POOL RULES  SUMMER 2026 

REGISTRATION FEE

 THIS WILL BE COLLECTED AT THE CAPTAINS MEETING AT THE START OF THE SEASON TO AVOID CHASING ROUND AT THE END OF THE SEASON COLLECTING FEES.

Leagues

IN THE EVENT OF TWO TEAMS FINISHING LEVEL ON POINTS AND LEGS THERE WILL BE A DECIDING GAME PLAYED AT A NEUTRAL VENUE’

Players

1. A) A PLAYER MAY TRANSFER PROVIDING BOTH TEAM CAPTAINS AGREE AND THE LEAGUE ARE INFORMED.
2. B) N.B. PLAYERS CAN ONLY TRANSFER ONCE DURING THE LEAGUE SEASON AND CAN’T CHANGE SIDES JUST FOR THE CUP.
3. C) ONLY A REGISTERED PLAYER MAY PLAY. NICKNAMES ARE TAKEN AS UNREGISTERED
4. D) A PLAYER CAN BE REGISTERED ON THE NIGHT BEFORE 1930.
5. E) SHOULD A TEAM DISBAND AND REFORM, WITH THREE OR MORE PLAYERS, AT EITHER THE SAME OR A DIFFERENT VENUE THEN THE TEAM SHALL MAINTAIN THEIR LEAGUE STATUS.

 

 

 

 

 

How to start the game            

1) The balls are racked as agreed:-

 

1a) The table may not be moved after 1900 on the day of the match.

1b) Away team be given 10/15 minutes practice on match table providing they arrive in time allowing game to start on time

1c)  An area is to be reserved for the away team (6-8 seats)

1d The start time shall be 1930 All six doubles players must be present before the start of the third double. Latest time a singles player can arrive is when they are due to play.

1da In the case of only four players then all four must be present by the start of the second double.

1e) Matches will start at 1930 so the first double must start before 1945 or the point is lost. If the team still has not arrived by 2000 then the second double is lost. If the team still has not arrived by 2015 then the third double is lost. The singles must start no later than 2100.

1f) 9ft tables may be used

2. Order of play is determined by the flip of a coin, preferably not on the pool table. The winning player/s can decide if they wish to break or not. All following games will alternate between the two teams.

 

2a) On the sheet supplied the captain with write their singles and doubles pairs and these shall be randomly drawn to decide opponents. These can be placed in any order, within game type with doubles first, on the score sheet and in case of dispute the home team has precedent.

A team must confirm that a player/s will need to play early or late before the draw has been made.

2aa Should a player be playing twice in singles or doubles, allowed twice a season, the player shall be drawn out of the hat. Only the first singles game shall count towards the stats.

2b) The three doubles games are played first, one frame, followed by six singles best of three.(if a player takes the first two frames he is given the third)

2c) One point shall be awarded per game won (doubles one point per game total 3 points and singles one point per game eighteen points) giving a total of 21 frames per night.

2d) Each team shall be given one point for turning up and the winning team will be given an extra three points

2e) Individual points will only count towards the stats if a player plays an opponent.

2f) Stats will be based on singles only by players playing at least 60% of games on a win to games played percentage.

Where a player plays twice then only the first game shall count towards the stats.

2g) If teams are level in a cup game there will be one match best of three by players nominated by their team.

 3) The opening player plays at the object balls from baulk. The object balls must be scattered around the table with at least two balls hitting a cushion to be classed as a “fair break”.

A potted ball counts as hitting a cushion

1. Failure to do so is a foul break and will result in the balls being re-racked.
2. The same player then starts the game.

Iii In doubles games the players play alternate shots

 4) If the black is pocketed from the break shot, the balls will be re-racked and the same player will restart the game. No penalty will be incurred. This applies even if a foul shot is played

4a) If a ball is potted from the break the player may nominate to play another colour which they need not pot. Should the player commit a foul then he shall still remain on the colour nominated.

5) If the Cue Ball is potted on a fair break it is penalised by the turn passing to the opponent who will have 2 visits.

6) Colours are determined by the first legally potted object ball. If one or more balls of both sets of object balls are potted then that player must nominate his group of object balls before playing their next shot.

 7) If a foul is committed, before groups are decided, then those balls are ignored in determining the groups to be played.

1. a) The first ball of the two shots awarded for a foul is a free ball and the second shot the player will return to their balls, if a legal ball has been potted, or has to nominate which colour ball they will play. Should a legal pot still not have occurred then it is still an open table.

8) If a ball or balls, are legally pocketed this entitles the player to one additional shot and this continues until the player either:

1. Fails to pocket one of their own set of allocated balls, or;
2. Commits a foul at any time.

9)  FOULS

1. a) In off (white pocketed)
2. b) Hitting an opponent’s ball before hitting one of your own.
3. c) Failing to hit any ball with the white.
4. d) Jump Shot. This is when the white ball jumps over another ball.
5. e) Hitting the black ball before hitting one of your own if there are balls of your own colour remaining.
6. f) Potting any opponent's ball.
7. g) Ball off the table.
8. Any object ball shall be returned to the back cushion behind the black spot, or as near as possible to that spot without touching any other ball, in direct line between that spot and the centre of the baulk line.
9. If the white, then the white played from in hand.
10. h) If a player's body or clothing should touch any ball.
11. i) Player not having at least part of one foot on the floor.
12. j) Playing or touching with the cue any ball other than the white.
13. k) Striking the white with any part of the cue other than the tip.
14. l) Playing out of turn.
15. m) Playing before all balls have come to rest.
16. n) Playing before any ball(s) require re-spotting.
17. o) Striking the white with the cue more than once.
18. p) Playing a push shot. (A push shot is when the cue, cue ball and object ball are hit together)
19. q) Failing to nominate when required to do so.
20. r) Foul break as defined in rule 3.
21. s) If a player in a doubles match converses with their partner after the player has addressed the table. A player may converse with their partner after potting each ball.
22. t) Any player who interferes with their opponent while taking a shot shall lose the game.

