LONG ISLAND POOL LEAGUE
· All games will be 8-Ball.
· All rules common to the game
of 8-Ball shall apply unless otherwise specified within these league rules.
· The team captains may agree to
modify any of the “Supplementary Playing Rules” rules before the match begins.
In the absence of any prior agreements between the captains, the league rules
will take precedence.
· The match will consist of three
sets of singles games (5 games for each set) and one set of doubles games (3
games for the set).
· One player may play twice in
each of the singles sets. The same player may not play twice in more than one
singles set. Two players may play twice in the doubles set.
· A minimum of 4 players is
necessary for a match with no penalty.
· A team may play with only
three players but the last game of each singles set and the last game of the
doubles set will be forfeited resulting in a five-point penalty.
· No team may play with less
than three players (Automatic forfeit).
· The starting time of the match
is 8:00PM. The match may be started with whatever players are available at that
time.
· The home team will allow the
visiting team to practice on the table between 7:45
& 8:00 PM if time allows (and the visiting team is there by 7:45.
(Practice games are not free).
· At least two players from
each team must be ready to start playing at 8:00PM. Grace period extends to
8:15PM.
These two
players may play the first three singles games and the first doubles game while
waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. Please
begin the match as soon as possible with the players available so that everyone
may get home at a decent hour. As more players show up, they may be placed on
the scoresheet to play a game.
· If a team has only 3 players
by 8:45PM, the last game of the first singles set will be forfeited.
· If a team has only 2 players by
8:45PM, the entire match will be forfeited.
Note: Any time a rostered player
shows up for a match, he/she may play any remaining games in the match, but may
not make up any previously forfeited games. Once the names are posted on the
scoresheet for a particular set of games, the captain of either team may make
changes to it as long as he/she makes the other team aware of those changes and
affords them the opportunity to change their own lineup accordingly. Any
changes made after the initial lineup will be open to view as they are made.
Any games forfeited during a match will not reflect on either team's individual
standings.
· Each Singles game is worth
one point. Each Doubles game is worth 2 points. The entire match consists of 21
points.
· In the event of a dispute
over the rules, the game will continue and the dispute noted in the comments
section of the sign-in sheet. It will be brought before the protest/rules
committee who will make a final decision as to the outcome of the game.
· Poor sportsmanship and
unethical conduct may be grounds for forfeiture of a game/match or expulsion
from the league.
· Fighting will result in expulsion from the
league for all teams involved; it is up to the team captain to maintain control
of their players.
· The sponsors, teams and players
in the league are participating at their own risk. The Long Island Pool League,
its executives and assigns will not be held liable for any injuries, damages or
misconduct resulting from playing in the league.
· The protest/rules committee
will make a binding decision on any protests, disputes or anything not
specifically addressed in these rules.
· Under the discretion of the home
bar, each “team” my be asked to ‘chip-in’ $12.00 on the night of the match to
offset the cost of the games. The bar is responsible to ‘chip-in’ whatever
difference between the money collected and the actual cost of the 18 games is.
· The table surface should be
level, cloth should be in good condition and the table should be adequately
lit.
· “Short Sticks” must be
available if necessary.
· League rules, seasonal
schedule and weekly standings must be posted or made available in each bar during
any match.
· The Cue Ball on the table at
7:45PM will be the cue ball used for the entire match. During a match either team will not be
allowed to change the cue ball at anytime unless the
cue ball is not in good condition. Both
teams must agree upon the change.
Note: There are many factors that can affect the
environmental conditions of a match. There are some tables are 6 foot as well
as some that are 7 foot. There are red tables, blue tables, green tables, etc.
There is sometimes limited clearance, loud music and a host of other
distractions. It is the leagues position that every team that plays on a
particular table in a particular bar are subject to the same environmental
handicaps or distractions.
·
The score sheets must be filled in legibly and signed by both captains.
Please note that if you have 3 guys named Mike or Joe on your team, be sure to
differentiate them on the scoresheet. Also, we have no idea who “Bubba” or “Doogie” might be unless you note it on the sign-in sheet.
·
It is the responsibility of the Home team to supply
a blank scoresheet st the beginning of each match
·
Both teams are
responsible for texting a picture of the completed scoresheet at the conclusion
of the match to (631) 944-2792. Both
teams are responsible for saving a digital copy (pic) of the scoresheets until
the end of the season.
