Snooker Ruling needed

[Neil Taperell]

Played a match with my mate tonight and this happened and unsure on the ruling :

He was potting the Pink and knocked the black in . The pink was also potted but the black went in 1st .

There were only 2 spots available to re-spot the balls .......the pink spot and the brown spot .

So what ball gets spotted where ?

We placed the black on the brown and the pink on the pink spot .

But unsure as to whether this is correct . Assume so

[jrc750]

Think i would of gone the other way around, as black was potted 1st, maybe that takes priority ????

[Souwester]

Yes, it was correct. You always spot balls on their own spot if it is available. Any other balls that cannot go on their own spots, are spotted highest value first, on any vacant spots (highest value first to be used).

[Souwester]

Think i would of gone the other way around, as black was potted 1st, maybe that takes priority ????

Nope, it makes no difference which was pocketed first. Balls will always go on their own spot if available.

[jrc750]

Interesting to know

[Souwester]

Here's what the Rules say:

7. Spotting Colours
Any colour pocketed or forced off the table shall be spotted before the next stroke is made, until finally potted under Section 3 Rule 3 (g) (iii).
(a) A player shall not be held responsible for any mistake by the referee in failing to spot correctly any ball.
(b) If a colour is spotted in error after being potted in ascending order as per Section 3 Rule 3 (g) (iii), it shall be removed from the table without penalty when the error is discovered and play shall continue from the resulting position.
(c) If a stroke is made with a ball or balls not correctly spotted, they will be considered to be correctly spotted for subsequent strokes. Any colour incorrectly missing from the table will be spotted:
(i) without penalty when discovered if missing due to previous oversight;
(ii) subject to penalty if the striker played before the referee was able to effect the spotting.
(d) If a colour has to be spotted and its own spot is occupied, it shall be placed on the highest value spot available.
(e) If there is more than one colour to be spotted and their own spots are occupied, the highest value ball shall take precedence in order of spotting.
(f) If all spots are occupied, the colour shall be placed as near its own spot as possible, between that spot and the nearest part of the top cushion.
(g) In the case of Pink and Black, if all spots are occupied and there is no available space between the relevant spot and the nearest part of the top cushion, the colour shall be placed as near to its own spot as possible on the centre line of the table below the spot.
(h) In all cases, the colour when spotted must not be touching another ball.
(i) A colour, to be properly spotted, must be placed by hand on the spot designated in these Rules.

Remember the actions of the first statement and paras d) e) and f) are done in that order. The opening statement means the balls are placed on their own spots

[Neil Taperell]

Cheers for that ........but [e] states highest value ball takes precedence ?

Would that be if the pink spot was not available . Therefore black would have been spotted on the highest value spot available .

[Souwester]

Cheers for that ........but [e] states highest value ball takes precedence ?

Would that be if the pink spot was not available . Therefore black would have been spotted on the highest value spot available .

As I said at the end of my previous post:

"Remember the actions of the first statement and paras d) e) and f) are done in that order. The opening statement means the balls are placed on their own spots"

Therefore, you first of all spot any balls that can go on their own spots. THEN the highest of the balls you still have to spot will go on the highest value spot available, THEN if you have a ball to spot with no spots available at all, you spot it as close to its own spot as possible (in a straight line towards the black cushion).

[Souwester]

Here's a scenario: you've managed to pocket yellow, blue, pink and black. Only the green, brown and pink spots are available.

First, you spot any balls on their own spots, so pink would be spotted.

You're now left with yellow, black and blue to spot, and only the green and brown spots available, so the black, being the highest value ball will go on the brown spot (being the highest one available).

The blue is next highest value ball, so will go on the green spot.

You're now left with the yellow, and no spots available, so it will be placed as near to its own spots, downtable (ie away from the baulk cushion) in a straight line towards the nearest part of the top cushion (as close as possible but without touching the ball obstructing its own spot).

Hope that helps make it a little clearer.

[The Statman]

Cheers for that ........but [e] states highest value ball takes precedence ?

Would that be if the pink spot was not available . Therefore black would have been spotted on the highest value spot available .

Yes - [e] states "and their spots are occupied". This is not the case with the pink - the pink spot is not occupied so it comes under [a] "shall be spotted".