MINNESOTA 8-BALL LEAGUE RULE BOOK @elleni.com

Any handicapped pool league requires a large body of rules to provide a system of fair competition for its members. We've made every attempt to make this the most complete rule book in the game of 8-ball. For virtually every situation that may arise, you have a clear resolution. However, a complete rule book contains a very large body of rules. In order to help you easily find any given rule, this book is organized into nine separate major sections of your rules in an outline style as described below.

A. SECTIONS - Each of the nine sections is a logical grouping of the major areas of your league rules. See the Contents for these section headings and their location. Since many rules will affect more than one of these sections, cross-referencing is provided in several areas.

1. PARAGRAPHS - The next area is further defined into groups of rules within the section. These groups relate to a more specific part of your play and are called paragraphs. All are listed in the Table of Contents. In some of the smaller sections, individual rules are listed as paragraphs.

a) Subparagraphs and Rules - Some paragraphs are so large that they are further divided into subparagraphs. Subparagraphs and many of the more involved individual rules are in smaller case and underlined. Most individual rules are not. The subparagraphs and involved individual rules are listed in the Table of Contents.

1) Rules and NOTES: - The lower levels of organization contain the smaller details and notes explaining rules. These are not listed in the Table of Contents, but are easy to find since they are logically connected to the higher levels that are listed. If you spend a little time getting familiar with this outline organization, you should have no problem in quickly finding the rule you might need.

I want to thank all of the M-8 members who have provided ideas and opinions that were used in the writing of this book. We'll always work at improving your league and its rules, and you are heartily invited to become involved in supplying new ideas for better rules. I'd like to make special thanks to those of you who served on the first M-8 Rules Committee which analyzed, discussed, and passed the rules in this book: Nancy Benson, Pete Ferch, Kathy Lestersen, Brian Bolstrom, Kevin Foldesi, Ed Luby, Jeff Bottolfson, David Gunderson, Drew McPherson, Bret Cole, Janene Hague, Russ Murphy, Randy Davis, Joel Hanson, Karen Nielsen, Mike DesMarais, Steve Johnson, Elisabeth Walker, Bryant Farren, Natilee Larson, and Michael White. Thanks also to the additional members who joined in 1992 and shared in the changes of this edition: Dan Bergerson, Bill Chantry, Pete Schalwig, and Donn Whittaker.

MINNESOTA 8-BALL LEAGUE
Bruce Erickson
P. O. Box 6445
Minneapolis, MN 55406

(612) 729-6636

A. GAME RULES

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There are dozens of varieties of rules used in the game of 8-ball, but all share the same basic concept. The game is played with one cue ball and 15 numbered balls. One player will have the solid-colored group of balls (1-7) and the other will have the striped group of balls (9-15). For each player, the object of the game is to pocket all of their group and then pocket the black 8-ball to win. All major pool leagues, including M-8, use "ball-in-hand" rules. Be sure to consult the glossary for an accurate definition of any term used in this section. There are various types of fouls and penalties for those fouls. See the FOULS paragraph near the end of this section. (These rules govern M-8 Open, Women's, & Sober formats. Since the M-8 Masters format is a BCA sanctioned league, there are many differences from this section. See the M-8 Masters Rule Addendum for Masters game rules.) Detailed M-8 rules are:

1. MATCH START - The match begins with a coin toss by the two captains. The winner of the toss will either choose a member of their team to place "at the table" or require the opposing team to place one of its members "at the table". Once that player is chosen, the other team may choose any of its members as the opponent. This order of choice reverses for each set, so that one team must choose first for the 1st, 3rd and 5th sets of the match and the other team "leads in the 2nd and 4th sets.

NOTE:
a) The first team to place a player "at the table" for the set has the right to change their mind until the other team decides. Once the second player has been chosen and the first team informed, neither team can make a change.

2. THE LAG - As soon as both teams have chosen the players for a set, those players will lag (see GLOSSARY) for the opening break. Rules affecting the lag are:

a) Players can lag consecutively or simultaneously. If they cannot agree as to who goes first, they must lag simultaneously.
b) One player lags to the left of the center string, the other lags to the right. If a player causes their ball to cross the center string and contact the opponent's ball, they have lost the lag.
c) The lagged ball can only contact the rails at the foot and the head of the table. Any contact with a side rail or the jaws of a pocket is a loss of the lag. A scratch is also a loss.
d) The ball coming to rest closest to the head rail wins the lag. It makes no difference whether or not that ball makes contact with the head rail.

3. THE RACK - There are three requirements for an acceptable rack:

a) The 8-ball must be in the center of the third row.
b) The first ball of the rack must be centered on the foot spot.
c) The balls must be racked "tight" (each ball frozen to all adjoining balls).
d) If any of these conditions is not satisfied, the breaker has the right to have the balls re-racked.

NOTES:
1) The condition of the felt often makes it impossible to perfectly satisfy rules b and c. In this case, use reasonable judgment to accept the best rack possible.
2) Although the breaker's opponent normally racks the balls, the opponent may designate anyone they wish to rack.

4. THE BREAK - The first game of a set is broken by the winner of the lag. All other games are broken by the winner of the previous game. The breaker must satisfy four requirements:

a) The cue ball must be stroked from within the kitchen.
b) The first object ball contacted by the cue ball must be in one of the first three rows.
c) At least four balls from the rack must make contact with a rail. If an object ball is pocketed on the break, this rule does not apply.
d) The break must be a HARD stroke. Intentional soft-breaking is not allowed, even if four balls have contacted a rail.

NOTES:
1) If the cue ball has been placed outside the kitchen prior to the break, the opponent must warn the breaker (see later paragraph - REQUIRED WARNINGS).
2) Failure to comply with rules b, c or d is considered a nonlegal break. The balls are re-racked and the same player is allowed to break again. If the shooter has also committed a break foul, the balls are re-racked and the opponent has the break (see later paragraph - FOULS).
3) The cue ball does not count as one of the four balls to contact rails. It's also not required for the cue ball to contact a rail.
4) Intentional soft-breaking is a violation of sportsmanship rules. If your opponent has been doing this, contact league management.

5. RESULTS OF THE BREAK - The break shot is a unique stroke. Several possibilities exist:

a) Break Foul - If a foul has been committed, the following results do not apply (see later paragraph - FOULS).
b) Nonlegal Break - (see previous paragraph - THE BREAK).
c) No Balls Pocketed - The breaker's turn ends and the opponent has an open table.
d) One Group of Balls Pocketed - The breaker's turn continues. They must shoot that group of balls.
e) Both Groups of Balls Pocketed - The breaker's turn continues and they have an open table.
f) 8-Ball is Pocketed - The breaker wins the game. If the cue ball is also pocketed or is a jumped ball (see GLOSSARY), the breaker has committed a game-ending foul (see later paragraph - FOULS).

NOTES:
1) The number of balls pocketed on the break does not affect the results -- it is the TYPE of balls that determines the outcome. As an example, if the breaker pockets one solid and two stripes, they still have an open table and may choose solids.
2) Although unlikely, it's possible for the breaker to prefer to have the 8-ball re-spotted instead of accepting the game win. If this is done, it is the breaker's responsibility to retrieve the 8-ball. The breaker's inning will then continue with all other balls left as they came to rest and the table is open.

6. LEGAL STROKE - On every stroke after the break shot, the shooter must satisfy two rules in order to execute a legal stroke:

a) The first ball contacted by the cue ball must be one of that shooter's group of balls.
b) After that initial contact, a ball must contact a rail or fall into a pocket.

NOTES:
1) The ball driven to a rail after the initial contact can be ANY ball on the table. It doesn't have to be the first object ball struck or the cue ball. Even if the originally intended object ball is completely missed, a legal shot is executed as long as rules a and b are satisfied and no other foul is committed.
2) Any rails contacted by the cue ball BEFORE the initial contact with an object ball do not count. If the shooter has "lagged out" to make a "legal hit" with their object ball, they must still drive a ball to a rail or pocket a ball after the contact.
3) The stroke is not a legal shot if some other form of foul is committed on the stroke, even if rules a and b have been satisfied.

7. OPEN TABLE - The table remains open until only one group of balls has been pocketed on a legal stroke (which might be the break stroke - see previous paragraphs). With an open table, the shooter may strike any object ball first to pocket any other ball. Any mixture of combination shots may be used if the table is open. The only exception to this is that the 8-ball can not be the first ball contacted. (The 8-ball is not "neutral".)

NOTES:
a) The table remains open if a foul has been committed on that stroke.
b) The table remains open if both groups of balls are pocketed, even if one group was the intended object ball and the other group was pocketed accidentally.
c) The 8-ball can legally be used at any time in a combination shot as long as it's not the first ball struck by the cue ball.

8. FOLLOWING STROKES - The player continues shooting until they have failed to pocket one of their group of balls or have committed a foul. Each player attempts to pocket each of their group of balls until all have been pocketed.

NOTES:
a) If a player intends to play a safety, they should tell their opponent that they are about to play a safety. A player that repeatedly "plays safe" without calling them is violating sportsmanship rules and will be penalized. Contact the league office if this happens.
b) If the shooter calls a safety and either intentionally or accidentally pockets one of their group of balls without committing a foul, they must continue shooting.

