Nominated ball

[catania]

I am watching World Championship 2018 on Eurosport.
I havent seen any nomination of the ball even in unclear situations with a exception of the freeball.
Are balls really nominated by players ? I am on colours after potting a red. Does it mean that I must nominate any colour ?
If I nominated the blue ,I hit the blue and I pocket yellow this is a foul ?

[DeanH]

the rule states
A nominated ball is the object ball which the striker declares, or indicates to the satisfaction of the referee, he undertakes to hit with the first impact of the cue ball.
the "INDICATION" is the important word here, this indication can be purely by the angle of the cue (most often), by the player pointing to the ball nominated by finger/hand/cue; by announcing the nominated ball by voice.
so 99.9% it is purely by the attitude of the cue that the referee is satisfied which ball the player is nominating.

Even when a Free Ball has been given the cue attitude can be enough if obvious but by habit most players will call out their nomination; and some down the club will call a foul if the nomination of a free ball is not called out - wrong

If you pocket any ball not on it is a foul

[Londonlad147]

As Dean says, 'nomination' can be by 'indication' (pointing with cue or finger or general direction of cueing) or 'declaration (a verbal statement).

So, although a player needs to nominate what ball he is on when he has a choice (ie colour after potting a red or with a free ball siutuation), in most cases this can be inferred from the way the striker is cueing, so no need for a verbal declaration.

The only time the the striker *needs* to declare is if the referee asks him to (usually when there is some ambiguity as to which ball the striker may be playing), or when snookered (when the rules put the onus on the striker to make a declaration of his own volition, without the referee having to ask). It is a foul if the striker fails to declare in the se sitations.

[HemiRR]

If you pot a red and end up with a touching ball on a colour, you need to nominate verbally every time.

[Londonlad147]

If you pot a red and end up with a touching ball on a colour, you need to nominate verbally every time.

Yes, the rules require the referee to ask for a verbal declaration when touching a ball that *could* be on (ie a colour afterf a red, or a colour when awarded a free ball).

If the refere doesn't ask in such a scenario then it would not be a foul if the striker didn't nominate.