based on the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Standardized Rules (the “official rules of pool”)
Are there any good examples of bad calls being made in pro tournament matches?
Yes. See:
Here are more examples of interesting, questionable, or wrong calls:
- unintentional pot in 10-ball (always call a pocket, even on a “safety” attempt) at 2023 World Team Championship
- Questionable ball-in-hand tip-touch foul in 2023 World Team Championship
- Duc wrong-ball-first foul not called in 2023 Hanoi Open
- Tiep 3rd consecutive foul not called in 2023 Hanoi Open
- Capito non-foul shot on frozen ball, with other ball moving after the hit in 2023 US Open
- Fortunski unintentional miscue scoop shot in 2023 UK Open
- wrong-ball-first foul not called on Chieh-Yu Chou in 2023 US Pro Billiard Series
- OB foul not called on Eklent Kaci in 2023 World Pool Masters
- unforceful break by Alex Pagulayan in 2023 World Pool Championship
- CB foul not called on Robbie Capito in 2022 Ohio Open
- ref interference preventing Yoshioka CB foul in 2022 World 8-Ball Championship
- wrong-ball-first foul called on Wu Kun Lin in 2022 World 8-Ball Championship
- Pehlivanovic unintentional miscue scoop shot in 2022 European Open
- Ouschan wrong-ball-first in 2022 World Cup of Pool
- VanBoening possible no-rail-after-contact in 2022 UK Open (with analysis by Dr. Dave, and further analysis by Dr. Dave and 3-cushion example with proper call)
- Montpellier CB driven to cushion after contact in 2022 Predator Germany Open
- Morra extremely thin hit in 2022 UK Open
- AlShaheen possible double-hit in the 2022 Wisconsin Open
- Jones shot clock violation in the 2022 Mosconi Cup
- Oi likely double hit in the 2022 Arcadia Arizona Open
- Harriman double-hit wired combo out of the stack in 2022 straight pool game
- Filler no-rail-after-contact close call in the 2021 Mosconi Cup
- Blyler elevated double hit in the 2021 US 9-Ball Open
- Gomez good hit, bad call in the 2021 Predator Championship League
- Biado no-rail-after-contact foul at the 2021 Predator World 10 Ball Championship
- no rail after contact against Efren in 2020
- Thorpe “wrong ball first” foul reversal at 2019 Mosconi Cup
- Baretta no rail after contact in 2019 Turning Stone Classic
- He bad wrong-ball-first-jump call in 2019 World Cup of Pool
- VanBoening likely foul while using the bridge in the 2018 EuroTour
- Filler near-wrong-ball-first shot in 2018 World Pool Series
- 3-ball racked in 9-ball’s place by mistake in 2018 World Cup of Pool
- Sigel hitting moved ball foul in 2017 Living Legends Challenge
- VanBoening double hit allowed in 2016 Derby City 9-Ball Division (see Derby City 9-Ball Rules)
- VanBoening elevated double hit in 2016 USBTC 8-Ball Championship
- Strickland calling wrong ball in straight pool 2016 World Tournament
- Boyes “using the ball to measure” foul reversal at 2015 Mosconi Cup
- Morris weird roll of 8-ball next to the rail (due to piece of chalk?) on the break in 2015 US Open
- Bustamante bad wrong-ball-first call in 2014 Make-It-Happen 8-Ball Invitational
- Harriman corner-hook ball drop (with legal replace) in 2014
- Strickland wrong-ball-first foul in 2013 Super Billiards Expo Tournament
- Filler elevated double hit in 2010 EuroTour match
- Deuel legal hit into a frozen CB in 2002 US Open
- Bustamante wrong-ball-first foul in 2007 9 Ball World Pool Championships
- Luong Dung intentional double-hit foul (unsportsmanlike conduct?) in 2006 WPC
- Manalo questionable no-rail-after-contact call in 2005 IPT King of the Hill Tournament
- Loree Jon Jones double hit of non-frozen CB in 1992 US Open Straight Pool Women’s Championship Final
- Reyes wrong-ball-first bad call in 1988 Brunswick World Open
- Crane double hit against Lassiter during the 1983 Legendary Pocket Billiards Stars Tournament
- Caras double hit against Mosconi in a 1963 straight pool match
If you want to see many more examples of shots that might or might not be fouls, and to test your knowledge of the rules, try the Pool Rules Quiz.
And if you want to learn more about how to both detect and avoid all types of fouls, see the Fouls Resource Pages.
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