Placement is not ball in hand
Ball in hand from an opponent’s foul is separate from a handicap placement. A foul ball-in-hand does not use one of the incoming player’s handicap placements.
Handicaps & Fouls
Handicaps & Fouls
ABL handicap movement, placement rules, foul penalties, minus handicaps, and 4+ handicap protection.
Handicap Purpose
Section titled “Handicap Purpose”The handicap system levels the playing field and gives every player and team a chance to compete for prize money. A player’s handicap is the number of cue-ball placements they receive during each game.
Most players have a handicap from 0 to 4. A strong zero-handicap player can move to -1 or -2, which gives extra placements to their opponent.
| Handicap situation | Placements per game |
|---|---|
| 0 handicap | 0 |
| 1 handicap | 1 |
| 2 handicap | 2 |
| 3 handicap | 3 |
| 4 handicap | 4 |
| 4 playing a -1 | 5 |
| 4 playing a -2 | 6 |
Example: A -1 player against a 2 handicap gives the 2 handicap one extra placement, for a total of 3 placements. A -2 player gives two extra placements.
Handicap Movement
Section titled “Handicap Movement”A new league member starts as a 2 handicap.
After that:
- Two player-match wins in a row lowers the handicap by one.
- Two player-match losses in a row raises the handicap by one, up to 4.
- A split result over two weeks keeps the handicap the same.
After a player’s handicap moves up or down, the handicap calculation resets.
Example: A 2 handicap who wins two weeks in a row becomes a 1 handicap in week three.
Minus Handicaps
Section titled “Minus Handicaps”A zero-handicap player who wins two weeks in a row becomes a -1. If that player wins two more weeks in a row, the player can become a -2.
Minus handicaps do not give the minus player placements. They give extra placements to the opponent.
Handicap Placements
Section titled “Handicap Placements”A handicap placement lets the player pick up the cue ball and place it anywhere on the table for their shot. A player may use a placement any time it is their turn at the table, except:
- When breaking.
- When shooting the 8 ball.
- After missing a shot, because it is now the opponent’s turn.
- After committing a foul, because it is now the opponent’s turn.
A player does not have to formally declare a placement, but should notify a scorekeeper so the placement can be tracked.
Unused placements do not carry over. Each game starts with the player’s current handicap count.
All fouls give the incoming player ball in hand anywhere on the table. Common fouls include:
- Failing to call a non-obvious shot.
- Scratching.
- Sending the cue ball off the table.
- Not hitting the shooter’s group first.
- Hitting the opponent’s group first.
- Accidentally touching the cue ball.
- Hitting the 8 ball first while the shooter still has group balls on the table.
- Not making a legal safety.
- Double-hitting the cue ball.
Three consecutive fouls do not cause a loss of game in ABL.
Flagrant Fouls
Section titled “Flagrant Fouls”A flagrant foul is a blatant or intentional rule violation. When the foul qualifies as unsportsmanlike conduct, the league may apply a stronger penalty than the normal foul penalty.
4+ Handicap Protection
Section titled “4+ Handicap Protection”Opponents of 4+ handicap players cannot intentionally hit the 4+ player’s balls first to give the 4+ player another ball in hand or foul situation.
If an opponent intentionally hits a 4+ player’s balls first, the 4+ player may put the balls back in their original position and receives ball in hand for the next shot. That ball in hand does not count as a handicap placement.
An opponent may still play any legal safety or shot as long as the opponent hits their own ball first.
