Genuinely IMPOSSIBLE escape...

[M3 Compact]

My opponent fouled by hitting the pink while attempting to hit the last red and left me this free ball situation....




Obviously I played away on a nominated free ball colour and left him the impossible task of playing the red.

For clarity - the cue ball could not fit through any gap to hit the red (we tried the gap with another ball).

Re-rack? (I was 30+ behind.)

[The Statman]

Not a re-rack, no.

The striker has to play, basically, as if he was going for the red with enough speed. He will foul of course, he has no choice - either 6 or 7 away by the look of it - but as long as he, if you like 'pretends' to be going for the red accurately, no Miss can be called.

In any case, he'd want to move them otherwise you'd just keep on getting free balls and leaving him the same situation!

[nrage]

Re-rack? (I was 30+ behind.)

I believe he has to play so as to hit the red, as in, on a line which would hit the red and with sufficient power to do so. He can decide how he comes at it tho, I think, so he could play so as to run into the pink instead of the black - for example.

[M3 Compact]

Wow - thanks for that, I really didn't think that any 'deliberate foul' would be acceptable.

FWIW - he attempted a very thin pink and missed it for a repeat of the same situation.....

I took 22 points altogether from four fouls in a row, but I STILL LOST. LOL.

[RGCirencester]

As said above.
You must play directly or indirectly at the ball on with sufficient strength that you would have hit the ball on if the obstructing balls were not there.

Edit: tv distracted me and I ended up posting after you.
Technically, that snooker isn't impossible if you aim for the pocket it rolls across the cushion and comes to land on the bed of the table :P
Doesn't seem likely though...

[ADR147]

As said above.
You must play directly or indirectly at the ball on with sufficient strength that you would have hit the ball on if the obstructing balls were not there.

Edit: tv distracted me and I ended up posting after you.
Technically, that snooker isn't impossible if you aim for the pocket it rolls across the cushion and comes to land on the bed of the table :P
Doesn't seem likely though...

i have actually done it!

[Souwester]

If the ball on is impossible to hit, then the striker has no choice but to make a foul, but, as has been said already, if he abides by the rule by playing either directly or indirectly at a ball on, with sufficient strength to have hit it had the obstructing balls not been there, then that is fine, and no miss will be called.

It is in fact in the F&M rule that deals with this situation.
14. Foul and a Miss
The striker shall, to the best of his ability, endeavour to hit the ball on. If the referee considers the Rule infringed, he shall call FOUL AND A MISS unless only the Black remains on the table, or a situation exists where it is impossible to hit the ball on. In the latter case it must be assumed the striker is attempting to hit the ball on provided that he plays, directly or indirectly, at the ball on with sufficient strength, in the referee’s opinion, to have reached the ball on but for the obstructing ball or balls.