Question

[Souwester]

If the ball on can't be hit on both sides by an object ball, then that would be deemed to be the effecting snookering ball

You need to look at all balls around or in the path of the cue ball to the ball on, each in isolation. If, in the OP's example, the blue is nearer to the cue ball than the black, and the blue prevents the cue ball from hitting a finest edge of the yellow, even by the merest fraction of a millimetre, then blue will be the effective snookering ball. That is the case even if the black, which is behind it, is creating a full ball snooker. It is the obstructing ball nearest to the cue ball which is the effective snookering ball.

[rdr]

Hi guys very new to the forum, and thought about this.

What if the white was on the black spot and the yellow and black were equally spaced either side of the blue spot with only a minimal gap between them, and the final red (object ball) was on the brown spot.

Which would be the snookering ball.?

[Souwester]

Hi guys very new to the forum, and thought about this.

What if the white was on the black spot and the yellow and black were equally spaced either side of the blue spot with only a minimal gap between them, and the final red (object ball) was on the brown spot.

Which would be the snookering ball.?

Covered in my quoting of the rules in Post #12 above (17(b)(ii)): if more than one ball is the same distance from the cue ball, then all such balls will be considered effective snookering balls.... so both yellow and black would be effective snookering balls in your example.

[rdr]

thanks for explaining it

[DawRef]

so both yellow and black would be effective snookering balls in your example.

...and if you had nominated either the yellow or black as a free ball , it would be a foul (I've not refereed or looked at a rule book for a year or so, so I could be wrong )

[tommygunner1309]

Ok going along the same lines - two reds are on the table - one behind the black (on its spot) and one behind the yellow (on its spot).
The player nominates yellow and rolls up behind it so both reds are snookered. Fair or Foul?
This was one of my questions in my refs exam - luckily I knew the answer - but it is something to think on

[jrc750]

Fair
Because the yellow is not snookering player on all reds, the black is doing that on the other red

[nrage]

Fair
Because the yellow is not snookering player on all reds, the black is doing that on the other red

Effective snookering ball is the closest though, right? So, yellow is snookering ball, and does snooker the player on all reds. So, foul I believe.

[jrc750]

Effective snookering ball is the closest though, right? So, yellow is snookering ball, and does snooker the player on all reds. So, foul I believe.

I took it that white was between black and yellow ???

[nrage]

Ok going along the same lines - two reds are on the table - one behind the black (on its spot) and one behind the yellow (on its spot).
The player nominates yellow and rolls up behind it so both reds are snookered. Fair or Foul?
This was one of my questions in my refs exam - luckily I knew the answer - but it is something to think on

I took it that white was between black and yellow ???

Ahh, I took it the white was behind yellow and yellow was snookering both reds. That is the key point, as you say.

[tommygunner1309]

Fair shot. Although both balls are snookered, the one behind the black is legally snookered. The nominated ball (yellow) would have to be snookering both balls for it to be a foul. I must admit that six months ago I would have thought it was a foul.
Yes black is on its spot - yellow on its spot and the cue ball near the blue spot. Both reds snookered but by different balls.

[nrage]

Fair shot. Although both balls are snookered, the one behind the black is legally snookered. The nominated ball (yellow) would have to be snookering both balls for it to be a foul. I must admit that six months ago I would have thought it was a foul.
Yes black is on its spot - yellow on its spot and the cue ball near the blue spot. Both reds snookered but by different balls.

Ah, I assumed the white was in baulk and both reds were uptable from the colours

Fair shot.

[Souwester]

Fair shot. Although both balls are snookered, the one behind the black is legally snookered. The nominated ball (yellow) would have to be snookering both balls for it to be a foul. I must admit that six months ago I would have thought it was a foul.
Yes black is on its spot - yellow on its spot and the cue ball near the blue spot. Both reds snookered but by different balls.

Indeed. A lot of players really don't appreciate this point, which really can be quite useful.

It is only a foul if the nominated ball causes the incoming player to be snookered on ALL balls on. If, as in this case, different balls on are being obstructed by different balls not on, then it is a perfectly fair shot.

12. Snookered After a Foul
After a foul, if the cue-ball is snookered (see Section 2, Rule 17), the referee shall state FREE BALL.
(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, it shall then be spotted.
(b) It is a foul if the cue-ball should:
(i) fail to hit the nominated ball first, or first simultaneously with the ball on; or
(ii) be snookered on all Reds, or the ball on, by the free ball thus nominated, except when the Pink and Black are the only object balls remaining on the table.
(c) If the free ball is potted, it is spotted and the value of the ball on is scored.
(d) If a ball on is potted, after the cue-ball struck the nominated ball first, or simultaneously with a ball on, the ball on is scored and remains off the table.
(e) If both the nominated ball and a ball on are potted, only the ball on is scored unless it was a Red, when each ball potted is scored. The free ball is then spotted and the ball on remains off the table.
(f) If the offender is asked to play again, the free ball call becomes void.