Off The Break - Issue #2

2 | Off The Break Magazine Eastern New England USAPL

FIND US ON FACEBOOK

p6-Player of the Month Michelle Jiang

p10-Roy Pastor Break Physics

p15-10 reasons To Join the USAPL

p16-USAPL Rules

p25-How Can Your Shooting Game Go Wrong

p27-Upcoming Events

Welcome to this issue of ldquoOff the Breakrdquo The magazine for the USA Pool League Player

The USAPL is a nationally structured handicapped league designed to accommodate all players from the beginner to the advanced Whether you are a beginner just looking to have fun with friends or a top amateur looking to win your way to the USAPL National Championships this is the league for you Also there is no annual membership You read rightmembership is FREE

The USAPL uses Online League Management Software This is a ldquoreal-timerdquo state of the art pool league management system that all USAPL members can access 247 All USAPL players can view team standings MVP point standings schedules rosters every match score sheet from every match ever played player histories and statshellipplus much more LeagueSys is interfaced with the Fairplay handicap system and playerrsquos ratings will be updated and changed as soon as that weekrsquos score sheets are entered

So what will you find inside Inside each issue yoursquoll find pictures of local and distant league play-ers Wersquoll spotlight one player per issue on our ldquoPlayer of the Monthrdquo page It could be you Yoursquoll find articles and pictures covering league playoffs instructional tips player appreciation parties and so much more With our Q amp A page wersquoll answer your questions on rules techniques and playing strategies So turn the page check out and enjoy the contents and give us your feedback

Thank you

Jeff Gardner Editor

Owner - Eastern New England USA Pool League

Off The Break Magazine | 3


Welcome to the USA Pool LeagueThe USA Pool League (USAPL) is designed to provide every player the utmost fun and excitement By using the proven Fairplay handicap system the USAPL provides an even playing field for players of all skill levels

Players compete weekly in a fair and fun format for cash prizes and a chance to play in post-season events culminating in the USAPL National Championships The proprietary Fairplay handicap system uses a math-ematical formula based on simple game statistics to calculate player ratings It provides the most accurate player ratings and has a success rate of more than 70 of matches ending in a hill-hill conclusion

Each new player receives a temporary rating until he or she completes three (3) matches after which players receive a national rating based on the Fairplay formula Player statistics team standings and league records are managed by our web-based league management system - LeagueSys

LeagueSys is provided at no charge and is available at any time for League Managers or players to review their league information Team play consists of three (3) four (4) or five (5) players competing in a head-to-head format

After being selected by the team captains players meet in a one-on-one race to their rating The match continues until all players have com-pleted their sets Every shot counts because bonus points are awarded based on the margin of victory

Httpwwwplaycsipoolcomusapl-ruleshtml


httpwwwthebilliardscafecom

VISIT BILLIARDS CAFE ON FACEBOOK


Player of the MonthName Michelle JiangAge 14

Born China

Born and raised in China Michelle moved to the United States with her family at an early age Michelle has been playing pool for 2 years now in the USA Pool League and is currently ranked a 55 She placed 3rd in the youth 8-ball fall session of 2014 and is currently ranked 5th in the youth 9-ball spring session of 2015

Michelle placed 12th in the Junior Billiards World Championships held in November 2014 in Shanghai China

Michelle won her second consecutive 1st place Junior State title in the 14 and under division on March 28th at the 2015 BEF Massachusetts Junior 9-Ball Championships held at Billiards Cafe in Ayer Mass and placed 3rd in the 2015 BEF Connecticut Junior 9-Ball Championships on April 4th Junior players competed for State titles trophies schol-arship money and an opportunity to compete in the National Junior Championships this August

Good luck Michelle and congratulations on being the ldquoPlayer of the Monthrdquo




httpbullseyebilliardsnet


Roy Pastor is a BCA Advanced Level Instructor He is a principal and an instructor with the American Academy of Billiard and Cue Sports a BCA accredited training facility He may be contacted at wwwBilliardacademycom No portion of this article may be reprinted or reproduced without the express written permission of the author

Power Break PhysicsBilliards is a game of collisions Nowhere is this statement more apparent than on the power break shot The power break is designed to transfer as much energy as humanly possible to the rack This burst of energy is needed to maximize the potential for sinking a ball and to get a good ldquospreadrdquo on the table

The specific kind of energy needed to complete this task is called ldquokineticrdquo energy Kinetic energy is the energy of movement If you go back for a moment to your high school physics class you may recall the formula for the measurement of kinetic energy KE = frac12 mass x velocity2

