Snooker rules .

[OVER HULTON NUMBER ONE !!]

Hello All , Question ... What is the ruling when there is the last five colours on the table the Black covering ( hanging ready to drop ) a pocket and the player rolls the green a 1mm or 2mm away from the Black ball the player lifts his hand off the table and then the Black drops in before the next player addresses the table . Is this a foul ? or no foul and Black ball replaced back over the pocket ? Thanks for looking and i await your replies ...

[jrc750]

Well if a ball didn't actually touch the black, i think its deemed to have dropped in by its own accord and is replaced where it was ??

[T.C.]

This is correct, black replaced where it was.

[deant1982]

Exactly. As there was no contact, the black is replaced.

One extension of this question is what would happen if the black was resting in the jaw of a pocket, touching the cushion. The white (or object ball) hit said cushion very close to black but not the actual black, and the vibration of the cushion makes the black drop?

Hmmm, thats a puzzler...

[The Statman]

Exactly. As there was no contact, the black is replaced.

One extension of this question is what would happen if the black was resting in the jaw of a pocket, touching the cushion. The white (or object ball) hit said cushion very close to black but not the actual black, and the vibration of the cushion makes the black drop?

Hmmm, thats a puzzler...

Exactly the same answer. It has fallen but not due to being hit by a ball in a stroke, so again it would be replaced to its original position with no penalty.

[deant1982]

But suppose it falls into the pocket, then before it can be replaced another ball (say a red) goes into that pocket. Then what happens? Does the red count and the black get replaced over the pocket, even though if it didn't fall in, it would have been a foul 7?

[Souwester]

But suppose it falls into the pocket, then before it can be replaced another ball (say a red) goes into that pocket. Then what happens? Does the red count and the black get replaced over the pocket, even though if it didn't fall in, it would have been a foul 7?

This is the full text of the (old) rule:

9. Ball on Edge of Pocket
(a) If a ball falls into a pocket without being hit by another ball, and being no part of any stroke in progress, it shall be replaced and any points scored shall count.

(b) If it would have been hit by any ball involved in a stroke:
(i) with no infringement of these Rules, all balls will be replaced and the same stroke played again, or a different stroke may be played at his discretion, by the same striker.
(ii) if a foul is committed, the striker incurs the penalty prescribed, all balls will be replaced and the next player has the usual options after a foul.

(c) If a ball balances momentarily on the edge of a pocket and then falls in, it shall count as in the pocket and not be replaced

In your scenario, para (b) is the relevant one, and in particular sub-para (i). At the point the ball dropped in the pocket, no other foul had been committed so all balls are replaced and the same striker has the choice of whether to play the same shot again or something different.

[finabb]

what if the black falls in without being touched but another ball lands in the exact same place as the black was, where would the black go then?

[Souwester]

what if the black falls in without being touched but another ball lands in the exact same place as the black was, where would the black go then?

Well if another ball comes to rest where the black was, then had the black not fallen, then it would have been hit by the other ball, so para (b) applies! As quoted in my last post.