After walking around the table a couple of times he gets down and just >moves the 4 ball a foot off the nine ball towards the 7.

If the opponent physically moved the 4 ball by hand, then that would> have been immediate loss of game; or possibly loss of match. This> according to Texas Express rule 7.0-4, "Flagrant fouls". The BCA rules> may be more lenient, resulting in only a warning for the first> violation.>

Pat Hall wrote:>

just>

me.>

On Fri, 29 Apr 2005 06:47:28 -0500, Pat Hall> <phall@notsospam.ce­rtcoinc.com> wrote:>

I don't understand what you're saying. If he didn't get a good hit on> the 4 it's a foul and BIH. If he did get a good hit on the 4 and> something hit a rail then its no foul and you continue playing. But I> know you know that - must be something else I'm missing...?>

David "The Hamster" Malone

Dave he didn't try for a hit. he ignored the cueball entirely and shot >the 4 ball leaving the cue ball where it was.

Dave he didn't try for a hit. he ignored the cueball entirely and shot >the 4 ball leaving the cue ball where it was.

3.21 FOULS BY TOUCHING BALLS>

It is a foul to strike, touch or in any way make contact with the> cue ball in play or any object balls in play with anything (the> body, clothing, chalk, mechanical bridge, cue shaft, etc.) except> the cue tip (while attached to the cue shaft), which may contact> the cue ball in the execution of a legal shot. Whenever a referee> is presiding over a match, any object ball moved during a> standard foul must be returned as closely as possible to its> original position as judged by the referee, and the incoming> player does not have the option of restoration.>

1.16.1 CUE BALL FOULS ONLY>

When a referee is presiding over a match, it is a foul for a> player to touch any ball (cue ball or object ball) with the cue,> clothing, body, mechanical bridge or chalk, before, during or> after a shot. However, when a referee is not presiding over a> game, it is not a foul to accidentally touch stationary balls> located between the cue ball and the shooter while in the act of> shooting. If such an accident occurs, the player should allow the> Tournament Director to restore the object balls to their correct> positions. If the player does not allow such a restoration, and a> ball set in motion as a normal part of the shot touches such an> unrestored ball, or passes partly into a region originally> occupied by a disturbed ball, the shot is a foul. In short, if> the accident has any effect on the outcome of the shot, it is a> foul. In any case, the Tournament Director must be called upon to> restore the positions of the disturbed balls as soon as possible,> but not during the shot. It is a foul to play another shot before> the Tournament Director has restored any accidentally moved> balls.>

At the non-shooting player's option, the disturbed balls will be> left in their new positions. In this case, the balls are> considered restored, and subsequent contact on them is not a> foul.>

It is still a foul to make any contact with the cue ball> whatsoever while it is in play, except for the normal tip-to-ball> contact during a shot.>

2.19 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.")>

2.28 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 acts in an unsportsmanlike manner.>

However, since the tournament "belongs" to the tournament> director, he may actually make any ruling he desires. The most> common decision in this situation, other than loss or foreiture,> is to replace the balls as nearly as possible into their previous> position and REPLAY THE SHOT (go figure), and if this is not> possible, this usually "defaults" to "re-rack and re-play." I> prefer loss or forfeiture.>

Mike Collier ---> not usually this hard on his opponents, but in> this case ...> Oak Harbor, WA>

3.21 FOULS BY TOUCHING BALLS>

It is a foul to strike, touch or in any way make contact with the> cue ball in play or any object balls in play

with anything (the> body, clothing, chalk, mechanical bridge, cue shaft, etc.) except> the cue tip (while attached to the cue shaft), which may contact> the cue ball in the execution of a legal shot. Whenever a referee> is presiding over a match, any object ball moved during a> standard foul must be returned as closely as possible to its> original position as judged by the referee, and the incoming> player does not have the option of restoration.

PatH>

gulfportdoc@yahoo.c­om wrote:>

Intentionally disturbing ANY ball(s) is unsportsmanlike conduct IMO!>

The term "in play" is not defined in the rules. I think (but I'm > not certain) that it means a ball that is on the table during the > execution of a shot (i.e. after the tip hits the cue ball and before > all of the balls have stopped rolling). In any case, whether my > interpretation is correct or not, "in play" should be defined in an > explicit way.

... but in 9-ball, if a player fouls by touching a ball, the> referee will call the foul, give cue ball in hand to the> opponent, and the opponent will play the table from the final> position of the balls.