At the 2005 General Assembly of the World Pool-Billiard Association (WPA) conducted on September 24 in Velden, Austria, the delegates approved the following changes to the current world-standardized rules that have been in effect since 2001. These changes will officially take effect among the various continental confederations and national federations which follow these rules of play on January 1, 2006, and a moratorium on any further rules changes has been established through January 1, 2008.

1. [Under] Rules For Tournament Play

1.4 Permitted Use of Equipment (new in 2006)

The following is a list of acceptable equipment items a player may bring to the table to use in a World Pool-Billiard Association sanctioned event:

(a.) Cue Stick -- Each player is permitted to use one or more cue sticks which meet the specifications listed in the equipment specifications section.. He may use either a built-in extender or an add-on extender to increase the length of the stick.

(b.) Chalk -- The player may apply chalk to his tip to prevent miscues, and may use his own chalk, provided its color is compatible with the cloth.

(c.) Talcum Powder

(d.) Mechanical Bridges -- The player may use up to two mechanical bridges to support the cue stick during the shot. He may use his own bridge if it is similar to standard commercial bridges.

(e.) Gloves-- The player may use gloves to improve the grip and/or bridge hand function.

4. [Under] Rules of Eightball

4.10 Choice of Group [To be placed as second paragraph]

If the groups have been determined and the player mistakenly shoots at and pockets a ball of the group, the opponent must call a foul on him before he takes his next shot. If he fails to do so, the player automatically takes over the group of balls (solids or stripes) at which he has been shooting during this inning.

5. [Under] Rules of Nineball

5.14 Stalemate [New category]

If the referee decides that neither player is attempting to win from the current position, he will announce his 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 will declare the rack a stalemate and the original breaker of the rack will break again.

6. [Under] Rules of 14.1 Continuous

6.14 Stalemate [New category]

If the referee decides that neither player is attempting to win from the current position, he will announce his 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 will declare a stalemate and the original breaker at the start of the game must execute a new break shot.

The following rule has been deleted:

Section of 6.7.2:

When an object ball is not frozen to a cushion, but is within a ball's width of a cushion (referee to determine by measurement if necessary), a player is permitted only two consecutive legal safeties on that ball using only the near rail. If such safety play is employed, that object ball is then considered frozen to the rail on the player's next inning. The General Rules of Pocket Billiards "Frozen Balls" requirements apply if the player chooses to make the first cue ball contact with that object ball on the third shot.

(Note: If a player has committed a foul on the shot immediately before or the shot immediately after playing this ball, then he must immediately meet the requirements of the "Frozen Ball" rule when playing this object ball. Also, if he has committed two consecutive fouls, he must immediately meet the requirements of the Frozen Ball rule when playing this object ball. If such player fails to meet the requirements of the Frozen Ball rule, he is considered to have committed a third successive foul and the appropriate point penalty is assessed as well as one point for each of the previous fouls. All 15 balls are then reracked and the player committing the infraction is required to break, as at the beginning of the game.)

These rule changes are in effect January 1, 2006 and WPA rules will not be open to change until January 1, 2008.