Bca vs apa rules When APA was still a one product league (APA 8-ball), frustrated executives and league owners wanted to change the product and add other league products. But, BCA also started up a national league (not the APA but same type of deal) called BCA player's league. Eight Ball is a call shot game played with a cue ball and fifteen object balls, numbered 1 through 15. ACS was formed by former BCA board members who opposed the sale of BCA leagues to CSI. BCA rules are fine too. Getting Better at Pool – A Pool Odyssey Page 4 of the People who don;t know the rules of 8 ball pool piss me off discussion on the TexAgs General forum. APA discussion!) Which do you think is right for 8-ball? 10. youtube. 20 years ago, BCA adopted World Standardized Rules (WSR). The shooter must strike the cue ball into the lowest numbered ball on the table first. There will definitely be more break and runs in BCA rules, that is one thing for sure. TAP uses a race to handicap level similar to APA. I have been playing in the APA for the last 2 years and I am a skill level 4 but come to learn that i dont like the sandbaging that goes on and the 10. So if you are a serious player, or playing with anything on the line, BCA rules are absolutely the best set of rules for the game of 8-Ball. Easy to use and no restrictions on team skill level. APA: uses a franchise model where a given area falls under an APA league operator. As the North American representative to the World-Pool Billiard Association, the BCA selects players for world championships, provides input on rules and specifications, and publishes the "Official Rules and Records Book, World-Standardized Rules. 1. Leagues have a choice as how to treat the 8 ball going in on the break. Lot's of differences in rules, and I prefer BCA rules over APA rules. If you pocket the 8-ball on the break and do not foul, you may: a. GAME RULES • 3 numbered 1 through 9. Oct 28, 2022 · Official 8-Ball Rules Straight from the BCA Rule Book. Unlike other pool formats, pocketing the 8ball on the break in BCAPL is not a win. Nov 24, 2017 · BCA Eight Ball Rules of Play 3. BCA: Yes, call shot (ball and pocket only) APA: No, slop counts except the 8 ball. BCA Pool League Rules that Differ from BCA/WPA A scratch on the break gives ball-in-hand rather than in the kitchen. 99% of all international competitions use them, and if you want to Jul 18, 2024 · BCA: I can jump, right? APA: no jumping. Mar 4, 2023 · APA vs BCA 8 ball rules. re-rack the balls and break again. Oct 28, 2022 · Standardized World Rules Except when clearly contradicted by these additional rules, the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply. Feb 28, 2024 · Game rules for USAPL and BCAPL are the same, the difference is USAPL you play one opponent to a set to a point value (similar to APA 9-ball). It is not extremely common that matches are determined by the rules of either. I disagree. Go figure! Lyn … based on the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) World Standardized Rules (WSR) (the “official rules of pool”), which are also recognized and used by the Billiard Congress of America (BCA) and many international tournaments and pool organizations. For more information, see “Player Ratings” (BD, December, 2020). Somehow, the rules got changed ( again ) in the 80's to 1 foul only. Most in our league would be rated 5 or higher in APA When the APA was founded nearly 40 years ago, their ruleset were based on BCA rules of their day. BCA: The BCA does not typically use a handicap system in standard play, favoring open skill competitions. In the APA a scratch on the break must be played behind the headstring, for a scratch on any subsequent shots it's ball in hand. (Please, let's not turn it into a BCA vs. APA vs BCA calling shots 8ball billiards breakandrun APA BCA CSI Pool Rules Apa Vs Bca Yes, call shot (ball and pocket only) on all balls. I have played APA for almost 20 years. phillyfingers. Please turn off your ad blocker. APA: It's my turn already? Hang on a minute, I'm at the bar ordering shots. You will occasionally run into people like myself that play by APA or BCA rules in bars. Eight Ball Eight ball is played with fifteen numbered object balls and the cue ball. Feb 28, 2024 · For me it looks like joining a league is the best way to get me out & playing more often. InsidePOOLmag. Only when asked for clarification of a rule will the referee then explain that specific rule. APA vs Common Bar Rules In the United States, there are two major associations that play 8-Ball officially, and there are some slight variances to their rules that you may want to be aware of. The APA manual says you can't play in the APA only if you make a significant amount of money from pool - well that rules out just about everyone - including plenty of semi-pros. They didn't go lockstep when BCA adopted WPA rules and stayed 'old school. Tournament rules using 1 foul, and 9-ball rules using 2 foul pushout. 