purchased by the league President and/or
treasurer for the year­end league tournament.
e. Banquet Costs ­­ Food or supplies purchased for the year­end banquet.
f. Door Prizes ­­ Prizes purchased by the League Board Members and/or donated
by league teams or sponsors for the year­end league tournament and banquet.
These prizes shall be awarded back to league members during year­end raffles.
B. GIFT CARDS OR GIFT CERTIFICATES ­­ All gift cards or gift certificates received

43. by the league from players, teams or sponsors. Each of these cards/certificates shall
be turned in to the league and used as awards/prizes at the year­end league banquet/
tournament.
11. YEAR­END TOURNAMENT
To qualify a player must have played at least one week in the regular season.
E. GLOSSARY OF TERMS
AT THE TABLE ­ A player is “at the table” when it is their turn to shoot “their inning.” This
term is also used to denote a player that has been chosen by their team to begin a set.
BALL­IN­HAND – Ball­in­hand is the penalty paid in most cases by a player who
commits a foul. An opponent with ball­in­hand has the right to place the cue ball
anywhere on the table that they wish and shoot in any direction they wish.
BALL IN PLAY –A term used to denote any ball on the table bed which is available to
be shot. A ball is either in play, a jumped ball, or pocketed. A ball is in play if it comes to
rest in contact with the table bed.
BALL RETURN – The ball return is that internal portion of the table which collects and
holds the balls until the next game.
BREAK FOUL – A player has committed break foul if: 1) The cue ball scratches. 2) The
cue ball is a jumped ball. 3) The player has interfered with the path of the cue ball while
it has enough forward momentum to potentially scratch. The penalty for a break foul is

44. ball­in­kitchen.
BREAK SHOT – The break shot is the stroke which begins a game. It is a unique shot
in that all other shots are either legal strokes or fouls, while the break can result in three
categories: legal breaks, nonlegal breaks, or break fouls.
BRIDGE – A bridge is a mechanical device used to support the cue stick during a stroke
which is difficult for the shooter to reach. A bridge is also commonly called a “rake.”
CENTER STRING – The center string is an imaginary line drawn between the diamonds
at the center of the two short­rails.
COMBINATION SHOT – A combination shot is a shot where the cue ball strikes one
object ball which ten causes another object ball to be pocketed.
CUE – (Cue Stick) – A cue is the tool used by the shooter to execute a stroke. It is
usually made of wood, is tapered, weights 16 – 21 ounces, and is normally 57 – 60
inches long.
CUE TIP – The cue tip is a disk normally made of leather attached to the end of the cue.
The cue tip is the item that makes contact with the cue ball on a legal stroke. It is
usually 11 ­ 14 mm in diameter and is shaped with a rounded crown.
DIAMONDS ­ Diamonds are inlays on the outer rails of most pool tables. The standard
arrangement has three diamonds evenly spaced on each rail between two adjacent
pockets. This will place on diamond at each point which represents one­quarter of the
distance between the pockets. Although becoming increasingly rare, there are some
table which have no diamonds or have an arrangement which doesn’t conform to this
description. If this happens, remember that the definitions of head string, foot string,

45. and center string are based on the point that represents the midpoint between pockets.
Players on one of these tables will have to make an agreement as to the proper position
of the string lines.
DOUBLE HIT SHOT – A double hit shot is one where the cue tip makes contact with the
cue ball more than one time on a single stroke. Double hits commonly happen when
the cue ball and the object ball to be shot are close to each other. A common
misunderstanding is that a double his is committed when the cue ball strikes an object
ball twice (not true.) Double hit shots are fouls. See the 45 Degree Rule paragraph in
the GAME RULES section for the proper way to handle this situation.
DRAW – Draw is a deflection in the cue ball path after contact with the object ball which
causes the cue ball to move in a more backward direction than normal. This is
accomplished by striking the cue ball below center.
ENGLISH – English is side­spin (right or left) place on the cue ball which will make it
rebound after contact with a rail in a different direction than normal. English can also be
used to help execute a throw shot. English is accomplished by striking the cue ball to
the left or right of the center.
FELT – The felt is the cloth covering of the slate which is the surface of the table bed.
FERRULE ­ The ferrule is the sleeve at the end of the cue stick which provides an
attachment point for the cue tip and protects the end of the shaft from splintering.
FOLLOW – Follow is a deflection in the cue ball path after contact with the object ball
which causes the cue ball to move in a more forward direction than normal. This is

