Real-Life Communication
Professional pool players gain high profiles, especially among fellow
pool players. They are often called upon to speak to groups, such as pool
leagues or young pool teams.
You're a pro player who's been on tour
for a couple of years. You have been invited to speak to a group of young
pool players. The players are all under 10 years old and are just learning
the game.
You've been asked to speak about nine ball. You plan on explaining
some of the rules and talking about some of your playing experiences.
Before
the talk, you do some research and brainstorming. You come up with the following
essential rules from the Billiard Congress of America:
OBJECT OF THE
GAME -- Nine ball is played with nine object balls numbered one through nine
and a cue ball. On each shot, the first ball the cue ball contacts must be
the lowest-numbered ball on the table. The balls need not be pocketed in order.
If
a player pockets any ball on a legal shot, he remains at the table for another
shot, and continues until he misses, fouls, or wins the game by pocketing
the nine ball.
After a miss, the incoming player must shoot from the
position left by the previous player. However, after any foul, the incoming
player may start with the cue ball anywhere on the table. Players are not
required to call any shot. A match ends when one of the players has won the
required number of games.
LEGAL BREAK SHOT -- The rules governing the
break shot are the same as for other shots except:
- The breaker must strike the one ball first, and either pocket a ball or
drive at least four numbered balls to the rail.
- If the cue ball is pocketed or driven off the table, or the requirements
of the opening break are not met, it is a foul. The incoming player has cue
ball in hand anywhere on the table.
- If on the break shot, the breaker causes an object ball to jump off the
table, it is a foul. The incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on
the table. The object ball is not respotted (exception: if the object ball
is the nine ball, it is respotted).
THREE CONSECUTIVE FOULS -- If a player fouls three consecutive times
on three successive shots without making an intervening legal shot, he loses
the game. The three fouls must occur in one game. The warning must be given
between the second and third fouls.
END OF GAME -- A game starts as
soon as the cue ball crosses over the head string on the opening break. The
one ball must be legally contacted on the break shot. The game ends at the
end of a legal shot that pockets the nine ball, or when a player forfeits
the game as the result of a foul.
You also decide on the following
stories:
- The time you won a tournament by sinking the nine ball on a break -- a
rare feat indeed!
- The time you lost a tournament by hitting three fouls in a row and being
disqualified
Write what you will say to the kids.