A question about the rules, re-spotting the black.

[The Stig]

This situation has always baffled me a bit.

All the colours are on their spots, you have potted a red and now your going for the black and playing it to open up the pack.

You pot the black and the reds spread really well, a red lands on the black spot, their is also a a cluster of reds behind the black spot which doesn't allow you to put the black back on its own spot or directly behind its own spot. All the other colours have remained on their spots.

Where does the black go ? Does it go in front of the black spot in a straight line and as near as possible to its own spot seeing as you can't put it on its own spot or directly behind the black spot ?

[Souwester]

Yes, that's exactly right.

If all spots are occupied then a colour will always be spotted on a straight line between its own spot and the nearest part of the top cushion. This means that the pink could be spotted on the cushion side of the black!

With pink and black it is possible that there is no room between pink and black spots so they could be spotted blue side of the pink spot. If both pink and blaack need to be spotted with no room between pink spot and the cushion, then black would be spotted as near as possible below the pink spot and the pink immediately below that!

All very hypothtical, of course!

[bally969]

yes its in the rules, It's a 100 to 1 chance this situation would happen, but as you described this position the black would go as near it's spot as possible towards the bottom cushion, in line with spots, 100% certain on this rule.

[The Statman]

With pink and black it is possible that there is no room between pink and black spots so they could be spotted blue side of the pink spot. If both pink and blaack need to be spotted with no room between pink spot and the cushion, then black would be spotted as near as possible below the pink spot and the pink immediately below that!

All very hypothtical, of course!

Although not included in the wording of the Rule, it is theoretically possible also for the blue!

[Souwester]

Although not included in the wording of the Rule, it is theoretically possible also for the blue!

... but it will only happen once in a billion frames!

[DawRef]

Although not included in the wording of the Rule, it is theoretically possible also for the blue!

You can do this at your club.

Put the colours on their spots. Remove the blue and place the cue ball about 1/2 a balls width below the blue spot (between it and the pink spot). Now place the 15 reds is a straight line between the cue ball and the top (black) cushion, so there is not enough room to place the blue. (it can be done).

If a player broke off, the blue got potted and the balls ended up as above (as stated, a 1 in a billion chance). Where would you spot the blue? It would have to go ABOVE its spot, i.e. between its spot and the brown spot.

I saw the late John Street set this up and there were a couple of Class 1 refs (I was a Class 3 at the time) who weren't sure what the answer was.

[The Statman]

You can do this at your club.

Put the colours on their spots. Remove the blue and place the cue ball about 1/2 a balls width below the blue spot (between it and the pink spot). Now place the 15 reds is a straight line between the cue ball and the top (black) cushion, so there is not enough room to place the blue. (it can be done).

If a player broke off, the blue got potted and the balls ended up as above (as stated, a 1 in a billion chance). Where would you spot the blue? It would have to go ABOVE its spot, i.e. between its spot and the brown spot.

I saw the late John Street set this up and there were a couple of Class 1 refs (I was a Class 3 at the time) who weren't sure what the answer was.

Sorry to be pedantic, DawRef but I think you meant BELOW!