9. WINNING THE GAME - There are three ways to win the game:

a) The shooter pockets the 8-ball on the break shot (see earlier paragraph - RESULTS OF THE BREAK).
b) The opponent commits a game-ending foul (see later paragraph - FOULS).
c) After all of their group has been pocketed, the shooter sinks the 8-ball in a properly marked pocket on a separate legal stroke. It is not allowed for a player to pocket their last object ball and the 8-ball on the same stroke.

10. THE POCKET PATCH - The 8-ball is the only object ball which must be "called". This is done by placing the official "pocket patch on the rail nearest to that pocket. There is no need to call rails, kisses", etc. Rules affecting the pocket patch are:

a) The patch must be nearer to the called pocket than any other pocket.
b) There must be no more than one patch on the table.
c) Anyone present may remind the shooter to "patch the pocket".
d) The patch must not hang over the rail or pocket into the area of play. However, the opponent is required to warn the shooter (see later paragraphs - FOULS and REQUIRED WARNINGS).
e) Although the league supplies an official M-8 pocket patch, any object can be used as the patch IF both players have previously agreed.

NOTES:
1) The distance from the patch to the called pocket does not matter, it only need be closer to that pocket.
2) If the patch happens to be nearest the intended pocket before the shooter's turn, they do not have to touch or move it.
3) Any attempt to tell the shooter WHERE to place the patch is an act of coaching and is controlled by coaching rules (see COACHING section).

11. FOULS - There are three types of fouls. If more than one type of foul is committed on the same stroke, the higher penalty applies. Any foul must be called before another stroke is taken. (An attempt to avoid the penalty for a foul by hurrying the following stroke is an act of bad sportsmanship and is forbidden. Contact league management if this happens.) These categories are:

a) BREAK FOUL (on break stroke only) -- the penalty is ball-in-kitchen:

1) The cue ball is scratched.
2) The cue ball is a jumped ball (see GLOSSARY).
3) The shooter interferes with the travel of the cue ball when the cue ball could possibly scratch. This rule requires some level of judgment. It is not a foul if the speed and direction of the cue ball before interference could not be reasonably considered to be able to fall in a pocket. ("Benefit of doubt" goes against the shooter.)

b) BALL-IN-HAND FOUL (on any stroke following the break) -- the penalty is ball-in-hand:

1) The cue ball fails to make its first contact with the shooter's object ball.
2) No ball contacts a rail or falls in a pocket after the first contact between the cue ball and object ball.
3) The cue ball is scratched.
4) The cue ball is a jumped ball (see GLOSSARY).
5) The cue tip contacts the cue ball more than once on the same stroke. This is most commonly a double-hit shot (see the 45 Degree Rule in later paragraph - REQUIRED WARNINGS).
6) A push shot is committed. Illegal jump shots are a form of push shot (see Jump Shots in next paragraph - SPECIAL GAME RULES).
7) An object ball is accidentally moved during the stroke and then makes contact with the cue ball or has been moved from a spot that the cue ball passes through.
8) The shooter allows ANY item (their hand, hair, sleeve, piece of chalk, etc.) to contact the cue ball at any time. There are two exceptions:

a> The game isn't "live" until a stroke is executed on a shot involving the kitchen (see GLOSSARY). It is not a foul if the cue ball is contacted prior to the break stroke or the stroke following a break foul.
b> If the shooter has a ball-in-hand, they may adjust the position of the cue ball with their hand only. ANY use of the cue stick or tip to adjust the cue ball is a stroke. If that stroke does not satisfy the requirements of a legal stroke, a foul has been committed. If the shooter causes the cue ball to make contact with any other ball while placing it, they have committed a foul.

9) The shooter strokes while a ball is still in motion. A spinning ball is in motion.
10) The shooter ignores an opponent's call for a referee (see COACHING section) or an opponent's warning (see later paragraph - REQUIRED WARNINGS).
11) The shooter clearly takes a ball-in-hand shot when they were only entitled to ball-in-kitchen (see later paragraph - REQUIRED WARNINGS).
12) The shooter causes the cue ball or 8-ball to make contact with the pocket patch after being warned (see later paragraph - REQUIRED WARNINGS).
13) The shooter strokes without at least one foot on the floor while a bridge is available and after having been warned (see later paragraph - REQUIRED WARNINGS.)
14) The shooter's team has violated coaching rules (see COACHING section).
15) In some uncommon situations, the shooter may feel that they are in a position where they can only worsen their chances by taking a stroke. In this case, the shooter has the right to pick up the cue ball and hand it to their opponent. This is to be scored as a safety by the shooter. The opponent then receives a ball-in-hand (also see Stalemated Games in next paragraph - SPECIAL GAME RULES).

NOTE:
a> Although you are not required to call foul before taking a ball-in-hand, PROTECT YOURSELF. You should call the foul and get an acknowledgment from your opponent before picking up the cue ball. If a player has picked up the cue ball and cannot establish that a foul was committed by their opponent, they have themselves committed a ball-in-hand foul.

c) GAME-ENDING FOULS (on any stroke) - The normal penalty for any of the fouls listed below is loss of game. However, ALL game-ending fouls provide the opponent with a choice. Whenever a shooter has committed a game-ending foul, their opponent may choose to take a ball-in-hand penalty instead of the game win. If the shooter has pocketed the 8-ball and their opponent has chosen this ball-in-hand option, it's the shooter's responsibility to retrieve the 8-ball and the 8-ball is spotted (see GLOSSARY). If the 8-ball has been pocketed in some other way than the result of a stroke (player's body, interference with the shot, sweep of the cue stick, etc.), it is placed by the opponent as near as possible to its original position. IF YOU'VE COMMITTED A GAME-ENDING FOUL, DON'T TOUCH ANY BALL UNTIL YOUR OPPONENT ACCEPTS THE GAME WIN! A shooter should either wait for their opponent to choose or ask the opponent for their choice. If the shooter has moved any balls, every reasonable attempt should be made to return those balls to their original position. Just as in the case of an accidentally moved ball, the opponent controls the placement. In cases where it is impossible to reconstruct the table (and ONLY then), the shooter will receive one point for each of their group of balls which were already pocketed and their opponent will receive a 14 point game win. Players who have this ball-in-hand option are expected to make their own decision. Advice from a teammate is an act of coaching. The coach may provide advice if there is a time-out available, but if a teammate who isn't the coach provides advice OR the coach provides advice when there isn't a time-out available, the player loses this option and MUST accept the game win. If a player exercises this ball-in-hand option and takes a stroke, the game is "live". If they miss or foul, the player who had committed the game-ending foul is able to shoot and may win the game. Game-ending fouls are:

1) The 8-ball is a jumped ball (see GLOSSARY).
2) On a stroke following the break, the 8-ball is pocketed before all of the shooter's group of balls have been pocketed ("8 out of turn"). (There is one possible exception to this - see Accidentally Shooting the Wrong Group of Balls in next paragraph - SPECIAL GAME RULES.)
3) The 8-ball is pocketed on the same stroke that pockets the shooter's last object ball.
4) The cue ball is scratched or is a jumped ball (see GLOSSARY) while the shooter's object ball is the 8-ball.
5) The cue ball is scratched or is a jumped ball on a break stroke that also pockets the 8-ball.
6) The shooter commits any type of ball-in-hand foul during a stroke in which the 8-ball is pocketed.
7) The shooter interferes with any ball that then causes or allows the 8-ball to be pocketed.
8) The shooter interferes with the cue ball or the 8-ball in a game-losing situation.
9) The 8-ball has been pocketed in violation of the rules listed in THE POCKET PATCH (paragraph ten).

NOTE:
a> It is NOT a game-ending foul if the shooter merely fails to execute a legal stroke while they are shooting at the 8-ball (hitting another ball first, failing to drive a ball to a rail, etc.). Unless some other form of game-ending foul has also been committed, this is a ball-in-hand foul.

12. SPECIAL GAME RULES - This paragraph lists rules that cover special situations that arise in the game of 8-ball. They are:

a) Accidentally Moved Balls - Rules covering movement of the cue ball are listed in the previous paragraph - FOULS. Accidental movement of object balls is not a foul. If the object ball is moved prior to the stroke, the shooter must stop and allow their opponent the option of returning the balls to their original position or to accept the resting position of the moved balls. If more than one ball is moved, the opponent must either return all moved balls or accept the resting position of all balls. If the accidental movement is caused during or after the stroke, all balls must be allowed to come to rest without interference. After this, the opponent has the same option described above.