·
Individual standings will be mailed out beginning with the 5th
or earlier week of the season. The individual
standings may not reflect the current week’s match due to the delay in
receiving score sheets. There will be awards for the top players in the league.
If any scoresheet is missing for any week of the
season, both of the teams that played the match will not be invluded
in the individual standing and forfeit any awards that they might have
received.
Note: In this day and age at least
one person on your team certainly has a smartphone. It takes literally 10
seconds to take a pic of the scoresheet and text it to me. If you want to
insure that the individual stats for your team are counted, spend the 10
seconds, take a pic and send it (win or lose, both teams need to do it). If I'm
missing even one sheet, your individual stats will not be counted.
· You must be at least 21 years old
to participate in the league.
· Rosters must be submitted
with the registration form at the beginning of each season. All player names must be printed legibly.
· Whenever a new player signs the
roster form, he/she will be automatically added to the roster of that team
provided all of the following conditions have been met:
ü He/she has not played with any other team in
the league.
ü It is not the 8th
or later week of a 14 week season.
ü There are less than 10 players
already on the roster. A player may be dropped from the roster at the same time
that one is added.
· It is the teams'
responsibility to keep track of the number of players on their own roster. When
a player signs the roster form he/she is automatically added to that team’s
roster. No team is allowed to have more than 10 active players on the roster at
any time. If you add an 11th player without deleting one from the
roster, the games that player plays will be forfeited.
· Remove a player from your
roster simply by writing a note stating which player or players are being
removed on the comments section located on the back of the scoresheet. This may
be done at the same time a player is added to the roster.
· All players must print
legibly and sign their name on the back of the white scoresheet each week
they play. If a player does not sign the back of the scoresheet he/she runs the
risk of losing all points for any games that he/she played (including doubles).
· Once a player plays a game for a
particular team, he/she may not play on any other team in this league without
express permission of the league.
· If there is a dispute as to a
player’s eligibility on a team, make a note of it on the "comments"
section of the scoresheet. The disputed player’s signature will be checked
against the league records. If it is determined that a player was ineligible to
play, any games that he/she played on the night in question will result in a
forfeited. If there is a question as to whether the player that signed the
roster is the same player that is playing in the match, ask for ID. Any player
that refuses to show ID when asked will be regarded as an ineligible player and
will forfeit all games played that night.
If the ineligible player(s) on the team brings the team’s total below
three players in the match, the disputing team has the option to either take
the points as stands at the end of the match or take the forfeit.
· In the event of a forfeit,
the team that forfeits will receive no points for the match. Their opponents
will receive their average for the season rounded off to the nearest whole
number, or the difference between 21 points and the average of the games played
by the team that they were supposed to play rounded off to the nearest whole
number, or 11 points, whichever is higher. This average will be calculated on a
weekly basis as the season progresses but will never be less than 11 points.
· In the event of a forfeit
that is not made up, the team that forfeited will play their next match at the
opponents bar (pending availability of an open table on the night of the
match).
· Any team that forfeits twice
without notifying the league or their opponents will be dropped from further
league play.
· Any team that forfeits three
times, regardless of the reasons, will be dropped from further league play.
· Any rescheduled match MUST
be coordinated through the league. We will verify the date and time of the
rescheduled match with both team captains.
Note: Any team that forfeits twice during the season or forfeits their
last "away" match will also forfeit any trophies or awards that the
team or the players on the team may have been entitled to. They will also
forfeit their right to participate in the playoffs. In addition
to the above, their team or sponsor will have to pay a $25 forfeit fee before
being allowed to participate in any subsequent seasons.
The following are the guidelines to be
followed if it becomes necessary to postpone a match during the season. In all cases, it is the league that must be notified first
of the postponement. No make-up matches can be played or
rescheduled after the last week of the regular season regardless of the rules
below. The rules below apply for the first time that a team finds it necessary
to postpone a match. Any subsequent postponements, regardless of the prior
notice given, will be treated in accordance with the rules governing "Less
than 24 Hour Notice". The team that is accepting the postponement must
supply the make-up dates on the night of the originally scheduled match. If
both teams can agree on a date that falls outside the prescribed windows below,
they may do so.
