Where these rules refer to a "referee," it should be noted that the referees'
perrogatives and discretion also acrue to other tournament officials as appropriate.
REFEREE'S AUTHORITY
The referee will maintain order and enforce the rules of the game. He is the
final judge in all matters of fact. The referee is in complete charge of the
match he is officiating. He may, at his discretion, consult other tournament
officials for rule interpretations, ball positions, etc. However, all matters
of judgement are his and his alone; they cannot be appealed to higher tournament
authority by players; only if the referee is in error on a rule or its application,
may higher tournament authority overrule him.
REFEREE'S RESPONSIVENESS
The referee shall be totally responsive to players' inquiries regarding objective
data, such as whether a ball will be in the rack, if a ball is in the kitchen,
what the count is, how many points are needed for a victory, if a player is playing
from a safety, if a player or his opponent is on a foul, what rule would apply
if a certain shot is made, etc. When asked for a clarification of a rule, the referee
will explain the applicable rule to the best of his ability, but any misstatement by
the referee will not protect a player from enforcement of the actual rules. The
referee must not offer or provide any subjective opinion that would affect play,
such as whether a good hit can be made on a prospective shot, whether a combination
is makeable, how the table seems to be playing, etc.
FINAL TOURNAMENT AUTHORITY
Though these rules attempt to cover the vast majority of situations that arise in
competition, there still may be an occasional need for interpretation of the rules
and their proper application under unusual circumstances. The Tournament Director
or other official who assumes final responsibility for a tournament will make
any such required decision (other than referee's judgement calls) at his discretion,
and they shall be final.
WAGERING BY REFEREES
Referees are strictly prohibited from any wagering of any kind involving the games,
players or tournament in any way. Any such wagering by a referee (or othertournament official)
shall result in his immediate dismissal and the forfeitureof his entire financial
compensation for the tournament.
BEFORE THE MATCH
Before the match, the referee will clean or have the table and balls cleaned if
necessary. He will ensure that chalk, powder and mechanical bridges are available.
He will mark or have the spots, the head string, the long string and the outer
edge of the triangle marked with a pencil when required.
RACKING
The referee will rack the balls as tightly as possible, which means each ball should
be touching its neighbors. Refrain from tapping balls mare than necessary; it is
preferable to thoroughly brush the area of the rack to even out the cloth. When a
referee is racking the balls for a game, neither player is allowed to examine the
rack close up at anytime during or after the process.
CALLING SHOTS
For games of call-shot a player may shoot any ball he chooses, but before he shoots,
must designate the called ball and called pocket. He need not indicate any detail
such as kisses, caroms, combinations, or cushions (all of which are legal).
Any additionally pocketed ball(s) on a legal stroke is counted in the shooter's favor.
If a referee incorrectly calls a shot, a player should correct him before completing
the shot. If a mis-call does occur for any reason, the shot shall be credited if,
in the referee's judgement, the player did legally execute the shot as intended.
CALLING FOULS
The referee will call fouls as soon as they occur and will inform the incoming player
that he has ball in hand in games where the rule applies.
SPLIT HITS
When the referee observes that the cue ball strikes a legal object ball and a non-legal
object ball at approximately the same instant, and it cannot be determined which ball was
hit first, the judgement will go in favor of the shooter.
CLEARING POCKETS
On tables which do not have ball return systems, the referee will remove pocketed
balls from full or nearly full pockets. It is the player's responsibility to see that
this duty is performed; he has no recourse if a ball rebounds from a full pocket.
CLEANING BALLS
During a game a player may ask the referee to clean one or more balls. The referee
will clean any visibly soiled ball.
SPOTTING BALLS
To avoid any unnecessary guidance to a player when spotting balls, the referee
should position each ball so that the number is facing upward.
SOLICITING INFORMATION
If the referee does not have a clear view of a possible foul, he may form his decision
by any means by which he feels comfortable.
INAPPROPRIATE USE OF EQUIPMENT
The referee should be alert for a player using equipment or accessory items for purposes
or in a manner other than those for which the items were intended. Tournament officials
should prevent these actions from occuring. Generally, no penalty is applied, because the
referee or other tournament official intercedes prior to that point. However,
should a player persist in activity counter to this (or any other) general rule after
having been advised that the activity is not permissable, tournament officials
may take action against him as appropriate under the provisions of "Unsportsmanlike
Conduct." (Also see Rules 1.3 and 1.4.)
WARNINGS WHICH ARE MANDATORY
The referee must warn a player who is about to commit a serious foul (such as three
consecutive fouls, requesting coaching assistance, or failure to stop shooting
after a foul has been called) wheneverthe referee has been given enough time to do
so; otherwise, any foul is considered to be a standard foul (except as specially noted).