NOTES:
1) It is not an automatic foul if the shooter attempts to return an accidentally moved ball. The important issue is that the opponent controls the replacement or acceptance of the moved ball. If the shooter has replaced the ball, the opponent can accept that, replace it themselves, or place it back to the moved position.
2) The opponent DOES NOT have the right to place the ball anywhere they wish. They must make an honest attempt to place it in the position it had actually occupied. A player who tries to take advantage of the situation by placing the ball in some new position is acting in bad sportsmanship. Contact league management if this happens.
3) It sometimes happens that so many balls have been moved that it is impossible to return them to their original position. In this case, the opponent has the choice of accepting the moved position or calling for a re-rack of the balls. A re-rack is handled as described in Stalemated Games later in this paragraph.

b) Accidentally Pocketed Ball - An accidentally pocketed ball is one that the shooter has caused to fall into a pocket by some other action than a stroke. If this ball is the cue ball, it is treated the same as if it had been pocketed on a stroke (see previous paragraph - FOULS). If this ball is the 8-ball, it is a game-ending foul. If this is one of the other object balls, it is treated as an accidentally moved ball. If the opponent chooses to have this ball replaced to its original position, it is the shooter's responsibility to retrieve the ball.
c) Hanging Ball - If a ball comes to a complete rest at the edge of a pocket for at least three seconds, it is a hanging ball. If this ball later falls into the pocket due to vibrations of the floor or seems to fall for no apparent reason, it is not considered pocketed. It is to be replaced as near as possible to its original position. If both players agree, the ball may be left as pocketed.
d) Jumped Ball (on the floor) - Rules covering the cue ball or 8-ball coming to rest out of play are listed in the previous paragraph - FOULS. Causing another object ball to be a jumped ball is not a foul. Any jumped ball other than the cue ball or 8-ball is spotted (see GLOSSARY) before the following stroke. If there is more than one jumped ball, the opponent chooses which is to be spotted first. If the shooter has otherwise executed a legal shot and pocketed one of their group of balls, they continue to shoot.
e) Jump Shots - There are legal and illegal jump shots. A jump shot executed with a level or nearly level cue stick aimed at a low spot on the cue ball is a form of push shot and is a foul. A jump shot executed by a downward stroke aimed near to a line passing through the center of the cue ball is a legal stroke. If the location of play has a "house rule" against jump shots, this type of shot is not allowed. A jump caused by an accidental miscue is not a foul.
f) Masse Shots - Masse shots are legal by league rules, but many locations have "house rules" against masse shots. They are not allowed in these locations.
g) Stalemated Games - It will rarely occur that neither player chooses to attempt to execute a legal stroke. If each player commits two consecutive intentional fouls (a total of four consecutive foul strokes), the game is stalemated. Upon a stalemated game, the balls are re-racked, no points are scored, all innings from the game are crossed off the score sheet, and the same player that originally broke the rack breaks again.
h) Accidentally Shooting the Wrong Group of Balls - Occasionally, the shooter will mistakenly start shooting at the opponent's group of balls. This is obviously a ball-in-hand foul on the first such stroke taken. However, if the opponent does not call the foul and instead allows the shooter to continue, the opponent loses the right to call fouls for this violation. After the shooter strokes at two or more of the opponent's object balls, the opponent can only inform the shooter of this and choose one of these options:

1) The shooter must return to their own group of balls. If they have pocketed an object ball without committing some other type of foul, their inning continues.
2) The game is re-racked as described in the previous rule (Stalemated Games).

NOTE:
a> If the opponent has allowed the shooter to pocket all of the wrong group of balls and otherwise legally pocket the 8-ball, the shooter has won the game. The shooter will receive credit for the game win and any of their correct group of balls pocketed, but will not receive credit for any other balls remaining on the table. The opponent will receive credit (7 points) for their correct group of balls.

i) Legal Cue Ball - If the cue ball provided for the match does not satisfy the definition given here, either team has the right to substitute a cue ball which is legal. Once a set has begun, no cue ball substitution can be made until that set has finished. Once a legal cue ball is substituted, it will remain in use for the rest of the set. The requirements of a legal cue ball are:

1) The cue ball must be returnable by the table if pocketed. The table must be capable of differentiating the cue ball from the other balls.
2) The cue ball must be the same diameter as the object balls.
3) The cue ball must be spherically balanced. It must have a "true roll" without "wobble".
4) A composition-type cue ball (commonly called "mud ball" or "mush ball") is NOT a legal cue ball. This ball has small metal flakes distributed throughout its volume and can be identified by examining its surface. The surface of this ball will have hundreds of small silvery or gray flecks throughout the surface.

j) Jammed Balls - In an extremely rare case, it is possible for two or more balls to become clustered in the jaws of a pocket in such a way that one or more of these balls would fall into the pocket if the other balls were not preventing this. Any ball that both players agree would otherwise fall into the pocket should be placed in the pocket before the next stroke.
k) Interference with Stroke - It sometimes happens that another person accidentally strikes the shooter's cue stick while they are preparing to stroke. This may then cause the cue stick to contact the cue ball. The outcome depends on WHO that other person is:

1) The person causing the interference is a member of the shooter's team or is a spectator clearly present "with" the team, the contact with the cue ball is considered a stroke. (Rules in LEGAL STROKE and FOULS paragraphs apply.)
2) The person causing the interference is a member of the opposing team or a spectator "unconnected" to the shooter's team, no stroke has been made. The balls are returned to their positions before the interference and the shooter then continues ("no harm, no foul").

l) Final Position of Balls - The outcome of a stroke is determined by the position of the balls AFTER motion has stopped. If a ball goes into a pocket and is "spit out" onto the table, it has not been pocketed. If a ball jumps off the table and returns to rest on the table bed after striking the pool table light or a piece of chalk, it is not a jumped ball. There are several variations to this, but the basic meaning of the rule is that a ball is considered to be where it STOPS, not where it has been. The only exception to this is a case where that ball has been contacted by the shooter's body or an object held by the shooter. In this exception, the ball is considered to be a jumped ball.

13. REQUIRED WARNINGS - Some situations require a warning by the opponent BEFORE the stroke is executed. In most of these, a foul can't be called for this violation unless the warning was given. In two situations (split hits and cue ball out-of-kitchen), "benefit of doubt" will weigh in favor of the shooter. "Benefit of doubt" means that it must be clear to both teams that a foul was committed or the shooter prevails. It's obvious that the opponent should protect their own interests in a "benefit of doubt" situation by giving the warning first. Any member of the opposing team is allowed to give the required warning.

a) 45 Degree Rule - The one foul that is most often misunderstood by many players is the double hit shot. Double hits become extremely common in shots where the cue ball and intended object ball are very close to one another. Because of these facts and because most matches do not have a qualified neutral referee present, the 45 degree rule is provided to allow teams to have an easily defined distinction. When the cue ball and the first object ball to be contacted are within a distance equal to the diameter of the ferrule of the shooter's cue stick (approximately 1/4 inch) or closer, the cue stick must be stroked from an angle of 45 degrees or more from the line of centers between the cue ball and the object ball (either vertically or horizontally). If uncertain, the shooter has the right to ask the opponent before stroking to verify that they have satisfied this requirement.
b) Split Hit ("bad hit") - Although a true "split hit" is almost impossible to execute, the limits of human perception often make players unable to determine which object ball has been the first one contacted. This becomes the one game situation most likely to create emotional arguments. Both sides will truly believe that the other is wrong. Luckily, the majority of these shots are obvious as potential fouls before the stroke is executed. The opponent should protect themselves by warning the shooter to wait until both teams can agree on a referee or referees to watch the shot and call the "hit" legal or foul. The decision of the referee is final. Although a foul may be called after the stroke if a warning was not made, "benefit of doubt" will rule in favor of the shooter. A shooter who ignores a proper warning and strokes without waiting for an agreed referee has committed a ball-in-hand foul.
c) Object Ball Frozen to Rail - If an object ball is frozen to a rail, the contact of that ball to that rail cannot be considered to satisfy the requirements of a legal shot. No ball is considered as frozen to the rail unless it has been identified and agreed to be frozen BEFORE the stroke. If this object ball is the first ball contacted, one of the following must occur or a foul has been committed:

1) The object ball later contacts another rail.
2) The cue ball later contacts a rail. This can be the same rail.
3) A different object ball contacts a rail.
4) A ball is pocketed.

d) Cue Ball Out of the Kitchen - The kitchen exists on two strokes only - the break shot and the shot following a break foul. On these strokes, the cue ball must be stroked from a position inside the kitchen and its first contact must be with an object ball or rail outside of the kitchen. A ball is determined to be "in" or "out" by the point at which the centerline of that ball contacts the table. A foul can only be called for violating this requirement if it is absolutely clear to all parties that the violation occurred. Therefore, a warning is emphatically recommended.
e) Pocket Patch Overhanging Into Playing Area - No foul can be called for any ball contacting the patch unless a warning was given by the opponent and ignored by the shooter.
f) One Foot on the Floor - It is a foul to stroke without at least one of the shooter's feet in contact with the floor. The exception to this is that a bridge must be available at the location or the rule doesn't apply. No foul can be called for this violation unless the shooter was warned prior to the stroke and a bridge was made available.
g) Coaching Violations - Some coaching fouls can only be called after a proper warning. See the COACHING section for details.

B. COACHING

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One of the major purposes of M-8 is to teach pool-playing skills to it's less experienced members. Because of this, the right to coach players is essential. However, coaching can be abused and slow down play significantly. This section will explain the rules both allowing and restricting coaching which M-8 uses to achieve a fair balance.

