DRAFT COPY of Proposal.

• The Constitution

• 1. The League shall be called the 'Chester & District Bagatelle League' and will consist of a Winter and a Summer League.
   

• 2. The management of the League shall be by a Committee chosen at an Annual General Meeting.
   

• 3. The Committee may suspend any club or player.
   

• 4. The Committee may decide on the structure of the League.
   

• 5. No complaint or protest will be entertained after seven days.
   

• 6. Any club in arrears or which fails to fulfil their obligations to the satisfaction of the Committee may be excluded or suspended from the League and / or Cup Competitions.
   

• 7. The Secretary shall notify all clubs in a reasonable time before the AGM of the date, time and place of the AGM. Any club wishing to amend any rules or regulations to notify the Secretary in writing with details 2 weeks before the AGM, and the Secretary should notify all clubs of such proposals one week before the AGM.
   

• 8. An Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) may be called if supported by at least three players from each of two clubs.
   

• 9. Matters arising which are not covered by these rules will be decided by the Committee, subject only to an EGM described in 8.
   

• 10. Players need not be registered and anybody can play provided they have not previously played for another club in Cups or League in that season (Summer and Winter are regarded as different "seasons").
   

• 11. A player who plays for more than one team in a season is liable to be suspended, and the club wrongly represented will have their points deducted if the game was won.
   

• 12. Games may be re-arranged, but clubs should inform the Secretary.
   

• 13. Players must be 18 or over. Note: players under the age of 18 may be allowed to play at the landlord's discretion.
   

• 14. All points scored by or from a team dropping out of the League will be deducted.
   

• 15. The League Championship shall be decided on points. In the event of a tie, a play-off will be arranged on a neutral table.
   

• 16. Teams to consist of eight players, no player to play twice. Note: Currently this rule has been superseded by a local agreement where up to two players can play again. If a team has only 7 players available then the lowest scorer can play again.  If a team has only 6 players then the 2 lowest scorers can play again, in the same order they appeared in the match. Same rule applies to Cup games.  In the 5-a-side competition, if a team only has 4 players the lowest scorer may play again.
   

• 17. Where a club has two teams in the League, they shall play each other in the first two matches.
   

• 18. Matches to start at 8.30pm.
   

• 19. Visiting team to have free use of table for 15 minutes before 8.30pm. No practice sticks allowed after the start of the game.
   

• 20. Home team to break first in League matches. In the cups, captain winning toss to decide who breaks.
   

• 21. A board should be hung up in the room to register and display scores after each player has played.
   

• 22. All matches to be registered on score sheets, names only to be altered with opposing captain’s permission. "Last man" may be left open (unnamed) with opposing captain’s permission.
   

• 23. Sheets to be handed or sent to Secretary by home side in league games or the winning side in cup games.
   

• 24. The referee shall have full control of the game, and shall call the scores, spot the ball, and mark the team sheet.  The referees decision is final.
   

• 25. The referee shall call the score for each stick before removing the balls.
   

• 26. Points to be two for a home win and three for an away win. In the event of a draw, the home team to receive one point and the away team two points.
  
  
  The Rules

• A. A ball can be placed anywhere in the rectangle. The rectangle must be in front of the leather baulk and be 18" x 1½" (450mm x 37mm), a visible box to be drawn on the table and the two end and centre spots to be marked. This rule may be decided by home custom, subject to Committee approval.
   

• B. Once a ball is struck and goes outside the box it is in play. A "feathered" ball doing so may be played again at the (opposing) referee’s discretion, or opposing captain’s discretion if the referee is on the same side as the player.
   

• C. All balls are in play until they cross onto the leather, jump off the table altogether, or hit the wood (or a side or back wall) above the cushion. If such a ball is the black, the stick shall end, score up to that point to count.
   

• D. The black must be struck first until it is cupped. Cue balls failing to hit the black or hitting a dead ball first shall be off.
   

• E. Once the black is cupped, the cue ball may strike any free ball. Cue balls failing to hit a free ball to be taken off as in rule D.
   

• F. When all balls are cupped, a ball must be spotted before any play resumes. If only one ball is left this may be played off a cushion into a cup.
   

• G. Players must wait till balls are settled before playing next ball. If this rule is disregarded, player to forfeit remaining balls, the score to that point to count.
   

• H. If the black is knocked out of a cup it is replaced. If any other ball is knocked out it remains where it stands.
   

• I. A player may not "try" a ball on the table to see if it fits (i.e. a ball "round").   The definition of this rule is that a player may carry a ball up the table but he must not "try" it over the table.
   

• J. A ball falling into a cup before the next ball is played to count. A ball falling after the next ball is played but before the cue ball makes contact, that ball to be placed on the spot and the cue ball returned to the player.
   

• K. Split balls to count.
   

• L. If more than one ball is to be spotted the black always goes to the principal spot, any ball which interferes with this is to be removed to the second or third spots. The "second" spot is in line halfway between the one and nine cups, and the "third" spot halfway in line between the nine and five cups. The same rule to be followed if more than one ball is to be spotted. In the very rare event of a fourth ball needing a spot, this is to be placed behind, but not touching, the "second" spot ball.
   

• M. If a player declines to complete a stick, he shall be asked to continue. If he does not wish to, the stick ends and any score to that point to count.
   

• N. If a ball comes back over the leather baulk that ball is off and any balls cupped in that shot to be called foul and re-spotted.