Less
than 24 Hour Notice:
The opposing team has
the option of supplying one date between the first Sunday immediately following
the postponed match and the 3rd Sunday following the postponed match
to make-up the match or accepts a forfeit. If they opt to accept a forfeit, they
will be awarded the forfeit points as outlined above and the team requesting
the postponement will get zero points.
At
least 24 Hour Notice with no prior postponements:
The league will do it’s
best to coordinate a date to make up the postponed match. In the event that a
convenient date for both teams can’t be scheduled, the league may, at it’s option, declare a double
forfeit and award each team 10 points for the postponed match.
On rare occasions, arguments can occur during a match that can not be settled amicably. It is not leagues position to force a team to continue a match when the end result may erupt in a fight between the teams or any of the players on the teams. If a team feels that their safety is in jeopardy, they may opt to leave the match at any time. The league will, at its option, declare the match a double forfeit (in which case both teams receive 10 points), or pro-rate the match based on the games that were played (if a scoresheet is submitted to the league). If the league determines that any team uses this rule to their own advantage, their games will be forfeited and the team will be dropped from further league play. If a player starts a fight, he/she will be banned from the league indefinitely and his/her team runs the risk of the entire team being banned.
Inclement Weather
In the event that a "Winter Storm
Warning" is in effect as of 6:00PM on the night of a scheduled match all requests
for postponements will be honored provided that the team captain (or a
representative) calls the league to request the postponement. The league phone
will be manned from 6:00PM until 11:00PM during "Winter Storm
Warnings" to answer calls and will do it's best to reschedule all matches
to another evening. If the match can not be made-up
on a mutually agreeable date, the league will, at its option, declare the match
a double forfeit (in which case both teams receive 11 points). In the event
that the league postpones all matches for a particular evening, that entire
week will be skipped on the schedule and made up at the end of the regular
season.
· The balls are racked at the
foot spot with the 8-Ball in the center, a stripe in one rear corner and a
solid in the other rear corner.
· Home team racks the first
game. Visiting team racks the second game. The rack for each game alternates
till the end of the match.
· A player must either pocket a
ball other than the cue ball or drive two or more balls to the rails for a
legal break. Penalty: The opposing player
has the option to play the table as it stands or have the balls re-racked and
break the rack.
· If on the break, a player
pockets the 8-Ball without committing a foul, he/she wins the game.
· If on the break, a player
pockets the 8-Ball and fouls, he/she loses the game.
· Choice of group is not
established on the break, regardless of which group or how many of which group
of balls are pocketed. A player who pockets any ball on the break (other
than the cue or 8-Ball) may continue to shoot.
· Choice of group is
established only when a player legally pockets a called ball after the break.
· Ball and pocket must be
called on all shots after the break, whether or not choice has been
established.
· You must strike one of your own
type balls first for a legal combination shot.
· Before choice is established, a
player may use any combination, including the 8-Ball as long as the
8-Ball is not the first ball struck (by the cue ball) in the combination.
· The 8-Ball may be used in any
combination shot as long as you strike one of your own group of balls first.
· No coaching is allowed during the execution of the shot and
under no circumstances may any person other than the player himself or his
partner in a doubles game be within 3 feet of the perimeter of the table during the execution of a shot.
· Double-Kisses are legal
shots as long as the object ball drops in the pocket that was called.
· Coaching is limited to one teammate being
able to approach the table but that teammate is not allowed to touch the table
or extend any object or part of his/her body over the table. There can be only
one incident of coaching per shot and a maximum of three incidents per game and
each limited to less that 1 minute per incident.
For the first round of playoffs, coaching is limited to two incidents per game.
For the second round of playoffs, only one incident per game is allowed. After
the second round of the playoffs there is no coaching allowed.
Violation will result in loss of turn.
Note: The player may step away from the table to ask for help at any time as
long as no other teammates approach the table or
call out to the player (else it will be counted as a coaching
incident)
This rule was implemented with
the expressed intent of preventing a player from winning a match by making it
impossible for his/her opponent to hit the 8-Ball. Simply stated, the rules
below specify that you will lose the game if you do not hit the 8-Ball first
with the exception that if your opponent does not leave you a "clear
shot" at the 8-Ball and you do not hit it, you do not lose the game but
your opponent gets Ball-in-Hand. If you leave yourself "blind" and
don’t hit the 8-Ball, you lose the game. If your opponent leaves you a clear
shot at the 8-Ball and you opt for something more creative and miss it, you
lose the game.
