or
click image to search using:
or
click image to search using:
Before reading these, you should consult the General Rules of Pocket Billiards. Except
when clearly contradicted by these additional rules, the General Rules of Pocket Billiards apply when playing 14.1 Continuous.
This page contains references to some material that is copyrighted by the Billiard Congress of America. Any modification or sale of such information herein is strictly prohibited by the laws governing that copyright. Please direct questions regarding interpretation of the following, or information on how to receive the current BCA "Billiards - The Official Rules and Records book" to the Billiard Congress of America.
If there are any terms throughout the 14.1 Continuous Rules that you do not understand, you can search our billiard terms glossary in the search box near the top left of the page, or search the billiard terms glossary directly. I have also included the Billiard Congress of America's reference numbers, so that readers can reference each rule back to the specific rule text on the Billiard Congress of America website.
14.1 is a nomination game, in that the player must nominate an object ball and a pocket. The player is given one point for every correctly nominated and pocketed ball on a legal stroke, and is allowed to continue a turn until failure to pocket a nominated ball or commits a foul. The player can pocket the first 14 balls, but before continuing a turn by shooting at the 15th, being the last remaining ball on the table, the 14 pocketed balls are racked as before, except with the apex space vacant. The player then attempts to pocket the 15th ball in a manner so that the racked balls are disturbed and he can continue the run. The player who scores the predetermined point total for a game, prior to the opponent, wins the game. The predetermined point total is usually 150 in major tournament play, or any agreed upon total in casual play.
14.1 Continuous is played either with two players, or in teams of two.
A standard set of object balls, numbered 1 through 15, plus the cue ball comprises the set of balls used in 14.1 Continuous.
14.1 Continuous uses a standard triangle rack with the apex ball on the foot spot, the 1-ball on the racker's right corner, and the 5-ball on left corner. Other balls are placed at random and must touch neighboring balls.
Any ball legally pocketed counts as one point for the shooting player.
The starting player must either designate a ball and a pocket into which that ball will be pocketed and accomplish the shot, or cause the cue ball to contact a ball and then a cushion, plus cause two object balls to contact a cushion. Failure to meet at least one of the above requirements is a breaking violation. The offender's score has two points deducted as a penalty for each breaking violation. In addition, the opponent has the choice of either accepting the table in position, or having the balls re-racked and requiring the offending player to repeat the opening break. That choice continues until the opening break proceeds without breaking violation occurring, or until the opponent accepts the table in position. The three successive fouls rule does not apply to breaking violations. If the starting player scratches on a legal opening break, he or she is charged with a foul and assessed a one point penalty, which applies toward the Successive Fouls Penalties. The incoming player is awarded cue ball in hand behind the head string, with object balls in position.
 | In the Rack | Not in Rack and Not on Head Spot | On the Head Spot |
| In the Rack | 15th Ball to Foot Spot. Cue Ball to Kitchen. | 15th Ball to Head Spot. Cue Ball as is. | 15th Ball to Center Spot. Cue Ball as is. |
| Pocketed | 15th Ball to Foot Spot. Cue Ball to Kitchen. | 15th Ball to Foot Spot. Cue Ball as is. | 15th Ball to Foot Spot. Cue Ball as is. |
| On Head Spot | 15th Ball as is. Cue Ball to Center Spot. | N/A | N/A |
| In Kitchen (not on Head Spot) | 15th Ball as is. Cue Ball to Head Spot. | N/A | N/A |
| Elsewhere | 15th Ball as is. Cue Ball to Kitchen. | N/A | N/A |
*on spot means to interfere with spotting a ball on the head spot.
All illegally pocketed balls are spotted and and no penalties are assessed.
When object balls leave the table, the stroke is a foul. Any jumped ball(s) is spotted once the balls come to rest.
The incoming player has cue ball in hand behind the head string, unless the provisions 2, 5, and 12 of Rule of Play above apply to the offender's foul and dictate alternate choices or procedures.
One point is deducted for each foul incurred. Penalties are more severe for deliberate fouls (Rule of Play number 5 above) and the third Successive Fouls (See regulation 6.12 below). The incoming player accepts cue ball in position unless foul was a jumped cue ball, pocket scratch, deliberate foul or the third successive foul.
