Free ball rule clarification please

[DWOT]

A player does not always have to verbally nominate, if, in the opinion of the referee, it is obvious as to which ball he is attempting to hit. However, to be certain, it is always advisable to verbally nominate your free ball.

Exactly! ALWAYS nominate, that way no mistakes can be made..........

The only match I've won this season was because my opponent didn't nominate his free ball, those points ended up costing him.....

[The Statman]

It's amazing the number of people who think that you HAVE to verbally nominate your colour when given a free ball. It used to be the case but that Rule was removed on 1 December 1973 - many of the people who think it still applies are much younger than the length of time the Rule has been changed!

Nominating the free ball is exactly the same as nominating a colour after a red - if it's obvious you don't need to verbally state it; if it's not clear then the referee MUST ask and the player MUST answer verbally. If he doesn't, it's a foul 7 even if the black was out of the question.

[Krypton]

As Statman already pointed out, these 3 points you SHALL F...ing REMEMBER, especially if you thought there was a foul:

A) You got to nominate every color or free ball.

B) Nomination can be made by aiming at the only ball in that direction. There's no need to SAY ANYTHING as long as it is bloody obvious!

C) Hence, that's NOT a foul shot.

[DWOT]

It's amazing the number of people who think that you HAVE to verbally nominate your colour when given a free ball. It used to be the case but that Rule was removed on 1 December 1973 - many of the people who think it still applies are much younger than the length of time the Rule has been changed!

Nominating the free ball is exactly the same as nominating a colour after a red - if it's obvious you don't need to verbally state it; if it's not clear then the referee MUST ask and the player MUST answer verbally. If he doesn't, it's a foul 7 even if the black was out of the question.

That's as maybe, but for the sake of opening your mouth for a second at best is it not just better to nominate so as to avoid any potential conflict?

[DWOT]

But you're right, I had no idea that was the case!

[The Statman]

That's as maybe, but for the sake of opening your mouth for a second at best is it not just better to nominate so as to avoid any potential conflict?

Of course. John Higgins is one particularly good example - he often calls a colour (not just a free ball) when it's obvious anyway. I expect, just out of pure habit.

[bigbreak]

The point about this subject raised in Tonyd's post is that the ref cannot penalise the player for not nominating after the shot is played.

[Souwester]

.... unlesss the player has been asked to declare which ball he is on and hasn't done so!

[bigbreak]

.... unlesss the player has been asked to declare which ball he is on and hasn't done so!

I'm making the point about a situation when the ref doesn't ask....

[HemiRR]

i would always nominate unless theres only one colour i can see always be on the safe side and nominate

I have always been of the view that to nominate does not always require a verbal declaration (see Section 2 Rule 12) Nominate by definition means 'declare or indicate to the satisfaction of the referee". A declaration is required if requested by the referee.

So in a free ball situation when a player nominates a ball as the ball on under Section 3 Rule 10 (a)(I) the above definition of nominate applies.

Certainly in a free ball situation where you are touching a colour ball and are shooting in the diredtion of another colour, a verbal declaration is the only way to clearly indicate which ball you have nominated. This is also the case after a red and you are shooting towards adjacent colours.

Regardless, if you do not declare and in the referee's judgement you did not clearly indicate which ball you nominated, the referee will declare a foul. Why leave yourself open to a referee's judgement? It is far safer to routinely declare every colour after a red and every free ball nomiation.

[DawRef]

Just another question regarding the free ball.Happened last night where a player was given a free ball & got down & hit the green ball.Referee gave a foul because he didn't nominate.The player argued he didn't nominate because it obvious what he was hitting.Who is right please

A player doesn't have to verbally nominate. However, if the referee is in doubt as to which ball he is playing , he should ask. If the player THEN doesn't nominate, it is a foul of 7 points.

If player is on the green , for example, and there is no other ball on between the cue ball and green, then there should be no reason to verbally nominate, as it is obvious as to which ball he is going for. However, if the green and brown were in close proximity, then the referee should ask the player to verbally nominate which colour he is attempting.

Section 2 Rule 12:
(a) A nominated ball is the object ball which the striker declares, or indicates to the satisfaction of the referee, he undertakes to hit with the first impact of the cue-ball;
(b) If requested by the referee, the striker must declare which ball he is on.

In the scenario above, if it was blatantly obvious to all and sundry that the green was the nominated ball, then the referee should NOT have called a foul.

A further point, what if the player was dumb? He would not be able to verbally nominate. In this case pointing to the object ball would suffice.

[cally]

A further point, what if the player was dumb? He would not be able to verbally nominate. In this case pointing to the object ball would suffice.

Errr... 'Dumb'...

All this pc malarky.. you should be using the term 'MUTE'....

[DawRef]

All this pc malarky.. you should be using the term 'MUTE'....

My sincere apologies to all mute players.