Rule of the Week - Breaking

March 4, 2025 11:01 PM

by San Diego APA

Rule of the Week - Breaking

March 4, 2025 11:01 PM

by San Diego APA

Situation: Player breaks but the cue ball scratches without making contact with any object balls. What happens next?

The rack must be struck before a foul can occur. So the same player will attempt to break again.

Rule: Official Team Manual (OTM) page 45-46 section 3 “Breaking”: https://media.poolplayers.com/TMRB/Team-Manual-English.pdf

This section also covers:

  • Players physically unable to break and what happens.
  • Where the cue ball needs to be to break.
  • Legal and non-legal breaks.
  • When the break switches to your opponent.
  • Where the rack must be struck.
  • Soft breaking.

In addition, page 28 section 18 "Coaching" Note 3 states:

A team can only be charged with a time out after the rack has been struck in any individual game.

Note: a coach can help a player position the cue ball and even how to break and this isn’t a timeout.

You can submit a "Rule of the Week" to the league office:

  • Email to sandiego@apaleagues.com.
  • Email Subject Line must read “SDAPA Rule of the Week”
  • Clearly state the rule/situation and if you know where the answer is found please provide those details.

2025 Turkey Shoot Scotch Triples and Toy Drive!
10/30/25 - 4:01 am
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!!! 28th Annual Turkey Shoot plus TOYS FOR TOTS DRIVE to get in the Holiday Spirit! (Every unwrapped toy or $10 donated gets entry to win a cue!) Saturday, November 29, 2025 The Library Tavern (7459 Mission Gorge Rd) Doors Open At 9:00 am ♦ Play Starts At 9:30 am Join us for our third SCOTCH TRIPLES tournament!!! Open to San Diego APA members active on a 2025 Fall SDAPA ro
Roster Changes - Still Time
11/4/25 - 7:00 pm
📣 Roster Update Reminder! Teams still have time to make roster changes for the Fall Session, but don’t wait too long! Once we reach the last 4 weeks of the regular session, no roster additions will be allowed. If your team is World Qualified (formally Cities), please keep in mind that any roster changes may affect your eligibility for World Qualifiers. Remember, match requirements could impact
Fouls/Ball-In-Hand - Rule of the Week
11/3/25 - 6:00 pm
Situation: Due to a foul I have Ball-In-Hand (BIH), while placing the cue ball I touch another ball on the table by accident. Is this now BIH for my opponent? Yes, Touching another ball on the table, while placing or adjusting the position of the cue ball, during a ball-in-hand is a BIH foul. The hand holding the cue ball or placing the cue ball becomes an extension of the cue ball. If a hand th