1. DEFINITION OF COACHING - Coaching consists of providing advice to the shooter about what to shoot, how to shoot it, or calling fouls on the player's behalf. Requests for rule interpretations are not coaching IF that request is initiated by the player and that player has no private conversation with a teammate.
2. CHOOSING THE COACH - Each player has the right to choose their own coach at the beginning of the set. The coach should be identified to the opposing team at the set's beginning. If your opponent hasn't identified the coach, you can avoid later confusion by asking them who is acting as coach. They must tell you.
3. CHANGING THE COACH - Once the player has chosen their coach, they are not allowed to change coaches. There is only one exception to this rule. If a match is being played on two tables and the coach is called by their team to play on the other table, they are not allowed continue coaching. The player then has the right to choose another coach. Coaches can not be changed for ANY other reason.
4. RESTRICTIONS ON THE COACH

a) The coach must be a member of the team.
b) The captain does not have automatic rights of the coach. The captain can not perform coaching duties unless the shooter has chosen them as their only coach.
c) If the coach has to leave the match for any reason, the player must complete the set without a coach.
d) The coach can not interrupt play because they have to temporarily leave the match (going to the restroom, purchasing drinks, etc.). Play continues in their absence.
e) Only the coach can provide direct advice to the player, but the coach can confer with other team members as long as the shooter is separated and can not hear the discussion.
f) The coach can not touch any ball.
g) The coach can not leave any marks on the table.
h) The coach must leave the table before the shot. This should be a distance of five feet or more (accept that some locations are too "cramped" for this - be reasonable). The coach can not stand in the shooter's "line of sight".
i) Non-coaches can not directly provide advice to the shooter or call out fouls. Teams are responsible for the actions and statements of nonmembers who are in their company.

5. WHEN COACHING IS IN EFFECT - Calling fouls on the player's behalf AT ANY TIME is coaching. Players are allowed to talk to their teammates and discuss strategy between games and during the opponent's turn, but coaching is assumed if they continue that talk after the opponent has ended their turn at the table (balls have stopped rolling).
6. COACHING PERIOD - The coaching period begins soon as the advice is started or the foul is called. The coaching period ends when the player takes the following stroke. After calling foul for the player, the coach is allowed to advise them on their shot. The coach can leave the table and return as long as no stroke has been made and time is not excessive.
7. TIME LENGTH OF COACHING PERIOD - The time length of a coaching period should be kept to one minute or less. This is not a hard limit, but a guideline. The true issue here is the pace of play. If an occasional coaching period is longer than one minute, there is no problem. If a coach or team is habitually taking longer than a minute, they are violating the rules of league sportsmanship. If you feel that your opponents are abusing this rule, contact league management.
8. LIMIT OF COACHING ALLOWED - Players rated 30-50 and non-rated players are allowed two coaching periods in each game. Players rated 51-110 are only allowed one coaching period in a game. Any coaching given to a player that has already received this maximum limit is an automatic ball-in-hand foul.
9. TIME OUTS - A time-out is an interruption of play. Before any interruption, you are heavily requested to inform your opponent that you want a time-out and wait for an acknowledgment from them. This helps you to keep your match smoothly controlled and will help to avoid confusion and arguments. It will also help you to avoid unnecessary fouls. There are four acceptable reasons for calling a time-out:

a) Time-out for a referee - Any player may call for a referee to watch the shot. This is NOT coaching. Teams are recommended to avoid potential conflict by agreeing to have someone watch a shot which may be arguable (such as a "split hit" or "double hit"). That referee will then call the shot as a legal stroke or a foul. Their judgment is final.
b) Time-out for a rules call - Only the shooter or their coach can interrupt play for a rule interpretation. If this is initiated by the coach, it IS coaching. If it is initiated by the shooter and the shooter has any private conversation with their coach, it IS coaching. If it is initiated by the shooter and a member of the opposing team is present to hear everything said, it is NOT coaching.
c) Time-out to check status - Only the shooter can call for a time-out to check the status of the set (such as the score or the coachings available). This is NOT coaching unless initiated by the coach.
d) Time-out for coaching - Only the shooter or their coach can initiate coaching. The proper way to initiate coaching is to call for time-out and obtain an acknowledgment from the opponent. If this is done, the shooter gains these advantages:

1) The call for time-out is NOT coaching. The shooter or coach has the right to refuse the time-out and save that coaching period for later.
2) If a call for time-out is made, the opponent must warn the shooter if they have already received their limit of coaching periods allowed. If an acknowledgment is made with no warning given, the coaching is allowed (even if "over the limit"). If warned, the shooter can avoid penalties by refusing coaching. It is NOT a violation to coach without first calling for time-out, but that player loses the protections listed above. If your opponent coaches without first calling for time-out, point out to them that they should use the time-out call and notify them that they are using one of their available coaching periods. If they have already used their coaching limit, they have committed a foul. Any coach that attempts to take advantage by using these time-out calls as signals to the shooter is violating league sportsmanship rules. Contact league management if this happens.

10. COACHING VIOLATIONS - Any action of a league member that doesn't conform to the above rules is a coaching violation. A coaching violation may or may not be a ball-in-hand foul. Violations are to be handled as described in the next two paragraphs on sportsmanship and penalties.
11. SPORTSMANSHIP IN COACHING - Please remember that the league is a combination of competition AND recreation and that players often forget these restrictions. We need to work together to avoid both the extremes of "nit-picking" and of rules abuse. Sportsmanlike behavior consists both of respecting the rules of the league AND of forgiving your opponents for minor transgressions. Teams that continue to commit coaching violations after being warned are not acting in good sportsmanship, but you are expected to give warnings for most first-time violations.
12. PENALTIES FOR COACHING VIOLATIONS - Coaching in excess of the limit is an automatic ball-in-hand foul. Other violations (such as a non-coach calling foul, etc.) are to be handled by warning the other team for a first-time violation and marking one coaching period as being used. If the offending player or team continues to violate coaching rules, each later violation in that set is a ball-in-hand foul.
13. DEALING WITH HABITUAL COACHING OFFENDERS - Teams that abuse their coaching privileges cause many frustrations for the others. Fouls for repeated offenses can help to solve part of the problem, but extreme delays caused by excessive coaching are very difficult to handle. This type of delay is one of the major reasons for overly late match finishes. Your league management needs your help to identify habitual violators. Your score sheet has a section where you can record the amount of coaching, the length of time-outs, and the start & end times of sets. If teams use this, we can develop a history of offending teams and penalize them. A team that continues this abuse after being warned by management will lose their right to ANY coaching.

C. SPORTSMANSHIP

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Good sportsmanship is at the same time the most important characteristic of league members and the most difficult to regulate. The concept of sportsmanship is basically stated best by a very ancient rule: DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD HAVE THEM DO UNTO YOU! The simple fact is that this spirit is sometimes lost in the combination of personalities, alcohol consumption, and competition that exists in a recreational league. This section will attempt to explain the meaning of sportsmanship in M-8 and to describe the penalties for violating that meaning. (The use of the term "sportsmanship" is in no way intended to slight our equally valuable female members - "sportsmanship" is a term used in virtually all types of competition to denote a sense of fair play. Fair play means respect for the rules of the game, respect for individual players, and respect for the spirit of competitive play.)

1. THE MEANING OF GOOD SPORTSMANSHIP - Players join the league for many reasons, but the primary one is to have a good time. You have the right to enjoy yourself, but you don't have the right to ruin other members' enjoyment. A good "sport" is polite and non-abusive towards their opponents. They understand that issues of behavior are often very complicated and that it's possible for honest people to disagree. They don't allow their temper to cause them to act in ways they normally wouldn't. They recognize that almost all emotional disputes escalate because both parties feel justified to act badly because "the other person started it". Because of this, they understand that they are responsible for their own actions and they will not allow an abusive opponent to make them retaliate. A good sportsman does not "nit pick" or "shark" their opponents. They want to win, but they are not willing to "do anything for a victory". They remember that they were once new and inexperienced, and they don't try to take advantage of the confusion of new teams or players. They attempt to be helpful to members who don't fully understand the league rules without being condescending. Although the calling of a foul is an important league right, a player may choose to overlook the foul in the interest of good sportsmanship. This is especially likely when their opponent is new to the league and unsure of the rules. They are forgiving of the minor transgressions of others and understand that "what goes around, comes around". All players should show evidence of good sportsmanship by shaking hands after the set and congratulating the winner on their performance. An obvious and important requirement of good sportsmanship is to be honest towards your opponent. Even though teams are not required to disclose strategic information such as which members will be playing in that match, players ARE required to give honest answers to their opponents' questions.

Some specific examples are:

a) Shooters sometimes forget which group of balls they are shooting. If asked by the opponent, the player must give an honest answer.
b) If the opponent asks the shooter if they have committed a foul, the shooter must answer honestly. They cannot refuse to answer or wrongfully deny that they have committed a foul.
c) If the opponent asks for an explanation of a league rule, the player will answer honestly to the best of their knowledge. They will not refuse to answer or knowingly give an incorrect interpretation. They will not claim knowledge of a rule that they don't fully understand.
d) During the period when teams are allowed to make roster changes "on the spot", the captain MUST inform their opponent of any new players being added to the team if the opponent asks. If the opponent asks and the captain has either refused to answer or has replied that there would be no new players added to the team that night, that captain has lost the right to use a player that is already printed on the roster form.
e) Whether asked by the opponent or not, all shooters are expected to call safety when they play safety. They should inform both their opponent and the scorekeeper. Although it's not possible for teams to call penalties on an opponent for failing to do this, you should inform league management if your opponent ignores this rule.
f) The League Manager will penalize any player who has shown repeated abuse of any of these requirements.