8 on the break BCA: Rerack or it gets spotted and the breaker keeps shootingbreaker decides APA: Shooter Win the game. APA promotes better quality 8 ball breaking if you want to run packages. A scratch in the BCA is ball in hand anywhere on the table, even on the break. The one obvious difference I see is more clearly spelled out rules vs APA which are vague as hell in some areas. Rules Clarification The referee must never give advice nor offer an opinion on points of play. APA based their rules on older BCA rulesets. It's amusing to me when someone disparage one rule set at the expense of another. bcapl vs apa rules. Aug 9, 2014 · There are some fine players in the APA, and there are some downright terrible players in the BCA, and vice versa. #billiards #8ball #APA #BCA #CSI #WPA #rules #chooseone. As someone who just left the APA and has migrated to BCA, I can say if your league operator is a twat, the APA can be a nightmare. BCA: no team handicap limit. One player must pocket balls of the group numbered 1 through 7 solid colors, while the other player has 9 thru 15 stripes. 8 ball shots must be marked. VNEA Rules that differ from BCA/WPA rules If an object ball is jumped off the table on the break, it is spotted. This allows players of varying abilities to compete on an even playing field. Under BCA Eight Ball rules, the shooter’s group of seven balls (one through seven or nine through fifteen) must all be off the table before he attempts to pocket the eight ball to win. Topic: Whether a player should be allowed to call a safety and pocket a ball in 8-ball and/or 9-ball/10-ball. THE PLAYER There must be some sort of agreed upon general rules, which most professionals are accustomed to when competing internationally. Here it is: differences among APA, BCAPL, and VNEA league rules See relevant content for blueridgebcapl. BCA numbers are also higher anyway, since their system goes up to 10 while APA goes up to 7 or 9. A midlevel APA player is an APA3 (just dropped from a 4). " Learn more about the Billiard Congress of America. BCA plays one head to head game with each player on the team. APA requires no ball or pocket designation unless it's the 8 ball; an object ball made with a legal hit continues the player's turn. BCA: I can push out in 9-ball, right? APA: What's a push out? Is that the same as a push shot? BCA: I'm here to play pool. Lea got all the rules differences correct, so I won't rehash them. Calendar more. Dec 27, 2015 · Bar rules, APA rules, WPA rules, BCA rules I have been involved in a lot of sports and I don't recall ANY of them having as many rule variations as Pool. In the 70's and 80's, the BCA rule book had two sets of rules for 9 ball. BCA) The two most popular and well-known Billiard/Pool Leagues today are APA and BCA. Nobody played 1 foul for the cash, only for tourneys. In APA, it's less pool, more drinking and APA you must qualify for Vegas by winning the slot from your local league operator. I would like to see a modified bca rule with races like apa has. In my limited BCA experience, it's all about the pool. WPA came along and wanted to become the official governing body of pool, and they mostly succeeded in north america, and they simply adopted BCA rules. com. 8 BALL. The rule variances between 9-Ball and 8-Ball among these associations are typically the same, unless the rules of 9-Ball, in general, directly oppose the rules of the governing bodies. Then there is the separate matter of UK 8-ball. Readers Digest version: Tap rules mirror BCA rules except 8 on break and scratch on 8 when shooting the 8. com and The Billiard Channel on ROKU and Fire TV. – Nov 3, 2020 - The Billiard Congress of America (BCA) with support from the World Pool and Billiard Association (WPA) today announced the publication of the 2021/2022 edition of the official World-Standardized rule book, Billiards: The Official Rules and Records Book. From www. Visit FXBilliards. comI’m not a Pro, Brought to you by: http://www. Maybe not as long. On the flip side 7's can run all the way up to open speed players. Home BCA Pool League USA Pool League Events > > > > Hall of Fame News Live Streaming Ref Program > Fargo Ratings Nov 30, 