BCA Bylaws
MIRAGE SPORTS BAR TUESDAY NIGHT CASH POOL LEAGUE BY-LAWS
REVISED MARCH 12, 2019
In the case where a By-Law may contradict a BCA National League Rule, BCA Rules will supersede these By-Laws unless otherwise noted.
SCORING THE MATCH:
17 Point Handicap System
The winner of each game earns 10 points plus one point for each ball his or her opponent has left on the table. The loser of each game earns one point for each ball he or she pockets (i.e. solids or stripes) for a maximum of seven points. The combined score from both players always adds up to 17.
Handicap Conversions:
If a player is new to the Mirage Tuesday Night Cash League (MTNCL), and has not played another pool league in the last 24 months, they will start with the following handicaps:
Men: 8
Ladies: 6
If a player has played in one of the following regulated pool leagues in the last 24 months, use the appropriate conversion chart below.
APA
SL 2 = MTNCL 4
SL 3 = MTNCL 5
SL 4 = MTNCL 7
SL 5 = MTNCL 8
SL 6 = MTNCL 9
SL 7 = MTNCL 10
BCA 10 or 15-Point HC System
No change. Players will start with the same Handicap Rating.
1. Legal Break – The cue ball is placed behind the headstring and the breaker must drive at least four (4) balls into a rail or pocket a ball. A player has two tries to execute a legal break. If he/she fails to execute a legal break after two tries the break is turned over to the opponent. If a player scratches on the break and did not drive at least four (4) balls into a rail and did not pocket a ball, the break is turned over to the opponent.
Just as a player may not win a rack on the break, a player may not lose the rack on the break, regardless of which balls may be pocketed or scratch.
2. Legal Shot – On all shots a player must hit his/her group of balls and cause any ball to contact a rail.
3. Calling Shots – Players will call the ball and the pocket for each pocketed ball. Kisses, caroms, numbers of cushions need not be called. It is always the opponent’s right to ask which ball and pocket is being called if he is unsure.
4. Time Limit For Shots – A player must execute his next shot within one minute after the cue ball has stopped from the previous shot. If opposing player calls out “One Minute” the player must take a shot within 15 seconds or a ball in hand foul will be called.
5. Open Table – The table is “Always Open” after the break (regardless what group of balls are made). Players may strike a solid ball into a striped ball (or the reverse) on an open table to establish a players’ group of balls. If a striped ball and a solid ball are pocketed on an open table, the ball that was called will be that player’s group of balls for that game.
6. Safety Shot – A safety shot is a tactical shot wherein the player may choose to pocket one of his balls or make any legal shot and then immediately forfeit his/her turn. Players must call a safety shot in advance. If a player pockets a ball and has not declared in advance his intention to play a safety, he will be required to shoot again. There shall be no limit to the number of safety shots played in a game.
7. Fouls – A foul occurs when a player strikes the eight ball first out of turn. A foul occurs when a player does not execute a “legal” shot. A foul occurs when the cue ball is pocketed. A foul occurs if, when placing the cue ball on the table, it touches any other ball or the player touches any other ball with his hand while placing the ball. A foul occurs when any ball leaves the playing surface, meaning it ends up on the floor, (all fouls result in “ball in hand” except a scratch on the break).
PUSH SHOT FOULS – It is a foul if the cue ball is pushed by the cue tip, with contact being maintained for more than the momentary time commensurate with a
stroked shot. IF THE CUE BALL IS FROZEN TO THE OBJECT BALL OR THEY ARE WITHIN A CHALK APART, IT IS MANDATORY THAT THE CUE IS ELEVATED TO A 45º ANGLE OR IS SHOT AWAY FROM THE FROZEN BALL. IF THE SHOOTER DOES A LEGAL 45º ANGLE SHOT, NO FOUL CAN BE CALLED FOR A DOUBLE HIT.
8. Time Outs – A player is permitted to receive advice from any other team player (a coach). The time out shall be no more than one minute. The coach is the only player to approach the table and is not permitted to leave the table to receive advice from another player on the team. The opposing team captain has the right to give a warning that the one minute time limit has been exceeded. The constant abuse of exceeding time limits should be brought to the attention of league officials. A coach is permitted to place the cue ball on the table for a player. Should the coach commit a foul while placing the cue ball, a ball in hand foul will be assessed. Time out limits per match: one time out per rack is allowed. Once the coach leaves the play area of the time out, the time out is over and a player must take a shot.
The Player is the only one allowed to call for a Time Out. Team Mates and Coaches are NOT permitted to call for a time out to instruct a Player that he/she is about to commit a Foul. If a Team Mate or Coach calls for a Time Out, The Player Shooting IS NOT able to call a Time Out on that shot, AND THE TIME OUT ALLOWED FOR THAT RACK WILL BE FORFEITED. If a Team Mate or Coach calls for a Time Out again in the rack, it will be a ball in hand foul.
Track timeouts by filling in the circle on your score sheet to avoid discrepancies regarding time outs.
9. Accidental Pocketing of Balls – When a ball is accidentally pocketed by the player’s stick, body, clothing, etc. while the player is at the table (other than the cue ball or eight ball), it will be brought back onto the playing surface to its original placement and player will be permitted to continue to shoot. If the cue ball is accidentally pocketed, it is a foul and will result in ball in hand for the opponent. If the eight ball is accidentally pocketed, it will result in loss of game.
