This article originally appeared in the July 2013 USBF Western Sector Newsletter.

A couple of years ago a new rule was added to the USBF Open rules. This rule addresses the problem of what to do when a ball hits a player after a raffa or volo shot.
This situation happens from time to time and usually produces a lot of discussion about where the ball would have ended up if it had not struck a player. The new rule is quite clear on the subject and adds a Rule of Advantage, but many players are not familiar with the rule.
The rule states:
BALL OR PALLINO STRIKING A PLAYER
If a player is in the court standing behind the point balls and pallino (In harms way or “downstream”) and is struck by a ball or pallino as a result of a raffa or volo shot, the opposite team has the Rule of Advantage. They can: 1) Leave all balls and pallino in the new configuration. 2) Re- move the ball or pallino that struck their opponent from the court. If the pallino is removed from from the court the frame is over and play begins from the opposite end. 3) They can place the ball or pallino that struck their opponent anywhere on the court.
If a player is standing in front of the point or pallino (Out of harms way or “upstream”) and is struck by a ball that moves backwards toward the player as a result of a raffa or volo shot, the ball remains in play because the player was in a valid location. If the pallino moves backward and strikes a player, the frame is over and play begins from the opposite end. If a player is struck by a ball or pallino in a point attempt or lag, the Rule of Advantage applies no mat- ter where the player was standing.
This rule should never have to be used if players are standing in the correct place on the court! The safest place to be is on the side of the court just upstream or ahead of the targeted ball. The USBF open rule is somewhat ambig- uous as written because it gives a player two choices and states:
All players should be out of the court if possible. If not possible, they should be positioned in front of play area when a player at the opposite end is shooting.
It is much safer to be in front of the play area as stat- ed in the rule. Also, players will be closer to the action and will be more involved in the game. The thrown ball and struck ball will not injure a player in this position. The state- ment that all players should be out of the court if possible causes some potential problems. Some courts are not fenced and the ball can strike a player who is out of the court and at the end or side of the court “downstream” of a shot. In some clubs it is not possible to step out of the court because the courts are surrounded by fences and gates, or are sunken below floor level. In these situations players must move up to be in front of the targeted ball as the rule states.
Another problem occurs when players try to leave the court. It is very disruptive to the player who will be making the shot when people on the inactive end scurry about to find a way out of the court or jump up onto a curb. The player has to stop and wait for the players at the far end to stop moving and make sure they are out of “harms way.” This also tends to slow the game down. Players rolling for point do not have to stop and wait for the movement to stop because all the players are usually already quite still! Even if players are out of the court they can be struck by a ball or pallino so this option is not the safest place to be standing. In the games of raffa and volo this problem does not occur because the players are required to be along the side and in front of the play area and a referee will caution the play- ers to be in the right location if they sometimes forget.
In summary, the point of this month’s article is to help make open players aware of this relatively new rule and that there is a safer place for players to be when they are in games where some, or a lot of raffa or volo shooting takes place. No one wants to see someone injured downstream of a shot when there is a safer place to stand and enjoy the game and be out of “harm’s way.” Also, the Rule of Ad- vantage penalty is very strict and when enforced once against a player it most likely will not have to be enforced again because that player will have learned a hard lesson about the disadvantages of standing in “harm’s way.”