World Standardized Rules: 9-Ball (WPA World Standardized Rules reprinted with permission by the Billiard Congress of America, all rights reserved.) Except when clearly contradicted by these additional rules, the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply. 5.1 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, but 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 missing, committing a foul, or wining the game by pocketing the 9-ball. After a miss, the incoming player must shoot from the position left by the previous player, but 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. 5.2 RACKING THE BALLS The object balls are racked in a diamond shape, with the 1-ball at the top of the diamond and on the foot spot, the 9-ball in the center of the diamond, and the other balls in random order, racked as tightly as possible. The game begins with cue ball in hand behind the head string. 5.3 ORDER OF BREAK Winner of the lag has the option to break. In 9-Ball, the winner of each game breaks in the next, unless otherwise specified by the tournament organizer. However, the Blaze Tour has chosen to use alternate breaking. The following are common options that may be designated by tournament officials in advance: (a) Players alternate break. (b) Loser breaks. (c) Player trailing in game count breaks the next game. 5.4 LEGAL BREAK SHOT The rules governing the break shot are the same as for other shots except: 1. The breaker must strike the1-ball first and either pocket a ball or drive at least four numbered balls to the rail. 2. 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, and the incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on the table. 3. If on the break shot, the breaker causes an object ball to jump off the table, it is a foul and the incoming player has cue ball in hand anywhere on the table. The object ball is not re-spotted (exception: if the object ball is the 9-ball, it is re-spotted). 5.5 CONTINUING PLAY On the shot immediately following a legal break, the shooter may play a "push out." (See Rule 5.6). If the breaker pockets one or more balls on a legal break, he continues to shoot until he misses, fouls, or wins the game. If the player misses or fouls, the other player begins an inning and shoots until missing, committing a foul, or winning. The game ends when the 9-ball is pocketed on a legal shot, or the game is forfeited for a serious infraction of the rules. 5.6 PUSH OUT The player who shoots the shot immediately after a legal break may play a push out in an attempt to move the cue ball into a better position for the option that follows. On a push out, the cue ball is not required to contact any object ball nor any rail, but all other foul rules still apply. The player must announce the intention of playing a push out before the shot, or the shot is considered to be a normal shot. Any ball pocketed on a push out does not count and remains pocketed except the 9-ball. Following a legal push out, the incoming player is permitted to shoot from that position or to pass the shot back to the player who pushed out. A push out is not considered to be a foul as long as no rule (except rules 5.8 and 5.9) is violated. An illegal push out is penalized according to the type of foul committed. After a player scratches on the break shot, the incoming player cannot play a push out. 5.7 FOULS When a player commits a foul, he must relinquish his run at the table and no balls pocketed on the foul shot are re-spotted (exception: if a pocketed ball is the 9-ball, it is re-spotted). The incoming player is awarded ball in hand; prior to his first shot he may place the cue ball anywhere on the table. If a player commits several fouls on one shot, they are counted as only one foul. 5.8 BAD HIT If the first object ball contacted by the cue ball is not the lowest numbered ball on the table, the shot is foul. 5.9 NO RAIL If no object ball is pocketed, failure to drive the cue ball or any numbered ball to a rail after the cue ball contacts the object ball on is a foul. 5.10 IN HAND When the cue ball is in hand, the player may place the cue ball anywhere on the bed of the table, except in contact with an object ball. The player may continue to adjust the position of the cue ball until shooting. 5.11 OBJECT BALLS JUMPED OFF THE TABLE An un-pocketed ball is considered to be driven off the table if it comes to rest other than on the bed of the table. It is a foul to drive an object ball off the table. The jumped object ball(s) is not re-spotted (exception: if the object ball is the 9-ball, it is re-spotted) and play continues. 5.12 JUMP AND MASSÉ SHOT FOUL If a match is not refereed, it will be considered a cue ball foul if during an attempt to jump, curve or massé the cue ball over or around an impeding numbered ball, the impeding ball moves (regardless of whether it was moved by a hand, cue stick follow-through or bridge). 5.13 THREE CONSECUTIVE FOULS If a player fouls three consecutive times on three successive shots without making an intervening legal shot, the game is lost. The three fouls must occur in one game. The warning must be given between the second and third fouls. A player’s inning begins when it is legal to take a shot and ends at the end of a shot on which he misses, fouls or wins, or when he fouls between shots. 