League Rules - Summer 2022

1. The League to be called 'The East Anglian Invitation Pool League'.

2. Matches to consist of 15 singles in 8-Ball and 21 Singles in 9-Ball

3. Matches to be played on Monday evenings starting at 8.00pm, unless otherwise stated.

4. If a match does not start on time, the offending team forfeits the first frame. Additional frames are forfeitted for every subsequent 15 minute delay. If a team has not started by 9.00pm, the match is considered postponed and the offending team will lose 5 points. (See rule 15.) The match must be replayed.

5. Any player not present when his/her frame is due to start and after the match has begun, will forfeit the frame. (An 'X' must be marked against the frame in the scorebox on the scorecard to denote a missing player. i.e. 'X - 1' or '1 - X')

6. A player may play up to 3 singles in an 8-Ball, 15 singles match. In the case of a decider, if a team has only 5 players, one member may play a 4th frame. If there are more than 5 players, a different player must play the decider. Up to 4 singles may be played in a 9-Ball, 21 frame match, the captain of each team choosing one team member from their respective teams to play the 21st frame. The only time a player may play this frame as a 5th individual frame, is if all other team members present have played 4 frames in the match.

7. A player cannot play consecutive frames. There must be at least one frame in between any of his/her frames. I.e frames 3,5,6 or 4,5,6 are not allowed, whereas 3,5,7 or 4,6,8 are allowed.

8. The playing order, including substitutes, must be displayed on a board which is visible to all players. The home team to write their playing order by 8.00pm and before the away team. Failure to display any or all names will result in forfeiture of those frames. The playing order of the first 5 singles (including substitute) must be displayed before the match starts. Each subsequent 5 singles must be displayed after the previous singles have been played, but before the singles due to be played have started. Once the away team's names are on the board the home team cannot change their order. If the away team then wish to change their order, they may do so as long as that particular set of frames has not started. Team order for following sets of frames should not be written down until directly before the sets of frames are due to be played.

9. One substitute may be named before the match, and may play in any of the singles only if an original named player/s fails to arrive at the venue. Tactical substitutions are not allowed, and if made, the offending team will forfeit the frame/s.

10. Every player is to play his/her own game without advice from other players or supporters (also known as Coaching). Once the decision has been made who should start the frame and until the frame has been completed, the first offence will receive a warning, the second offence will result in a foul being given, the third offence will result in loss of frame.

11. League rules apply to team supporters also. Team captains are responsible for their behavoir.

12. Should a team, team member or team supporter cause any trouble whatsoever, the team involved may be summarily dismissed from the league with immediate effect. The person/s involved may be barred from the league, possibly for life. The offending team can be barred for 2 full seasons. The home venue can also be barred from the league for the remainder of the season. If there are other teams playing at that venue, they may transfer their teams to other venues for the remainder of the season.

13. Playing rules for 9-Ball are to be as per the 'EAI 9-Ball Rules'. Playing rules for Blackball are to be as per 'BAPTO Blackball Rules'

14. 14) 24 hours notice should be given in order to postpone a match (although matches can be postponed up to noon on the day of the match if strictly necessary). In the event of a postponement, the opposing team's venue and the Regional Organiser (R.O.) must be informed. (It would be helpful to tell the opposing team captain also.) The postponing team captain then has 5 weeks in which to rearrange the match and play it. After 5 weeks, the match will be considered void. Should a team refuse to rearrange a match, the offending team will lose 5 points and the other team will receive and 8-0 victory. A second refusal and the team will be dismissed from the league for the remainder of the season. A postponed match must be played before the date of the last division match on the fixture list (or in a cup competition, before the next round.)

15. If a team fails to give the required notice of postponement to the opposition and the R.O., and fails to play, the offending team forfeits 5 points. The match must then be rearranged and played within 4 weeks or a further 5 points will be deducted. The offending team will also receive a league warning. If a team repeats the violation in the same season, or fails to rearrange a fixture, they may be summarily dismissed from the league. Teams cannot claim unplayed matches as wins except as in ruke 14. If A team refuses to play a match or a re-arranged match, they will be dismissed from the league for the rest of the season.

16. Any away team which does not turn up for a match without due notice will have to pay a £5 fee to the landlord of the home venue in lieu of food prepared, should the landlord claim for it. Failure to do so will cause that team's points for that match to be forfeit, together with the existing 5 point penalty. All points gained from then on will be forfeit until the £5 fee has been paid to the landlord. If the team then refuses to pay, it will be removed from the league and not invited back. (Not all venues will claim for this, but some have to buy the food in advance. Please check if you are in doubt.)