· After legally pocketing his entire
group of balls, a player must then pocket the 8-Ball in the pocket of his
choice.
· The 8-Ball must be hit first
but does not have to go into the called pocket cleanly. (After
being struck by the cue ball the 8-Ball may strike any combination of rails or
opponents balls before dropping into the called pocket.)
· If a player pockets the 8-Ball
before pocketing all of his/her group of balls or if he/she pockets the 8-Ball
in a pocket other than the one that was called, he/she loses the game.
· If, during your turn at
shooting, you sink the last of your group of balls, you must hit the 8-Ball
first. Penalty: Loss of Game
· If, on beginning your turn
to shoot, the 8-Ball is all that is left for you to shoot at and you have a
"clear shot", you must hit the 8-Ball first. Penalty: Loss of Game.
· If, on beginning your turn
to shoot, the 8-Ball is all that is left for you to shoot at and you do not
have a "clear shot", you must hit the 8-Ball first. Penalty:
Ball-in-Hand (cue ball anywhere on the table) for your opponent.
Clear Shot
Definition: A player will be considered to have a "clear shot" when
it is physically possible for the player to strike the center of the 8-ball
with the cue ball without having to use any rails or use any "english" on the cue ball.
Note: A
player is considered to have a "clear shot" unless he/she notifies
his/her opponent before attempting to execute the shot. If there is any dispute
as to whether or not a "clear shot" as defined above is available to
a player, the dispute must be resolved before the shot is attempted.
· If the opponent has only the
8-Ball left to shoot at a legal shot must be made (any shot that does not
constitute a foul): Penalty - Ball-behind-Headstring
for the opponent.
· If you commit a foul and as a
result of that foul your opponent is left with only the 8-Ball left to shoot
at, your opponent will be awarded Ball-in-Hand.
· When shooting the 8-Ball, a player
need only touch the 8-Ball with the cue ball to constitute a legal shot (unless
the player does not have a ‘clear shot’ as described above). Neither
the cue ball or the 8-Ball has to be driven to a rail.
· If a player commits a foul as
listed below (with the above exceptions): Penalty – Loss of game
· If a player pockets the cue
ball or knocks the cue ball off the table it is a foul. The cue ball will be
placed anywhere behind the headstring.
· If a player shoots while a
ball is spinning or in motion, it is a foul.
· If a player knocks any ball
other than the cue ball off the table it is a foul.
(Opponent has
the option of spotting the ball at the foot spot or having the ball removed
from play.)
· If the cue tip remains in
contact with the cue ball after it strikes an object ball or strikes the cue
ball more than once it is a foul.
(Opponent has
the option of leaving the cue ball where it is or placing it anywhere behind
the headstring.)
· If the cue stick makes contact
with the cue ball after the cue ball has hit any ball or a rail, it is
considered a foul
(Opponent awarded
“Ball-in-Hand”)
· If the player does not hit
one of his group of balls before any other ball, it is a foul.
· If, after the initial
contact between the cue ball and the object ball, a ball is not pocketed or a
ball, including the cue ball is not driven to a rail, it is a foul. If the
object ball is frozen to a rail it or the
cue ball must be driven to a different rail unless the cue ball strikes a
different rail before contacting the object ball.
Note: If there is a question as
to whether or not a ball is ‘frozen to” a rail, it must be determined before
the shot is executed. If nothing was said prior to the execution of the shot,
the ball is considered as NOT having been frozen. If there is a dispute
as to whether a ball is frozen to the rail or not, it is up to the
"shooter" to prove that it isn't frozen. He/she may do so by sliding
a dollar bill in between the ball in question and the rail. Please take note
though that if the ball moves/rocks at all, it will be placed back against the
rail, the ball will be considered frozen and that player that moved it has now
committed a foul and loses his/her turn (unless his opponent chooses to have
him/her shoot again). If the shooter refuses to do the dollar bill test, the
ball is considered frozen.
