Only one ball potted in bizarre frame

[snookerdad]

A BIZARRE frame in which only one ball was potted happened during the Midlands qualifier for the English Under-21 Championship last Sunday.

Toby Simpson (Long Eaton, Notts) was beaten 4-3 by Ronnie Kralj (Northampton) thanks to a rule that is not widely known.

It came during the deciding frame at Rileys Sports Bar, Erdington, Birmingham.

Simpson, who had led 3-0, said: “It had been a fascinating match throughout and I was still confident I could do the job as I was cueing well but the next frame played out slightly different than I thought it would.”

The 18-year-old sunk the first red in the decider but the cue-ball embedded itself in the back of the pack.

“The black was on the top cushion right in the middle,” he explained. “But being a left-hander I could not reach over far enough to tap the white on to it.”

After twice failing to hit a baulk colour off four cushions, he was warned that a third miss would result in the loss of the frame – and subsequently the match – as there was a clear path in a straight line from the cue-ball to a ball that was on or that could have been on, such that central, full-ball, contact was available.

A ten-minute search of the club revealed an extended spider in Mitchell Mann’s private room. However, he still failed to hit the black.

Simpson was philosophical in defeat.

“All in all I’d still really enjoyed the match and it was just unfortunate that I didn’t get to play a proper final frame to decide who the winner was. But that’s snooker and that’s why we love it.”

Tim Dunkley
EASB Media Officer South and World Snooker coach

[Byrom]

Wow that's correct but a tad harsh given the difficulty of the shot - he obviously did not want to miss it deliberately - if I was the other player I would have offered a re-rack to sort it out.

[damienlch]

Bizarre frame indeed... May seem harsh but I guess it could have turned out differently had he chose to play the black at the first instance instead and asked for the extended spider earlier... ok, if there are none available then I'd agree that he should not be penalised with the three misses rule... :snooker:

[martj]

Only one ball potted in bizarre frame

Happened in one of our league matches last season, first game of season went to a decider and our bloke knocked long red in landed in pack, could see black but was very hard to get to white to hit black so he nominated yellow twice and missed then nominated blue and on final attempt and missed, losing the frame. Very bizzare.

[perpetualboredom]

I'm sure no one would ever do it even if it was possible - but are there any fouls he could have 'accidentally' played which can't be called a miss to avoild the frame being awarded? For instance crawling on the table and playing the white on to the ball? Ok not a legal stroke but is it still a "miss"?

[Byrom]

I remember the Mr Bean of the snooker world Poomjang conceeding a frame at the worlds against Michael White after missing three times.

[147wolf]

I'm sure no one would ever do it even if it was possible - but are there any fouls he could have 'accidentally' played which can't be called a miss to avoild the frame being awarded? For instance crawling on the table and playing the white on to the ball? Ok not a legal stroke but is it still a "miss"?

i think if touched a red with his hand or sleeve while preparing for the shot, the ref could then not call a miss as no shot has been played !! so it would just be a foul and either the opponent then plays a red or just puts you back in... has this rule been changed at all since it happened with ronnie - higgins in the u.k

not saying anyone should do it i was just wondering more about the rule ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT6JFuT9PWk

[SnkrRef]

i think if touched a red with his hand or sleeve while preparing for the shot, the ref could then not call a miss as no shot has been played !! so it would just be a foul and either the opponent then plays a red or just puts you back in... has this rule been changed at all since it happened with ronnie - higgins in the u.k

not saying anyone should do it i was just wondering more about the rule ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT6JFuT9PWk

The situation is covered under S3.14(d)(vi):

(d) After the cue-ball has been replaced under this Rule, and the striker fouls any ball, including the cue-ball while preparing to play a stroke, a miss will not be called if a stroke has not been played. In this case the appropriate penalty will be imposed and the ball on shall be the same as prior to the last stroke made, namely:
(i) any Red, where Red was the ball on;
(ii) the colour on, where all Reds were off the table; or
(iii) a colour of the striker’s choice, where the ball on was a colour after a Red had been potted;
and
(iv) the next player may elect to play the stroke himself or ask the offender to play again from the position left; or
(v) the next player may ask the referee to replace all balls moved to their original position and have the offender play again from there; and
(vi) if the above situation arises during a sequence of miss calls, any warning concerning the possible awarding of the frame to his opponent shall remain in effect.

The Ronnie incident has been covered by the addition of S3.11(i) in the 2011 rule book:

(i) If a striker, when snookered or hampered in any way, fouls any ball including the cueball while preparing to play a stroke, if requested by his opponent to play again, the opponent shall have the choice as to whether the ball on shall be the same as it was prior to the infringement, namely:
(i) Any Red, where Red was the ball on;
(ii) The colour on where all the Reds were off the table; or either
(iii) A colour of the striker’s choice, where the ball on was a colour after a Red had been potted; or
(iv) The option of playing the next Red or Yellow when there are no Reds remaining.
Any ball(s) moved shall be replaced to their original position(s) by
the referee if requested by the non-offender.

Now, where a player is hampered (however that might be interpreted) then the non-offender has the choice of whether the offender (should he be put back in after fouling when he was on a colour after a red) plays at a colour or a red.

[StevieB13147]

What a great outlook that kid has. I've seen kids launch cues, verbally abuse anyone within range and sulk out the door - For MUCH LESS!
Well done young Toby Simpson - An example of the good things in Snooker.
Carry it with you forever mate.