The Rules

Permitted: Neat looking slacks or jeans (long pants), including neat, non-baggy sport pants. Neat looking shirts, including nice T-shirts, short or long sleeve; neat closed-toe dress shoes or tennis shoes, including neat boots. All dress items must be neat and not torn.

Prohibited: Short pants and distressed/ripped jeans. Backward hats and sagging pants. Any sloppy, dirty, torn, or untidy clothing. Open-toed shoes, sandals, and flip-flops.

Note: Players reporting to their match out of dress code will be given a verbal warning from the tournament director and must correct the problem before their next match. A second violation results in unsportsmanlike conduct.

All earphones, headphones, and earplugs are prohibited on all tournament play tables. Hearing aids are permitted.

All games require you to rack your own balls to start a game. Players may not agree to do otherwise, unless a designated racker is used. When racking, do not touch the front balls, only push from the back balls.

The “base of the ball” rule does not apply at DCC. To be playable, object balls must be completely down table of the head string. This is determined by the EDGE of the Ball. The edge of the ball may not touch or overlap the head string, even if the base of the ball is completely down table of the head string. The decision of the referee is final.

Even the Break Shot, the EDGE of the cue ball must be fully behind the head string.

Players are responsible for knowing the DCC rules of play and when you are scheduled to play.

Players should be seated when their opponent is at the table. Intentionally distracting your opponent when it is their turn is unsportsmanlike conduct and will be penalized accordingly.

During matches, players are required to turn their cell phones off or set them to silent mode. Still photos are permitted, but flash photography is not allowed. Live streaming or video recording of tournament matches is strictly prohibited without prior permission from Diamond.

Smoking and Vaping is prohibited in all tournament playing areas, including the action room, other special event areas, and anywhere there are tables for play or practice. You may smoke and vape in designated areas only.

Players have 15 minutes to be at your match table with your equipment and ready to play once your match is announced, or you lose the match by forfeit.

Players are allowed one five-minute timeout per match. You may only take a timeout when it is your turn at the table, either during a game or in between games. Your opponent may leave the playing area during your timeout, but they must be back when you are ready to resume play or they will lose their time out if they have not already used it. During your timeout, if it is between games and your opponent remains in the playing area, they may hit balls on the match table while you are away, but neither player may practice on another table inside or outside the playing area.

If a player has a medical condition, the tournament official may adjust the time-outs.

When calling a referee, the non-shooting player is responsible for calling the referee to watch a shot. The shooter must wait for the referee before making the shot. Failure to do so is a foul. The decision of the referee or tournament official is final.

The cue ball or an object ball must be driven to a rail after contact with a legal object ball or it is a foul.

Accidentally touching or disturbing a single stable object ball is not a foul, unless the disturbed ball has an effect on the outcome of the shot. See a referee for advice if you think this has happened. Otherwise, the opponent has the option to restore the disturbed ball or leave it in position. If the offending player attempts to restore the disturbed ball without giving their opponent the restoration option, it is a foul.

Accidentally touching or disturbing 2 or more object balls is a foul, and there is no restoration option for the disturbed balls.

Accidentally touching a moving ball is a foul, and there is no restoration option for the disturbed balls.

Jump Cues are not allowed. A player may jump with their playing cue only.

When shooting a shot, players must have at least one foot in contact with the floor when the cue tip strikes the cue ball, or it is a foul.

Players may call a tournament official to spot balls or declare frozen balls. Balls not declared frozen prior to a shot, are not considered frozen.

Object balls frozen to the cue ball or very close to the cue ball, require you to elevate the cue approximately 45 degrees to stroke the shot. This will be considered a legal shot even though a double hit may occur. Even with an elevated cue, you cannot place the cue tip on the cue ball and shove it forward or it will be called a push shot and result in a foul.

An unintentional miscue is not a foul. An intentional miscue is a foul. The decision of the referee is final.

Players may aim with their cue, but your hand must remain in contact with the cue. It is a foul to aim with a cue and take your hand off it while aiming.

If a player unscrews their playing cue while the opponent is at the table during the decisive rack of a match, it is considered concession of the match. Do not give up balls, pocket all required object balls. Violation is considered unsportsmanlike conduct.

In matches with a “Winner Breaks” format, if a player runs out the entire set without their opponent ever going to the table (other than the lag and to take the opening break shot of the match), the opponent will then have one opportunity to break and match the run. If the opponent can accomplish this, one more game will be played to decide the match with the players lagging for the break.

TV arena matches are subject to a shot clock, and possibly other matches as determined by tournament officials. Players will get one clock extension per game. When the clock reaches Zero, it will not be a foul as long as the player is down on the ball and does not move from that position. The shot clock will continue to run during the requested cleaning of a ball.