2016 · The BCA/WPA is failing the amatuer players just like golf. For example, the tournament determining League Rules (APA vs. May 16, 2025 · Pocket Billiard Rules and Specifications 5/16/2025 BCA Launches Inaugural USA National Championships. com I was told TAP was founded by former APA league operators and executives who were frustrated when APA 8-ball was the only league product APA offered. I will say that BCA rules make concessions for call shot OR non-call shot in 8 ball, so call shot is not always the rules used. Rules of bca. FargoRate ratings are on a logarithmic scale (like the Richter scale for earthquakes), so a gap of 100 points (at any level) predicts a 2-to-1 game-win ratio, indicating the better player (100 points higher) is roughly twice as good. The primary purpose of this game is for one player to pocket the solid balls numbered from 1 to 7 or the striped balls numbered from 9 to 15, and then marking and pocketing the 8-ball before his opponent. By Scott Simmerman. In the US, the organized bar leagues mostly use their own sets of rules, but at least one league, the ACS, uses the WSR. Played in the Int 8 ball, int/Mstr Classic 8 ball and Int 8 ball team events. I've already explained how "bar rules" and APA rules differ *significantly*. BCAPL. The 8 or 10ball must be pocketed on a called shot. Played for seven years. Aug 5, 2010 · Hey guys I have been playing billiards for 3 years now and have a strong love for the game. In addition The two leagues are the American Poolplayers Association (APA), and the Billiard Congress of America (BCA). Aug 5, 2010 · BCA vs APA I've played in both leagues for years, in the Los Angeles area. BCA handicap and scoring should be universal. The local APA group has my info. Things are opening up. As a 7 in APA 8 ball, if I play a 3 the race is exactly 6-2. In 2000, the BCA made the major move of adopting the World Pool-Billiard Association's standardized rules for eight-ball, nine-ball, and other games subject to international professional competition. What's different from APA is the winner of the rack gets 14 points, and the loser gets 1 point for every ball they legally make (9/10 ball) or 1 point for every ball of their's that's not on the table at Oct 31, 2019 · Given how many rules there are, the different rule sets are actually very close to each other (except for some of the APA rules, which seem a little unnecessary, IMO). i like both leagues but bca imo is better because they use a more widely accepted 8/9 ball rules, their handicap system is a. The league has a few 8-Ball Game Rules GENERAL DESCRIPTION 8-Ball is played with a cue ball and a normal rack of fifteen (15) object balls. 6/12/2025 The APA Official Team Manual contains the rules, procedures, and guidelines you will need to know to maximize your enjoyment of APA Leagues. 6/12/2025 BCA vs. The only set of rules I've crossed were (APA) American Pool Association (BCA) Billiard Congress of America; Hoping to find one standard rules and follow it, instead of asking every player "are we playing APA or BCA?" As for general skill level - no question BCA in my area is, on average, higher skill level than APA. Here is my take on the differences: 1) In our area, both are played in bars and/or pool halls, about equally. This begs the obvious question: "Why doesn't everybody just use the same official rules of pool?" I would think most people might agree with the CSI/BCAPL changes/improvements. The BCA Pool League is an umbrella membership organization that allows pool leagues around the world to "Be Part of Something Bigger. 00 am) and can't be at the bar until midnight waiting to do my match. " A single local league, even one with hundreds of members, is limited in what it can offer its members. Yet one more aspect of this game and industry that creates a barrier to entry for new people. I have not heard back from the BCA contact yet. Aug 9, 2014 · Assuming we are talking 8 ball, APA rules are fine. Only the 8-Ball is ever spotted in BCA rules. Rules used by the BCA Pool League. Right now my best option is a weekly 9-Ball 'chips' tournament but that is not enough for my needs/wants. BCA sanctioned leagues are not required to follow a standard handicap or format. Aug 9, 2014 · Ok but you are stating your opinions as if they were facts. Oct 31, 2019 · To support my FOULS IN POOL … Everything You Need to Know video, I recently created a resource page where I try to summarize all important rules differences among APA, BCAPL, and VNEA rules, as compared to standard WPA rules. What's different from APA is the winner of the rack gets 14 points, and the loser gets 1 point for every ball they legally make (9/10 ball) or 1 point for every ball of their's that's not on the table at . 