Double Posting: Legal Lineup - Rule of the Week

October 29, 2026 at 11:48 PM

by San Diego APA

Double Posting: Legal Lineup - Rule of the Week

October 29, 2026 at 11:48 PM

by San Diego APA

Situation: The team we are playing tonight only has 4 players available: Skill Levels 7, 6, 4, and 3 (totaling 20). The rest of their roster consists of 4, 4, 5, and 5. Can their Skill Level 3 player play twice to fill the 5th match?

No, to double-post a player when short-handed, your team must still comply with the 23-Rule as if a full 8-player roster were present.

The Math: If players 7, 6, 4, and 3 play, their skill levels total 20. To stay under the 23-point cap for a 5th match, the missing player's skill level can be at most 3.

The Violation: The remaining absent roster options are all rated 4 or 5. Because the team has no available skill level 2 or 3 on their remaining roster to legally satisfy the 23-rule, this starting lineup is illegal.

The intent of this rule is simple: you cannot play a short-handed lineup that would be illegal if your full team were present.

Even though doubling the Skill Level 3 totals 23 points (20+3=23) you are effectively inventing a second SL3 that isn't on your roster to make the math work.

When It Is Allowed:

If for example the remaining absent roster includes a Skill Level 2 (e.g., absent players are 2, 4, 5, 5), playing the 7, 6, 4, and 3 is legal.

Why: If the SL2 were present, the team could legally play the 7, 6, 4, 3, and 2 (totaling 22 points).

The Option: Since the SL2 is absent, the opposing team can choose whether to double-post the SL3 or reschedule the 5th match against the missing SL2. This is why although in this example this team doesn't have a second SL3 they met the first requirement and the team ready to play has a choice.

Rule: Official Team Manual (OTM) page 34-35 “Team Skill Level Limit”: https://media.poolplayers.com/TMRB/Team-Manual-English.pdf

See Double Posting Bylaw Rule: https://apa-by-laws.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/921_bylaws_2026.pdf 

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