(Opponent
has the option of leaving the displaced ball where it lies or move it back to
its original position.)
Note: On any penalty where the opponent is awarded Ball-behind-Headstring or Ball-in-Hand, he/she has the option of
leaving the cue ball where it lies.
· During any singles or doubles game each player/team has the option
to invoke the “Consecutive Foul” rule on his/her opponent only one time per game.
· In order to invoke the rule
the player must notify his/her opponent that the foul that was just committed AND is being counted towards the “Consecutive
Foul” rule. If the player that committed the foul is not notified that it is
being counted, any foul (consecutive or otherwise) that the player commits
after that can only be counted as the first foul.
· The player that committed the
foul can be made to shoot again.
· Any of a players teammates
can alert the player that a foul was committed but only the player (or his
partner in doubles) can invoke the “Consecutive Foul” rule by notifying his/her
opponent that they are doing so.
· The following penalties apply only to consecutive fouls being counted
unless specifically stated otherwise in this rules supplement:
ü ü 1st foul - loss of turn.
ü ü 2nd consecutive foul - opponent
gets Ball-behind-Headstring.
ü ü 3rd consecutive foul - opponent
gets Ball-in-Hand.
ü ü 4th consecutive foul - loss of
game.
· After a scratch shot an object
ball must be completely in front of the headstring to
be eligible for a legal shot. (No part of the ball may touch the Headstring line.)
· After a scratch shot the cue ball
may be placed anywhere behind the headstring such
that the base of the cue ball (the point where the cue ball touches the table)
is behind the headstring.
· If, after a scratch, none of
the players’ group of balls is eligible for a legal shot, the player has the
option of executing a bank shot or having one of his group of balls spotted. If
there is more than one ineligible ball, the only one that may be spotted is the
one that is closest to the cushion behind the footstring.
· Whenever an object ball is
to be spotted, it will be spotted on the long string as close to the foot spot
as possible and shall be frozen to any interfering ball.
·
If a “called” ball (including the Eight Ball) falls
into a “called” pocket prior to the “execution” of a shot by the players
opponent, the original “called” shot counts and that player will continue his
turn of play.
· If any ball (other than a “called” ball) falls into a pocket at any
time without any obvious external stimuli by a player or team member, the ball
will remain in the pocket and there is no foul charged to either player.
·
If any ball falls into a pocket as a result of obvious
external stimuli by a player or team member, that player loses his/her turn and
is charged with a foul.
· Given the above, “Possession of
Table” is only important when the Eight Ball is hanging precariously close to a
pocket that was not “called”.
o If the Eight Ball falls into
a pocket that was not called, the player that has possession of the table at
that time, loses the game.
o A player takes possession of
the table when that player touches the table (or anything on the table) or
1minute elapses from the time that either team captain decides to actually
track the time.
o
The players
have the option through mutual agreement to reposition the eight ball so that
it will not accidentally fall into the pocket if they so desire. Once they
agree, if the eight ball drops before they have a chance to reposition it, a
replacement eight ball will be used to replace the one that dropped.
SPECIAL
RULES/NOTES
· Under the discretion of the bar,
each team may be asked to chip-in $12.00 to help pay the cost of the table for
the 18 match games. The bar is responsible for supplying enough quarters (or
open the table) so that the players can play the 18 match games. The bar is
responsible for making up the difference between the $24.00 collected and the
actual cost of the 18 match games. It is the responsibility of each team to
chip-in their $12.00 regardless of the actual cost of the table.
· The above rule regarding chipping-in for the table does not
apply to any playoff games after the end of the regular season. It is the
hosting bar’s responsibility to supply a free table for any playoff games.
· The registration fee that is
paid to the League entitles a team to an equal number of scheduled home and
away matches during the regular season. The registration fee does not
include playoff matches. Scheduling of playoff matches is solely at the
discretion of the league.
· While the League does its best to
minimize the number of forfeited or postponed matches, it can
not be held responsible for them.
· The Double Elimination
Tournament Finals will be held at a location of the League’s choice when time
and scheduling permits.
