Amatuer league miss rule

[Croftycueman104]

I currently play in the Rugby and district snooker league, we have our own ' miss rule " , which can be quite confusing, we do not play three misses and frame conceded , how many other leagues have a " miss rule " and do you think it should only be played on the pro circuit ?

[vjmehra]

I don't play in a league, but when I play socially we never play the miss rule. There's a gentlemen's agreement you go for the ball and if you miss then its 4pts (or whatever, depending on the ball of course) and your opponent can choose to play or make you play.

I think for low level amateurs is harsh, a lucky (i.e. not intended) snooker could result in 40 points (or more)! So I'd argue that it only makes sense for better amateurs and pro's.

That said, personally I think it should be scrapped completely and we change all pocket billiards (including English pool) to use ball in hand instead like the US games (I know that may be controversial and some will argue it reduces the tactical battles, but I think that any pro would prefer ball in hand and the battles to gain/avoid it could be equally enthralling)!

[bolton-cueman]

I currently play in the Rugby and district snooker league, we have our own ' miss rule " , which can be quite confusing, we do not play three misses and frame conceded , how many other leagues have a " miss rule " and do you think it should only be played on the pro circuit ?

We've only ever played a 'miss' rule when a player could actually see the ball on and missed it. Then we'd offer to replace and replay etc.

Impossible for league players to decided fairly what is a reasonable attempt to get out of a snooker not - totally dependent on the ability of the player. Our league is made up from ton makers and folk who'd get a nose bleed when on 17... impossible to enforce fairly imho

[tomwalker147]

The miss rule is played in the Coventry and district league. Only in Division one however, the lower leagues don't play it at all.

We play a version of the rule where the balls can only be replaced 3 times to avoid ridiculous amounts of points being given away. This rule came in after a match saw over 70 points given away from a single snooker.

[DeanH]

The miss rule is played in the Coventry and district league. Only in Division one however, the lower leagues don't play it at all.

We play a version of the rule where the balls can only be replaced 3 times to avoid ridiculous amounts of points being given away. This rule came in after a match saw over 70 points given away from a single snooker.

what happens after the third replace?

[tomwalker147]

what happens after the third replace?

Continue from where the balls lie, player at the table decides whether to play the next shot or put his opponent in.

[jb134]

Dreadful rule at amateur level. Too big a gap in abilities. Bad enough for the pros, the rule delivered the final blow in the Fu/Selby semi but the pros know what they are in for and accept it.

[tomwalker147]

Dreadful rule at amateur level. Too big a gap in abilities. Bad enough for the pros, the rule delivered the final blow in the Fu/Selby semi but the pros know what they are in for and accept it.

It's a tricky one in my opinion, I prefer to play the miss rule. Far too many times i've had players miss a ball on purpose and leave the cue ball in a safe place.

[Cannonball]

It's a tricky one in my opinion, I prefer to play the miss rule. Far too many times i've had players miss a ball on purpose and leave the cue ball in a safe place.

We have the same miss rule as you mate, 3 shys and play where it lands on the 3rd failed attempt. We tried scrapping the miss rule and folk snookered behind say the yellow would roll the cue ball up to yellow cushion/baulk line to avoid giving a free ball but also to leave the cue ball awkward so that an easy safety shot wasn't on. No ref had the balls to award the frame for bringing the game into disrepute, which is what should have happened to someone playing a deliberate foul. If folk cast their minds back to the 80s, remember Willie playing the 'glancing' blow off two or three cushions, always just missing the pack, leaving the cue ball around the baulk line?! If you get rid of the miss rule, folk will cheat, not all of them but a big chunk of them will. The miss rule was introduced to stop folk cheating. Tom has it right in his league, if the player misses a few times, they will concede at least 12pts but it won't go on forever. This is the best compromise at Am level. If a player doesn't want to disturb the reds of leave a red on, he can play to miss a few times and take the 12pt penalty. The snookerer get something out of it for his efforts but the snooker doesn't decide the match.

I can't agree with VJMehra, ball in hand is a huge penalty for what could have been a simple roll up behind a baulk colour. To lose a frame for not much skill played against you seems unfair. Losing maybe 20pts from the ball being replaced however seems more balanced. If ball in hand was allowed at the pro level, you'd get pros knocking in a red and if a high value colour was tricky, stunning or screwing up for a baulk colour instead for a tuck up, knowing they could gain ball in hand from this. It may swing the balance from attacking to defensive too much. Folk would have an incentive to play a lot of shot to nothings rather than potting a long red and trying to get on the B/P/Bl. Ball in hand could be counter-productive, the grinders would go to town on safety in the hope of a snooker and possible ball in hand. Frames could be become quite boring.

[itsnoteasy]

You can make them play again.

