Dumb question

[Big Arm]

I am new to snooker. I recently acquired a 5x10 Brunswick snooker table. I have looked at the rules, but can't find the answer to this question. Maybe I just don't understand the words used. Anyway, is it legal to to use a combo to pot a ball? If it is legal, can you combo red to red, color to color, etc.? Thanks for the help!

[jrc750]

Hi mate, combo potting red to red is no problem, but you cannot combo pot the colours. One slight difference is if you have a "free ball" and are using a colour as a red, you could then play a colour onto a red no problem
Hope that helps a bit

[Wayne G]

Hi mate, combo potting red to red is no problem, but you cannot combo pot the colours. One slight difference is if you have a "free ball" and are using a colour as a red, you could then play a colour onto a red no problem
Hope that helps a bit

Correct me if I'm wrong - if you have a free ball on the colours, can't you combo the same ball. Example, if you nominate the blue ball as a free ball when you are on the green, you can combo.

[jrc750]

Correct me if I'm wrong - if you have a free ball on the colours, can't you combo the same ball. Example, if you nominate the blue ball as a free ball when you are on the green, you can combo.

Yes i believe so... well spotted ....quite rare tho lol

[Big Arm]

Thanks for the information! Can you explain the free ball rule?

[nevets]

10. Snookered After a Foul
After a foul, if the cue-ball is snookered, the referee shall state FREE BALL (see Section 2, Rule 16).
(a) If the player next in turn elects to play the next stroke,
(i) he may nominate any ball as the ball on, and
(ii) any nominated ball shall be regarded as, and acquire the value of, the ball on except that, if potted, is shall then be spotted.

For example: my opponent goes for a red and misses all the reds altogether, leaving me snookered (totally or partially) on all reds on the table. He would gain an advantage from a foul stroke, so I can nominate any colour as an "extra" red. If I pot that colour it scores one point (as a red) and I then nominate another colour (as if I had potted a red).

Hope that's clear, it's quite straight forward in practice, but not easy to explain!

[Big Arm]

Thanks for the help. This game is a little more complicated than my mind! We are having fun, though. Our boys came out for a visit. The older one got a little frustrated trying to pot balls. The pockets are quite smaller than an American pool table. Watched Ronnie O'Sullivan on you tube do 147 in 5 minutes and 20 seconds. A frame takes us about 50 minutes! I guess we can only get better.

[nevets]

It's a tough game, but extremely rewarding if you stick with it. When a situation arises in a game where you are unsure of the rules, bring it to the forum and you will always get an explanation of how it should have been played. There are qualified referees on here who can explain even the most obscure and unlikely situations.

[Terry Davidson]

One more point on the combo. If it's a 3-ball combo situation with a colour in the middle, meaning you strike a red first onto a colour and then that colour pots another red then that is a legal shot

Terry

[DawRef]

If you are serious about getting a grasp of the rules of snooker and how to apply them, then get a copy of the late John Street's book, "The Billiards and Snooker Referees' Handbook", which I think is available via World Snooker.
Another publication is the Sussex Referees Association, "Rules of the Games Of Snooker & English Billiards", which has explanatory notes. This publication is made up of A4 sheets which get replaced (FOC) when there is a rule change. Contact Derek Budde, again via World Snooker or the EASB.

[Big Arm]

Thanks so much for the information! I will look up those publications, but I think I will also ask questions here as this has been a positive experience/

[Kootcha]

I don't know if you are aware but there are two sets of rules for snooker. In my area of Canada we call one set "American" rules. They are far from universal and perhaps only used in the north west states but they were adopted by many Canadians in British Columbia in the 50's and 60's. I play in a Canadian Legion and some of the players insist on using these rules. I finally located them on the web so you can compare if you wish.
Like everyone else on this forum, I follow the international rules but it is useful to know there is diversity. It might stop a pointless arguement.

ps. There are no dumb questions.

[steedee]

Thanks for the help. This game is a little more complicated than my mind! We are having fun, though. Our boys came out for a visit. The older one got a little frustrated trying to pot balls. The pockets are quite smaller than an American pool table. Watched Ronnie O'Sullivan on you tube do 147 in 5 minutes and 20 seconds. A frame takes us about 50 minutes! I guess we can only get better.

I have to say this comment did make me laugh!

Good luck getting familiar with this great game. There are some of us who have been playing a while without ever getting any good at it but we enjoy it all the same. Be interested to know what your highest break was and see how you progress from there. Keep us posted!

All the best

[Welshsteve]

One more point on the combo. If it's a 3-ball combo situation with a colour in the middle, meaning you strike a red first onto a colour and then that colour pots another red then that is a legal shot

Terry

Now you're opening all sorts of possibilities LOL Like Quinten Hann's 15 ball plant off the break LOL

[Big Arm]

I have to say this comment did make me laugh!

Good luck getting familiar with this great game. There are some of us who have been playing a while without ever getting any good at it but we enjoy it all the same. Be interested to know what your highest break was and see how you progress from there. Keep us posted!

All the best

Highest break? Now that makes me laugh!