In other words the amount of energy a moving object possesses is equal to frac12 of the mass of the object multiplied by the speed that the object is traveling squared It is this marriage of speed and mass that allows us to optimize the amount of energy transferred to the rack There is a third often overlooked factor in our goal of energy optimization and that is the proper cue ball hit This ldquostep childrdquo of the power break frequently manifests itself in inefficiencies of energy transfer causing the energy to be expended in unexpected or undesired ways

SPEED

The most recognizable variable of our kinetic energy formula is velocity2 Every pool player is aware of what happens when he or she hits a cue ball hard Simply put the cue ball goes faster and transfers more energy to the target balls causing the targets to move faster Because the speed of the traveling object is squared (multiplied by itself) in our physics formula we can understand that increasing the speed is the key to the transfer of energy

However we must recognize that the cue ball collision with its target is only the second collision in the energy transfer process The first collision occurs when the tip of the cue strikes the cue ball

The most important question then becomes how do I move my cue stick as fast as I can when I break The answer to this question will mostly depend on the mass of the cue stick as well as the physical abilities of the shooter

MASS

It would not have been uncommon in the not too distant past to find players using 22 ndash 25 ounce break cues The theory being that the heavier cue stick like a heavy hammer would provide a harder hit The size and weight of the item being wielded obviously refers to the mass of the item

Someone along the way however remembered their high school physics formula for kinetic energy and had the notion that a player could possibly generate more speed with a lighter cue After all our formula calls for only frac12 of the mass of the propelled object multiplied by velocity squared Any advantage in acquir-ing more speed will benefit our attempt to increase energy transfer


However how do we determine what is the optimum mass that we need to maximize speed This deter-mination is mostly a personal calculation While most modern break cues fall in the 18 to 19 ounce range some manufacturers are producing break cues as light as 12 ounces The theory is that we as human be-ings can only move our arms so fast If we are holding nothing our arms will move at a certain maximum speed As we add weight to our arm by holding objects with a heavier mass we will not be able to move our arms quite as fast The heavier the objects that we hold the slower we will be able to move our hands

This analysis is simply an expression of Sir Isaac Newtonrsquos second law of physics which states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on the object and is inversely proportional to the mass of the object The essential calculation then becomes what is the maximum weightmass that I can hold in my hand while still maintaining maximum velocity

This interplay between mass and velocity can best be explained by visualizing the following scenario Suppose you are given a choice of a number of items with which to strike a pintildeata The items are a feather a broom stick a baseball bat and a fifty pound sledge hammer The pintildeata contains candy which you desperately desire and you are only given one swing to break the pintildeata open

The feather is the lightest item and therefore contains the smallest amount of mass As a result it will result in the least amount of drag on your arm and allow you to maintain the maximum amount of speed in your swing However common sense dictates that the mass of the feather is too small to get the job done It can strike the pintildeata at a great speed but the mass will be insufficient to transfer enough energy to cause any damage to the target Greater mass will be needed to break the pintildeata

You might also try the 50 pound sledge hammer It certainly has sufficient mass to break a pintildeata made of cardboard glue and paper However even if you could swing it over your head chances are that you would not be able to move it with enough speed to do anything other than ldquopushrdquo the pintildeata around on its string You would not be able to generate enough speed and therefore energy to break the pintildeata open

However most of us would be able to break open the pintildeata using either the broom stick or the baseball bat Our choice of weapon will be determined on our assessment of how hard and fast we think we might be able to wield the object How much speed and therefore how much energy we can generate will depend on our individual physical strength and swing technique

For our purposes the question ultimately becomes given my physical strengths and limitations what is the heaviest cue that I can wield while maintaining a highest possible speed Ideally we would be able to test a number of break cues identical except as to varying weights utilizing a radar device By

measuring the speed of the cue ball after it is struck by the break cue we would easily be able to determine the optimum cue weight would allow us to generate the most speed

Proper Cue Ball Hit

Even if we are able to ascertain the perfect weight to compliment our strength and skills several other factors come into play in our attempt to maximize energy transfer Firstly let us take a look at the concept of Kinetic Energy as applied to the break shot As previously discussed Kinetic Energy is the energy of movement There are however many forms of Kinetic Energy The two forms of Kinetic Energy we are concerned with are Linear Energy and Rotational Energy

Linear energy is the energy the cue ball possesses when it is sliding and not rolling We have all witnessed the transfer of linear energy whenever we have made or observed a stop shot The reason a cue ball stops dead after making a full hit on an object ball is that it possesses only linear energy and linear energy transfers very efficiently to the object ball The cue ball stops because it has no energy left All of its energy has been transferred to the object ball