2. BAD SPORTSMANSHIP - Following are some specific areas of unacceptable behavior within the league. Some of these are subtle and some are very serious. All are forbidden. Please notice that many of these require a decision based on the intent of the action or statement. Any decision which attempts to determine what is in the mind of the player is of course an opinion and must be made by a neutral party (league management or a peer board of players). It is simply not possible for teams to directly enforce sportsmanship penalties on one another. Any attempt to do this would actually have the effect of INCREASING unacceptable behavior.

a) Contempt for league rules - Any member who refuses to acknowledge official rules of the league can only suffer by doing it. Remember that ALL rules have a valid reason for being and that these rules have been passed by a rules committee of league members. It is your own responsibility to know these rules, and you have the right to introduce your rule change ideas to be considered by your fellow M-8 members.
b) Displays of anger - Players who make obvious displays of anger out of frustration are acting in a childish and unacceptable manner. Even if that anger is not directed towards an opponent, it's unsportsmanlike behavior. Any member who damages equipment at a host location is responsible for making full restitution to that location before continuing play in the league. Any member who damages their own equipment has themselves to thank in the morning.
c) "Nit picking" - Sometimes people join the league who are so obsessed with winning that they will clutch at any possibility, no matter how minor, to gain advantage. LIGHTEN UP! Experience has shown that the vast majority of "nit picks" that create emotional arguments never wind up making a difference in the match. It is much more likely that players will be "thrown off their game" by heightened anger. Please carry an attitude that the game will be decided by the shots taken at the table and keep an "easy going" style. If league management decides that a team is using "nit picking" as a form of sharking, the team will be penalized.
d) Rating manipulation (Sandbagging) - Any attempt to manipulate the rating of a player is cheating. If you believe an opponent is intentionally "stretching" games or playing "fake" safeties, please inform management. Do not allow an opposing team to pressure you into changing your score sheet. There is no requirement that score sheets match each other. Just play pool and let the ratings determine themselves. If you see any evidence of an opponent or their team trying to manipulate ratings, please inform the league office. Remember that anyone who does this is a cheat and that we rely on each other to provide fair play. Your league management takes this subject very seriously and is constantly working on methods to make the M-8 handicapping system the best possible. Also please recognize that it is not necessarily true that a player is a "sandbagger" just because they have a good set. The reality is that a player who appears to be extremely underrated is more often than not just having a "hot" night. True "baggers" tend to be more subtle than that. Also give new players a chance to find their proper rating. It's not possible to claim 100% accuracy of a rating that is only based on a handful of scores.
e) Sharking - Many players misunderstand the meaning of "sharking" and confuse it with "hustling". Sharking is an action or statement intended to cause the opponent to lose concentration and make a mistake. There are several techniques that have been used to this end and some are very subtle. It's not always possible to separate sharking from unintended behavior, but "sharks" often show themselves by repeating this behavior at critical times. Remember that your best defense against sharking is to not let it affect you. Sharking can only work when the opponent allows it. SHARKING IS CHEATING! Some traditional sharking techniques are:

1) Verbal banter - The shark will constantly comment on the opponent's shots. They may repeatedly accuse them of blind luck or comment on the difficulty of making the next shot or "getting out". They may constantly remind the opponent of the importance of the match or shot. They may also profusely congratulate them for repeated "great shots". As you can see, this is not easy to separate from the normal commentary that happens in pool. The difference is the amount and timing of these remarks.
2) Approaching the table - The shark may constantly "hang over" the table during the opponent's turn. They may wait until the shooter is ready to stroke and then walk up to pick up a piece of chalk. They may stand in the direct line of sight of the shooter. Players are to stay well away from the table when it is the opponent's turn.
3) "Breaking down the stick" - One of the oldest and surprisingly successful methods of sharking is to unscrew your two-piece cue when you opponent appears to be winning the match. DO NOT DO THIS! At tournaments, a player is assumed to be sharking when they do this. Any player who "breaks down their stick" during the opponent's turn at a tournament has just conceded the game.

f) Signals - Any form of signal system is also cheating. If you have an opponent that you believe is using signals to avoid coaching restrictions, notify league management.
g) Slow play - Excessively slow play is another difficult area to control. Sometimes slow play is a sharking technique and sometimes it is just the natural pace of the shooter. In order to achieve a balance that is in the interests of the majority of league members, management will consider any pattern of slow play to be a violation of sportsmanship rules. If your natural tendency is to be highly deliberate in considering every shot, you will have to make a conscious effort to "pick up" your pace of play. Your score sheet has a spot that you can use if you wish to mark the start time and end time of each set played. If a pattern of slow sets by any player shows on the score sheets, that player will be warned to increase the pace of play. If it continues, that player will be penalized. At tournaments, a slow player may be placed on a stopwatch. If that occurs, any shot that takes 61 seconds for ANY reason will be a ball-in-hand foul. There will be no warning after the first shot. The opponent will not be placed under that restriction unless they have also shown themselves to be excessively slow.
h) Verbal abuse - Verbal abuse can take many forms. Nobody has the right to act insultingly towards his or her opponent. Especially offensive are racial, sexual, or ethnic insults. Any member that uses any slurs of this type towards another member will be required to make full apology or their membership will be suspended. Any member who does this repeatedly is not welcome in M-8 and will be expelled. Everyone has the right to believe what they wish, no matter how bigoted. But no one is allowed to express those bigoted insults towards another M-8 member. Other forms of verbal abuse are dealt with according to the severity and frequency of the abuse.
i) Threats - Threats of physical harm are considered extremely serious and can, depending on the situation, be treated the same as physical abuse. No one has the right to cause another member to fear for his or her safety.
j) Violent behavior - Any form of physical abuse of a league member is immediate grounds for expulsion. Any member who initiates violence towards another member is automatically expelled from the league.

3. PENALTIES FOR SPORTSMANSHIP VIOLATIONS - Dealing with violations of sportsmanship rules is an extremely difficult area for two basic reasons. The first is that it is impossible for teams that are playing self-supervised matches in their regular divisions to impose penalties on each other. Instead of solving behavioral issues, it would tend to make them worse. The second is that the league management, who must make these decisions, is at a disadvantage due to the fact that the manager was not present and must decide based on secondhand information. Please see the next heading for advice to help management make proper decisions. The difficulty is further complicated by the fact that there is a huge range of possible penalties. Whenever it is practical, the League Manager will convene a committee of neutral league members to decide the disposition of serious sportsmanship violations. However, members must recognize that the manager's authority in this area is absolute. A member that has violated sportsmanship rules can be penalized by the League Manager with anything from a warning to permanent expulsion from M-8 (or anything in between). In all other areas of league rules, the decision is made without any consideration of the history of the teams or players involved. A rule is a rule and is always interpreted in the same way. However, sportsmanship is very different! THE PAST BEHAVIORAL HISTORY OF A PLAYER OR TEAM ACCUSED OF SPORTSMANSHIP VIOLATIONS WILL BEAR HEAVILY ON THE DECISION MADE. The possible penalties are:

a) Warnings - Whenever possible, management will give a warning to an offending member or team before penalizing them. Some situations do not allow this and please remember that there is no absolute right to be given a warning.
b) Ratings assignments - If league management is satisfied that a player is guilty of rating manipulation or is seriously underrated, the right is reserved to assign that player a rating that will remove any unfair advantage.
c) Forfeiture of set, match, or standings points - If it's the League Manager's opinion that a player or team has achieved an unfair advantage through unacceptable behavior, they will lose that advantage. This can go beyond forfeiture to include removing other team points that they had previously earned.
d) Removal as captain or coach - A league member that is frequently involving themselves in disputes with opponents can lose the right to act as the team captain or the coach until it is management's opinion that they have demonstrated the maturity to perform these duties with sportsmanship.
e) Disqualification from post-season tournaments - Severe violations may result in the team losing its right to qualify for post-season play for that season. This would also result in forfeiture of any prize money for that season.
f) Suspension - A member or team may be suspended from all league events for a period of time determined by management. This suspension can also be "open-ended" - to be enforced until that player or team has reasonably shown that they are able to control the offending behavior.
g) Expulsion - This is the nuclear penalty. This applies to a member or team that has so extremely violated the sportsmanship rules that they have shown themselves to be completely unfit to participate. Their membership is revoked, they are not allowed at any league event, and they have no right to any refund of league fees paid.

4. RIGHT OF APPEAL - Members who have been penalized for sportsmanship violations have the right to appeal before a committee of neutral league members. However, it must be recognized that this cannot be done immediately and that the League Manager's decision is binding until the appeal is heard. This appeal is normally handled by the M-8 Appeal Board, but it is sometimes heard by a neutral group of players from that team's home division. The decision of the Appeal Board or peer committee is final. They may uphold or overrule the League Manager's decision. They may specify a different penalty (either more or less severe). They may dictate a future action to betaken by the League Manager if the player or team commits a future offense. This right of appeal is a two-way street. Other members have the right to appeal the League Manager's decision if they feel that a penalty imposed on an offending player or team is not severe enough.
5. HOW TO DEAL WITH THE BAD BEHAVIOR OF AN OPPONENT - If you are in the unfortunate position of having to deal with a poorly behaving opponent, remember the first and most important rule - KEEP YOUR OWN COOL! You can't control the behavior of opponents, but you can control your own. No excuse is ever accepted for behaving badly because "the opponent started it". If one of your own teammates is out of line, it's your team's responsibility to control them or get them out of the area. One of the most important responsibilities of the captain is to maintain an adult level of behavior from their own team. The captains are expected to control the situation and negotiate a reasonable resolution. If this is not possible, call your league office. There is usually an official available by phone when you are playing. Since you can't impose sportsmanship penalties on each other, the only possible way to get an immediate decision is through management. If unsportsmanlike behavior continues, document it! Make a protest note on your score sheet and write a description of the problem on a separate sheet. The more evidence you can supply, the better job management can do to later resolve the issue. If possible, provide management with a way to contact a neutral observer or member of the other team to support your statements.
6. SPORTSMANSHIP VIOLATIONS AT TOURNAMENTS - Tournaments provide a superior way to deal with sportsmanship issues because there is a neutral official present and in authority. Decisions can be made "on the spot". Each team is provided with the "Rules of Tournament Sportsmanship" as they begin any tournament. Please refer to those rules for details.