In games where the rule applies the referee must inform a player who has had two
consecutive fouls; otherwise, the player is considered to have had only one foul prior to the shot.
The referee must inform a player when an object ball is touching a rail; otherwise,
any contact on that ball is considered to have driven it to that rail. The referee should
notify the player as soon as the corresponding situation arises and whenever enough
time to warn was given by the shooter. A caution given just as a shot starts is not
considered sufficient; the player as well must be given enough time to react.
RESTORING A POSITION
When it becomes necessary, the referee will
restore disturbed balls to their original positions to the best of his ability. The referee
may ask for information for this purpose if he is not sure of the original positions.
OUTSIDE INTERFERENCE
When outside interference occurs during
a shot that has an effect on the outcome of that shot, the referee will restore the
balls to the positions they had before the shot,k and the shot will be replayed. If
the interference had no effect on the shot, the referee will restore the disturbed
balls and play will continue. If athe balls cannot be restored to their original
positions, the game should be replayed with the original player breaking.
ILLEGALLY CAUSING BALL TO MOVE
Any player who, in the referee's judgement, intentionally causes a ball to move by any illegal means
(pushing on bed cloth, bumping or slapping table, etc.) will lose the game and/or
match by forfeit. No preliminary warning from the referee is required.
(Referee's judgement and discretion under "Unsportsmanlike Conduct.")
JUDGING DOUBLE HITS
When the distance between the cue ball and
the object ball is less than the width of a chalk cube, special attention from the
referee is required. In such a situation, unless the referee can positively
determine a legal shot has been performed, the following guidance may apply:
if the cue ball follows through the object ball more
than 1/2 ball, it is a foul.
OUT OF HEAD STRING WARNING
When player has the cue ball in hand behind the head string, the referee
shall warn him fefore he shoots if he has
not placed it within the head string. If the player shoots on or outside the string
after having been warned of the legalplacement, the stroke is a foul. See specific
game rules for penalty. (Also see Rule 3.9.)
REMAINING IN PLAYER'S CHAIR
Players are to remain in the chair designated for their use while opponent is at the table.
Should a player need to leave the playing area during matches, he must request and receive permission
from the referee. The referee shall apply his good judgement to ensure that undue time is not being used
or that a player is not abusing the privilege as a means of
unsettling an opponent.
OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE PROHIBITED
Unless specifically permitted by the rules of a given tournament, players may not
knowingly accept any form of playing advice during a match. A player may not engage in
communication, either verbal or nonverbal, with persons other than the tournament
officials or his opponent during play.
Should a player desire to so communicate, for example to obtain a beverage,
get a piece of equipment, or other permissable reason, he should either
communicate through a tournament official or with the approval and observance of
the referee.
If the referee has reason to believe that a player knowingly solicited or
accepted outside assistance in any manner regarding the play of a match,
he shall take steps appropriate under the provisions of "Unsportsmanlike Conduct."
NON-PLAYER INTERFERENCE OR HARASSMENT
If a non-player either verbally or visually interferes with the players, the
referee may request that he leave the playing area.
A player may request a rule interpretation or protest a
failure to call a foul to the referee or appropriate tournament authority; but the
request or protest must be made immediately, prior to any subsequent shot being
taken, or it cannot be considered or honored. If the player fails to do so, and the
foul goes unpenalized, the foul is considered notto have occured. The referee
is the final judge on matters of fact. If either player thinks that the referee is
applying the rules incorrectly, and the dispute cannot beresolved by reference
to the rules, the referee must take the protest to the tournament director or his
appointed substitute. The tournament director's decision on interpretation of the
rules is final. A player may also protest if he thinks that the referee has called a
foul incorrectly. In any case play is suspended until the protest is resolved.
All players must honor an opponent's request that play be halted if an official is
to be summoned or if a referee is to check or verify a rule question with other
officials. Failure to honor such requests may result in disqualification or
forfeiture under the provisions of "Unsportsmanlike Conduct."
SUSPENDING PLAY
The referee has the authority to suspend play during protests
by players and whenever he feels that conditions are unsuitable for play to continue.
If a spectator is interfering with the game, play may be suspended
until that spectator is removed from the area. (Also see Rule 1.12.)
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
The referee has the right and obligation to ensure that no player engages in any
activity which, in his judgement, is unsportsmanlike in nature, embarrassing,
disruptive or detrimental to other players, tournament officials or hosts, or the sport
in general. The referee or other officials shall have the right to penalize or disqualify,
with or without warning, any player who conducts himself in an unsportsmanlike manner.
