Rules concerning space around the table?

[tomw]

Hello,

Following a discussion I am looking for the rules concerning the minimum amount of space around the table necessary to be allowed to organise competition matches on a particular table... So far I haven't found anything yet.
Do such rules exist? If yes, where can I find them please?

Any help would be great.

I'm not trying to start a discussion about how much room you should have, I only want to know what the official rules (EBSA or higher) are.

Thanks, greetings
Tom

[singchin]

a good rule is add 10 feet to all sides of your table what ever size u have eg 6x 12 you need at least 16 X 24 room.
for 58 inch cue.

[DeanH]

a good rule is add 10 feet to all sides of your table what ever size u have eg 6x 12 you need at least 16 X 24 room.
for 58 inch cue.

yes, that is the "standard" word of mouth space required but the question is, is there any official WS/EASB ruling on space requirements.
Personally I have not seen anything official.

[DawRef]

As far as I know, there are no 'Official Rules' concerning the amount of space needed around the table. Obviously, you need enough space, so that spectators dont have to move so that a player can take his shot. In my experience as a referee and player, this is only at dedicated snooker halls, and a few clubs.
At one club I refereed at, there was one corner, where it was awkward to play a shot. The player, went to his case and got a pool cue and played the stroke. I immediately fouled him for using an improper cue. There was great consternation as the members said that that was overrlooked in their league. My answer was that this wasn't a league match, but a County match and the full rules were therefore used.

[perpetualboredom]

What rule does that come under?

[mooneyy]

Section 1 (Equipment), Rule 3. Cue:
A cue shall be not less than 3ft (914mm) in length and shall show no substantial departure from the traditional and generally accepted shape and form.

A pool cue isn't of the traditional and generally accepted shape and form for snooker.

[perpetualboredom]

Ah he didnt mention the length of it.

[mooneyy]

I doubt the cue was shorter than 3ft. Maybe just a little shorter, but it was a pool cue after all (american, I suppose).

[vmax4steve]

Section 1 (Equipment), Rule 3. Cue:
A cue shall be not less than 3ft (914mm) in length and shall show no substantial departure from the traditional and generally accepted shape and form.

A pool cue isn't of the traditional and generally accepted shape and form for snooker.

A pool cue doesn't show any "substantial" departure from the accepted shape and form of what is a deemed to be a cue, that is used for all cue sports including snooker and all forms of billiards and pool. The rule does not contain the words "for snooker" so it cannot be read as so.

This rule is in place because a very long time ago there was a certain pro, who when chinese snookered on a ball in the middle of the table that he couldn't quite reach, reached into his pocket and produced a cue about six inches long with which he reached over the table and played the shot with.

How on earth anyone can read this rule and make decisions like this is quite beyond me.

[mooneyy]

I know why the rule is in place.
We were discussing why DawRef fouled the player for using a pool cue.

And no: The rules do not contain "for snooker". I know that, as I have quoted the rules above. But these are the rules of snooker after all.

I'm sure DawRef can fill us in on why he made his decision.

[vmax4steve]

A pool cue isn't of the traditional and generally accepted shape and form for snooker.

Could you explain to me how a pool cue isn't of the traditional and generally accepted shape and form for snooker, because to me a pool cue is thin at one end and thicker at the other end, just like any other cue really.

[tommygunner1309]

First of all the rules state that a snooker cue is only legal if it is over 3 foot. Any cue, pool or otherwise is illegal.

Space around tables. No hard and fast rule here, but most referees agree that a minimum of 6 foot is ok

[tommygunner1309]

should read "Any cue, pool or otherwise, less than 3 foot, is illegal

[submarine]

This rule is in place because a very long time ago there was a certain pro, who when chinese snookered on a ball in the middle of the table that he couldn't quite reach, reached into his pocket and produced a cue about six inches long with which he reached over the table and played the shot with.

I read about this in Joe Davis' biography, I'm sure it was a billiards player who produced a pencil out of his pocket with a tip on the end of it!

[DeanH]

I read about this in Joe Davis' biography, I'm sure it was a billiards player who produced a pencil out of his pocket with a tip on the end of it!

It was a snooker match in 1938, Alec Brown after potting a red was stuck surrounded by reds with a tight path to the black... "he produced from his vest pocket a very short cue - made of Ebony, about 5in long and fitted with a fountain pen clip - it had a leather tip on one end which he duly chalked and then played the stroke."
B.A. & C.C.(Billiards Association & Control Council) met 8 days later and the rule for the minimum length was set at 3feet.
http://www.snookerheritage.co.uk/nor...-billiard-cue/ near the end of the page