16. Playing with the wrong ball is foul. The rules as to playing with the wrong ball in the four-ball game are applicable to the three-ball game.
17. Blowing on a ball, or using any other means to alter its course or position, is foul. If the player so offending is in play, he must yield the table to his adversary, should the latter demand it. In all cases, the opposing player shall have the privilege either of having the ball or balls replaced, or played with as they are.
18. If a lost ball, on being put back on the table, disturbs another, the ball so disturbed must be put in its place again by the marker or referee, and the player whose turn it is to play shall proceed.
19. The red ball being lost, and its spot being occupied, it shall be placed on the “string” spot; if this latter should happen to be occupied also, then the red shall be placed on the pool spot at the foot of the table. A white ball being lost and its spot being occupied, shall be placed on the deep-red spot, or if that is occupied, on the pool spot, provided that it is not the turn of the player whose ball is lost to play. In that case, there is no occasion for spotting the lost ball.
20. On a carom table, a lost white ball that has been placed on the “string” spot cannot be moved after the opposing player has played a stroke while the ball was in this position; but on a pocket table, where the owner of a white ball that has been lost is compelled to play outside of the “string,” he can, when his turn comes, play from any point within the semicircle, provided that his ball has not been struck by another. On a pocket table, it is held that a ball is in hand until it has been struck or moved from its position, it having been placed on the spot simply to afford the in-striker a chance to count. On the contrary, on a carom or pocket-less table, custom has made the rule that a lost ball ceases to be in hand after one stroke has been played; and, in consideration of this ruling, the player, instead of being allowed to shift the position of his ball, is privileged, in this country, to play at any ball irrespective of its being in or out of the “string,” and regardless, also, of whether he stands at the head or at either side of the table.
[Explanation.—The two rules last preceding may be further explained in this wise: Either on a pocket or a carom table, a ball that rolls on to and occupies the “string” spot in the course of play cannot be moved aside to permit the spotting of a white ball that has become “lost.” The lost ball must be spotted on the dark-red, or the pool spot, as directed in [rule 19], if its owner is not entitled to the next play, or within the semicircle if he is. But when, on a carom table, a white ball has been placed on the “string” spot by either player, instead of having rolled thereon, it may be moved aside to accommodate a “lost” white ball, provided that subsequent to the placing of the ball as mentioned no stroke has been played. In marked contrast with this, a white ball that has been placed on the “string” spot on a pocket table, may be moved aside at any time in order to permit the spotting of a “lost” white ball, provided always that the first-mentioned ball has not been touched while occupying the spot.]
21. A player who abandons a game declares it lost by so doing.
There is a pretty variation of this game called the “Pillet Game,” in which the above rules are varied only to the extent of requiring the cue-ball to touch the cushion first before a carom can count, the score in this game being ten points up only.