BILLIARDS RULE CHANGE

According to the English Billiards Rules Book,
Section 3
16. Action after a Miss
If a miss is made when the striker is in-hand with no object ball out of Baulk, the referee shall call MISS. A penalty of two points is incurred, which is added to the opponent's score. Any other Miss is a Foul.
"Running a coup" is covered in this rule BUT: The word coup is not mentioned in the Rule Book as it seems to just be a term used by Billiards players when playing the cue ball directly into a pocket from in-hand when no ball is out of baulk.

The IBSF, with the WPBSA's agreement, decided to add to this rule change to Section 3, Rule 16, two paragraphs (below) with the exact same wording as the Professional Rule that the WPBSA already use for all WPBSA Billiards events:
(i) Player (a) comes to the table In-Hand, with no ball out of Baulk, as a direct result of his opponents last stroke, then to run a direct coup would be deemed a Foul, and permit his opponent to have the balls spotted.

(ii) However if player (a) in the same position, strikes the flat part of any cushion out of Baulk and subsequently his cue ball enters a pocket by accident or design, this will only be called as a Miss and not a foul.
This new Billiards Rule will be applied starting from January the Ist 2006 in all IBSF events and all levels of English Billiards in all IBSF affiliates

Yours in Sport,
Maxime Cassis
IBSF Referees & Rules Committee


Thus Billiards Rules, Section 3, Rule 16 shall now read:-

Section 3
16. Action after a Miss
If a miss is made when the striker is In-Hand with no object ball out of Baulk, the referee shall call MISS. A penalty of two points is ingurred, which is added to the opponent's score. Any other Miss is a Foul.
(i) Player (a) comes to the table In-Hand, with no ball out of Baulk as a direct result of his opponent's last stroke, then to run a direct coup would be deemed a Foul, and permit his opponent to have the balls spotted.
(ii) However if player (a) in the same position, strikes the flat part of any cushion out of Baulk and subsequently his cue ball enters a pocket, by accident or design, this will only be called as a Miss and not a foul.
Tommy Watson
Director of Referees, Tasmania
Secretary/Treasurer, Australian Billiards & Snooker Referees Committee
16 February 2006

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