Because the object ball and the cue ball made of a very hard material Phenolic Resin there is very little en-ergy lost when they collide The collisions are said to be Elastic The elasticity of a collision is expressed in terms of its resiliency Resiliency is measured by the Coefficient of Restitution The coefficient of restitution is a fractional value setting forth the ratio of velocities both before and after and impact A coefficient of restitution of 1 represents a perfectly elastic collision where the kinetic energy before the collision is equal to the kinetic energy after the collision A coefficient of 0 would represent a perfectly inelastic collision where the two colliding objects would simply stop upon colliding without any bounce whatsoever This is the reason that most modern break cues are equipped with tips made of phenolic resin A soft leather tip will compress causing a more inelastic collision and driving the coefficient of restitution away from 1 and closer to 0

While there is some minimal energy loss in the collision between a cue ball and object ball it is small enough that we generally assume that the coefficient of restitution of the collision between an object ball and the cue ball is equal to 1 That is on a stop shot the cue ball stops dead while the object ball will leave the collision with the same amount of kinetic energy and thus speed as the cue ball had just prior to the collision Of course this assumes a full ball hit

A full ball hit occurs when both the object ball and the cue ball contact each other at their respective centers of mass Anything less would allow the cue ball to retain a certain amount of energy We recognize this as a cut shot However even with a cut shot the total amount of kinetic energy transferred to the object ball and the kinetic energy retained by the cue ball will equal the total amount of kinetic energy possessed by the cue ball prior to the collision The coefficient of restitution will continue to have a value of 1

What happens when we add rotational energy to the cue ball A cue ball rolling down the cloth of a table that is not sliding will possess both linear and rotational energy However we all know that rotational energy unlike linear energy transfers very inefficiently to the object ball The cue ball will retain most of its rotational energy after collision Only the linear energy will be efficiently transferred

Take a very close look at a cue ball when top or bottom spin is applied after making full contact with an object ball The cue ball will stop in its place for an instant after the object ball leaves the point of impact spin in its place and then proceed in the direction of the spin This phenomenon occurs because all of the linear energy has transferred to the object ball leaving the cue ball with only rotational energy The rotational energy causes the cue ball to spin in its place until the friction with the cloth catches The cue ball will then proceed in the direction of the spin Some of the rotational energy then transforms into linear energy as the cue travels along its designated path

What does all this mean for the break shot Take a look at the two diagrams above The one on the left depicts a shot we might use to impart ldquotoprdquo or ldquoforwardrdquo spin while the diagram on the right depicts a shot imparting ldquobackrdquo spin Both diagrams reflect the imparting of rotational energy to the cue ball

What else can we deduce from these diagrams For one thing both shots depicted require the cue stick to


strike the cue ball in a location somewhere other than the center of mass An analogy can be made to our previously discussed cut shot If you recall our discussion of a two ball collision when the cue ball strikes the object ball at a location other than the center of mass of both balls a full ball hit then the cue ball retains some of its linear energy By striking the cue ball above or below its center of mass we will lose some efficiency of energy transfer

Finally take a look at the diagrams and think about how many lines of energy are formed by the hits For instance the hit imparting ldquoToprdquo spin to the cue ball while providing a certain amount of linear energy also imparts a line of energy downward towards the table This shot and every shot using top spin will use some of its energy to drive the cue ball into the table causing it to hop Like a mini-jump shot the cue ball will hop off the table become air borne for a period of time and return to the table bouncing until it regains a normal table roll If it continues to bounce as it hits the rack it may bounce right off the table A bottom spin hit may similarly cause the cue ball to become air borne by driving a line of energy up away from the table

The energy used to create top or back spin will also be wasted as it will mostly not transfer to the rack Neither prospect offers much in the way of maximizing the linear energy the cue ball can impart to the rack

How then do we maximize the linear energy we can provide to the cue ball on the break shot Letrsquos go back to the basic stop shot When the cue ball and object ball are very close together we only need to hit the cue ball at center mass to effectuate a stop shot The cue ball will be sliding when it hits the object ball at its center mass thereby transferring all of its linear energy

The center mass hit imparts only linear energy It also provides the most efficient contact between the center of the mass of the cue stick and the center of mass of the cue ball Assuming that we have maxi-mized the speed of our arm and the cue stick a center mass cue ball hit will maximize the amount of linear kinetic energy imparted to the cue ball and in turn the energy that the cue ball can impart to the rack

Of course even with a perfect center ball hit the cue ball may pick up some rotational energy as it travels down the table and creates friction with the cloth However by this time you have already created the


maximum energy that your strength and skill have allowed The small amount of forward rotational energy created by friction will often result in favorable cue ball position Because a perfect rack where all balls are frozen to each other acts as one unit it may have up to fifteen times the mass of the cue ball Because of its larger mass the cue ball will tend to bounce off the rack and head back towards the shooter That little bit of forward friction based spin may help keep the cue ball center table after the break