46. accomplished by striking the cue ball above center. Follow can also be placed on the
cue ball naturally through friction between the cue ball and felt.
FOOT OF THE TABLE ­ The short end of the table nearest the rack.
FOOT SPOT – The point of intersection between the center string and the foot string.
The balls are racked with the first ball placed on the foot spot.
FOOT STRING – The foot string is an imaginary line on the table which connects the
second long­rail diamonds from the foot of the table.
Foul – A foul is a violation of league rules of various sorts. Most fouls are the result of
strokes taken that are note “legal shots.” Some fouls are the result of violations of
coaching or sportsmanship rules. Fouls are grouped in three categories: break fouls,
ball­in­hand fouls, and game­ending fouls.
FROZEN BALL – A frozen ball is one lies at rest in physical contact with another ball or
rail. There are three separate game rules that deal with potential situations involving
frozen balls. Although these are completely different situation, some players confuse
them because of the term “froze ball” (see 45 Degree Rule, Split hit, and Object Ball
Frozen to Rail rules in REQUIRED WARNINGS paragraph in GAME RULES section.)
GROUP OF BALLS – This term is used to denote the shooter’s object balls (stripes or
solids.)
Hanging Ball – It will occasionally happen that a ball comes to rest at the edge of a
pocket and later drips without being struck by another ball or being “knocked in” by a
players body or cue stick. This is called a “hanging ball.”
HEAD OF THE TABLE – The short end of the table which is opposite the foot of the

47. table.
HEAD SPOT – The point of intersection between the center string and the head string.
HEAD STRING – The head string is an imaginary line on the table bed which connects
the second long­rail diamonds from the head of the table.
HOOK – A shooter is hooked when there is no direct path which the cue ball can follow
in order to contact one of their group of balls. This can be due to bad luck or an
opponent’s safety skills.
INNING – An inning is a shooter’s turn at the table. It begins for that player when their
opponent misses or fouls and ends when the shooter has missed or fouled. If the
shooter wins the game the inning continues into the next game. In scoring, an inning
consists of BOTH players’ turns at the table.
JAMMED BALLS – In extremely rare cases, two or more balls may become jammed
together in the jaws of a pocket. If this happens, any ball that vertical center axis is not
directly above the table bed is considered pocketed.
KICK SHOT – A Kick shot is one where the cue ball rebounds from a rail before making
first contact with the object ball.
KITCHEN – The kitchen is the area of the table bed which is between the head string
and the head of the table.
LEGAL BREAK – A legal break must satisfy the four requirements listed in the break
paragraph in the games rules section.
LEGAL STROKE – A legal stroke is a shot where no foul has been committed. It may

48. or may not result in a ball being pocketed.
LINE OF CENTERS – The line of centers is an imaginary line which connects the center
points of two balls. This concept is most commonly used in explaining cut shots and in
the 45 degree rule.
MASSE – A masse shot is a stroke executed with the cue held at a highly elevated
angle in an attempt to place extreme English on the cue ball in relation to its speed of
travel. A properly executed masse causes the cue ball to travel in a curved path. This
shot is used to make the cue ball travel around an obstructing ball. M­8 rules allow the
use of masse, but a location’s “house rules” may disallow this shot.
MISCUE – A miscue is the result of a stroke where the cue tip does not make full
contact with the cue ball. This is usually a case of that contact being towards the outer
edge of the cue ball and cue tip ‘slipping’ off the cue ball surface.
NON­LEGAL BREAK – A break shot which is neither a legal break nor a break foul. If a
player has committed a non­legal break, the balls are re­racked and the same player
breaks again.
OBJECT BALL – This term has two meanings. “Object Ball” can mean the specific ball
with which the cue ball makes contact on a stroke (intended ball.) It can also generally
mean any ball which is not the cue ball.
OPEN TABLE – “open table” is a condition in the game of 8­ball where either player has
the right to choose either group of balls.
OPPONENT – The team or player you are competing against is your opponent. This
term is used frequently in this rule book to denote the competitor in a set who is not

