All Chard & District Pool League Rules 2026

Chard & District Pool League

Constitution

1. The name of the league shall be The Chard & District Pool League, hereafter called the League.
2. The league is formed for the purpose of promoting the game of pool amongst all pool playing members within the Chard & District area and to organise individual, doubles, team knockouts & league competitions.
3. The committee reserves the right to refuse membership to any team or individual if, for any reason, it considers that the granting of membership shall be detrimental to the league.
4. The members of the league will nominate representatives at the AGM for officer positions to form the committee to manage all matters regarding the league.
5. The committee shall consist of 7 officers - Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, League secretary, Cup & Competition Secretary, Treasurer & up to an additional 3 committee members.
6. Safeguarding representatives – Nevil Salisbury & Shauna Caines

General Rules

1. The Annual General Meeting of the League will take place within 1 month of the end of each season. All Teams will be required to be represented at this meeting (any one player can represent). Should a team not be represented at the AGM, the team will carry forward a 5-point deduction to the following season.
2. Any alterations to the Constitution & General Rules can only be authorised at an AGM of this league, or an EGM (Extraordinary General Meeting) after giving the relevant details of intended changes to the league secretary or chairman for general distribution via the Facebook page, 14 days before the date set for the AGM.
3. EGMs can be called by the committee or any team captain, provided 14 days' prior notice is given in writing, with detailed reasons for calling and signed with the backing of 1 other committee member or team captain.
4. The Treasurer will provide a balanced statement at the AGM. Any overdue/outstanding monies will be clearly shown. Additionally, provide a budget for the upcoming season so that the meeting can assess whether fees need to be adjusted.
5. All fees will be agreed by the committee before the AGM each season.
6. The Chairperson or League secretary & the Treasurer will be entered on the bank mandate.
7. Should a team owe money, then the whole team will be held responsible. Those players may be at risk of being excluded from playing in the league until the debt is fully paid.
8. Only fully paid teams will be entitled to enter competitions/knockouts organised by the league.

Committee

1. Committee meetings will aim to take place every other month on the first Thursday to discuss matters within the league or when any issues that need to be discussed arise.
2. The committee shall have full authority to make any decision that, in its opinion, is deemed necessary or beneficial to its members.
3. The committee shall have up to 9 members. (see constitution-5)
4. The committee will produce a statement outlining any changes from committee meetings, which will be sent out via the Chard & District Pool League Facebook Page.
5. The committee will be able to appoint any member to fill any position that may occur during the season, but that person will only be seconded into the position until the next AGM.
6. The committee reserves the right to suspend, fine (points) or expel any team or individual for breach of these rules or any rules that the committee makes at any future time, or for any act deemed by the committee to have brought the league into disrepute.
7. Any player or team expelled from the league will forfeit any fees paid for the current season, and any right or entitlement formerly accorded to them as members of the league.
8. All monies paid out, trophies awarded, food & entertainment supplied at presentation night will be at the committee’s discretion.
9. Members of the committee

• Chairperson: Shauna Caines
• Vice Chairperson: Tony Wiltshire
• League Secretary: Nevil Salisbury
• Treasurer: Neil Hopkins
• Joint Competition, Fixtures & Results Secretaries: Ray Field / Michael Willoughby
• RackemApp Support: Michael Willoughby
• Lord of Trophies: Ricky Burt
• Additional Committee Members – Aaron Wilcox, Jay Tunnicliffe, and David Knollman.

League Rules

1. The League will play by the rules known as “International Rules” as per the EPA.

Rules of the Game (epa.org.uk) 