CONCLUSION Armed with a basic understanding of kinetic energy and the means by which it is trans-ferred the pool player can approach the break shot methodically and with intelligent purpose It is more than just ldquohitting the ball hardrdquo From picking out the proper equipment personal to the shooter to making that all important center mass hit the break shot is comprised of a series of complex acts and processes

Roy w Pastor

Copyright copy 2009


10 Reasons to Join the USA Pool LeagueWhy is Eastern New England USA Pool the league for you and your friends

1 It is FREE to join the USAPL

2 Teams and individuals are eligible to win trophies cash and participate in the USAPL National Championships held in Las Vegas alongside the BCAPL Nationals

3 Tired of playing on Fatherrsquos Day Motherrsquos day Memorial Day and other holi-days The USAPL has more flexibility in scheduling team structure and events

4 Canrsquot get a hold of your League operator or division rep but have an issue on league night A representative of the Eastern New England USA Pool league will be on-call during league nights to answer questions and respond to con-cerns as they arise

5 The ldquoFairplayrdquo handicap system ensures that all players from the beginner to the experienced will be able to have fun and compete each and every week

6 Players are able to go on-line 247 to view individual and team stats

7 No need to break up teams because of a numerical limit Both USAPL players and teams are subject to handicaps allowing all teams to compete fairly regard-less of team makeup Stay with your friends and make league night your night

8 The USAPL uses rules designed to help the player improve while having fun BCA rules apply Play the games the pros play

9 8-ball 9-ball 10-ball One-Pocket and Straight Pool formats are offered Additionally the USAPL has 3 4 and 5 person team formats With only three or four player match formats be home in time to take care of your ldquoliferdquo needs without sacrificing your night out with friends

10 Eastern New England USA Pool League members will be offered FREE ldquoclin-icsrdquo taught by BCA accredited Instructors during the first two sessions of play

Signing up players and teams now


General RulesLag Each player begins with a ball in hand behind the head string on either side of the long string Players shoot approximately the same time Each playerrsquos ball must strike the foot cushion and return towards the head rail The player whose ball lands closest to the head rail wins the lag The winner of the lag can choose to break or can require their opponent to break The winner of each rack has the break on the subsequent rack A player will lose the lag if their ball Hits a side cushion is pocketed or jumps off the table crosses the long string

Racking You must rack for yourself when breaking The balls should be racked as tightly as possible Your opponent may inspect the rack and require a re-rack if not satisfied

All shots are call Pocket shots

Except for the break the shooter must call the intended object ball and intended pocket before the shot is made This is a ldquoGentlemanrsquos Call Pocketrdquo game The shooter is not required to call obvious shots even if shooting the 8-ball 9-ball or 10-ball If the called object ball falls into the called pocket it is a legal shot even if the object ball unintentionally contacts another ball or a cushion prior to going into the pocket As a general rule bank shots and combination shots should be called as they may not be obvious to onersquos opponent If an object ball goes into an unintended pocket the ball stays in the pocket and the shooterrsquos turn is ended Although the game of 9-ball is a ldquoSloprdquo game We require that the 9-ball be called in order to win a game Otherwise 9-ball will be played according to the Rules of the USAPL and the BCAPL

Legal shot For a shot to be legal the cue ball must first strike a legal ball (as determined by the game being played) and after contact


1 A ball must be pocketed or

2 Any object ball or the cue ball must strike a cushion

Coaching1 Players in the MASTER DIVISIONS will have one

time out per match

2 Any player that has not yet played three match-es and established a skill level rating may have two time outs per rack

3 Players with a skill level of 35 and below may have two time outs per rack

4 Players with a skill level of 36-59 may have one time out per rack

5 Players with a skill level rating of 60 and above may have a total of three time outs per match

Time outs should not exceed 60 seconds A time out may be called by the shooter or anyone on the shooterrsquos team roster and it must be acknowledged by the shooterrsquos opponent Once a time out is called the shooter will name the member of hisher team to act as coach and only that coach may confer with the shooter No other player may offer advice to the shooter or to the coach The coach may point to and touch the table but may not mark the table or the rail in any way and must not touch the cue ball or an object ball The coach must leave the table area before the shot is made

Safeties A safety must be called by the shooter prior to making the shot If a safety is called in 8-ball and a legal object ball falls into a pocket during the safety the object ball stays in the pocket and the shooterrsquos turn is ended If a safety is called in 10-ball and an object ball falls into a pocket then the shooterrsquos opponent has the option of returning the shot to the shooter or taking the shot him or herself Calling a safety in 9-ball (except when shooting the 9 ball) has no effect on the validity of the shot It affects only the determination of the shot as a ldquomissed shotrdquo