6 Advice vs. I don't mean rules, just overall playing experience. The bca format is tough to gain traction in because you may sit for an hour before you play. The APA does not. But the biggest reason I quit APA was because I work early in the morning (get up at 4. Here are FIVE reasons you should join and play in the APA, BCA, TAP or other pool leagues. It never came up once! Kind of like the APA slop rule. It is a rotation game, meaning the balls are shot in numerical order. Lot's of APA players in my town say they are intimidated by BCA, that they're not good enough. BCA rules are the most correct rules, so that is the main advantage to using them. Feb 22, 2023 · The goal of this channel is to connect with other like minded players and discuss all things related to billiards. Jan 1, 2005 · This makes things much easier for strong 5's and 6's. Particularly on the bar table. APA and BCA are both competitive tournament rules. Pool Rules Apa Vs Bca. I don't particularly care, because I don't think it has a huge outcome on the game. You're also stating some false things as though they were true. Locally, the league operator decided to change a whack of by-laws which can negatively impact players, in some cases with no notice. CueSports International (CSI)Billiard Congress of America (BCA)Link t Mar 4, 2023 · The goal of this channel is to connect with other like minded players and discuss all things related to billiards. A player retains their turn at the table as long Feb 27, 2025 · The 3 major rule sets are APA, BCA, and bar or house rules. comI’m not a Pro, The BCA rulebooks have remained in near-annual continuous publication to the present day. Oct 1, 2008 · So what are the big differences in playing in these leagues? I play APA right now. have the 8-ball spotted and accept the table in position; b. Came up less than five times in over a thousand games yet it's one of the first things people complain about APA. © The World Pool Association 2025 Jun 28, 2016 · Damn Ibe, Completely forgot about the eight ball first rule. Below are the 8-Ball rules from the Official BCA handbook. The game is over when the 9-ball is legally pocketed. TL;DR - Bar rules have a lot of luck, APA rules are more geared to give lessor players a chance, BCA rules are designed for real competition and finding who is better. http://www. BCA: anyone can run a BCA league if they want. Most of the time, they will be more than happy to explain the rules because they know it’s not the most common rules to play by in bars. The rules are fine. So BCA and WPA rules are the same thing, word for word. Shots are called. The BCA currently allows a player to call a safety and pocket a ball, thus making their opponent shoot there after. Most of the emphasis in APA is on finishing the match in a timely fashion. I don't know *any* bar rules that don't require called shots. A "midlevel" BCA player is like an APA5. We’ll go over some of the biggest differences between the rules for APA and BCA. Game Tables Online is proud to host A Pool Odyssey, a billiards instructional series by BCA Master Instructor Mark Finkelstein. OBJECT OF THE GAME. APA: teams can only field 23 points in handicap across five players for the team in a match. It looks like I have a choice to join either an APA or a BCA league. Scratch while attempting to make the 8 ball BCA: *Make 8: Lose, *Don't Make 8: Ball in hand for opponent APA In this video I go through the essential 8-Ball rules for the BCA and USA pool leagues. I like the format of apa. 2) The BCA has stronger players. APA: The APA uses a skill level system (ranked from 2 to 7 for 8-ball, and 1 to 9 for 9-ball) to create a handicap system. Click below to learn from an official BCA Instructor. Nov 3, 2020 · Superior, Colo. APA stands for American Poolplayers Association (Largest American billiard league with over 260,000 Members) and BCA stands for Billiard Congress of America. That way you have the chance gain traction. Race to 3 would be nice. Jan 27, 2024 · The BCA rule book has the World Standardized Rules which all national federations are supposed to be using. The BCA had by this time become the national affiliate Jun 13, 2021 · Here are the general rules and options for playing 10-ball that mesh with CSA, BCA and APA rules for the game: Ten Ball Rules and Options. Pool is coming back. tsbx fafz wovfdw vpjhuj rygl ecujbk kcp motgpxt tiug jeegs