The spirit of the GAME

The Game is known as Eight-Ball Pool. It is expected that players will always play the game in the true spirit and in a sporting manner. The Referee will take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the spirit and rules of the game are observed.

Coaching: - During a frame, a player is required to play without receiving any advice from other persons relating to the playing of the frame. Should a team member or bone-fide supporter of a player offer advice, the referee will issue a "First and Final Warning" to that person that a repetition will result in the player being penalised via a Standard Foul. Because it may not always be possible for the Referee to hear if a statement made to a player is advice, the referee may issue the First and Final Warning on the grounds that any statement made to a player, other than general barracking, is deemed to be coaching.

 Points that will be classified as “Breaching the Spirit of the Game” are:

Foul language

Derogatory remarks aimed at a member of the opposing team.

A Player throwing a cue around

Arguing with an opponent, spectator or Referee

Continuously disagreeing with the Referees decision and/or ruling

 Repeatedly marking the table

Knowingly and intentionally playing out of turn Player (or players partner in doubles)

 Breaking down, or putting away, cue. [This does not apply to putting away a Breaking Cue]

If the referee is deemed to have coached his own team member the frame will automatically be awarded to the other team.

For players information as some seem to think otherwise!

ANY STANDARD FOUL is one shot to the incoming player and ball in hand which can be played from its current position or placed anywhere on the playing surface.

A Few Loss of Frame Fouls players need to be aware of

Deliberately not playing a ball from their own group first, or an on ball after a foul.

Unsporting behaviour / bringing the game into disrepute. Including but not exclusive to:

A second offence for Foul language (A verbal warning is given for the first offence) OR

Throwing a cue around / unscrewing as if to concede OR

Continually arguing with the referee or opponent OR

Interfering when the opponent is on the shot either verbally or physically.

 A Push Shot

Playing a 'Push Shot' (defined as when the tip of the cue remains in contact with the cue ball once it has commenced a forward motion).

 

Nuneaton Constitution

1. This league will play to English Pool Association Game Rules (International Rules) with the exception of the 45 second a shot and pro cup balls (spotted cueball, striped blackball) rules.

2. Any changes to said rules will have to be ratified by delegates at either an Annual General Meeting or an Extraordinary General Meeting

3. Team matches will consist of twelve frames of singles pool. 1 point will be awarded for each frame won plus 3 points for winning the match or 1 point for each team for drawing a match.

            A) In the event of teams tying on points the following shall decide the title:

                Frame difference, Games won, Frames won, head to head aggregate score

       If teams are still tied a play off will be played the first Thursday after the season finishes at a neutral venue.

4.  Team should arrive at the venue by 8.00 p.m. unless an authorised league meeting has delayed delegates in which case teams are to arrive no later than 15 minutes after the conclusion of the meeting.

5. The names of the first Four players should be on the scorecard at the commencement of the match which will be 8.00 p.m. (see 4 above). (That means names!! The players don't need to be there but if there not when called to play they will lose the frame, See Rule 10). Two separate scorecards are to be used by the teams, and filled out separately, so as to encourage teams playing “blind” or fold one sheet in half.  Teams found to be contravening this rule will be deducted five points. If the team gives you the sheet with less than 4 names down then the team that did put 4 names down automatically wins those frames and should fill the sheet in accordingly.

6. The names of the next Four players (frames 5 - 8) must be put down following the end of frame 4.  Then repeated (frames 9 - 12) at the end of frame 8. The same procedure as rule 5 applies.

7. No player can play twice in the first six frames or play twice in the final four frames.

8. If a team fails to arrive by 8-00 then the following penalties can be implemented, Frame 1 can be claimed at 8-00: Frame 2 at 8-10: Frame 3 at 8-20: Frame 4 and the match at 8-25:

              (Teams can also show a little sportsmanship by allowing a few minutes for a team to arrive and not hide behind the rules are rules scenario.)

9.  A team must field at least four players, i.e. be in a position to win the match. Failure to comply will result in an abandoned match and 10 points being awarded to the opposition. The team short of players will not receive any points and will also be deducted 10 points.

10. Players must be present when it is their turn to play. Failure to comply will result in that frame being awarded to the opposition. If any of the first four players are unavailable when called to play then rule 9 will apply. If a team is short of players i.e. have only five players they must concede frames 6 and 12 or if they only have four players they must concede frames 5, 6, 11, and 12.  

11. Players may play a maximum of two frames in any match. Players may play once only in the first six frames and they may play only once in the last four frames of the match. Players who play their first frame at position seven or eight may then play again in one of the last four frames. Players may only play consecutive frames if playing frames 6 & 7, 7 & 8 or 8 & 9 only.