 

1. u) After a player hits the object ball the ball must either be potted or a ball hit a cushion or this will be called a foul.

If the cue ball hits the cushion first and strikes the object ball then, if a ball is not potted, a ball has to touch a cushion. Failure to do so will be a foul.

If a snooker occurs when the cue ball is rolled up behind a ball, unless the object ball is hit first and then the white touches a cushion, it is a foul shot.

For a swerve shot, used when getting out of a snooker or getting out of a snooker via a cushion, the above does not apply

NB:-

IF THE WHITE IS TOUCHING THE CUSHION IT DOES NOT COUNT AS A BALL HITTING THE CUSHION NOR DOES PLAYING A BALL RESTING ON A CUSHION.

1. v) Any person or persons commenting while a player is in the process of taking a shot will be warned by the referee and should the same person or persons commit the offence again then the player taking the shot will receive two shots. This will be noted on the score sheet.

 10) PENALTY

1. a) The offending player loses their next visit to the table, giving their opponent two visits to the table.
2. b) If the white has come to rest on the playing surface, then the player having two visits may proceed to play from where the white lies, or the white may be played from behind the baulk line. Moving the white to behind the baulk line does not count as a shot, or visit.
3. c) On the first shot only of the first visit, the oncoming player may, without nomination, play the white on to any ball without penalty, including any opponent's ball.
4. If any object ball is pocketed directly, or by combination, the player is deemed to have pocketed a legal ball, and continues with the first visit.
5. The player may use the black ball to pot another ball on their first visit of two on a foul shot.

 

1. d) When the player fails to pot a ball on the first or subsequent shot of the first visit, play then continues with the second visit.

 

11)  Finishing a Game

1. a) If a player pockets the black ball before all the balls in their own group, the player loses the game.
2. b) A player going in off the black ball when the black ball is pocketed loses the game.

When two shots are awarded on the black the only foul shot that can occur is missing the black, the white going in off or leaving the table or a ball not hitting a cushion.        

1. c) A player pocketing the black ball and any other ball on the same shot will lose the game. Except following a foul when only the black ball and ball(s) of the opponents group are on the table, then with the first shot of the first visit, the player may legally use the black ball to pot a ball of the opponent's by combination.
2. d) A player who clearly fails to make any attempt to play a ball of their own group will lose the game.
3. e) If, after consultation with the referee a player may only get out of a snooker by playing a foul shot then a re-rack shall be called.
4. f) If a player seeks to gain advantage by deliberately touching a moving ball or retrieving a ball dropping into the pocket they shall lose the game.

12)  Touching ball

1. a) Touching opponent's ball or black ball - the player MUST play a ball of their own group. Failure to do so will result in two shots awarded to their opponent.
2. b) Touching any ball of theirs the player must play away from the touching ball, and be deemed to have played that ball.

 13) Player in control

1. a) In doubles a player may talk with his partner during their visit to the table up to the point where the player touches the table with anything prior to taking their first shot.(See penalty above)
2. b) In singles a player is said to be in control of the table from the time their body, cue, or clothing touches the table prior to their shot, throughout the visit, and up until the opponent does likewise prior to their visit. Any balls falling in when a player is in control shall be deemed to have been part of that players visit.

c). There have been instances where non playing players have called out and put off the players at the table and this must stop.

1. d) Players are requested to allow the players at the table to play their match without any comments and also allow them unobstructed access to the table throughout their match.

14) Postponements.

1. a) No games may be postponed, Except for a religious reason or exceptional circumstances, includes attending a sporting event, if the opponent and league are given seven days’ notice. The rearranged match must take place within seven days of the original match at a time suitable to the other team...

* Exceptional reasons must be agreed or the team shall lose the game 4/0,21/0.

1. b) Should a team fail to inform their opponents that they shall not be playing 24 hours prior to the match then they shall pay a fee of 40 euro to the opposing venue to cover costs. Unless there are agreed exceptional circumstances.
2. c) N.B INDIVIDUAL POINTS SHALL BE AWARDED FOR ANY GAME NOT PLAYED AGAINST AN OPPONENT BUT WILL NOT COUNT TOWARDS PLAYER STATS.

 

 

Singles and doubles competitions

15 a) Entrance into the singles and doubles competitions shall pay 5 euro per player with the winner and runner up receiving 2/3 and 1/3 of entrance fee.

15 b) This fee is to be collected by the team captain who register the entry of a player after player has paid registration fee and shall be responsible for the payment of all non-returnable entries.

 

The Referee will follow the above rules and their decision will be final.