Balls on spots question

[itsnoteasy]

You are in the middle of a break and you have a straight blue that just sneaks by a red into a black pocket. As you pull your cue back the blue rocks on its spot and now no longer goes. Can you ask for the blue to be respotted?

[DeanH]

As long as you did not hit the blue with your cue, And you did not do a stroke, yes you can ask, up to the referee as to the positions has changed since the previous stroke.
Usually the referee will have noticed the "rocking to a divot" movement and when asked comply that the movement was not due to being contacted, they should try to reposition the balls as they were before.

[snookerdad]

...as long as the blue was the last ball potted. The rule says "...but will not apply in cases where a ball moves due to any defect in the table surface, except in the case where a spotted ball moves before the next stroke has been made."

[DeanH]

so in the OP scenario, that would be a no then as he is about to play the Blue.

[itsnoteasy]

...as long as the blue was the last ball potted. The rule says "...but will not apply in cases where a ball moves due to any defect in the table surface, except in the case where a spotted ball moves before the next stroke has been made."

That's a bit ambiguous, does it mean a ball that has just been respotted or any ball that's on a spot, if it's the former then no , if it's the latter then I take it you can ask.

[DeanH]

If a ball has just been spotted and no stroke taken, it can be re-positioned if it moves.
All other movement described (rocking into a divot - type movement) will not be corrected.


"...spotted ball..." means a ball that was potted and being placed on its spot - it does not mean a ball that happens to be on its spot, i.e. was already on its spot and was not potted.

[itsnoteasy]

If a ball has just been spotted and no stroke taken, it can be re-positioned if it moves.
All other movement described (rocking into a divot - type movement) will not be corrected.


"...spotted ball..." means a ball that was potted and being placed on its spot - it does not mean a ball that happens to be on its spot, i.e. was already on its spot and was not potted.

Does it actually make that distinction in the rules ?

[DeanH]

Does it actually make that distinction in the rules ?

Sec 3.7 Spotting Colours
Any colour potted, pocketed or forced off the table shall be spotted before the next stroke is made, ...


All the times the word 'spotted' is used it is referring to the action of putting a colour on their spot.

[itsnoteasy]

Sec 3.7 Spotting Colours
Any colour potted, pocketed or forced off the table shall be spotted before the next stroke is made, ...


All the times the word 'spotted' is used it is referring to the action of putting a colour on their spot.

So what are the balls classed as at the start of the frame, when they are all spotted but haven't been potted.

[DeanH]

yes they are spotted as in "on their spots"
what I mean is in the rules the use of "spotted" seems to be the action of putting the ball on their spot and hence the meaning of the rule above you found ambiguous and once a stroke has been done any movement will not be corrected in the manner of your OP.