EVENT LENGTH

Starting in the 2007 season all events will be one-day events. In order to acheive this all players must be at the table within 10 minutes of their match being called or else forfeit. Personal breaks are limited to one per player per game and barring emergencies should be taken between games. If possible players should try to take their breaks at the same time as their opponents do. A 30 second shot clock will be used in any matches taking an extraordinarily long time (i.e. match has not reached game 7 within 1 hour of starting).

DRESS CODE

This is a WPBA Qualifying Tour so please dress appropriately.

1) We will no longer allow blue jeans. You may wear jeans of a color other than blue. If your jeans look more "BLUE" than "BLACK", be prepared to have a change of clothes. I will not be swayed.

2) Sneakers will be allowed, but they may not be ripped, torn, dirty, or in extremely bad condition, they must be presentable.

3) No ripped or torn clothing or clothes with suggestive wording.

4) No T-shirts. Cotton T-shirts are not acceptable. T-shirts with a collar will be acceptable, such as Polo shirts.

5) "Belly shirts" and shirts that allow bra straps to be visible are not acceptable.

6) Any shirt showing visible cleavage of the chest area is not allowed.

7) Shorts, "Leggings", "Skorts" and sports warm-ups are not acceptable.

8) Skirts and dresses may be worn, but they cannot be more than 2 inches (5cm) above the knee.

9) Open-toed sandals or shoes may be worn but they must be "dressy" or made of leather and may not make excessive noise. Thong sandals are never allowed.

10) Tops must cover your midsection while you are in a playing stance - i.e., visible back section is UNACCEPTABLE.

RULES OF PLAY

The rules for all WPBA Qualifers are the same rules used by the WPBA. The complete list of rules can be seen on the WPBA's website. These are the rules as taken directly from the WPBA link above:

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.

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.

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. 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.

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).

CONTINUING PLAY
On the shot immediately following a legal break, the shooter may play a "push out." (see "Push Out" rule below). 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.

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 con-tact 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 is violated (exception: "Bad Hit" and "No Rail" rules). 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

END OF GAME
A game starts as soon as the cue ball crosses over the head string on the opening break. 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.