Jump shots and Masses Jump shots and jump cues are permitted unless otherwise prohibited by the ldquohouse rulesrdquo of the host establishment All jump shots must be legal by striking down on the cue ball ldquoScoopingrdquo the cue ball is illegal and will result in a foul

Split hits A split hit occurs when the cue ball strikes both a legal and an illegal object ball at the same time If the referee (or the shooter in the absence of a referee) can not tell which ball is struck first it is a legal hit

Unsportsmanlike conduct The USA Pool League (USAPL) has been designed to provide every player the utmost fun and excite-ment from their pool league experience By using the proven ldquoFairplayrdquo handicap system the league provides an even playing field for all players Weekly competition between players of diverse skill levels is fun and fair as they compete for cash prizes and a chance to play in post-season events culminating in an exciting National Championship Tournament Inappropriate and unsportsmanlike behavior will not be tolerated This behavior includes but is not limited to actions that are embarrassing disrup-tive or detrimental to other players spectators officials referees or the sport in general Players may be penalized for such behavior with or without warning Penalties may include a warning loss of game loss of match suspension from league play or disqualification from future league play

Ball in hand fouls If a player commits a foul hisher opponent will begin their turn with ball in hand anywhere on the table The following acts are ball in hand fouls

1 Failure to complete a legal hit

2 Violation of the rules on coaching

3 Scratching with the cue ball This includes not only the situation where the cue ball falls into a pocket but also when the player accidentally




touches or moves the cue ball other than with the tip of the cue in a stroking motion or when the player touches an object ball with hisher hand and is also holding the cue ball

4 It is a foul if you cause any ball to be jumped off the table

5 It is a foul if you strike the cue ball more than once with the cue This is known as a double hit and commonly occurs when the cue ball and target object ball are very close together or touching each other

6 It is a foul if the player shoots while any balls are still in motion from the previous shot A spinning ball is a ball in motion

7 It is a foul if the shooter or hisher coach marks the table or rail in any way to aid in the execu-tion of the shot This includes placing chaulk on the rail to provide an aiming target for the shooter

8 It a foul if the shooter disturbs more than one object ball or a disturbed object ball touches any other ball The opponent does not have the option to restore the balls to the previously undisturbed position

Disturbed object ball It is not a foul if the shooter accidentally touches or disturbs a single object ball with any part of the body clothing or equipment (Unless the shooter is holding the cue ball in a ball in hand situation or the object ball touches another ball after being disturbed) The opponent has the option of leaving the disturbed object ball where it is or restoring it to its previous undisturbed position

Calling a foul A foul may only be called by a player playing in a game or a referee (BCAPL Rule 1-23) In Higher Level play (Playoffs and in Nationals) a violation of this rule is itself a foul See BCAPL rule 1-41 However during normal weekly league play a foul called by someone other than a player playing in a game or a referee may result in a Sportsmanship Violation

Repeated intentional violations may result in sanc-tions including but not limited to loss of a rack or a match

Rules suspended or mod-ified for weekly league play

The USA Pool League is above everything else a recreational league While there are plenty of opportunities to compete on the local regional and national level the primary purpose of the league is to create an atmosphere of fun and fellowship In that spirit there are some rules which while perhaps appropriate for a regional or national tournament will be modified or suspended during normal weekly league play

The following rules will be so modified

BCAPL rule 13

makes it a ball in hand foul for any player to use a cell phone electronic devise or earpieces of any kind The purpose of this rule is to avoid unautho-rized communication and presumably coaching between the player and his or her teammates This rule is suspended for weekly league play However use of a cell phone or electronic device by a player during a match which delays a match could be considered a sportsmanship violation

BCAPL rule 18

makes it a ball in hand foul if the player or any of his or her teammatersquos practice while a match is in progress This rule is suspended for weekly league play Members of a team who are not involved in a match are encouraged to practice and enjoy the evening Players who are involved in an active match may be committing a sportsmanship viola-tion if their actions unreasonably delay the match



Weekly Dues and Score Sheets

Captains of each team are responsible to collect the weekly dues from the players and to send those dues to the League Score sheets and dues should be forwarded to the league as soon as possible after the match is played Team standings and individual handicaps cannot be updated unless the score sheets are received in a timely manner

1 Score sheets may be sent in by US Mail Fax or e-mail Score sheets sent in by US Mail should be mailed no later than the day following the day the match was played

2 Weekly team dues must be received prior to the next weeks scheduled matches

3 eams that send in both score sheets and dues within the stated time frame will receive 100 bonus points Teams will not receive the 100 point bonus if their dues are received after the divisions next scheduled week of matches

4 Teams must be up to date on all weekly dues to qualify for playoffs wild card selection or any higher level tournament

8-Ball RulesThe rack The rack should be placed so that the apex ball rests on the foot spot The 8-ball must be placed in the middle of the triangle and the remaining balls should be placed randomly except that that the ball at each rear corner of the rack must be from a different group (stripes or solids) from the ball located at the opposite corner

