Rules on ball leaving the table.

I hit down on the white and the object ball jumped on to the groove between the baize and the table wood, ran along and dropped into the opposite pocket. This was on Championship Ball (very small amateur championship). After much discussion it was disallowed. The object ball was either in the air or in contact with some baize at all times. Was it legal?

Opinion?

Andy

Perfectly legal. As long as the object ball came to rest in a pocket or on the bed of the table, it can jump up in the air and run along the top of the cushion.

Tim Dunkley wrote:Perfectly legal. As long as the object ball came to rest in a pocket or on the bed of the table, it can jump up in the air and run along the top of the cushion.

Can it pop to the bar, have a drink, and then come back and go down the pocket? Is that still a legal shot?

Good question. It raises an interesting point that referees do not always agree on. But that is often the case with theoretical situations.

The rule talks about the ball coming to rest on the bed of the table. So if the ball jumps up and hits the light and lands on the bed of the table, that's fine. By the same token, if the ball hits the wall of the club and bounces back to land on the table, it seems to still be legal if you take the rule literally.

But some referees argue that the light is part of the table but the wall of the club is not. Therefore, some say, popping to the bar and having a drink would not be legal.

My understanding, possibly wrong, was that as long as the ball doesn't hit the floor or the player than it's still in play.

So literally if it hits the ceiling and lands back on the table, that's a legal shot as long as people aren't deliberately guiding it.

What happens if it hits the opposing player?

McManusFan wrote:What happens if it hits the opposing player?

The whole world ends.

As long as it lands on the bed of the table, it can travel the world and it would still be a legal shot.

Andre147 wrote:As long as it lands on the bed of the table, it can travel the world and it would still be a legal shot.

Surely if it bounces back onto the table off the player it's a foul. I could imagine a player diving like a bodyguard trying to intercept the ball, so that it lands on the table!

McManusFan wrote:

Andre147 wrote:As long as it lands on the bed of the table, it can travel the world and it would still be a legal shot.

Surely if it bounces back onto the table off the player it's a foul. I could imagine a player diving like a bodyguard trying to intercept the ball, so that it lands on the table!

The player cant touch the cue ball with other than the tip of his cue, so that would obviously be a foul. I meant as if the cue ball flew around the place but still landed on the bed of the table.