2. The league will affiliate with the Somerset County Pool Association.
3. Each team may enter up to 12 players. Individual players may only represent 1 team at a time. Captains must provide a team name, venue & venue contact details. Team names will be approved at the discretion of the committee.
4. The radius for team entry into the league will be 15 miles from The Guildhall, Fore Street, Chard
5. All teams will be required to pay an entry fee of £55. This can be paid via cash or bank transfer to the league bank account:
   Chard and District Pool League
   Account number: 30678660
   Sort code: 30-99-50
6. All matches to consist of 15 frames. One point will be awarded for each frame won.
7. Match-winning teams will get 3 extra ‘win’ points.
8. Teams need 5 players per match to fulfil all frames. If a team cannot get 5 players to play a fixture, then they are expected to turn up with at least 3 to play the match. Failing to field 5 players will result in a forfeit of frames.
9. Players can play a maximum of 3 games per match and cannot play the same person twice.
10. County Players or above. Teams can sign any County player. However, from the 2025 season, teams can only play a maximum of 3 County players per match. This rule does not include the County Ladies, or County Youth (under 18s). This does include County Men's, Seniors and Under 23’s. This rule applies to county players of both the International Ruleset and Blackball Ruleset.
11. Captains cannot put a player’s name down for 2 consecutive frames. For extreme circumstances where a player will need to ‘play off’, it will be down to the discretion of the 2 captains.
12. Coaching is not allowed. Any coaching will constitute a foul.
13. The referee can advise a player on the rules, or the state of play is requested by the player but cannot advise of any infringements they make in the future.
14. Matches to be scheduled on Sunday evenings. Some later rounds of cup matches may require players to play on an alternative night, which will be shown on the fixture list.
15. Matches to start at 7.45 pm.
16. All players must be at the venue by 9 pm. The only exception to this rule is for players who are playing in an International Rules County Fixture only; however, lateness must be agreed between both captains within reason. Anyone arriving after this time is barred from competing on the night. This rule does not include singles, doubles, 3-a-side & and 4-a-side competitions.
17. Failure to attend on time will result in an automatic loss of the first frame. Following the automatic loss of the first frame, the 2^nd frame must start by 8 pm. Following the 2^nd automatic loss of frame, the third frame must start by 8.15 pm. Should the team fail to arrive by 8.30, then all frames will be automatically claimed, including the win bonus points.
18. If a team ‘no shows’ on 2 or more occasions, the league reserves the right to expel the offending team/players from the league and all associated competitions for the rest of the season.
19. The home team/venue will pay the table costs.
20. Home teams will provide a referee for all matches.
21. League fixtures, results, and live scoring will take place on “RackEmApp”. Captains will use this to replace scorecards. All players are allowed access to the RackEmApp system. Any disputes can be made on the app, which will go directly to the appropriate Committee members. Players can contact Committee members directly for any immediate disputes that are affecting a present game.
22. The home captain will fill in the playing order first. Names can be entered one or as many at a time as the captain wishes. Once the 10^th frame is played, the home captain must fill in the remaining 5 names. The away team can enter them as they wish.
23. Players will ‘lag’ to decide who breaks on each frame. Players must, at the same time, play the object ball from the break area onto the bottom cushion and back up the table. The player with the object ball closest to the top cushion wins the right to break. A player must only hit the bottom and top cushions for a valid lag; if this is not achieved, then that player will lose the lag.
24. The home team will provide the food for league matches only. If this is not possible, the Chairman or League secretary should be informed before the start of the season or at the earliest time possible.
25. Should 2 teams end the season in either a winning/runners-up position or a relegation position and be on the same total points, then the 2 teams will play off. The playoff will be played on a night decided by the 2 captains and will be played on a neutral table.
26. Any team that fails to turn up without prior notice will be liable for any reasonable costs incurred by the team present. Ie food.
27. Any outside accidental interference whilst playing a shot during the frame, the referee will replace the balls as near as humanly possible to the original position, with both players agreeing on the position. No penalty shall be imposed on the player in play. The player then continues the frame.
28. Any damage to a pool table exterior, ripped cloth or damage to cushions should be reported to the away team as soon as possible. If an immediate repair is not possible, the away team will make the decision on whether to play on the table that night. This does NOT apply to any roll or obstacles that are in the playing area, as this constitutes a home advantage.
29. No tables will be moved to suit other teams.
30. The committee have the right to alter any rules of the league at any time and will give detailed changes to all players via the Facebook page.
31. All teams must fulfil their fixtures. Any team that does not complete its fixtures will lose all points. Any team that has played against the offending team will also lose any points gained against them.
32. Shark Rack. Should a home team wish to play using a ‘Shark Rack’, then they are obliged to do so. The Home Team Captain must notify the Away Team Captain of this before the first frame has been played.
33. Any concerns to be directed to the league email address: chardpoolleague@gmail.com 

Cups & Knockout Competitions

1. The Team Knockout Cup will be first to 8 (best of 15)
2. The 3-a-side competition will be best of 9 or first to 5.
3. Home team to referee, Players will lag to decide who breaks.
4. The 4-a-side competition will be best of 16 or first to 9.
5. If the score ends up being 8-8, then the captains will pick a player to play a deciding frame.
6. Home team to referee, Players will lag to decide who breaks.
7. Singles & Doubles competitions will be best of 5 for all to a venue winner. This will take place over several nights.
8. All players must be at their venues by 7.30 pm; any late arrivals will forfeit their place.
9. The winner of each venue will go through to Finals night.
10. Players at each venue to decide on whether a referee is needed.
11. If a venue winner cannot make the finals night, their place will be a bye.
12. Players will lag on the first game of each round and alternate the break thereafter.
13. All competitions & matches to be played in accordance with the league rules & World rules. (apart from the arrival time for singles and doubles)
14. Final Venues will be decided at the start of the season. These venues can only be changed by the venues themselves. Should the finalists decide not to play at the arranged venue, both teams will be disqualified, with the final being made void, and both sets of players on the night (not teams) will be suspended from that competition the following season.
15. The home team is the team that is drawn first (appears on the left side of the draw/fixtures).
16. Each competition that a player enters will cost £2. Singles-£2, Doubles-£2 per player, 3 a side & 4 a side-£2 per player. The Team Knockout is free to enter, and all teams are automatically entered upon league registration.
17. Anyone who enters a competition (singles/doubles, etc) and does not attend will result in a 5-point penalty deduction to their team, unless the committee grant exceptional circumstances. If a pair do not attend the doubles comp, this would result in a 10-point team deduction. This is to prevent people from entering and then not attending venues on the night, based on the location or group.

8 Ball Clearances

1. An 8-ball clearance can only be achieved on the first visit to the table, with all 8 balls being potted consecutively.
2. An 8-ball clearance must be entered onto the scorecard.
3. 8-ball clearances are counted for in all Chard & District pool League competitions.
4. A trophy/medal will be awarded at presentation night for anyone who gets an 8-ball clearance. There will also be a trophy for the player who gets the most 8-ball clearances.

Player behaviour

1. All verbal and physical abuse will not be tolerated.
2. Any reports of the above to the committee will be investigated and could lead to players or teams being suspended/banned from all competitions.
3. The committee will decide on the length of suspensions/bans.
4. Please respect all venues and their staff.
5. Social Media abuse will not be tolerated while using the Chard & District Pool League Facebook Page and could result in a suspension.

Transfers/Signing players

1. Teams can make a transfer/new signing at any point up to 75% of the way through the season.
2. No transfers/new signings can be made during the remaining ¼ of the season.
3. If a team already has the maximum 12 players signed on, then a player must be removed before a new transfer/signing can play. The player removed cannot be signed on by that team again that season. Please notify a member of the committee when doing this.
4. Players can transfer once per season.