17. Any matches not completed by the end of the season will be considered void. (The season's end being the date of the last division fixture on the season's fixture list.)

18. Scorecards are to be completed in block capitals by team captains and signed by each player before his/her frame commences. Frames not filled in with full details and signatures may be awarded to the opposition. Captains must also sign in the appropriate spaces after checking the completed scorecard. This is to avoid ringers and cheating

19. Scorecards must be posted the following day to arrive no later than first post on Thursday morning following each match. The winning team is responsible for posting the scorecard. Late or non-receipt of scorecards may result in a 5 point penalty against the offending team.

20. Home teams are to provide referees for odd numbered games, 1,3,5 etc, away teams for even numbered games, 2,4,6 etc.

21. A toss of a coin by the referee will determine which player has the choice of break OR by the playing of 2 object balls simultaneously by the 2 opposing players, to the far end of the table and back to the baulk end (A lag). The player who's object ball is closest to the baulk end, whether hitting the baulk end or not, having the choice of break. Once the break has been decided, following frames are played alternately between each team.

22. Both team captains must agree the table is playable, this to include sufficient clearance, before the match commences. If one or both disagree, the table should either be moved or the match should be abandoned and reported to the R.O. The table must be level. If it is not, it must then be levelled to the best degree possible by the home team. Frames may be claimed for every 15 minute delay. (Help should be given by the away team if possible.)

23. Home teams must provide the visitors with at least one standard cue in good order, and cue chalk. A Cross rest and a Spider rest must also be available.

24. Should any dispute arise which cannot be settled between the 2 players and the referee, then that frame should be abandoned and details reported to the R.O. to make a decision. Any protests should be made in writing and sent to the R.O. together with 2 stamped, self addressed envelopes (one for each team) and a £1 administration fee, within 48 hours of the match.

25. All players must be registered for their team. New players may register on match night, providing a league registration slip is sent to the R.O. Transfers cannot be made during a season.

26. A maximum of 12 players (Premier Division) and 15 players (other divisions) may be registered for a team at any one time. Team members may be dropped from the team list only if they have not competed in any matches and upon informing the R.O.

27. Licensees may play for any of their house teams in league matches (except when rule 28 applies), but only for one team per night. Licensees may only play for one of their teams in matches other than main league matches. (e.g. knockout cups, etc.) If a venue has 2 or more licensees who play in the league, each licensee may only play for one of their house teams.

28. No more than 3 Men's County/Ex-county players may register for the same team OR no more than 5 Ladies/Youth County/Ex-County are allowed in the same team. Any mixture thereof MUST be discussed with the R.O. prior to acceptance. Licensees who are County/Ex-County players may only play for one of their house teams. (Players are considered Ex-County if they have not played any County matches for a year and are not registered for County play.)

29. Any team playing a non-registered player will lose the match and the points.

30. If in any competition of more than one leg, a team fails to turn up for the first leg, both legs are automatically forfeit. The offending team will be ineligible for any subsidiary competitions. If in any doubles or singles competitions, players fail to turn up for a match, they will also be ineligible for the subsidiaries.

31. No player may play in a quarter final, semi final or final of any competition unless they have played in at least 25% or more of the qualifying matches, or unless agreed by the R.O. (For the Premier division in winter, only the Semi finals and Finals count.)

32. In doubles, players may only confer between visits, not between shots. Maximum conferring time is 60 seconds.

33. In semi finals and finals of any competition, the maximum time between shots – 60 seconds.

34. In finals matches, the time between shots should not exceed 60 seconds. A 45 second warning should be given to the player by the referee. Should a player go beyond the time limit twice in a frame, it will constitute a foul.

35. Players of either sex are allowed to play in teams. (N.B. It is possible that licensees may refuse entry to persons under 18. Please inform licensees prior to the match if any player is under 18. The minimum age for entitlement to play in the league is 16.)

36. If a team withdraws from the league in the first half of the season, all of their games will be void. If a team drops out after the halfway point of the season, then the games played in the first half will count, the remainder being void.

37. Points system - One point will be awarded for each frame won and two extra points awarded for a team win. Should frames be forfeited for any reason, a winning team will also lose the two points if their remaining points put them in second place in the match. If two or more teams finish on the same number of points at the end of a season, the league or division position will be determined by the most matches won. Should these be equal, a deciding match (or matches) will then be played on a neutral table.

38. In all cases, the decision of the R.O. is final.

Guidance for venues and teams - There is no discrimination for use of the smaller 6' x 4' table and the larger standard one. Either can be used. There is also no discrimination between the type of balls used, whether they are the older standard ones or the newer "Pro" balls.