5.14 END OF GAME On the opening break, the game is considered to have commenced once the cue ball has been struck by the cue tip. The 1-ball must be legally contacted on the break shot. The game ends at the end of a legal shot which pockets the 9-ball, or when a player forfeits the game as the result of a foul. In addition, the Blaze Tour has adopted a Code of Conduct to be adhered to by all players during Blaze Tour events, as well as a set of specific tournament rules. Failure to adhere to ALL rules of conduct may result in penalties, which may include any or a combination of the following:  Forfeiture of matches or games  Disqualification from the tournament  Tour points penalty  Forfeiture of prize monies  Refusal of entry into current event  Complete suspension/banning from future Blaze events.  No exceptions will be made ADDITIONAL MEZZ PRO-AM 9-BALL TOUR RULES AND CODE OF CONDUCT The following rules are used in conjunction with the World Standardized Rules. 1. CONCESSION OF THE 9-BALL Under no circumstances may the non-player concede the 9-Ball, or any preceding ball. Concession of the game before the player in play has completed the game will result in the loss of that game, as well as the next. This rule is not open to negotiation between opponents, and any two players found to be allowing the concession of the 9-ball will both be disqualified from the tournament. 2. TAKING BREAKS DURING MATCHES Players are allowed to take no more than one break away from the table after the match has started, unless in the case of an emergency, or to call the tournament director to observe a shot/make a ruling. The break may not be longer than 10 minutes. Violation may result in loss of the match, depending a decision by the tournament director. 3. SLOW PLAY The Blaze Tour does not make use of a "shot clock." However, unnecessary time-wasting is un-sportsmanlike and any player deemed to be wasting time on purpose in order to unsettle their opponent, may be given a warning, and following that, a similar violation will result in loss of the match being played. Players who, by nature, play slowly, may be asked to speed up their game by the tournament director. 4. KEEPING SCORE It is each player's responsibility to register their own score immediately after each game and prior to the next break. Failure to do so, and an attempt to register the score later in the match, such as during the next game, entitles the opponent to request the tournament director to resolve the correct score by any means necessary, including the solicitation of spectators and/or other players. The final decision lies in the hands of the tournament director. 5. CALLING FOULS The non-player is responsible for calling fouls incurred by his/her opponent at the time of, or immediately following (before the next shot is played), a foul. Failure to do so results in the loss of the right to call that foul. In the event that a player calls a foul and his/her opponent continues playing without having the foul verified by the tournament director, the tournament director may be called upon by the opponent to determine if a foul has occurred. 6. REQUESTING OBSERVATION If a player wants to have a shot observed for a possible foul, they must inform their opponent in order to stop them from playing the shot unobserved. If the shooter continues to play the shot before the tournament director is present to watch the shot, it will be an automatic foul. The decision of the tournament director is final. 7. SIMULTANEOUS CONTACT (SPLIT HITS) If the cueball makes contact with two balls simultaneously, and it is not possible to clearly determine which ball was struck first, the benefit of the doubt will go to the shooter, and the shot shall be deemed a good hit. 8. TALKING TO SPECTATORS It is considered unsportsmanlike behavior to talk to non-players while your match is in progress. It is common courtesy to let your opponent play without interference or distraction. Under no circumstances may a player receive any information from anyone except the tournament director. A warning may be incurred, and upon subsequent violation, the player may forfeit the match. 9. CELL PHONES Player cell phones must be turned off during a match. Players will not be allowed to make or receive phone calls while the match is in progress. A first violation will get a warning from the tournament director, and subsequent violations may result in the loss of the match. 10. DRESS CODE All players will be expected to be dressed respectably. No sweat pants, sports shorts, torn jeans, T-shirts, or tank tops (men), unless it is an official Falcon Cue or Blaze 9-Ball Tour T-shirt. T-shirts my be worn underneath a sweater. Players may be refused entry into the tournament, and will not be allowed to play in money rounds on the final day of the tournament if dressed inappropriately 11. SPLITTING AND SAVING Under no circumstances will players be allowed to split prize monies by not playing out scheduled matches, nor will they be allowed to "save" each other percentages of prize monies. All matches will be played out, and if players are deemed to lose matches intentionally, both players will be penalized to the fullest extent. This may include forfeiting any prize monies and/or tour points. 12. GENERAL CONDUCT Players are expected to behave like good sportspeople during all Blaze events and tournaments, and unsportsmanlike behavior will not be tolerated. Unsportsmanlike behavior includes abusive language, obscene gestures, abuse/damage of equipment/facilities, intoxication leading to any kind of disruption, and gambling or solicitation to gamble with an opponent in a tournament match. Offenders may be penalized in various ways without warning, and possibly be banned from future events.