World Cup of Trick Shots Official Rules

approved by Andy Segal

This section features:
Format | Rules | Team Europe | Team USA

1. Dress Code: Players will NOT wear tuxedos this year. Players will wear dress slacks. A belt, dress shoes, and dress socks are required. Mohegan Sun will be providing shirts for all of the players to wear. Players may not put any logos or anything on these shirts. The women may wear clothing of their choice, but no sponsor logos may appear.

2. There will be 16 shots in a match. Each team will select 8 shots.

3. During the tournament, players are allowed to select shots only from their team's submissions. Players are not allowed to select shots submitted by the opposing team, unless both teams submitted the same shot. Billiards International reserve the right to require a team to submit substitute shots, or shots better suited for television.

4. Teams may not submit the dollar bill shot, as this is being saved for the tie-breaker.

5. Shots that are chosen in a match may not be used in any other match. Shots chosen in semi-final # 1 may not be used in semi-final # 2, and may not be used in the finals. However, if both teams submit the same shot, if one team selects that shot in a semi-final match, the other team may still choose that same shot in the other semi-final match or the finals.

6. When players are selecting a prop / flashy shot, they MUST inform the referee of the shot number.

7. During each match, teams must select at least 6 shots that use some kind of a prop.

8. In shots involving multiple balls, the shot can take no longer than 2 seconds per ball. When shooting shots with a stopwatch, players must give 2 seconds per ball shot. For example, if a speed shot requires 10 balls to be hit, and a stopwatch is used to time the shot, you must require the shot be performed in a minimum of 20 seconds.

9. Every shot must begin by striking the cue ball or an object ball. Object balls are not required. Mike's boot shot, Andy's in-the-air shot, and Luke's glasses shot are examples of shots which could be performed with only the cue ball and / or props.

10. Jump cues may contain leather or phenolic tips. All cue sticks must be at least 40 inches in length.

11. No glass props will be allowed. No liquor or beer logos will be allowed on any props. Plastic bottles (or anything) may not be filled with liquid, sand, salt, or any substance that would require a long cleanup time or a vacuum if spilled. Marbles is an example of something that can be placed inside a plastic bottle to give it additional weight.

12. Props are anything other than a regular pool ball. Doctored pool balls are considered props. If a shot requires an extra cue ball to be used, that is not considered a prop. If a shot requires that a player shoot with 2 cue sticks simultaneously, that extra cue stick will be considered a prop. The bridge, chalk, rack, cue sticks laying on the table, and any other object (other than regular pool balls) are considered props.

13. If a player is going to specify a distance (1 inch, 2 millimeters, etc), they must bring an appropriate measuring device that the referee can use, just in case there is a question during a match. A tape measure is okay for all standard measurements, but irregular measurements, and very small measurements (like 2 millimeters), will require additional devices.

14. Players have 2 minutes to setup each shot. A team may select 2 shots during each match where their player will have 3 minutes to setup the shot on his first attempt (2 minutes on the second attempt). THE PLAYER MUST NOTIFY THE REFEREE BEFORE THE SETUP BEGINS THAT THEY WILL BE TAKING 3 MINUTES. ONCE A PLAYER STARTS TO SETUP A SHOT, IF THEY START TO RUN OUT OF TIME, THEY MAY NOT USE THIS 3-MINUTE OPTION. INSTEAD, THEY WILL NEED TO USE THEIR TEAM'S 1-MINUTE EXTENSION. The opponent will also get the same time increase on that shot. PLAYERS ARE ADVISED TO USE THIS EXTRA '3 MINUTE' RULE ONLY IF ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. In addition, teams are given the option of taking one 1-minute extension per match.

15. Once the prior shot is complete, teams will have a maximum of 30 seconds to decide on their next shot. Once the player approaches the table, the 2 minutes setup time will begin. If the player doesn't approach the table in 30 seconds with a shot selection, the referee will start the 2 minutes setup clock. Once the player selects a shot and starts to setup, any additional time from the 30 seconds allotted for shot selection will be lost and the 2 minutes setup will begin. Teams are urged to have the next shot ready to go. Do not take 4-5 minutes to select the next shot.

