Pool/Billiards:

Straight Pool

Straight Pool is played by 2 players or 2 teams using a standard set of balls numbered 1-15, plus cue ball. The balls are placed in a standard triangle rack with the apex ball on the foot spot, 1 ball on the racker's right corner, 5 ball on left corner and other balls placed at random. All balls must touch their neighbors. The game is played to a pre-determined point total.

The player must nominate a ball and pocket. He is awarded one point for every correctly nominated and pocketed ball on a legal stroke and continues his turn until he either fails to pocket a nominated ball or commits a foul. Any ball legally pocketed counts one point for the shooter.

At the opening break, the starting player must either (1) designate a ball and a pocket and accomplish the designated shot or (2) cause the cue ball to contact a ball, then a cushion, plus cause two object balls to contact a cushion. Failure to do so is a breaking violation, and the offender is assessed a two point penalty for each breaking violation. The opponent has the choice of (1) accepting the table in position or (2) having the balls reracked and requiring the offending player to repeat the opening break.

If the starting player scratches on a legal opening break, he is assessed a one point penalty. The incoming player is awarded the cue ball in hand behind the head string, with object balls in position.

A shooter continues at the table until he fails to legally pocket a called ball on a shot. He may shoot any ball, but must designate the ball and pocket. Any additional pocketed ball on a legal stroke is scored as one point for the shooter.

When the fourteenth ball of a rack is pocketed, play stops with the fifteenth ball remaining in position on the table. The fourteen pocketed balls are racked, with the space at the foot spot vacant. The shooter then continues, normally pocketing the fifteenth ball so as to have the cue ball carom into the rack and spread the balls.

Illegally pocketed balls are all spotted. If object balls jump off the table, the stroke is a foul and any jumped ball(s) is spotted after the balls come to rest. If the cue ball jumps off the table or is scratched, the incoming player has cue ball in hand behind the head string.

8-Ball

Eight Ball is a call shot game played with a cue ball and object balls numbered 1 through 15. The balls are racked in a triangle at the foot of the table with the 8 ball in the center, the first ball of the rack on the footspot, a stripe ball in one corner and a solid ball in the other corner. One player must pocket the balls numbered 1 through 7 (solids), while the other player must pocket balls numbered 9 through 15 (stripes). The player pocketing his group first then legally pocketing the 8 ball wins the game. The table is always open immediately after the break. The choice of group is determined when a player legally pockets a called object ball after the break.

Obvious balls and pockets do not have to be indicated. The opponent may ask which ball and pocket if he is unsure. Bank shots and combination shots are not considered obvious. It is not necessary to indicate details such as number of cushions, banks, kisses, etc. Any balls pocketed on a foul remain pocketed.

Winner of the lag has the option to break. Players alternate breaking on each subsequent game.The breaker must either (1) pocket the ball or (2) drive at least four numbered balls to the rail. Failure to make a legal break is a foul. The incoming player has the option of accepting the table in position and shooting or having the balls reracked. He may then reshoot the opening break or allow his opponent to rebreak.

If a player scratches on a legal break shots all balls pocketed remain pocketed (except the 8 ball), it counts as a foul, and the table is open. If the shooter jumps an object ball off the table on the break shot, it is a foul. The incoming player may accept the table in position and shoot or take the cue ball in hand behind the head string and shoot. If the 8 ball is pocketed on the break, the breaker may ask for a rerack or have the 8 ball spotted and continue shooting.

Combination shots are allowed; however, a combination shot can never be used to legally pocket the 8 ball.

A player loses the game if he fouls when pocketing the 8 ball, pockets the 8 ball on the same stroke as the last of his group of balls, jumps the 8 ball off the table at any time, pockets the 8 ball in a pocket other than the one designated, or pockets the 8 ball when it is not the legal object ball.


9-Ball

Nine Ball is played with object balls numbered 1 through 9, plus cue ball. 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, and the other balls in random order, packed as tightly as possible.

On each shot, the first ball the cue ball contacts must be the lowest numbered ball on the table; however, the balls need not be pocketed in order. If a player pockets any ball on a legal shot, he continues until he misses, fouls or wins the game by pocketing the 9-ball. After a miss, the incoming player may start with the cue ball anywhere on the table. Players are not required to call their shots.

To break, the shooter must strike the 1-ball first and either pocket a ball or drive at least four numbered balls to the rail. On the following play, the shooter may play a "push out" in an attempt to move the cue ball into a better position for the option that follows. The player must announce his intention before the shot or it is considered a normal shot.

If the shooter misses or fouls, the other player begins his inning and shoots until he misses, fouls, or wins.

The match ends when one of the players has won the required number of games.

When a player commits a foul, he must relinquish his run and no balls pocketed on the foul shot are respotted, except the 9-ball is respotted if it is pocketed. The incoming player is awarded the ball and hand, and he may place the cue ball anywhere on the table prior to his first shot.

If the first object ball contacted by the cue ball is not the lowest numbered ball on the table, the shot is a foul. If no object ball is pocketed, failure to drive the cue ball or any numbered ball to the rail, it is a foul. If an object ball is driven off the table, it is a foul. The ball is not respotted (unless it is the 9-ball) and play continues.


