Accidentally moving a ball #2

 Here are two examples of accidentally moving balls

Here is another great article written by my colleague Fred Johnson for the Colorado VNEA newsletter. Don't worry, this one is not about miscuing on the break!. Here we will look at two very similar situations; however, there are differences. Should the calls be different? 

    Snooker and Carom, two old dogs at the pool game, are playing each other in league play. Carom is kicking at the 12-ball. Carom makes a good hit on the 12-ball; however, Carom accidentally moves the 4-ball with her stick. The 4-ball makes contact with the 9-ball and moves the 9-ball. The cue ball comes off the cushion and makes contact with the 9-ball. Snooker declares a foul. Carom fails to acknowledge the Foul saying that the cue ball never struck the ball that she moved. You are the referee called to the table. You make the call!!!! 

    Obviously this involves the Accidentally moving a ball Rule, which provides as follows: 
“ACCIDENTALLY moving or touching any ball is not a foul unless: 
    1) the moved ball is the cue ball or 
    2) a moved ball makes contact with the cue ball or 
    3) a moved ball that is jumped off the table or pocketed or causes any ball to be jumped off the table or or pocketed. (exception to #3: If the 8-ball is jumped off the table or pocketed it is loss of game if called by the opponent before the next shot is taken). Only opponent may replace the ball moved as closely as possible or leave it where it rests. If the shooter replaces the moved ball, it will be considered a foul.” 

So the question becomes: is the 9-ball considered a “moved ball”? If so, it is foul. If not, then it is not a foul. There is not any doubt that but for the 4-ball being moved, the cue ball would never had contacted the 9-ball. So the answer is YES, the 9-ball is considered to be a moved ball. Once the 4-ball was accidentally moved, any other balls that it moved became moved balls so that if the cue ball struck either the 4-ball or the 9-ball, there was going to be a foul. 

BUT, what if the facts are as follows: Carom is kicking at the 12-ball. Carom makes a good hit on the 12-ball; however, Carom accidentally moves the 4-ball with her stick. The cue ball comes off the cushion and makes contact with the 9- ball, BUT the 9-ball has not moved. After the cue makes contact with the 9-ball, the 9-ball then strikes the moved 4-ball. There is an important distinction here. Previously, the 9-ball had been moved before the cue ball struck it. Now, the cue ball is striking another ball which has not moved. Only after being struck by the cue ball does the 9-ball make contact with a moved ball. This would NOT be a foul as the 9-ball was not a moved ball when struck by the cue ball. The fact that it hit the moved 4-ball later is immaterial.

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