12.  Team Captains will toss a coin to decide which team will break in the first frame.  Following this each team will break alternately.

13.  Team Captains will be responsible for refereeing alternate frames with the opposition captain. They may however nominate a player from their team to referee in their stead. They must ensure that both they and any nominated player is competent to referee a match.

14.  Match scorecards MUST be posted into the Nuneaton Pool Results group on Facebook by 8pm on the Saturday following the match. Failure to do so will mean your ranking points will not be added. Please don't moan if you've failed to post it on time and don't receive your wins/losses

15.  The Winning team is responsible for posting the scorecard after the match. In the event of a draw it is the Home team’s responsibility to post the scorecard.

16.  Registration Sheets must be returned by the prescribed time as decided by the League Secretary. Failure to comply will incur a 5 point deduction.

17.  Registration sheets must be completed in block capitals giving each players’ first and second names.

18. Teams who play unregistered players in league matches will lose any frame that the unregistered player competes in. In addition they will be deducted 10 points. An up to date list of registered players will be maintained by the results secretary and displayed on the league website.

19. Teams who play unregistered players in Cup matches will automatically forfeit that match and be deducted 15 points from their league points total.

20. Players may only register for one team at a time.

21. Each player signed will pay £2 signing on Fee.

22. You no longer have to give 7 days notice to sign a new player they may be signed on the night of the match. But you must inform committee member or the player will be deemed unsigned and rule 18 will be applied. (New players cannot be signed on the night to play in any Cup finals though, players must have been signed at the start of the season or have played 2 league matches or a cup match before the final to be eligible).

23.  The £2 signing on fee must be given to a committee man or left in an envelope at the Rose no later that 7 days after the match or the frames played by the player will be taken off and the team will be deducted 3 points. 

24. Transfers are only permitted before the halfway point in the season unless the committee agree to transfer. But 7 days notice must be given. Transfer will cost £2 per player.  Players who have transferred will not be eligible to play in cup matches if they have already played a cup match for another team in the league. A player may only transfer once in a season unless agreed with by the Committee. Both captains must be informed of the transfer or it will be deemed invalid and rule 18 will be enforced.

25. Transfers of players from sides who have dropped out of the league before the halfway point of the season will be at the discretion of the committee. If allowed this will be classed as a transfer so the player(s) must wait 7 days to play. No player can transfer from a side that has dropped out after the halfway point.

26.  Teams that drop out of the league and want to rejoin the following season will have to pay a bond of £50. This will be returned on completion of a full season without point deductions.

27. Failure to show up for a match will result in an abandoned match and 10 points being awarded to the opposition. The team failing to show will lose, 5 points for the first time if they fail to show, if they fail to show for a 2nd time in the season they will lose 10 points and if they fail to show for a 3rd match they will be omitted from the league.

28. Postponement of fixtures is only allowed by giving the opposing Captain and the League Secretary 7 days notice. You cannot cancel a match within the 7 days you are due to play if you do then the game will automatically be given 8 - 0 to the team that didn't cancel, unless mitigating circumstances arise.  Teams are allowed to postpone only 2 matches per season. If a team postpones a third match it will be awarded to the opposition. All matches must be played by before the final two matches of the season, teams are not allowed to postpone the final two league matches of the season. Also due to the way the fixtures are set up Cup games cannot be cancelled unless mitigating circumstances arise. All postponed matches MUST be played before the final 2 league matches on the fixture list.

29. Postponed fixtures MUST be re-arranged and played at a mutually convenient time to suit both teams within 28 days. If they're not played the Committee will arrange the fixture for the teams to play.

30. If a team is deemed by the delegates to have deliberately failed to fulfil its fixtures, then that team and all its players will be barred from entry into the league for the following season.

31. Any match in which a dispute arises must be abandoned immediately and no further frames played. A committee member must be informed of the dispute at the time of abandonment. The details of the dispute must be submitted to the Committee in writing within 7 days of the match. The Home Captain must phone a committee member by 10.00am the Saturday following the match to confirm that match is in dispute.  Alternatively they can text a committee member as long as it is before 10.00am the Saturday following the match. If the match is finished then its more than likely the result will stand.

32. Every team must send a delegate to scheduled meetings. Failure to do so will result in a 5 point deduction.

33. In singles and doubles competitions all matches up to the final will be played to the best of five frames. The Final of each will be the best of seven frames. This means all matches played before the final of the whole competition not the last 2 at a venue, this is not a final!! In the event of a match needing a deciding frame, the player that broke in the the first frame will break the deciding frame. In the doubles the same player can not break twice in the first four frames, all players in turn, if tied at 2 -2 the player who broke the first frame breaks in the decider.