Air Hockey:

Basic Rules

The Object of the Game
To score a predetermined number of points or to score the most points in given amount of time.

To Play
Flip a coin to determine who will begin play. Play begins when the puck is placed on the
playing surface. Players must hit the puck with the striker and attempt to shoot it into their
opponent’s goal. One point is awarded when a puck is shot into the opponent’s goal.


Foosball/Table Soccer:

Basic Rules

The Object of the Game
To be the first team (or player) to score a predetermined number of points or to score the most points in given amount of time.

Serving
The server rolls the ball through the serving hole to start the game, after a point is scored, or after a ball leaves the table. The server can spin the ball to influence the serve, but the ball must be struck by one of the serving team's (or server's) player figures. Once the ball is in play, it remains in play until it is hit off the table, a dead ball is declared, time out is called, or a point is scored.

Passing
If a ball is pinned on the 5-man rod, it cannot be passed to the 3-man rod of the same team without touching at least two player figures as it is being passed.

Scoring
When a ball enters the opposing team's goal, a point is scored. If the ball enters the goal, but bounces back onto the playing surface or leaves the table, it still counts as a goal.

Spinning Rods
Spinning the rods is illegal.

Ball Off the Table
If the ball leaves the playing surface and strikes any object that is not part of the table, it is declared "off the table" and should be put back into play by a serve from the team (or player) that originally served that ball. If the ball rolls into the serving cup and then returns to the playing surface, it is still considered "in play."

Dead Ball
If a ball has completely stopped its motion and cannot be reached by any player figure, it is declared a "dead ball." If the ball is declared dead between the goal and the 2-man rod, it should be put back into play by placing it in nearest corner and releasing it. If the ball is declared dead anywhere else on the playing surface, it should be put back into play by a serve from the team that originally served the ball. If a ball is spinning in place, it is not considered a dead ball.


Shuffleboard:

Basic Rules

Briefly, shuffleboard play consists of sliding or shuffling eight metal weights over the highly polished playing field. Four weights are red and four are blue to distinguish teams or opponents The object of the game is to outscore your opponent by sliding your weights farther into the scoring area than his weight; this is accomplished either by dislodging his weights or out-drawing (passing) them.

In the basic two-handed game, both players stand at the same end of the shuffleboard. They select their weights (four red and four blue) and decide who shall shoot first weight. The first player slides his weight by hand from the playing end of the shuffleboard toward the scoring zones at the opposite end. His opponent then shoots his first weight in a similar manner. The two players continue to alternate shooting weights until all eight weights have been thrown.

At this point a round of play has been completed and the score is tallied. (See Method of Scoring below.) Both players then proceed to the opposite end of the shuffleboard where the weights are now resting. The board is cleared and play is continued in exactly the same manner from that end, with the winner of the previous round shooting first.

In a two-handed (singles) match, the first player to score 15 points is the winner; when more than three players play, 21 points win.

METHOD OF SCORING

After all weights in a round have been played, the score is tallied by counting only the advance or leading weights of the color farthest away from the players' end. Thus, if red is the most distant weight from the playing end at the completion of a round, score the sum total of all red weights ahead of the leading blue weight. Any red weight behind the leading blue weight (that is, toward the players) would be cut off and cannot be scored.

Only one side scores in a round. Scoring weights are counted as follows:

Touching or in front of the deuce line score one point.
Between the deuce line and trey line, or touching the trey line, score two points.
Between the trey line and the end of the board but not hanging over the far end score three points.
Hanging over the far end of the shuffleboard are called hangers and score four points.


Basketball:

Basic Rules

Goal of Basketball
Shoot the ball into the other team's basket to score points. Keep the other team from shooting the ball into your basket. The winner is the team with the most points when time is up.

Playing the Game
Each team has five players on the court. The game begins with a jump ball, a contest to decide which team gets possession of the ball. The player with the ball has three choices: pass it, dribble it (bounce it), or shoot. The player can't walk or run without dribbling the ball. If the player stops dribbling, he or she must also stop and then pass or shoot the ball.

Fouls
Personal fouls: holding, pushing, charging (running into), blocking, tripping, and making illegal contact with an opponent. Penalty: The opponent shoots one or two free throws. After five personal fouls, a player is out of the game.

Flagrant foul: A personal foul that's rough, on purpose, or uncalled for.
Penalty: The opponent shoots two free throws and gets possession of the ball.

Technical fouls: delay of game, taking too many time-outs, having too many players on the court, hanging on a basket, leaving the court at the wrong time, swearing, arguing, being a poor sport, and others. Coaches and other non-players can commit technical fouls. Penalty: A player from the opposing team shoots two free throws.

Rule Violations
A violation doesn't involve contact with another player and doesn't result in a free throw. These are all different types of violations: a ball out-of-bounds (charged to the last player who touched it), double dribble, traveling, time violations (taking too long for a throw-in, for example), stepping over the line during a throw-in or free throw, goal tending (blocking a shot when the ball is on the way down), and others. Penalty: The opposing team gets possession of the ball and puts it in play with a throw-in.

End of the Game
The game ends when time is up and the buzzer sounds.
The team with the most points wins.


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