is this a free ball ?

[acesinc]

That's right. Move the three balls down the table an inch, and there would be a free ball.

I'm sure most referees believe that the rule is only meant to apply when the centre of the cue ball lies outside the area bounded by the straight cushions - ie in the jaws of a pocket, but that isn't what's actually written. Let's hope Jan Verhaaas and his colleagues on the rules committee clarify the wording soon.

Been away for a while, incredibly busy and still so, so I just spot checked through the two threads on this topic. Londonlad, I totally agree that the Rule as written is poorly worded, but I must disagree that the Rule even as written implies that the given scenario is NOT a Free Ball (even at the risk of contradicting the much revered Jan Verhaas). The reason for my belief is because anytime a situation such as this exists, I read the Rule with just a couple of my own words tacked onto it. You will see the addition in the bolded below:

"...(e) The cue-ball cannot be snookered by a cushion. If the curved face of a
cushion obstructs the cue-ball and is closer to the cue-ball than any
obstructing ball not on, the cue-ball is not snookered (by the cushion)."

It does not state or imply in any way that the cue-ball is not snookered by the interfering ball, despite the fact that a cushion happens to be there. It is simply stating that a ball may cause a snooker, a cushion (jaws or no jaws) may not. So my interpretation in these situations has always been to simply ignore cushions completely and pretend the balls are set on a vast, wide open baize with no boundaries at all. Then decide if the ball position is in a state of snooker. This simple word addition I believe does NOT change the spirit of the Rule at all. No need to muck about with all kinds of additions about cushions, and angled, and jaws and such.


Edit post: I just re-read the Rule yet again, and yes, it is all wrong! because it does state, "...is closer to the cue-ball than any
obstructing ball not on...". Wow! That is just wrong and it has to be changed!