10. Loss of Game – A player loses the game if any of the following occur:
1. The eight ball is pocketed out of turn.
2. The cue ball is pocketed while shooting the eight ball if the eight ball is also pocketed.
3. The eight ball is pocketed in a pocket other than the one designated, or the eight ball jumps off of the table.
11. Make Up Matches—Make up matches must be played within 7 days of the missed match. A team may not have more than 1 make-up match played for any week without prior consent from the league operator and the opposing team captain. No make-up matches may be played in the last 4 weeks of the Season.
Make-up Matches will only be allowed with the agreement of both involved teams. If both teams do not agree, the match is to be played as scheduled with substitute players as needed. If a team cannot get enough substitute players to make a five person team, then they forfeit the missing player’s score.
Make-up matches are not to interfere with normal flow of play. Every reasonable effort must be made to avoid scheduled match delays.
12. Sportsmanship–Don’t let your competitive fire overshadow the level of sportsmanship you express to your opponent. Be sure to introduce yourself to your opponent and shake their hand. If your opponent makes a great shot, don’t be shy about telling them so. More importantly, if your opponent makes a bad shot or a mistake during the match, don’t openly celebrate their misfortune. Do not be disruptive while a match is being played near you. Win or lose, thank your opponent after the match and be gracious.
13. Disturbed Balls–
OFFICIAL RULES OF CUESPORTS INTERNATIONAL
1-33 Disturbed Balls (AR p. 91)
1. During a game, it is not a foul if you accidentally touch or move a single stationary object ball with any part of your body, clothing or equipment, unless the disturbed ball has an effect on the outcome of the shot.
2. “Effect on the outcome of the shot” means that either the disturbed ball contacts any ball set in motion as a result of the shot, or that the base of any ball set in motion as a result of the shot passes through the area originally occupied by the disturbed ball. That area is defined as a circle approximately seven inches in diameter centered on the position originally occupied by the disturbed ball (see Diagram 6).
3. If a disturbed ball has no effect on the outcome of the shot, your opponent has the option to leave the disturbed ball where it came to rest or to restore it to its original position before the next shot. If the disturbed ball is to be restored, a referee may restore it, your opponent may restore it, or you may restore it with your opponent’s permission. It is a foul if you touch or restore the disturbed ball without your opponent’s permission.
4. It is a foul if a disturbed ball has an effect on the outcome of the shot. Your opponent has no restoration option.
5. If you disturb a single object ball and, in the same shot, commit a foul that is not related to the disturbed ball: you are penalized for the foul, and your opponent has the restoration option for the disturbed ball that was not involved in the foul.
6. If a single disturbed ball falls into a pocket with no effect on the outcome of a shot, your opponent has the restoration option. However, if the disturbed ball is designated by specific game rules as the game winning ball, it must be restored. If the game-winning ball is disturbed and falls into a pocket when there is an effect on the outcome of the shot, it is loss of game.
7. It is a foul if:
a. you disturb the cue ball;
b. you disturb more than one object ball;
c. a disturbed ball contacts any other ball;
d. you disturb a ball that is in motion.
Your opponent has no restoration option. If the game-winning ball is disturbed in conjunction with a violation of (a) through (d) and falls into a pocket, it is loss of game.
14. Players Substitutions – Substitute Players are allowed to play for any team in the league. If a team captain does not want any of their players to sub for
another team, they need to make an internal agreement with their players to that effect.
In the event that no substitutes are available for a team, any available sanctioned player in the league may substitute for that team unless they are a member of the opposing team’s roster. No player may play on more than one team on any single league night. Substitute players must be present to play in a match and may not represent a forfeit.
A Substitute is established and legal as soon as they have 4 plays in the season and all dues have been paid. No unestablished substitute may play during the final three (3) weeks of the season.
15. Score Discrepancies – In the event that score sheets from opposing teams do not match, the points in question will be subtracted from both teams’ scores.
16. Forfeits – Forfeits will have a 9 handicap and will be scored twelve (12) match points for the winner and five (5) match points for the forfeit. The total team maximum skill points played will remain forty-eight (48) requiring the remaining team may not play more than thirty-nine (39) skill points. The forfeit must be paid for just like any other player position in the team’s line-up. A player automatically forfeits their match if they are not present and ready to play within 5 minutes of the match being posted. Teams may not change the natural order of play in order to avoid this rule.
16a. Team Forfeits – If an entire team forfeits the night either verbally or via a “no-show”, they will be ineligible to continue the season without a majority vote of team captains and explicit permission of the league official. Additionally, if less than 75% of the season has been played, all points for forfeiting team and their opponents will be removed, and the remaining schedule will treat the forfeiting team as a bye. If more than 75% of the season has been played, the remaining teams that have not yet played the forfeiting team will receive the average of the other teams’ points scored against the forfeiting team to date.
17. Unpaid Plays – Any player that does not pay the weekly $10 fee (or current season’s fee if different) on the night of play will effectively forfeit the match with match points awarded as defined in Rule #16. All player league fees are due by Week #2 of each season if the season occurs over the BCA league year. All new players to the league must pay league fees on their first night of play if after Week #2 of the season. Unpaid league fees will result in player’s points being removed from the system (including team totals).