When Does A Break End?

[Josie]

I have to start by saying that I don't know the rules inside out like others do - and I might be misunderstanding what I'm reading - and sorry if I am. :-[

But one of the rules mentioned "End of Break" should be called if a ball is perched at the edge of a hole as this denotes the end - not the player walking away. I have never in the whole time I have been playing billiards (not as long as some of you I know! ;)) heard a scorer call end of break - it's always been the player finally deciding to walk away that has actually ended any situation I've been in. I have had many many people score for me (England and County players a plenty!), and not one of them has ever called it. Why?!!!!!

[Sparky]

Josie
I think the answer is the honour system we use in BB and prefer to walk rather than have someone tell us to go, and there is a chance of returning to the table and so want as much clock time as possible.

The only relevant occasion I had was a player who looked at me as if to ask so I shook my head with regret, he gave a wry smile and left the table, no words were necessary as we all know the feeling.

I have actually been shoved out of the way by my opponent in a Sussex Champion-of-champions semi-final (1984) as I was waiting for my slightly under-hit one-up to drop. And while I was still in retreat the ball dropped ! >:(

So I would certain welcome some definition to the rule.

[Chris_Sav]

Interesting!!

Personally when I score I call the break progressively
'one-fifty'
'three hundred'
'four-fifty, one-up'

If the player misses or leaves it on the edge, after a suitable pause I will say

'four-fifty scored'.

That's the way I've always denominated 'End of Break'. Most players are just not familiar with tye correct rule, probably becasue they haven't been published for the best part of twenty years!!!

That's why we are doing this!!

HTH

Sav.

This was a slightly exceptional circumstance, in that I could see my ball, perched on the lip of the hole, was still moving ever-so-slightly and I was therefore waiting for it to drop, as was my right. What happened next was, IMO, ungentlemanly conduct.
The scorer could indeed make an utterance as you describe, but should be flexible enough to allow the break to continue if the ball drops before the player has "walked".
Obviously the player waiting while there is not a hope in hell of it going in counts as timewasting, and the player should be given his marching orders.
It is a very fine line, but the above situation should be easy enough to resolve if all parties use a bit of common sense: a scenario which would need the scorer to have his wits about him/her is when the ball is perched on the lip and it was nearly "four times" on the break: if the ball drops an instant before the next cue stroke is made it comprises loss of break, and does not count as an extra fifty as would normally be the case.