Notable changes to the Official Team Manual
League Years 2023/2024, 2024/2025, 2025/2026.
Forward, page 5
Replaced: APA of India
With: APA of Singapore
Etiquette, page 6
League Structure
The Board of Governors, page 15
Membership, page 16
Fees, page 16
General Rules
1. No Gambling, page 20
Added: “Gambling on pool is prohibited at all APA functions. This includes, but is not limited to, known wagers between players, side bets, side pots, selling teams, auctions and Calcuttas.”
6. New Players, page 21
Replaced: New players must become members before playing their first match, either by submitting their membership fees and a completed and signed membership application with their team’s scoresheet, or by becoming a member online at poolplayers.com.
With: New players must become members before playing their first match, either by becoming a member online at poolplayers.com or the Member Services App, or by submitting their membership fees and a completed and signed membership application with their team’s scoresheet.
Added: “or the Member Services App” (for new players to become members before playing)
Age Requirements, page 20
15. Forfeits, page 26
9-Ball Open
Doubles
25. Team Skill Level Limit, page 33
26. Limited Number Of Senior Skill Level Players (8-Ball And 9-Ball), page 34
Updated verbiage:
Senior Skill Level players are those who have a skill level of 6 or higher. Teams may not field more than two Senior Skill Level players in a match. A violation of the rule has officially occurred when the rack is struck in an individual match involving a third Senior Skill Level player. The ineligible player forfeits the individual match and the teams go on to the next match, keeping all points earned in previous individual matches. The skill levels of both players will count towards the Team Skill Level Limit for that match. If a third Senior Skill Level is used, the points earned by the third Senior Skill Level player will not count and the non-offending team will receive forfeit points for that individual match.
29. Equipment, page 39
Ladies 9-Ball and 3-Person 9-Ball
19. Home Locations, page 30
Doubles Divisions
28. Amateur Players Only (Was: No Professional Players Allowed), page 38
Updated verbiage:
APA is an amateur League. APA reserves the right to reject or cancel the memberships of those individuals who are deemed to be professionals or possess abilities above amateur status. APA has a variety of criteria for determining amateur/professional status. The criteria include: possessing a tour membership in any men’s or women’s professional billiards organization, winning tour points from any of those organizations, being a nationally known money player in APA’s judgment, or otherwise being recognized as a billiards professional, billiards celebrity or entertainer including being a noted exhibition performer, retired professional, etc. APA reserves the right to rule on the amateur/professional status of any member, and may consider all, some, or none of the above criteria in making its ruling. Players who enter a professional event, perform exhibitions or otherwise behave as a professional, place their amateur status at risk, and may be declared ineligible to be a member of APA.
Local League Management has the option of prohibiting any individual from participating in the Local League who has consistently demonstrated professional characteristics exceeding amateur status, is a known money player or is perceived as earning a substantial portion of their living playing pool. An individual who gives exhibitions or lessons for money may be deemed a professional. Similarly, a highly skilled individual who is employed as a manager/assistant manager of a billiard room may be categorized as a house pro and thus be ineligible for amateur play. However, a person cannot be deemed a professional simply because they are a highly skilled pool player. There are many highly skilled amateurs who do not otherwise exhibit professional characteristics, who are welcome to play in APA.
31. Rules Are Subject To Change, page 39
32. Protests And Disputes, page 40
33. Appeals, page 41
Updated verbiage: Your League Operator automatically reviews all disciplinary actions recommended by the Board of Governors in your area, if any, and will notify you or your Team Captain of the decision. Once a disciplinary action has been taken by your League Operator and/or by the BOG, you have the right to appeal the decision(s) of the League Operator and/or BOG to the APA Appeals Committee. You may not appeal the decision to the APA Appeals Committee until the BOG has ruled on the issue. If you wish to appeal disciplinary action to APA, you must submit a written appeal addressed to the APA Appeals Committee, at the address on the back of this manual or through appeals@poolplayers.com. The appeal must state the disciplinary action taken and why you, or your team, believe APA should review the decision of Local League Management. APA has sole authority and absolute discretion to act on the matter and its decision shall be final.
Game Rules
Breaking, page 45
9. Accidentally Moved Balls, page 49
14. Frozen Balls, page 52
Replaced:
Cue ball frozen to your own object ball – If the cue ball causes the object ball to move (by exerting force into the frozen ball, not by breaking contact with the frozen ball), it is considered to be contacted during the shot.
• 8-Ball
If you are shooting away from the object ball the cue ball is frozen to, in order to make a legal shot, you must contact another object ball, and then drive a ball to a rail or into a pocket. If the cue ball is frozen to the last ball of your category, the cue ball must separate from the object ball, then come back and make contact with the ball it was originally frozen to and drive a ball to a rail or into a pocket.
