Another Free Ball question.....

[bluenose1940]

I was watching a frame recently in the World Championships, I think that it may even have been in the final yesterday. The situation as I recall it was that Murphy had been snookered on the last red which was tucked-up very tightly behind the black and, almost on the cushion and, more or less in a direct line with the black spot. Murphy played an excellent attempt at hitting the red but, it had stopped just fractionally short. Bingham could obviously hit the red full ball but, there was no way that he could hit either side of the red but no free ball was granted. As this was the only red left on the table I cannot understand this one. I'm sure that someone will tell me the answer though!

There was another situation earlier in the week where the reds were still in the triangle, one of the players had obviously fouled, in this instance a free ball was granted. I assume that this was because none of the reds could be hit on both sides even though the non-fouling player could hit either side of the pack.

Thanks for any guidance on this.

[Bigmeek]

Yeah this is a strange one. Was explained here a few years ago and someone posted up a nice diagram. All about geometry I think. The closer you are to the object ball effects where the extreme edges are. When you're a few feet away from the object ball you clearly should be able to hit the extreme edges. Not so when you 're almost touching. Difficult to get your head round this one.

[Odrl]

Have a look at this excellent article:

http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...f-you-have-one

The situation was very similar to the one in the third picture here. The white ended up virtually touching the red, so if Bingham wanted to hit the red extremely thin and play up the table (towards baulk), he would have made contact with the red before hitting the black, that's why the free ball wasn't called on that occasion.

As for your other scenario, yes, you have to look at each remaining red individually and the player has to be able to hit both sides of at least one red for the free ball not to be called. In the situation you're thinking of (the decider between Hawkins and Robertson), the pink was preventing Robertson from hitting two extreme sides of any and all reds. It was a rather unfortunate place to land for Hawkins actually, a ball shorter and Robertson could have hit both sides of the red on the right-hand side of the pack, a ball further and he would have had a path to the red on the black cushion. :smile:

[jonny66]

So if someone misses the pack from the break then it should always be a free ball, even though you could be able to hit 4 reds on the left side and another 4 on the right side, if you can't see both sides of the same red, the front red would be blocked by the pink, it's a free ball?

[Bigmeek]

So if someone misses the pack from the break then it should always be a free ball, even though you could be able to hit 4 reds on the left side and another 4 on the right side, if you can't see both sides of the same red, the front red would be blocked by the pink, it's a free ball?

Not strictly correct. There's another rule that states that a red can't be snookered by another red! Depending on where the cue ball ends up you may "technically" be able to see both sides of a red.

[jrc750]

If you miss the pack from the break off shot, you need to find another game to play

[nevets]

If you miss the pack from the break off shot, you need to find another game to play

Yeah, I'm sure nobody here has ever done that!

[The Statman]

Yes. It was an interesting situation, and about the only place Shaun could have left the cue-ball without giving away a free ball.

If you think about it, with the white and red very close together, hitting the "finest edge" on the left and hitting the "finest edge" on the right are almost pointing in opposite directions. Whereas when the white and red are at opposite ends of the table, then obviously the two finest edges are in almost the same direction.

[Hal]

If you miss the pack from the break off shot, you need to find another game to play

I must confess, it was actually my first shot ever, that's how nervous I was

[rimmer10]

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought the free ball rule had changed?

[Londonlad147]

Pardon my ignorance, but I thought the free ball rule had changed?

No, it hasn't, contrary to the myth going round.

[rimmer10]

No, it hasn't, contrary to the myth going round.

Ok mate, cheers for that. Thought it's been changed to as long you can hit the on ball full in the face it's not a free ball.

[DeanH]

Another Free Ball question.....

Full ball is only used as part of the Foul and a Miss assessment.
Free ball is still can you hit both sides of a ball on.