AS STATED ABOVE, THIS SECTION OF YOUR RULE BOOK IS THE MOST DIFFICULT TO WRITE AND ADMINISTER. THANKFULLY, THE GREAT MAJORITY OF LEAGUE MEMBERS DO ACT IN A SPORTSMAN LIKE MANNER. THESE RULES AND PENALTIES WILL PROBABLY NEVER AFFECT YOU. THANK YOU FOR MAKING YOUR LEAGUE MORE ENJOYABLE BY YOUR ADULT AND CONSIDERATE ACTIONS. HAVE A GOOD TIME AND REMEMBER - GOOD LUCK & GOOD POOL SHOOTING!!!

D. LEAGUE & TEAM STRUCTURE

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M-8 is an independent handicapped pool league with its own copyrighted rating system, scoring system, and rules. Although it shares many characteristics with other recreational league organizations, many of its characteristics are unique to M-8. This section will describe the way in which the league operates and its organization.

1. MANAGEMENT - The top authority in M-8 is the League Manager. He is a full-time worker in organizing and administering M-8. Other paid officials of the league are the Division Managers. They may be either full-time or part-time workers. Your League Manager and Division Managers are available to you to help with any problems or questions you may have involving M-8. They are responsible for organizing teams, scheduling divisions, maintaining ratings and standings, preparation & delivery of your team envelopes for regular season play, providing rule interpretations, resolving disputes, planning & supervising league meetings, officiating tournaments, co-coordinating special league events, providing trophies & other awards, administering your prize funds, and making improvements in the league.
2. PLAYER REPRESENTATIVES - M-8 members have the opportunity to make decisions about the rules and direction of their league in three ways. The first is through voice votes taken on major issues at league meetings. The second is through occasional ballots distributed in team envelopes. The third is through electing Player Representatives from the membership. Each division of teams has the right to elect a Player Representative, who will be a member of the committees listed below. A player who is interested in being involved in these committees should contact the League Manager for more information. Elections will be held once each year for Player Representatives. A new division in its first year will have a Representative appointed by the League Manager.
3. PLAYER COMMITTEES - The Player Representatives form three committees. Each meets as needed to make decisions affecting your league play. They are:

a) Rules Committee - This group works with the League Manager to make decisions on the meaning and wording of M-8 rule changes. Details on the rule change process are listed in the RULE CHANGES paragraph.
b) Appeal Board - This committee acts as a peer group to which a member or team can appeal a rule interpretation or disciplinary penalty by the League Manager. Decisions by the Appeal Board (which are in accordance with official M-8 rules) can overrule decisions by the League Manager. Members can make an appeal to this committee by following the procedures listed in the PROTESTS paragraph.
c) Rating Review Board - This group monitors ratings of M-8 members and sits in judgment on appeals made involving player ratings.

4. RULE CHANGES - Every reasonable attempt has been made to make your league rules as complete as possible. However, every organization must evolve in order to improve. This paragraph lists the rules controlling that process.

a) Timing of changes - Rules changes can only be implemented between seasons. If a rule has been changed or added, that change will be held until the end of the season. Season Championship and Consolation Tournaments will use the rules of that season. Rule changes having an important effect on the Annual Team Championship will only be implemented at the beginning of the Winter Season. The Annual Team Championship will use the rules of that year's Fall Season.
b) Notification of changes - The M-8 Rule Book will be occasionally revised and a new copy provided to each team. Any rule changes not incorporated in the current edition of the rule book will be issued as a Rule Book Addendum and distributed to all teams.
c) Initiation of rule changes - Any M-8 member can initiate their idea for a rule change. They should submit their idea (in the form of a written rule) on a Rule Change Recommendation form, which can be obtained from the League Manager. The League Manager will meet with the Rules Committee on an occasional basis to discuss all change recommendations. The rule will be categorized as a minor or major change. Minor changes require a majority decision of the Rules Committee to become enacted. Major changes require a majority ballot or voice vote by the league membership.
d) Consideration of rule changes - It is obviously not possible for every rule to satisfy every member. For that reason, all rule changes being considered must pass the following tests:

1) Does this change represent the majority opinion?
2) Does this change improve the fairness of competition?
3) Is this change easily understood by the members?
4) Is the improvement created by this change greater than the probable confusion created by a change?
5) Is this change reasonably administrable by league management?

e) Limitation of rule changes - It is M-8's philosophy that the members should have the ability to control their own playing rules. Almost all league rules are changeable by the process listed in this paragraph. For basic "commonsense" reasons, there are two areas where the League Manager has final rules authority. These are financial rules and rules affecting the basic system of rating players. Although the Rules Committee and the membership will be consulted on any changes in these areas, the League Manager reserves control.

5. PROTESTS - Unfortunately, situations do arise where a member or team is dissatisfied with the result of a match or a management decision. The protest procedure is established to achieve a balance between that member's right of appeal and the need maintain a fair and efficient league. Protests can be made on an informal or a formal basis.

a) Notification of protest - Disputes during team matches should be handled by the team captains. They should use this rule book and sportsmanlike negotiating skills to resolve their problem. If they are unable to resolve the dispute, they should attempt to contact league management for assistance. If the teams have failed to reach an agreement, they should finish their match "under protest". VERY IMPORTANT - THE PROTESTING TEAM SHOULD MAKE NOTE ON THEIR SCORE SHEET OF THE FACT THAT THEY ARE PLAYING UNDER PROTEST AND THE NATURE OF THE PROTEST. To further their own case, the protesting team should write down as much detail as possible to state and support their case. Neutral observers or members of the opposing team who are in agreement are especially valuable. If the note of protest is made on the score sheet, it is officially logged. Protest by telephone within 24 hours will be accepted, but ONLY if it can be proven that the protest was made during the match. "After the fact" protests are not accepted. No team can negotiate an agreement to a dispute and later decide to protest because they lost. Notification to the league office more than 24 hours after the incident will not be accepted.
b) Informal protests - League management will attempt to resolve protests informally by investigating the nature of the protest and consulting league rules and procedures. The League Manager will make their best effort to resolve this in a fair and consistent manner. Their decision will provide a resolution and will be initially binding.
c) Formal protests - If either party feels that the management decision is not proper, they have the right to make a formal protest to the Appeal Board.

1) Notification of formal protest - The protest must be made IN WRITING within 10 days of the League Manager's resolution. Protest forms are available upon request from the league office.
2) Protest deposit - A formal protest must be accompanied by a deposit of $25. 00. This deposit is later returned to the team if the Appeal Board has decided that the protest has merit. If the Appeal Board decides that the protest has no merit (is a "frivolous protest"), the deposit is forfeit by the team and is placed in the M-8 prize fund. The issue here is whether or not the protest is reasonable. A team whose protest is denied by the Appeal Board will still have the deposit refunded IF the board agrees that they had a valid reason.
3) Appeal Board hearing - Once management receives a formal written protest, they will notify all parties. They will convene a meeting of the Appeal Board. Members must recognize that this can be a complicated and time-consuming process. There may be a delay of several weeks before the hearing can be scheduled. Each party will have the opportunity to present their case to the board. The Appeal Board rules by majority decision within the rules of M-8. That decision is final and cannot be appealed.

6. SEASONS - M-8 has three seasons available to teams each year. Winter Season begins in January and ends in late April. It is normally 14 weeks long. Summer Season begins after Memorial Day and ends near Labor Day. It is normally 12 weeks long. Fall Season begins at the end of September and ends in January. It is normally 14 weeks long. All seasons are followed by two weeks of play-offs.
7. LEAGUE FORMATS - Most M-8 teams play in the "Open" format. Open teams use all rules listed in this book unless specifically noted otherwise. There are no gender restrictions on Open teams. Teams can consist of players who are all men, all women, or any combination. M-8 does offer other formats. M-8 Masters is a similar format, but has many differences from the Open rules. It's primarily designed for higher-skilled players and has no team rating limit. There is a separate M-8 Masters Rule Addendum which details these differences. Women's format is similar to Open with two basic changes. No male players are allowed and there are is a different team rating limit. Sober Shooters is an Open format restricted to nondrinkers only. Other formats will be created overtime and will be detailed in future editions of this book.
8. DIVISIONS - M-8 teams are organized into divisions. Each division normally consists of 8 to 12 teams (although smaller divisions sometimes exist in special cases). The division is geographically set to reduce drive time between locations as much as possible. Each division will have matches scheduled for a given day of the week at a given time. Most divisions start play at 7:00 PM. Each division has its own self-contained schedule, play-offs, and awards. All teams in a division have the opportunity to qualify for league-wide tournaments (see the POST-SEASON PLAY section). Most divisions compete with the same structure and rules. There are some special divisions that may have differences from the others in some rules or prize funds. Teams in these special divisions will be provided with notification of any differences from this rule book.
9. TEAMS - A team consists of 5 to 8 M-8 members. Five team members play in each team match. Restrictions on changes to the team roster are listed in the MISCELLANEOUS RULES section. Rules affecting the eligibility of team members for post-season play are listed in the POST-SEASON PLAY section. Fees responsibilities of the team are described in the FINANCIAL RULES section.
10. CAPTAIN - The captain is the leader of the team. Although there is usually one person serving as team captain, it's acceptable for team members to share or rotate the captain's duties. The team is responsible for having a member that league management can contact as the captain if necessary. The captain is responsible for the following:

a) Organizer - The captain makes sure that the team has the right players at the right place at the right time. They ensure that the team roster is correct and that members' eligibility is maintained. They schedule the members for play and are responsible for the team adjusting to any schedule changes that may arise.
b) Communicator - The captain provides to league management any information needed to protect the team's interests and to satisfy league rules. They make sure that team members are aware of information provided by league management and understand the ways that information affects the members.
c) Negotiator - The captain represents the team's interests in issues that require negotiation with other teams (such as rules questions, scheduling of make-ups, etc.). They take control of any situation where emotions may arise and ensure that the team acts in a sportsmanlike manner to resolve any disputes that may occur.
d) Rules Authority - The captain is knowledgeable about the league rules and helps their teammates to also learn these rules. They are provided with a rule book and are invited to contact the league office for any interpretation or further rule information needed.
e) Treasurer - The captain protects the team's financial interests by taking responsibility for keeping the records necessary to ensure that all fees are paid by team members.

11. COACH - Each player has the right to choose a coach. Details are listed in the COACHING RULES section. Any team member can act as a coach, but the team must remember that the captain is not necessarily the coach. If another member is acting as coach, the captain is not allowed to do such things as calling of fouls for the player or providing direct advice on the player's shot.
12. M-8 MEMBERS - A player must be a member of M-8 to be on a team roster or compete in M-8 events. There are certain rules and restrictions involving membership.

a) No professionals allowed - M-8 members are amateur pool players. The standards used for determining professionalism are: Is this player a touring member of the MPBA or WPBA? (ALL "circuit pros" are required to join one of these organizations.) Does this player make their living playing the game of pool? Please recognize that there are amateur players who have the ability to compete as professionals, but make their living in other ways and shoot pool as a hobby.
b) Age - There is no age restriction set by M-8. However, players are warned that most league activity takes place in locations with alcohol present. An M-8 member younger than the legal drinking age must conform to all laws and policies of the establishment where that league activity is occurring. They must recognize that they have no inherent right to compete in any M-8 event that excludes them because of age. Many areas allow the presence of a minor when accompanied by a legal guardian. It is the player's responsibility to know these restrictions and obey them. Any underage member that attempts to violate age laws or policies affecting an M-8 event will be immediately expelled from the league.
c) Proof of identity - M-8 players must always be able to provide proof of their identity. If a referee or opponent asks for this proof, they must do this in a sportsmanlike manner. If a player cannot provide this proof, contact league management for assistance. If a player is refused entrance to a location because they don't carry proper I. D., there is no allowance made in other league rules (the team must either play five other members or forfeit the fifth set). Penalties for playing another person using the member's name are listed in Illegal Substitutions in the MISCELLANEOUS RULES section.
d) Playing on more than one team - Members are allowed to play on as many teams as they wish, but only one team in a given division in a given season. Members are not normally allowed to change teams within the same division if they have played that season for another team. A change can be approved for team survival purposes if the League Manager and the majority of teams within the division agree to the change.
e) Playing more than once in a match - A player can only play one set for their team in a match. The only exception to this occurs in rare cases during post-season play (see Gladiator Matches in the POST-SEASON PLAY section).
f) Sportsmanlike play - Players must respect the rules and spirit of sportsmanship. A member that continually violates these rules will be penalized. This can include revocation of their membership (see SPORTSMANSHIP section).

E. POST-SEASON PLAY

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The major rewards of M-8 are earned by players and teams after the regularly scheduled season ends. The seeding and pairings of teams are determined by the regular season point standings, but ALL teams have an opportunity to compete for some portion of these rewards in post-season play. The great majority of league rules are unchanged from regular to post-season, but there are some differences. Those differences are detailed in this section. There are a few special M-8 divisions, which may have post-season rules that differ from this section. Teams in those divisions will be informed in advance of any exceptions to this section.

1. REGULAR SEASON POINT STANDINGS - The division point standings at the end of regular season determine the direction and seeding of teams in post-season play.

a) Championship teams - The teams that finish in the top four positions become the ones that compete for the Division Championship, the Season Championship Tournament, and earn ranking towards the M-8 Annual Team Championship.
b) Consolation teams - The teams that finish in the fifth through last positions within the division compete for the division's Consolation Championship and the Season Consolation Tournament. They cannot earn credit during that season towards the M-8 Annual Team Championship.

2. DIVISION MVP - At the end of the regular season, each division has a player who earns the title of Most Valuable Player. Players are ranked according to three factors: The standings points they earn for their team, their set wins, and their set losses. Total points scored by the player are added to a 200-point bonus for each set win and a 200-point penalty for each loss. Players who receive forfeit wins earn credit for the standings points gained by their team, but do not receive the extra 200 point set win bonus. The resulting total becomes that player's MVP ranking. The player who has the highest MVP ranking at the end of regular season is the Division MVP.
3. TIE-BREAKS - There are four possible situations that require a procedure for breaking ties:

a) Team standings - Since the top four team positions in regular season point standings affect the teams' rankings and seeding for post-season play, a tiebreaker is needed if two teams finish in a tie.

1st - The head-to-head point totals of the teams during that season.
2nd - The total sets won during the regular season by each team.
3rd - The total points lost to each team's regular season opponents.
4th - The two teams' season records against the team that has finished immediately below them in the division standings.

b) Division MVP -

1st - If the tied players had competed against each other during the regular season, the player who had earned the most head-to-head points is the MVP.
2nd - The average ratings of their regular season opponents are compared. If there is a difference of 5 or more rating points between these averages, the player who has competed against the stronger opponents is the MVP.
3rd - The players play a single set to determine the MVP.

c) Gladiator match - Since post-season matches are sudden-death, it can happen that two teams have played less than five sets and do not have a clear winner. In the rare case that neither team has another player present to accept a forfeit, each team is allowed to choose one of their members who has already played a set. All other league rules are in force and scoring of the match is otherwise the same.
d) Ranking for the Annual Team Championship - See Tie-break rule in M-8 ANNUAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP section.
e) "Dead Heat" Tie - Although extremely rare, it's possible for two teams to have scored the exact same point totals at the end of a five-set match. During regular season play, this will stand as a tie. During post-season play, a "dead heat" is broken by awarding the win to the team that has won three of the five sets played.

4. PLAYER ELIGIBILITY FOR POST-SEASON PLAY - In order to help ensure fairness of competition during post-season matches, there are minimums of the number of times that each player must have played with their team and the number of scores in their M-8 history. Scores in a player's history can come from any recorded M-8 match. They DO NOT have to be connected to any given team or season. Any member who has not completed a membership application or renewal for that year and returned it to the league office is NOT eligible for post-season events. Members of a team who are ineligible cannot play, but they can be used as forfeits for rating limit purposes. These are the numbers required BEFORE entering the following events:

Event TWT TM8 TM8N

Division Play-offs
4 7 5

Season Tournaments
5 8 6

Annual Team Championship
6 9 7

Explanation of headings:

TWT= Times With Team - The number of sets played THAT season as a member of THAT team. In the case of the Annual Team Championship, this is the number of times played with that team over the tournament-qualifying year. If a player is dropped from a team roster and later re-added, they must start this number over again.

TM8= Total M-8 Scores (Veteran) - The number of set scores that the player must have in their rating history as a member of M-8. This number applies to any player who was a member of M-8 at any time before the most current season. It also applies to any NEW members of a team that has 50% or more players who were M-8 members prior to the most current season.

TM8N= Total M-8 Scores (New) - The number of set scores that the player must have in their rating history as a member of M-8. This number applies only to new members of a team that has a majority of players who are new to M-8 in the most current season. Even if the team qualifies for this number, any player who has a previous M-8 record will have to satisfy "Total M-8 Scores (Veteran) ".

Special case - A player can receive credit for one set played as a member of their team if:

a) They have previously been present to play for that team and have received a forfeited set.
b) They were listed on the score sheet from that match.
c) The player has satisfied requirements for the number of set scores in their rating history. No exceptions will be made to these requirements.
d) No more than one set can be credited, no matter how many times the player has received forfeits.