Break requirements The incoming breakershooter must place the cue ball behind the head string There is no requirement to call a ball on the break or to strike any particular ball first For a legal break to occur an object ball

must be pocketed or at least four object balls must contact a cushion

1 If the shooter fails to pocket a ball or to drive four balls to a cushion then the opponent may Rerack and take the break for him or herself or require the original shooter to rerack and rebreak

2 If the original shooter on the break hits four balls to a cushion or pockets a ball but scratches or commits a another foul then the opponent receives a ball in hand and any pocketed balls remain pocketed

3 In all cases on the break balls jumped off the table other than the 8-ball are not returned to the table except in the event of a re-rack

8-ball on the break Pocketing the 8-ball on the break does not win the game Conversely pocketing the 8-ball on the break and scratching is not a loss of game If the shooter on the break pockets the 8-ball heshe has the option of either spotting the 8-ball and continuing with the their turn or re-racking the balls and breaking again If the shooter pockets the 8-ball on the break and commits a foul then the opponent has the option of either having the 8-ball spotted and taking a ball in hand or re-racking and taking the break

Table open after break The table is always open after the break even if the shooter pockets one or more balls Groups are established when the shooter pockets a ball of one category on a shot after the break

Loss of game It is a loss of game when

bull The 8-ball is illegally pocketed ie- the shooter calls a safety but sinks the 8-ball the 8-ball is pocketed before all the balls in the players category the shooter pockets the 8-ball on a shot that is not obvious and did not call the shot


bull The 8-ball is jumped off the table except on the break

bull The 8-ball is pocketed and the shooter disturbs the cue ball disturbs a ball in motion disturbs more than one object ball or the disturbed object ball strikes another ball

bull The shooter scratches on the 8-ball only if the 8-ball is pocketed as well as the cue ball If the shooter scratches on the 8-ball but the 8-ball is not pocketed the inning ends and the opponent comes to the table with a ball in hand

9-Ball RulesThe rack The 1-ball must be placed at the apex of the triangle and on the foot spot The 9-ball must be placed in the center of the rack All other balls are placed at random

Break requirements The shooter must place the cue ball behind the head string The cue ball must contact the 1-ball first After striking the 1-ball an object ball must be pocketed or at least four balls must strike a cushion If the shooter fails to hit the 1-ball first or does not pocket a ball or does not cause at least 4-balls to strike a cushion then the balls must be re racked The opponent has the option of taking the break or having the shooter break again

Jumped balls Balls that are caused to be jumped off the table are not returned to the table except for the 9-ball If the 9-ball is jumped off the table it is returned and spotted

9-ball on the break Legally pocketing the 9-ball on the break does not win the rack The 9-ball is spotted The shooter will continue hisher turn even if the 9-ball is the only ball pocketed If the 9-ball is pocketed on the break and a foul is committed then the 9-ball is spotted

and the opponent comes to the table with a ball in hand

Push out If no foul occurs on the break then the player taking the first shot after the break has the option to ldquoPushrdquo On a push out

1 The shooter must first announce to the oppo-nent that a push out is being shot and the oppo-nent must acknowledge the announcement

2 The cue ball does not have to strike the lowest numbered object ball first or any object ball at all The cue ball also is not required to hit a cushion or to cause any ball to strike a cushion

3 All other rules and fouls apply

4 After a push shot is taken the opponent has the option of accepting the table position and shooting or requiring the original shooter to shoot again with the table in its current position

Three foul rule A rack may be won if the playerrsquos opponent commits three consecutive fouls and the opponent is advised prior to making the third foul that heshe has just committed two consecutive fouls If the shooter commits three consecutive fouls after receiving a warning prior to the third foul then the rack ends and the game points are awarded to the opponent Please remember that a scratch or a foul on the break counts as ldquoonerdquo foul for purposes of the three foul rule

10-Ball Rules10-Ball rules are exactly the same as 9-ball except for the following

Racking The 10-ball rack appears in a triangle shape using balls numbered 1-10 It is racked like an 8-ball rack without the last row of five balls The One-ball is placed at the apex of the triangle on the foot spot The 10-ball is placed in the middle and the 2-ball and


the 3-ball are placed in the corners at the base of the triangle The 2-ball and the 3-ball may be placed in either of the corners

10-ball is a call pocket game Please refer to the General Rule Summary at the beginning of this document for the definition of ldquoCall Pocketrdquo Any ball not legally pocketed is a ldquoDead Ballrdquo and no point is awarded to the shooter