49. presently “at the table.”
POCKET – The six pockets are the openings in the rails and the associated parts to
surround and support those opening. The edge of the pocket is the vertical edge of the
slate at the pocket opening. No part of the pocket is considered to be part of the table
bed.
POCKETED BALL – A ball is considered as pocketed once it has come to rest in the
pocket or the ball return.
PUSH SHOTS – A push shot is one where the cue tip maintains contact with the cue
ball during the stroke. This contact is almost instantaneous in a normal stroke.
Extending that contact is a push shot. Most shots that players commonly call push
shots are really double hit shots. Push shots are fouls.
RACK – The rack is the grouping of the object balls in a triangular shape before the
break shot is made. It is also the device used to facilitate the placement of that
grouping.
RAILS – A rail includes the rubber cushion from which balls rebound, the support
backing for that cushion, and that portion of the table top which is outside of the table
bed. No part of the rail is considered to be part of the table bed. The rails along the
longer sides of the table are called the long­rails. The rails along the shorter ends of the
table are called the short­rails.
RUN – This term is used to refer to a series of balls pocketed by the shooter during a
single inning. A shooter who pockets six of their balls in an inning is said to have a “run”

50. of six. A shooter who pockets their remaining object balls and the eight ball in an inning
is said to have “run out.”
SAFETY – A safety is a stroke which is not intended to pocket an object ball and
continue a run. It is defensive in nature, used to prevent the opponent from running out
and to enhance the shooter’s opportunity to win the game. A properly executed safety
is a completely legal and ethical stroke which often requires a high degree of skill.
Safeties can be used in an unethical attempt to stretch games and manipulate ratings.
It is important to make sure that they are marked on the score sheet in order to prevent
his manipulation. Even though it is not an attempt to pocket a ball, it is not considered a
safety if the shooter is merely trying to avoid a foul by making legal hit while FULLY
hooked on ALL of their object balls. Basically, any other shot which is not intended to
pocket an object ball is a safety. Some manipulators will play “fake” safeties. These are
shots which are executed to look as though an attempt to pocket a ball is being made,
but are actually intended to miss. These are also considered safeties. While most
safeties are obvious, some safeties “especially “fakes” are not. The scorekeeper should
use their own judgment in determining these “marginal” calls. Players are expected to
call their own safeties.
SCRATCH – A scratch is the act of the cue ball being pocketed on a stroke. A scratch is
a foul, but the penalty can vary (see FOULS paragraph in GAME RULES section.)
SHARKING – Sharking is the intentional behavior of a player calculated to distract their
opponent and “throw them off their game.” Sharking is ABSOLUTELY not allowed in

51. TCGPL (see SPORTSMANSHIP section.)
SOLIDS – The solids are the colored object balls numbered 1 – 7.
SPOTTED BALL – Some games situations require spotting an object ball which is a
jumped ball or has been pocketed (see GAME RULES.) A spotted ball is placed on the
foot spot. If this position is obstructed by another ball, the spotted ball is placed in the
closest possible position directly along the center string towards the foot of the table.
STOP SHOT (Stun Shot) – A stop shot is one executed with just enough draw to offset
the natural follow created by friction so that the cue ball has no spin at the time of
contact with the object ball.
STRIPES – The stripes are the colored object balls numbered 9­15.
STROKE – The stroke is the motion of the cue executed by the shooter. It is often also
used to mean the results of that motion.
SLATE – The late is the flat base of the table bed.
SOFT BREAK – Soft breaking is the INTENTIONAL act of attempting to strike the rack
with just enough force to drive four object balls to the rails while still leaving the majority
of the rack “clustered.” This IS NOT allowed, as it can be used as a tactic to “stretch”
games and manipulate ratings. An ACCIDENTALLY poor break is not considered soft
breaking.
TABLE BED – The table bed is the playing surface. It’s outer boundaries are the inside
edges of the rails and the slate edges at the pockets.
THROW – Throw is an effect which causes the object ball to travel in a slightly different

52. direction than geometrically expected. Throw is caused by friction between the cue ball
and object ball. This is created in three ways­by the angle of the cut, by the amount of
English on the cue ball, and by the surface conditions of the balls.