• 9-Ball
If you are shooting away from the object ball you are frozen to, in order to make a legal shot you must contact the lowest numbered ball and drive a ball to a rail or pocket a ball. If the cue ball is frozen to the next ball in the rotation, the cue ball must separate from the object ball, then come back and make contact with the ball it was frozen to, and after contact, drive a ball to a rail or into a pocket.
Cue ball frozen to your opponent’s ball
You must shoot away from the opponent’s ball. If the cue ball causes the opponent’s ball to move, which does not include breaking contact with the frozen ball, it will result in a foul.
With:
Cue ball frozen to your own object ball (8-Ball) / lowest ball in the rotation (9-Ball) – Shooting the cue ball towards, or partly into the frozen ball, thereby making the ball move by such a shot, constitutes legal contact. Shooting the cue ball away from the frozen ball does not constitute legal contact. To make legal contact, after shooting away from the frozen ball, the cue ball must:
• 8-Ball
After separating from the frozen ball, contact another object ball of the shooters category first, or come back and contact the previously frozen ball first.
• 9-Ball
After separating from the frozen ball, come back and contact the previously frozen ball first.
Note: If the cue ball is shot away from your own frozen object ball (8-Ball) / frozen lowest ball in the rotation (9-Ball), and the frozen ball moves slightly due to breaking contact with the cue ball, it does not constitute legal contact.
Cue ball frozen to your opponent's object ball (8-Ball) / non-lowest ball in the rotation (9-Ball)
You must shoot away from the opponent’s frozen object ball (8-Ball), or the frozen non-lowest ball in the rotation (9-Ball). If the shooter shoots towards, or partly into the frozen ball, thereby making the frozen ball move by such a shot, it constitutes illegal contact and it is a foul.
Note: If the cue ball is shot away from you opponent’s frozen object ball (8-Ball) / non-lowest frozen ball in the rotation (9-Ball), and the frozen ball moves slightly due to breaking contact with the cue ball, it does not constitute illegal contact, and is not a foul.
Added: QR Code for video
15. Fouls, page 53
Replaced: e. Intentionally jumping a cue ball over another ball by scooping it into the air.
With: e. Intentionally scooping the cue ball over another ball.
16. How To Win A Game, page 55
Updated verbiage: Your opponent pockets the 8-ball out-of-turn or knocks the 8-Ball on the floor.
Page 56
Replaced: NOTE: Making contact with a marker is not a foul. If a pocket marker is placed on the rail and accidentally interferes with the shot (either in a positive or negative way), the shot stands.
With: NOTE: Contacting a pocket marker with the 8-ball is not a foul and the shot stands.
Declaring Players, page 61
Replaced: A coin toss determines which team must declare the first player.
With: Team Captains flip a coin to decide which team will declare the first player.
How To Use Scoresheets And Score Matches
Page 60
Added: QR Code For information about keeping score through the scorekeeper app, Scan Here
Conduct During League Play
Physical Contact, page 68
Added (in bold): Hostile physical contact is not tolerated. Hostile physical contact includes, but is not limited to, bumping, shoving, pushing, or hitting or sexual contact.
Verbal Abuse, page 69
Added (in bold): Verbal abuse consists of any name calling, threats, sexual comments or any other language that could reasonably be considered harassment, an effort to provoke a player or team, or an attempt to cause embarrassment to the opponent. Local League Management will always have to make judgments in this area.
Follow-Up Actions, page 70
Suspension Terms, page 71
Updated verbiage: Any individual or team suspended from League play will immediately lose certain other membership privileges, including but not limited to, eligibility and/or qualification for Tournaments, until the suspension is lifted.
Tournament Information And Rules
World Pool Championships
b. Player Eligibility, page 74
Added: Must be at least 18 years of age.
World Pool Championships, page 76
- How To Become A Qualified Team
Added: NOTE 2: Qualification does not pass down in 4 team divisions.
- Qualified Teams Must Maintain Active Status
Updated verbiage: A team that qualified in the Summer Session must play during the following Fall and Spring Sessions in the League area in which they qualified. A team that qualified in the Fall Session must play during the subsequent Spring Session in the League area in which they qualified.
Number Of Scores Handicaps Must Be Based On, page 78
Updated verbiage: In order to participate in the World Championships, a player must have established their handicap before the end of the Spring Session leading into the World Qualifier,…..
Glossary
-
Page 82, Updated verbiage:
Bank (Shot): Driving an object ball to a rail in the course of a shot.
Bridge: (1) Hand that holds and guides the cue shaft; (2) The type of hold; (3) A shaped plate mounted or placed near or at the tip of a cue stick.