· The final match(es) of the playoffs will be held at a location of the
leagues choice.
o Note that for any of the
finals playoff matches that would normally be held at a neutral bar, if any of
those teams are based out of The Pool House, the league will schedule their
finals match(es) at somewhere other than The Pool
House.
o
All Sunday
matches will begin at 6:00 PM
· To be eligible to play in the
playoffs, a player must have played at least one game in each of 7 different
weeks in a 14 week season season (5 different weeks
in a 10 week season). Eligibility requirements will be adjusted accordingly for
forfeits.
·
Note:
the 7 game minimum rule does not apply to any player
who has been a member of a particular team for the last two seasons that they
participated in as long as they haven't played with any other team during that
timeframe.
· In order to be eligible for
any awards, a player must be on the roster and have played the minimum number
of singles games required for the season. (an average
of 1.75 singles games for each week of play, excluding forfeits and an average
of 1.75 games per week for the remainder of the season if the player has
reached the minimum number of games before the end of the season)
· To be eligible for an award
if your team finishes in first place, you must have played at least 25 regular
season singles games and must play an average of 1.5 singles per playoff match
(for a 14 week season).
· If a player is eligible for
an individual award, the scoresheets for all matches that his/her team played during
the regular season must be submitted to the league or the player may forfeit
his/her eligibility for the award. Each team is responsible for retaining a
copy of the scoresheet for each of the matches played during the regular
season.
· When it becomes necessary to
postpone a match, the team postponing the match must notify the league as soon
as possible. In the event that a postponed match is not made-up, the League
Rules/Protest Committee will decide how the points for the match between the two
teams will be allocated. Depending on the circumstances of the postponement and
the effort by the two teams to make-up the match, the Committee may at its
option award the team that requested the postponement, the remainder of the
normal match points after awarding the team that suffered the postponement the
greater of their seasonal average or 11 points.
· One player may play twice in
only one of the singles sets. No player may play twice in more than one singles
set. Two players may play twice in the doubles set. If a team places a player
on the scoresheet who shouldn’t be able to play in a particular set, it is the
responsibility of the opposing team to alert them and have that player replaced
with a player who is eligible to play in that set. If nothing is said and the player starts the
game, the game will count towards the team points but will not be included in
the individual standings for the ineligible player.
· Playing out of turn – If a player
other than the player listed on the scoresheet begins playing a game, either
team may stop the match as soon as the error is discovered and restart the game
with the correct players except that if the error is not discovered until after
both players have completed a turn at the table, the game will be played to
conclusion and the scoresheet corrected to show the names of the players that
did play. Once the game is finished, the outcome of the game stands and may not
be replayed.
· Doubles rotation –
The order in which the players names are placed on
the scoresheet for a doubles game are the order in which the players must
shoot, but that order may be switched (once) at either teams discretion before
the rack is broken.
· Owners/Bartenders/League
Operators as players – An owner, bartender or league operator who is confined
to their home bar may play on up to two teams from that bar with prior
consent from the league. He/she may only play the home games during the
regular season. At the end of the regular season, that player must choose which
of the two teams they will be playing on during the playoffs and may not play
on the other (unchosen) team.
· Breaking apart your cue stick before
the end of a game is considered unsportsmanlike conduct. If you break apart
your cue before the end of a game, the game is conceded to your opponent and
your opponent does not have to continue shooting. The only exception to
this rule is when a player breaks apart his/her cue during his/her own turn at
play to use the shortened cue because of an obstacle or obstruction that makes
it difficult to use a full length cue.
· During playoffs and for the first
week of the season, all start times (and grace periods) are extended by 15
minutes.
· The league reserves the right
to modify any and all rules at any time during the season.
A lot has changed since this league first started more than
20 years ago. I do remember people complaining that they didn't have a quarter
to call in their scores from the pay phone in the bar. There is a website where
the scores, stats and info are posted weekly. There is also a Facebook page
(Long Island Pool League) where you can post about your matches, discuss rules,
whatever. We will do our very best to keep you updated on what's going on with
the league and I implore all of you to use Facebook to post questions,
comments, criticisms (or just plain anything that's going on in relation to the
league).
If
you have a problem during the match, please call
Laura at (516) 213-4482, (631) 921-5582 or Kim at (516)
233-5563
The web-site for the league is thepoolleague.com
and E-Mail: nassaubarpool@aol.com