5. PLAYERS ELIGIBLE ON MORE THAN ONE TEAM - Many league members choose to play in more than one division. When post-season tournaments mix the competition of all divisions, complications can result. A player who has earned post-season eligibility on more than one team retains their right to compete with each of those teams. This does create the need for these added rules:

a) If the player is eligible on the rosters of two teams who happen to meet in a tournament match, the player cannot play against themselves. They can play in this match for either or both teams, but they must play in the first or second set only. If they play for both teams, they must obviously play for one team in the first set and the other in the second. If there is a difference between the two ratings of that player, they will play in that match for either team at the average rating of the two (rounding up to next whole number). Teams are strongly recommended to have a mutual player "sit out" if this situation should arise (there is a likelihood of creating resentments). This rule can be suspended upon request from BOTH team captains.
b) A team who has an eligible member who is playing at the same time for another team has the right to list that player for a set, delay the set, and then continue to the next "match-up". This player must be involved in another M-8 tournament match; this right does NOT extend to a player who is merely not present at that time. As soon as that player is available, the set will begin on the first open and acceptable table. This determination will be made by the tournament director.
c) The above right to "by-pass" does not exclude a team from normal forfeit rules. Once a player has been listed and "matched-up", they can't be later withdrawn. If all other sets of the match are completed and the player is not yet available, the by-passed set becomes forfeit. No extra consideration will be given if the match has previously been required to start two-table play. If the Tournament Director (T. D.) decides that a team is stalling for an absent player, ONE warning will be given. After that point, any evidence of stalling tactics will be considered a violation of sportsmanship rules and the T. D. will penalize accordingly. This can include forfeiture of match.

6. TEAM RATING CERTIFICATION - Each team must return their Team Rating Certification sheet before playing any post-season match. If any members of the team (for any reason) have pool-playing abilities beyond their rating, their captain is expected to raise them to the proper level. Any team that does not sign and return this sheet will automatically have ALL members of their team raised three rating points for each post-season match the team plays until the sheet is signed. This sheet is an honor system (with teeth), but you are heavily cautioned to take it seriously. New teams should be very careful about this and contact the league office if at all uncertain. There are points at which rises in team or player ratings can cause disqualification. If disqualified, a team loses all rights to any prize money it may have earned. Ratings of members at the end of post-season play are compared to their ratings at the beginning. If these changes exceed the limits shown below, the penalty will be as follows:

a) Potential Disqualification - If the rating of a team member rises from the beginning of post-season play by 15 or more points OR if the total ratings of all team members rise by 40 or more points, the team is potentially disqualified. This is not automatic. If, in the judgment of league management, the team is determined to be guilty of rating manipulation, the team is disqualified. A team that has been disqualified on this basis has the right to appeal to the Rating Review Board. The judgment of that committee is final.
b) Automatic Disqualification - If the rating of a team member rises from the beginning of post-season play by 20 or more points OR if the total ratings of all team members rise by 60 or more points, the team is automatically disqualified. There is no judgment exercised by league management and there is no right of appeal.

7. LEAGUE AWARDS - M-8 provides the following awards to its members and teams:

a) Division Championship Team - In each division each season, the team that wins the Championship Play-Offs is the Division Champion. A trophy is awarded to that team and (if there are at least 6 teams in the division) an individual trophy is awarded to each team member that is qualified for post-season play.
b) Consolation Champion Team - In each Consolation Bracket each season, the team that wins the Bracket Play-Offs is the Consolation Champ. A trophy is awarded to that team if there are at least 3 teams in the bracket.
c) Most Valuable Player - In each division each season, a trophy is awarded to the Division MVP.
d) Cash Prizes - Every team wins some prize money in each season. The starting prizes are usually small and rise as the team advances through play-offs and the post-season tournaments. The exact amount of these prizes changes from season to season and year to year depending on the size of the league and the fees collected.

8. OTHER POST-SEASON SPECIAL RULES - Almost all league rules are exactly the same in regular season play and in post-season play. However, there are some essential differences, which are listed in this section. If a rule pertains to a particular event, it is listed in the paragraph for that event. If it applies to multiple events, it is listed here.

a) Sudden death - All post-season matches end at the time when it is agreed that one of the teams has a lead that the other team can't possibly overcome. The completion of five sets is not always necessary. Teams are strongly advised to be careful to be sure that a "comeback" is not possible before admitting defeat. Factors such as the possible rating bonus or penalty and forfeit rules can have a material effect. If in doubt, teams are wise to continue play.
b) Forfeit scoring - In any post-season match, the team receiving a forfeited set does not receive the "flat" 125 points (see Team Match Scoring (Forfeits) in the SCORING AND THE RATING SYSTEM section). For this set, they will receive 100 points plus the rating of the player who receives the forfeit. This is done to limit a potential abuse by a team which tries to "blow out" their opponents by using three high-skilled players and intentionally forfeiting with low-skilled ineligible players.
c) Presence of a referee (tournaments only) - Some league rules exist because of the necessity for teams to be able to resolve situations without a neutral authority present. Since tournaments have a Tournament Director (hereafter called T. D.) acting as a referee, there are some differences. These differences are:

1) 45 degree rule - This rule does not necessarily apply. Any shot involving this rule will not be considered a foul if the shooter conforms to the rule, but the T. D. has the ability to determine that a player may have been able to execute a legal stroke while shooting from an angle that is less than 45 degrees. Be very careful with this unless you fully understand the physics of the double hit shot.
2) Breaking down the cue stick - If it is the T. D. 's opinion that a player has unscrewed a two-piece cue stick during the opponent's inning, that player has conceded the game. The shooter is awarded 14 points.
3) Two-table play - Normal league rules on two-table play do not apply in tournaments. The "pace of play" at tournaments is especially critical. The T. D. will monitor the progress of all matches. If it's the T. D. 's judgment that a particular match is proceeding slowly or well behind schedule, they will warn the teams that two-table play is likely to be imposed. If, after the warning, the pace doesn't noticeably accelerate, the T. D. will make a determination. Unless the T. D. can determine that a particular team or player is responsible for the slow pace, the match will proceed on two tables.
4) Stopwatch - If the T. D. has judged that one player or team is responsible for an unacceptably slow "pace of play", the T. D. will warn that team. If there is not an increase in this pace that is acceptable to the T. D., that player will be timed by a stopwatch. The first time that player exceeds 60 seconds between strokes, they will be warned and must shoot immediately. After the first warning, any delay of 61 seconds will result in a ball-in-hand foul. There will be no consideration given to the reason for the delay. There will be no subsequent warnings.
5) Tournament rules sheet - The T. D. provides all teams with a sheet listing tournament rules as they begin their competition. This sheet is an extension of this rule book and describes the T. D.'s authority.
6) Coaching violations - The T. D. decides the point at which fouls are to assessed for these violations according to guidelines established by the tournament rules sheet.
7) Sportsmanship violations - The T. D. has the authority to assess penalties "on the spot" for unsportsmanlike behavior. These are detailed on the tournament rules sheet.
8) Shot calls by the T. D. - The T. D. is available to players as a referee for questionable shots ("split hits", etc.). USE THEM!!! Any player can call for a time-out for the referee. It does not count as coaching. A player who has ignored a call for the referee and shoots without waiting has committed a foul. If called in officially, the T. D. will call the shot as a foul or a legal stroke. If the T. D. happens to witness a shot without having been called as a referee, they will not offer a ruling unless directly asked by one of the players. It's very important to call the T. D. for questionable shots, since it's very difficult for to make an "after the fact" judgment and the "benefit of doubt" will weigh in favor of the shooter.
9) T. D. in competition - At some sites, the T. D. may also be competing. They are to disqualify themselves from any judgment that may affect their own team. Shot calls will be made by a neutral party. Rule interpretations and appeals can be made by calling the League Manager.

9. PLAY-OFF MEETING - There is a play-off meeting held for each division during the week between the end of regular season and the first week of play-offs. This is the only required league meeting of the season - each team is required to have at least one member present. The announcement of the meeting location, date, and time will be in the team envelope on the last night of regular season play. This meeting serves several purposes:

a) Championship team pairings and locations are announced.
b) Consolation team pairings and locations are drawn. Any Consolation team that is not represented automatically loses the right to draw for potential byes or home field advantage.
c) The division MVP is announced.
d) Paperwork and information necessary for teams to compete in post-season matches is distributed at this meeting.
e) Any major rule change deemed necessary to take to a ballot is decided by the players present at the play-off meetings.

10. DIVISION PLAY-OFFS

a) Championship play-offs are paired by finish position. The first place team earns home field vs. the fourth place team. The second place team earns home field advantage vs. the third place team. The two winning teams compete for the Division Championship; with home field awarded to the team with the higher finish position.
b) Consolation play-offs are paired and seeded by draw. Finish position is not considered in Consolation play-offs. Since there are differing numbers of teams in divisions, Consolation play-offs are divided into brackets of four teams. This will give all Consolation teams an equal opportunity to advance. If necessary, cross-divisional brackets are formed. In some cases, byes must be awarded. The two winning teams from the first round of each bracket will compete for the Consolation Championship.

11. SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP AND CONSOLATION TOURNAMENTS - After play-offs end each season, all divisions are combined into two league-wide tournaments - the Championship and the Consolation. These are single-elimination tournaments with opening round byes awarded for performance as described below (there is an additional match played to determine the 3rd and 4th place teams). The bulk of the season's prize pool is awarded according to success in these tournaments, with approximately 2/3 of the prize pool earned by Championship teams and 1/3 by Consolation teams. There are separate Season Tournaments for each league format (Open, Masters, etc.)

Original Text:

a) Qualifying for the Season Tournaments

1) Championship - The regular season first place team is automatically the highest-ranked team in the division for the Season Championship, regardless of play-off results. The second place team is automatically qualified, regardless of play-off results. The third and fourth places teams must win a play-off match to qualify for this event.
2) Consolation - To qualify for this event, a Consolation team must win a play-off match or draw a bye.

Changed Text (S93):

a)

Event	TWT	TM8	TM8N
Division Play-offs	4	7	5
Season Tournaments	5	8	6
Annual Team Championship	6	9	7