Illegally pocketed ball In the event that a ball is pocketed illegally then the shooterrsquos opponent has the option of taking the shot or retuning it to the original shooter In the event that a ball is pocketed illegally and there is also a foul committed by the shooter then the opponent must take the shot (with a ball in hand) and does not have the option of returning the shot to the original shooter

Safety If the shooter calls a safety and then pockets a ball the Illegally pocketed ball rule above applies

Division PlayoffsTo qualify for end of the session playoffs a player must meet the following criteria

A player should have an estab-lished skill level A player is considered to have an established skill level after having played six (6) times in the USA Pool League in the game being played in the play-offs For instance a player must have played at least 6 times in 8-ball if it is a 8-ball playoff The purpose of this rule is simply to attempt to have players play with a skill level that at least approaches an accurate rating

Minimum team play A player must have played at least four (4) times on a team to be allowed to play on that team during the playoff tournament Because a player may ldquoSubrdquo on more than one team during the session this rule is meant to assure that a player is really

ldquoPartrdquo of the playoff team

Vegas National Tournament RequirementsldquoGo to Vegasrdquo tournaments A team may qualify to compete in the New England USAPL ldquoGo to Vegasrdquo tournament in either the Summer Fall or Spring Sessions However the qualifying team will Play in the ldquoGo to Vegasrdquo Tournament using its Spring Roster

Spring Roster There must be at least three ldquoOriginalrdquo members of the qualifying team on the spring roster to qualify to play in the Vegas tournament

Vegas Winning Team In the event a team wins a trip to Play in Las Vegas for the USAPL Nationals It may supplement its roster (up to the predetermined team limit) by adding up to two players from any team in its respective division However a team may not intentionally exclude any member of its own spring roster team who is available and willing to attend the National Competition Only in the event that a team member is unable or unwilling to attend may the team supplement their roster from elsewhere in the division

USAPL National Play Requirements In order to compete in the USAPL National Vegas Competition a player must have played either eight (8) matches in the appropriate game format in the same division and in the same session At least three players on the team must be ldquooriginalrdquo members of that team Those three players must qualify in the same session and the same team to be considered original team members The National tournament is held in July and the league year runs from June 1st to May 31st of each year


How can your shooting game

go wrong When your shooting game goes off-line and your shooting results begin to deviate from your intentions something gets out of kilter ndash usually your fundamentals The problem is ndash how long does it take before you notice that something is wrong and take corrective action Generally by the time you do wake up the game count is tough You might recover ndash but the struggle to win becomes a low probability proposition

This article identifies some of the most common situations that create a handicap you could do without If you can train yourself to recognize when one of these situations occurs you can more quickly take correc-tive action Here are the common problems

Suddenly Stupid

You make an intelligent shooting decision and get down on the shot Suddenly with no conscious inten-tion the cue ball is moving Shocked you watch the table layout change ndash usually for the worse Probably your hind brain took over or your evil twin surfaced and used this opportunity to mess you up

At the wrong moment in time your intelligence and sanity jointly agree to go on holiday This can be costly in a money competition Of course your opponent could be so surprised that he couldnrsquot take advantage of the momentary disintegration of your focus

When it does happen all you can do is shake your head in disbelief as your opponent takes over the table This generally happens because your brain was multi-tasking while shooting In other words you werenrsquot focusing on the game in general and the shot in specific Donrsquot obsess about it (which can further distract you) You can recover if you can immediately go back to your pre-shot routine and start manually perform-ing each step

Casual Laziness

You begin the competition with all necessary awareness and intentions Your first few dozen shots are all perfect examples of focus and attention Your very success and the pride you feel in making the cue ball do what you want becomes your downfall You relax your intentions (or drink one too many beers) The initial success goes to your head and you (incorrectly) assume you are at the top of your game After all recent


history has proven your unstoppable skills Arrogant trust in your competence becomes your new attitude

For an observant opponent the next few missed shots demonstrate a weakness in your game He starts saying things like ldquoSo closerdquo and ldquoYou almost had thatrdquo You go along with the idea and agree that the misses are simple bad billiard god luck He snaps up several quick wins

Here are more ways to mess up your shooting game

Bumbling Imagination

This is another way to help your opponent win All that is needed is an uncontrollable imagination It occurs most often when you are doing your practice strokes An alternative option bursts upon your con-sciousness Instead of stomping on the idea or getting up to reconsider playing options you change your bridge height and position and go for the new shot You look at the table results and arenrsquot even ashamed of yourself Your opponent loves you and considers congratulating you on your decreased skills

Body Distractions

Another reason to justify reduced attention on the game is bodily interference There is a close correlation between the operational condition of the body and the ability of the brain to function Your body has many ways to interrupt your attention Among these are hunger pangs headaches an injury or excessive flatulence