When a player commits a foul, penalization is one point, or more as appropriate, and a notation is made and posted by the scorer that the player is on a foul. The player remains on a foul until the next shot attempt, at which time the foul may be removed by successfully pocketing a called ball, or completing a legal safety. If failing to meet these requirements on the next turn at the table, the player is penalized one point. The notation is changed to on two fouls. If the player fails to meet the requirements of successfully pocketing a called ball or completing a legal safety on the third consecutive turn at the table, penalization is one point and an additional penalty of 15 points is assessed. A total of 18 points for three consecutive fouls equals -18 points. The commission of a third successive foul automatically clears the offender's record of fouls. The incoming player has the choice of:
Rules for the opening break apply. It should be emphasized that successive fouls must be committed in successive turns or playing attempts, not merely in successive innings. For example, if a player ends inning six with a foul, steps to the table for inning seven and fouls (player is on two fouls), and then begins inning eight with a legally pocketed ball before scratching on his second shot attempt of the inning, he has not committed three successive fouls, even though there were fouls in three successive innings. As soon as the player legally pocketed the ball to start inning eight, the two fouls were cleared. The player is, of course, on one foul when they play the first stroke attempt of inning nine.
The deduction of penalty points can result in a player having negative scores. A running score can read minus one, minus two, minus 15, and so on. A player can win a game with a score of 150 while the opponent has scored only two fouls. The final score would read 150 to -2. If a player fouls on a shot that has not resulted in a pocketed ball, the point penalty is deducted from their score at the end of the previous inning. If a player fouls and pockets a ball on the same shot, that ball is spotted and the point penalty is deducted from their score at the end of the previous inning.
If the referee declares that neither player is attempting to win from the current position, he or she will announce their decision, and each player will have three more turns at the table. Then, if the referee still feels that there is no progress towards a conclusion, he or she will declare a stalemate and the original breaker at the beginning of the game must execute a new break shot.
The 14.1 continuous rules article was posted on 1/1/2006 6:02:00 PM and updated on 6/26/2006 1:33:00 AM. The 14.1 continuous rules article was edited by Billiards Forum Editor.
The information for the 14.1 continuous rules article was sourced from Internet.
According to some online sources, Straight Pool was created around 1910.
The 14.1 continuous rules are predominently observed in North America.
The governing body for 14.1 continuous rules is the Billiard Congress of America.
14.1 Continuous Rules belong to the pocket billiards category of cue sports. Pocket billiards is a class of cue sport game commonly referred to as pool.
The entire cue sport rules listing is available via RSS/XML. Click to view the pool rules rss feeds.
Hi - Just a quickie re: 14.1 continuous - if I call & legally pot a ball PLUS on the SAME stroke another random ball is also potted - do I score 1 or 2 points? the official rules are ambiguous on this point. Thanks!
Please clarify deliberate fouls, frozen ball push, double hits, and within one ball of rail safeties? Deliberate fouls - Player 1 fouls leaving cue ball in jaws of one of corner pockets near head string. Player two jabs cue ball into facing leaving cue ball frozen against interior pocket facing. This type of play - a jab- consists of maintaining cue tip on cue ball unto ball is frozen to rail. An evil play that needs a ruling. It also can be done when close to a cushion. What is your ruling? What is ruling for frozen balls- push shot? Mosconi Balsis match 1966? Can cue ball travel same length speed as object ball? Do you or can you strike cue ball full force in different direction than the lineup of the two balls? Double hits? Do you ask opponent if he double hit the cue ball? Is golf ettiquette employed where offerender is to call foul on himself? Safeties when object ball within one ball of rail? How many times can you play object ball into rail without cue ball hitting rail? If on third shot, cue ball rail safety is complied with, can opponent go back to playing object ball rail safeties without cue ball to rail?
Billiards is a tough sport to master, and so we've put together a series of billiards tutorials for all levels of play from beginner to advanced.
Thanks to the magic of YouTube, we're able to bring you the freshest billiards content available in video format. Click the video to watch, or visit our video section.
The Billiards Forum went live late in 2005 and has grown significantly from a green and organge v0.5 beta version to a fully-featured v2.0 beta.
Billiard RSS Feeds
