37. BISQUES

1. DEFINITION A bisque is an extra turn given in handicap play and, subject to Law 37(f), can only be played by the striker with the striker's ball of the immediately preceding turn. If another ball is played, Law 26 (playing a wrong ball) applies. A half-bisque is a restricted bisque in which no point can be scored for any ball.
2. NUMBER OF BISQUES TO BE GIVEN
   1. The number of bisques given by the lower-handicapped player to the higher is the difference between their handicaps (but see Law 43(a) for doubles play).
   2. A bisque may not be split into two half-bisques.
3. WHEN A HALF-BISQUE OR BISQUE MAY BE PLAYED
   1. Subject to Law 53(g)(3) (time-limited games), the player receiving a half-bisque or one or more bisques may play it or them at the end of any of his turns except a turn in which the striker's ball is pegged out. If he receives more than one, he may play them separately or some or all in succession.
   2. Law 37(c)(1) overrides Law 8(b) and permits half-bisques or bisques to be played after any of the first three turns of the game.
   3. The references in Law 26 to turns do not include half-bisques or bisques.
   4. A turn after which a bisque or half bisque is played ends when one of the conditions in Law 4(d) has been met, the last stroke of the turn has ended and the balls are correctly positioned.
4. INDICATION OF INTENTION
   1. At the conclusion of a turn the striker must give a clear and prompt indication of his intention before playing a half-bisque or bisque to which he is entitled. If he fails to do so but continues to play no half-bisque or bisque is played and Law 25 applies. However, if the error is rectified, the striker may then play a half-bisque or bisque.
   2. If the striker is entitled to play either a half-bisque or a bisque and indicates an intention of playing one or the other, he may change his mind at any time before playing a stroke provided that he indicates his revised intention accordingly. If he indicates an intention of playing one or the other without specifying which, he is deemed to have indicated an intention of playing a bisque.
   3. If the striker has played all the strokes to which he is entitled and indicates that he is not going to play a half-bisque or bisque, either by words or by quitting the court without informing the adversary that he has not yet decided, he may not change his mind.
   4. The adversary must not start his turn until the striker has so indicated.If he does so and the error is discovered before the striker has quit the court, the error is rectified and the striker then chooses whether or not to play a half-bisque or bisque.
5. PLAYING A HALF-BISQUE OR BISQUE TOO SOON The adversary must forestall play if he observes that the striker is about to play a half-bisque or bisque before his turn has ended (see Law 37(c)(4)). If the adversary fails to forestall and the striker plays a half-bisque or bisque prematurely, it is deemed that his turn ended before doing so.
6. PLAYING A WRONG BALL If the striker plays a wrong ball in the first stroke of a non-bisque turn and the error is rectified, he may then play a half-bisque or bisque with either ball of his side that could lawfully have been played in the first stroke of the turn.
7. MISPLACED CLIPS AND MISLEADING INFORMATION In Law 31(d), the expression "line of play" includes a decision whether or not to play a half-bisque or bisque.
8. RECTIFICATION OF FAULTS After committing a fault, the striker may delay a decision about playing a half-bisque or bisque until the adversary has decided about rectification.