[dottcom]

Obtained from http://www.wpbsa.com/sites/default/f..._version_1.pdf
"The striker shall, to the best of his ability, endeavour to hit the ball on or a
ball that could be on after a Red has been potted. If the referee considers
the Rule infringed, he shall call FOUL AND A MISS"

This is a grey area of snooker, it's up to the ref's judgement of how good a player is. Obviously there's a huge gap between our average Joe down at the club and the pros on the circuit. The rule is controversial because we all have our own opinions as to how good a player is. Therefore this is what I do when I ref amateur games, For lower grades if it's a 1-cushion snooker that does not require any side, or If there are a number of reds on you have to hit it. Anything that requires 2 cushions or more as long as they have enough force and is within a couple of centimeters then I'll let it go and let the game flow.

For the higher grades there are times when a 1/2 cushion escape is on and the player chooses a more difficult route but a safer one then that's an automatic miss. I believe it all comes down to how good the ref is at reading the game. If the ref can play to a decent level then that's a bonus because he/she can see what the player is trying to do.

My friends and I play the miss rule in our practice games. In my mind as a player, you know whether a shot is a miss or not.

[HemiRR]

In our senior league (2 divisions) we play the miss rule - but unlike the pros, if you are snookered, you don't keep going back until there is a hit; AND we play two different levels of enforcement.

THESE APPLY to both divisions
If you are snookered and come up short Foul and Miss
If you hit the snookering ball directly Foul and Miss
If you try to go to a rail and directly hit another ball before the rail Foul and Miss

Modified Rule Division 2 - if you hit the cue ball hard enough to get there and don't directly hit another ball before hitting a rail NO foul and miss

Division 1 - look at the rule
"The striker shall, to the best of his ability, endeavour to hit the ball on or a
ball that could be on after a Red has been potted. If the referee considers
the Rule infringed, he shall call FOUL AND A MISS"
This whole concept is what separates snooker from pool - snooker is a game of honour - you know you violate a rule YOU CALL IT ON YOURSELF.
Pool if the opponent or ref doesn't call it then the player can just keep on shooting.

The minute you think how can I play safe you are not trying to hit an on ball to the best of your ability.

We use the $100 guide line
You have no money at stake in the game - Someone puts a $100 on the table and says its yours if you hit an 'on ball' from this snooker.

For example - you are snookered behind the yellow and can see the long rail down past the side pocket and 15 reds are on the table - 11 of which are still in a pack behind the pink; two reds are near the black cushion yellow side and two potable loose reds are between the pack and the black green side of centre
What shot are you going to take?
Are you really going two rails to tap the back side of a red near the black cushion and get a safety?
or are you going to play to hit the 11 red pack behind the pink . The answer is obvious - you don't care if you leave one of the two potable reds on - you are going to shoot to hit the 11 red pack and earn the $100

So in our league games if you imagine the $100 scenario, and you try the easiest shot that will hit an on ball and you are not short - no foul and miss. BUT try some other shot (and don't make the hit) like in the above scenario where tapping the back of one of the two reds near the black cushion gets you safe then it is a Foul and Miss.

So you can play the harder shot and try to get safe, but fail to hit an on ball, then its a Foul and Miss.

[the lone wolf]

IMO - Miss rule should be abolished!
--
Miss rule should NEVER be played at amateur level. Their skill set does not allow this rule to enforced.
--
At pro level - Free ball should be awarded or the incoming player has the right to play or not play next shot from where the cue ball lies, rather than using the miss rule.
This will allow the game to be played and won on its own merit :snooker:

[Cannonball]

Obtained from http://www.wpbsa.com/sites/default/f..._version_1.pdf
"The striker shall, to the best of his ability, endeavour to hit the ball on or a
ball that could be on after a Red has been potted. If the referee considers
the Rule infringed, he shall call FOUL AND A MISS"

This is a grey area of snooker, it's up to the ref's judgement of how good a player is. Obviously there's a huge gap between our average Joe down at the club and the pros on the circuit. The rule is controversial because we all have our own opinions as to how good a player is. Therefore this is what I do when I ref amateur games, For lower grades if it's a 1-cushion snooker that does not require any side, or If there are a number of reds on you have to hit it. Anything that requires 2 cushions or more as long as they have enough force and is within a couple of centimeters then I'll let it go and let the game flow.

For the higher grades there are times when a 1/2 cushion escape is on and the player chooses a more difficult route but a safer one then that's an automatic miss. I believe it all comes down to how good the ref is at reading the game. If the ref can play to a decent level then that's a bonus because he/she can see what the player is trying to do.

My friends and I play the miss rule in our practice games. In my mind as a player, you know whether a shot is a miss or not.

Got a mate who is good at getting out of snookers, knows his angles. He'll get very close or hit the OB in a league match where the miss rule is applied. In practice, he may miss by a foot and leave nothing on. What does that say about human nature. It says to me, the miss rule is essential.

[itsnoteasy]

Says to me, it's practice ,he's not really trying, and stop playing snookers in practice.