🏆 General League Structure (BCAPL & USAPL)

The rules and formats are designed to ensure fair and competitive play across all CSI (CueSports International) sanctioned events, including local leagues and national tournaments. These standards apply to both BCAPL (BCA Pool League) and USAPL (USA Pool League).

Supported Games: 8-Ball, 9-Ball, 10-Ball, One Pocket, Bank Pool, 14.1 Continuous, Scotch Doubles, and dedicated Wheelchair Divisions.

🎱 Game Formats and Team Play

Scotch Doubles (Section 9)

• Team Structure: Two-player teams where players alternate shots within their team's turn at the table.
• Breaking: Either player on the team may break. The team can discuss who is best suited to take the break shot.
• Alternating Shots: After the break, team members must alternate shots for the remainder of their inning. Failure to do so is a foul.
• Coaching: Coaching is permitted between team members during their inning. However, it must not unduly delay the game. A 45-second shot guideline is generally enforced, and referees may intervene if play is too slow.
• Timeouts: Each Scotch Doubles team is allowed one five-minute timeout per match. This timeout can only be taken between games, not during an active game.

Team Competitions (General)

While specific local league play formats (like the number of sets, players per match, or detailed match structure) can be customized by local league operators, CSI national championships provide a model. Team entries and results are recorded for events like the 8-Ball and 9-Ball National Championships, typically featuring Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed/Open team categories.

BCAPL Match Formats & Team Roster Configurations

General BCAPL Format

BCAPL accommodates both individual and team competitions across its supported disciplines (8-Ball, 9-Ball, 10-Ball, etc.). Matches are typically played as a series of games (sets), with players or teams alternating breaks according to the event's rules. Scoring and racking procedures adhere to standardized CSI rules, with minor variations per game type.

Team Roster Configuration

• Scotch Doubles: As detailed above, these are 2-player teams.
• Standard Team Events: Based on participation in BCAPL national championships, standard teams generally consist of 4 to 5 players. Divisions often include Men's/Mixed Teams and Women's Teams.

BCAPL 8-Ball Team Match Format (Common 5-Player Team Structure)

A common format involves a round-robin structure where each player from Team A plays each player from Team B once. This results in a total of 25 individual games.

           | B1 | B2 | B3 | B4 | B5 |
        -----------------------------
        A1 |  x |  x |  x |  x |  x |
        A2 |  x |  x |  x |  x |  x |
        A3 |  x |  x |  x |  x |  x |
        A4 |  x |  x |  x |  x |  x |
        A5 |  x |  x |  x |  x |  x |
        Total: 25 games
      

• Each head-to-head game (e.g., A1 vs B1) consists of a single rack (one game).
• The player who legally pockets the 8-ball wins the rack, and their team is awarded 1 point for that game.
• The team that wins the most individual games (scores the most points from these rack wins) out of the 25 is the match winner.
• Score reporting is typically done per individual game (Win/Loss, resulting in 1 point for the winning team).

Match Flow Example (8-Ball, 5 rounds):

Team A: [A1, A2, A3, A4, A5]
Team B: [B1, B2, B3, B4, B5]

Round 1: A1 vs B1, A2 vs B2, A3 vs B3, A4 vs B4, A5 vs B5  
Round 2: A1 vs B2, A2 vs B3, A3 vs B4, A4 vs B5, A5 vs B1  
Round 3: A1 vs B3, A2 vs B4, A3 vs B5, A4 vs B1, A5 vs B2  
Round 4: A1 vs B4, A2 vs B5, A3 vs B1, A4 vs B2, A5 vs B3  
Round 5: A1 vs B5, A2 vs B1, A3 vs B2, A4 vs B3, A5 vs B4
      

BCAPL 9-Ball Team Match Format (Common 5-Player Team Structure)

In BCAPL 9-Ball team play, each individual player-vs-player game consists of a single rack. The player who legally pockets the 9-ball wins the rack, and their team is awarded 1 point for that game. The number of other balls pocketed during the game is irrelevant to scoring this point.

Round 1 (Example - Team A vs Team B, 1 point per rack won):
    A1 vs B1 (A1 legally pockets the 9-ball. Team A awarded 1 point)
    A2 vs B2 (B2 legally pockets the 9-ball. Team B awarded 1 point)
    A3 vs B3 (A3 legally pockets the 9-ball. Team A awarded 1 point)
    A4 vs B4 (A4 legally pockets the 9-ball. Team A awarded 1 point)
    A5 vs B5 (B5 legally pockets the 9-ball. Team B awarded 1 point)

Team A score after Round 1: 3 points
Team B score after Round 1: 2 points

Subsequent Rounds: Rotate matchups similar to the 8-Ball format.
      

• Teams play multiple rounds, with each round comprising a series of single-rack games.
• The team that wins the most racks (accumulates the most points from these rack wins) over all games played (e.g., 25 total racks in a 5v5 round-robin) is the match winner.

Notes for Both 8-Ball & 9-Ball Team Formats:

• Substitutions: Generally allowed if local league/tournament rules permit, often taking place between rounds.
• Break Order: Typically alternates between players/teams or follows a predetermined rotation set by the event's Administrative Authority.
• Tiebreakers: If team match scores are tied, resolution can occur via sudden-death games, overall point differentials, or other methods defined by local rules.

🧑‍⚖️ Match Administration and Rules Enforcement

• Referee Roles: Referees are responsible for enforcing all game rules, monitoring the pace of play (including shot times), and resolving any disputes that arise.
• Break Format in Matches: For multi-game matches, the determination of who breaks subsequent racks after the initial break is decided by the event's Administrative Authority (e.g., league operator or tournament director). Common methods include winner breaks, loser breaks, or alternating breaks.
• Lag Rules: The lag is used to determine the player or team that will break first in a match. The winner of the lag has the choice to either break or to pass the break to their opponent.

📋 Definitions That Clarify Format

• “Short Rack Game”: This term refers to any game format that uses fewer than fifteen object balls (e.g., 9-Ball, 10-Ball).
• “Regulations”: These are administrative rules that govern how leagues and tournaments are structured and run. They include aspects like coaching guidelines, bracket formation, player eligibility, and dress codes, which affect the overall league format but not necessarily the direct gameplay mechanics of a specific shot.

📝 Important Notes

• Customization by Local Leagues: Local league operators have the flexibility to add specific "house rules" or variations to their league format. However, these local rules must not conflict with the core rules established by CSI.
• Applied Rulings (AR): Many CSI rules are accompanied by detailed interpretative rulings, often cited as (AR p. ##), which provide clarity on specific situations and edge cases encountered during play.
• Administrative Authority: The designated "Administrative Authority" (e.g., local league operator, tournament director) has the final say on match structures, scheduling, and enforcement of rules within their specific event or league, provided they align with CSI guidelines.