Height of table rule

[ryanah147]

The general Rules of Snooker and Billiards states that the full size 12ft x 6ft table should be in height between 2ft 9 1/2" to 2ft 10 1/2".
Some years ago when I used to play, I played a guy who was about 5ft 2 " in height. We played in a neutral club who`s floor was quite uneven, resulting in 2 1/2" of packing placed under the legs to form a level table. All 5 tables in the club suffered from the same style of uneven floor, but my opponent refused to play, as according to him the table did not conform to the rules of the game.
Arguements ensued, and finally the referee awarded the game to me. The rest of the 5 man team refused to play, and the referee then awarded the Match to our team.
Was he right in doing so ?????

[choice]

You say there was a packer underneath the table, 2 1/2". Was the table still between 2ft 9 1/2" to 2ft 10 1/2".???????

[ryanah147]

The table to the top of the cushions measured 2ft 11 1/2", so technically my opponent was right, but the ref didnt see it that way. His arguement was everyone else played on it, so why not my opponent.

[choice]

The table to the top of the cushions measured 2ft 11 1/2", so technically my opponent was right, but the ref didnt see it that way. His arguement was everyone else played on it, so why not my opponent.

In my opion, the referee was wrong,

[choice]

Sounds like a referee tells two profesonals at the world champs, to play on a Riley table, when all the other players play on a Star table, and the referee says , . His arguement was everyone else played on it,(years ago) so why not these two players(l.o.l).but people have played on a Riley tables before

[willtyson]

The referee was wrong, rules are rules, just because others let them go doesn't mean everyone else should.

[Souwester]

I think if I was called to referee a match at a venue like this (where I wasn't previously aware of a problem), if one or other of the teams objected, I'd postpone the match and refer it back to the league secretary/committee for a decision. They were at fault for choosing a venue with a table that didn't confirm to the rules.

I've played in clubs with uneven floors before, where some degree of packing is required, but certainly not 2½". At best that would make it 1½" over height, and that certainly makes a difference. I think it would be grossly unfair if the referee awarded the frame/match to the non-complainer.

[andy carson]

its an arse of a rule and a total arse of a player to call it but..... rules are rules... but both players have to play on it......

[wanderer]

I understand your point but you really need to look at it from a viewpoint other than your own. I'll assume (maybe wrongly) that you're an average kind of build so 5' 7" to 6' 1" or so. If so, you've grown up playaing on tables that are probably within the legal limits but, even if a little bit wayward, they would probably not have been far enough out for you to notice. For someone with shorter legs playing on the limit I'd imagine that there is a very noticeable difference between a table in spec and one an inch higher. Had all tables been an inch higher when they started playing they may have decided that snooker was just to hard for them as every other shot needed a rest. So, basically, he may have built his entire game aroung just being able to cope.

Now, I'm the least argumentative, pc person you'll probably ever meet so I'm not arguing just for the sake of it, but if the short-ars*d guy in question turned up and realised that he was going to have major problems on that table then fair play to him. It would afterall have been more obvious to him than a taller person and the rules are there for a reason. Without the rules he may well have given up snooker well before this point.

[Terry Davidson]

I think souwester has it correct.

When my snooker room was being build I put my table on 8 rollers which were about 2" high and then when the work was done for the day we would roll the table back under the lights and I would practice, but it was 2" hight than I was used to and this made quite a difference to me and I'm just under 6ft tall.

I would say a player shorter than myself would have been at a real disadvantage

Terry

[vmax4steve]

There is a table in our league that has had new flooring laid all around it. Apparently the floor needed replacing and rather than remove the table they laid new chipboard flooring on top of the floorboards around it making the table about two inches lower than it was. At six two I find this table very hard to play on and obviously it doesn't strictly adhere to the rule as to where the players have to stand to play their shots. But if the height were measured from the original floor level which is now under the table then it does.

[choice]

There is a table in our league that has had new flooring laid all around it. Apparently the floor needed replacing and rather than remove the table they laid new chipboard flooring on top of the floorboards around it making the table about two inches lower than it was. At six two I find this table very hard to play on and obviously it doesn't strictly adhere to the rule as to where the players have to stand to play their shots. But if the height were measured from the original floor level which is now under the table then it does.

I didn't know they did chipboard 2 inches thick Height of table is where the player stands. ( height between 2ft 9 1/2" to 2ft 10 1/2".)You can't count the floor underneath,

[wanderer]

There is a table in our league that has had new flooring laid all around it. Apparently the floor needed replacing and rather than remove the table they laid new chipboard flooring on top of the floorboards around it making the table about two inches lower than it was. At six two I find this table very hard to play on and obviously it doesn't strictly adhere to the rule as to where the players have to stand to play their shots. But if the height were measured from the original floor level which is now under the table then it does.

The way I look at it (althought the rule is not that specific), the height of the table to the top of the cushion should be measured from the floor level on which the player actually stands. Otherwise it would be possible to install a table and build a plinth 6 inches away from the table 2ft 10" high all around and we could all play lying down!

While it may not be clear I would argue that:

Section 1 Rule 1(b) Height
The height of the table from the floor to the top of the cushion rail shall be from 2ft 9½in to 2ft 10½in (851mm to 876mm).

Section 3 Rule 10(a)(iii)

foul and a penalty when striking when both feet are off the floor;

So at least one foot should be touching a level that is between 2ft 9½in to 2ft 10½in below the top of the cushion for a legitimate stroke.