34. Players in the singles and doubles must be at the venue they have been drawn to play at by the prescribed time when the draw will be made. Late players will be eliminated from the competition. All players that enter must be signed prior to the draw going on line.

35. Only players who have registered to play in the singles competition may play. No substitutes are permitted. No players will be added to the draw once it goes online, unless they've paid and I've missed them off.

36. One partner in the doubles competition may be substituted prior to the commencement of the competition, although if you're already in the draw you cannot partner another player that is already in the draw. No players will be added to the draw once it goes online.

37. Following the withdrawal of a team from the League in the first half of the season all results will be erased.

38. Following the withdrawal of a team after the halfway point the results from the first half of the season will stand. All results in the second half will be erased.

39. Any registered player or landlord with a registered team may bring a charge against any other registered player/s of bringing the Nuneaton & District Pool League into disrepute. This is to be made in writing giving full details of the grounds for their complaint. This is to be received by the League Secretary no later than 7 days prior to a scheduled League Meeting. The Committee will raise such complaints with the delegates who will decide if the complaint is to be upheld or not.

40. Any teams or player/s who are found by the delegates to have brought the Nuneaton & District Pool League into disrepute will be fined a minimum of £50.00. At the discretion of the delegates they will not be allowed to play in any competition until that fine has been paid.

    A) Any person banned from any Pub or Club which participates in the Nuneaton Pool League must abide by that establishment's decision and his/her team must fulfil that fixture with the players who are eligible to play at the particular venue.

    B) Any person owing monies to any league which in run by Nuneaton Pool will be banned form all runs leagues until such time the monies are paid.

41. The registration fee for a team entering the league will be £35.00 per season. This sum will be reviewed at each Annual General Meeting.

42. The registration fee for players entering the league will be £2.00 per season. This will be reviewed at each Annual General Meeting.

43. No fees of any kind paid to participate in any aspect of this league will be refunded for any reason whatsoever.

44. Promotion and relegation, this is very much dependant on teams re-entering the following season, the league will look to promote and relegate 2 sides if the divisions have 10 teams. If the divisions are 11 teams or more then it will be 3 teams promoted and 3 teams relegated. However if we have several teams drop out and several new teams joining then we may have to promote 3 or 4 teams. Please note New Teams will not necessarily go in the bottom division, if a new team is a strong side they will be put in a division that suits there ability. If a team fragments after winning promotion then the new team with the most players from the promotion winning side will be promoted, in some situations they may both be promoted.

45. Each season a League cup will be played. Teams who are knocked out in the first round will be entered into the a secondary cup competition. Teams who are knocked out in the first round of the secondary cup will be entered into the a third cup competition.

46. Teams failing to show for either the Preliminary Round or First Round of the Phil Sayer Memorial Trophy or not field a full team in those ties in order to be entered into the secondary competition will not be entered into the First Round of the Doug Postin Memorial Shield. Unless mitigating circumstances arise of which couldn't be bothered isn't one!! Points will also be deducted as per rules 9a and 9b above.

47. Should a cup tie end 6 frames all after the allotted 12 frames then a black ball shoot out will take place. If teams decide not to do a shootout and play a play off instead then both teams will be eliminated from the competition and not put into either subsidiary competition.

                  (A) 5 shots are take by each team, highest scorer wins. Sudden death if a tie occurs.

                  (B) Captain's select 5 players and put them in shooting order on the back of the score sheet.

                  (C) The black is placed on it's spot, and the cue ball can be placed anywhere behind the baulk line.

                  (D) If the black is potted legally then 1 point is awarded.

                  (E) If the Black is missed or a foul is committed during the shot then 0 points are awarded.

                  (F) If the score is a draw after all 5 shots have been taken then it goes to sudden death.

                  (G) The same order is taken, both players must take a shot.

                  (H) If a player one misses their shot then their opponent must take their shot and pot to win.

48. Any player who represents a team in either a League Cup or Treasurers Trophy match will be considered ‘cup tied’ and will not be able to play for another team at a later point in the competition. Should a breach of this rule occur then that player will be deemed as unregistered and rule 19 will apply.

49. Teams that qualify for the Cup finals can only play players that have been registered to the team before the semi finals have been played. After the semi finals any new signings are illegible to play in the Final. Teams must field players registered players, even if they haven't played a match they are eligible to play in the final. 

50. Teams no longer have to provide food at home league matches this is now optional.

51. Any team who incur three penalties in any one season will be removed from the league at the discretion of the league committee.