Your body can also run out of energy This physical weakness causes the brain to stop functioning properly This can result from poor nutrition weak muscle tone or even limited stamina Any of these reduce your shooting and playing abilities

Competitive Distractions

This is a self-inflicted problem For some reason your mind doesnrsquot want to concentrate on the game Any kind of influence in the area demands attention This can be environmental ndash music conversation an attractive person of the opposite (or same) sex and others Even sounds that previously never affected you ndash affect you such as clinking ice cubes in a glass Itemizing the many distractions would be too many to list here Basically your brain will seize upon anything to justify your lack of focus and screw up your game

Outside Distractions

There are times when personal problems aggressively intrude into your game Instead of being able to use the Green Game to take a break from your worries you carry them right along with you They keep you company as you attempt to be competitive If your opponent notices this he can ensure victory by simply slowing down his routine ndash extending the time that you are waiting (and worrying) Either put your head into the game or go home


UPCOMING EVENTSNew Hampshire Junior State 9-Ball Championships

Saturday April 11 at 1000am

Legends Billiards amp Tavern in Portsmouth New Hampshire

httpswwwfacebookcomevents339933656199739

Rhode Island Junior State 9-ball Championship


Snookers RI in Providence Rhode Island


CSI is proud to announce that the 2015 New England Regional 8-Ball Championships to be held May 29th - 31st at The Boston Billiard Club in Nashua NH

This event is for all active USAPL and BCAPL members in addi-tion to CSI Associate Members Players may sign up on site for a CSI Associate Membership however they will have to play as

an ldquoAdvancedrdquo player or higher depending on their ldquoknown abilityrdquo

There will be 3 events including Jack amp Jill Scotch Doubles Menrsquos Singles and Womenrsquos Singles On site entries will be taken if the fields are not full All onsite entries will have a $10 late fee

Register on line by logging onto wwwplaycsipoolcom2015-new-england-regionalhtml

Welcome to this issue of ldquoOff the Breakrdquo The magazine for the USA Pool League Player

The USAPL is a nationally structured handicapped league designed to accommodate all players from the beginner to the advanced Whether you are a beginner just looking to have fun with friends or a top amateur looking to win your way to the USAPL National Championships this is the league for you Also there is no annual membership You read rightmembership is FREE

The USAPL uses Online League Management Software This is a ldquoreal-timerdquo state of the art pool league management system that all USAPL members can access 247 All USAPL players can view team standings MVP point standings schedules rosters every match score sheet from every match ever played player histories and statshellipplus much more LeagueSys is interfaced with the Fairplay handicap system and playerrsquos ratings will be updated and changed as soon as that weekrsquos score sheets are entered

So what will you find inside Inside each issue yoursquoll find pictures of local and distant league play-ers Wersquoll spotlight one player per issue on our ldquoPlayer of the Monthrdquo page It could be you Yoursquoll find articles and pictures covering league playoffs instructional tips player appreciation parties and so much more With our Q amp A page wersquoll answer your questions on rules techniques and playing strategies So turn the page check out and enjoy the contents and give us your feedback

Thank you

Jeff Gardner Editor

Owner - Eastern New England USA Pool League














Born China














SPEED




MASS












Proper Cue Ball Hit





















Roy w Pastor

Copyright copy 2009
























time out per match





























BCAPL rule 13


BCAPL rule 18






















































Suddenly Stupid




Casual Laziness








Body Distractions

































Born China














SPEED




MASS












Proper Cue Ball Hit





















Roy w Pastor

Copyright copy 2009
























time out per match





























BCAPL rule 13


BCAPL rule 18






















































Suddenly Stupid




Casual Laziness








Body Distractions






























SPEED




MASS












Proper Cue Ball Hit





















Roy w Pastor

Copyright copy 2009
























time out per match





























BCAPL rule 13


BCAPL rule 18






















































Suddenly Stupid




Casual Laziness








Body Distractions






























Proper Cue Ball Hit





















Roy w Pastor

Copyright copy 2009
























time out per match





























BCAPL rule 13


BCAPL rule 18






















































Suddenly Stupid




Casual Laziness








Body Distractions







































Roy w Pastor

Copyright copy 2009
























time out per match





























BCAPL rule 13


BCAPL rule 18






















































Suddenly Stupid




Casual Laziness








Body Distractions












































time out per match





























BCAPL rule 13


BCAPL rule 18






















































Suddenly Stupid




Casual Laziness








Body Distractions




































BCAPL rule 13


BCAPL rule 18






















































Suddenly Stupid




Casual Laziness








Body Distractions









































































Suddenly Stupid




Casual Laziness








Body Distractions



























Body Distractions





















Off The Break - Issue #2

Documents

Transcript of Off The Break - Issue #2