16. For prop shots where the prop has to actually do something, players are allowed to bring their own props for the other team's shots. If a player brings props for the other team's shot(s), the props must meet all specifications in the shot description. In addition, the team captain must approach the other team captain and get all props approved. THIS MUST BE DONE PRIOR TO THE PLAYERS MEETING. If the other team captain approves the props, that is fine. If there is a disagreement, both captains should discuss it with Matt Braun during the players meeting and Matt will be the final judge. If a player tries to use props that were not pre-approved during a match, that player will NOT be allowed to use those props, and they will be forced to use the props provided by the opponent.

17. Players will be allowed to use ALL props as used by their opponent and as specified in the shot description.

18. If a player brings a prop, that prop must be usable by anyone, including the referee. If the prop has a 'special secret' and only the player introducing that prop knows the 'secret' to use the prop, then the player must reveal the special secret during the shot submission process. Otherwise the shot will not be allowed. The referee’s decision will be final on all shots.

19. Teams must describe all parts of the props when submitting their shots. For example, if there will be tape wrapped around the glass, the player must mention that. If the player fails to mention any part of a prop, that part will not be allowed. In the example given here, if the team doesn't say that there will be tape wrapped around the glass, tape will not be allowed and the player using that shot will have to shoot the shot without the tape. Please note that accessories added to your cue stick are considered props and must be mentioned.

20. If a player alters their cue stick in any way using an accessory, that player will be required to allow their opponent (if asked) to use their altered cue stick. The same applies if a player is using a non-standard stick, or piece of equipment. However, if a player shoots a shot with a standard cue stick, jump cue, or masse cue, the opponent will not be allowed to borrow that stick. Players are expected to have the bare minimum of sticks to execute shots. In other words, if a player does not bring a masse cue or a jump cue, they should be prepared to shoot all masse or jump shots with their own cue, not borrowing the stick from their opponent. The referee has final say over whether a certain cue stick is standard or non-standard. Please note that ANY AND ALL ACCESSORIES added to a cue stick will make it non-standard, and the player will be required to allow their opponent to borrow it.

21. Some shots require multiple balls to be pocketed in the same pocket. We will be using the standard rule where if a pocket fills up, and a ball goes in and bounces out, the shot is no good. If the ball balances near the edge of the pocket, the referee will make the call as to whether the ball is in or not. The referee will use his judgment as to whether the hanging ball would fall if the balls in the pocket were not there. The referee's decision is final. If a player knows that a pocket will fill up, or become close to filling up, that player may ask the referee or another player on their team to stand by the pocket and remove balls at a specified time during the shot. Please note that this may be done only if the referee or teammate can perform this without interfering with the shot in any way.

22. Accidental nudging of the cue ball (or any object ball to be struck first), is not a foul. The player will be allowed to reset the balls and start the shot over with no penalty. Please note that there are some shots where this does not apply. If a shot requires the player to do something else first, like a wing shot or something similar, then once the player starts the shot, it may not be stopped in the middle without penalty.

23. If a player takes an honest stroke attempt at a shot, but he misses all balls completely (he doesn't touch anything), that will be considered a foul. The referee will make the decision as to whether the player took an honest stroke attempt at the shot.

24. Players may not wear sponsor logos of any kind.

25. The tournament format will be as in past years. Two tries per shot, players alternating shots, each player required to attempt the shot performed by his opponent, one point for each shot successfully executed. Tie-breaker shot an 8 or 9 rail bank shot onto the face of a $100 bill.

26. SUBMIT ONLY SHOTS YOU CAN EXECUTE AT LEAST 80% OF THE TIME. We must provide ESPN with programs where players MAKE the shots. Also, the greatest publicity for your career and exhibition engagements is TRICK SHOT MAGIC and TRICK SHOT WORLD CUP and you want to be seen on ESPN MAKING shots, not missing them. Let's all work very hard to ensure that this year's TRICK SHOT WORLD CUP is the greatest ever! Contact Matt Braun if you have any questions.

There will be 2 practice tables. Both are exactly the same as the tournament table, with the exception that one of them has a different leg design on the bottom. Both tables will play the same as the tournament table, but if the players feel that it is an advantage to practice on the table with the same leg design as the tournament table, then the following practice schedule will be followed. The table with the different leg design will always be open to anyone. The table with the same leg design will be as follows. Please note that both tables will be open to anyone during any time span not mentioned below. Also please note that there will be no private practice.

~Adapted with permission from TrickShotWorldCup.com~

Updated 6/2008