Free ball question

[Bazbazbaz]

First message so please forgive me if this is an obvious question...

Playing this evening, my opponent made a foul and left me a free ball as I was snookered from the last red on the table. I played the brown, trying to pot it in the middle pocket but missed. I’d deliberately held the white where it was so that if I missed, my opponent would be snookered behind the pink ball. The brown ball that I played bounced off the jaw and came to rest slightly obscuring the path to the red ball however the pink ball was the one causing the full snooker. (If the brown ball was not there. The pink would have fully snookered my opponent. If the pink wasn’t there, my opponent would of been able to hit 75% of the red ball.

But, my opponent called it as a foul because the brown ball was the first ball to partly obstruct the red. I disagreed.

Anyone know the rule in this case?

I have a picture but can’t seem to post it on here.

[jrc750]

I'm 99% certain you are ok, the pink is the snookering ball so surely the fact that the brown went in front of the red is irrelevant ?

EDIT: need to see a pic, i thought you meant pink was closest to the cue ball, if it's the brown then you committed a foul

[Nifty50]

Yeah a picture would help. The rules say that the snookering ball is the ball which is closest to the cue ball in a direct line between the cue ball and the object ball. Don't think it matters if the ball is partial or full it just needs to be the one closest to the cue ball. Someone else I'm sure will explain this better lol.

[Railfan87]

From your description, the brown is closer to the cue ball, so it is the snookering ball. S.2, R.17(b)(i). If that's the case, you have committed a foul under S.3, R12(b)(ii) , penalty four points.

[jrc750]

From your description, the brown is closer to the cue ball, so it is the snookering ball. S.2, R.17(b)(i). If that's the case, you have committed a foul under S.3, R12(b)(ii) , penalty four points.

Hmm i'm confused now, need to see a pic to be sure

[DeanH]

The ball closest to the cue ball that is affecting a snooker is the effective snookering ball, all other balls are not considered.

From the description, where you say "because the brown ball was the first ball to partly obstruct the red"; it reads that the Brown came to rest nearest to the cue ball and was the effective snookering ball; FOUL as the Brown was a free ball and can not be a snookering ball when it comes to rest - whether by accident or not.
You disregard the Pink and all other balls.

If the Pink was nearest the cue ball and the effective snookering ball, in your scenario - no foul.
The Brown, even though may still in line with the ball on, is not the snookering ball so not considered.

Only when more than one ball is exactly the same distance from the cue ball is there more than one effective snookering ball.

see the following great post concerning this scenario (and others):
http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...-t)-do-with-it

[Railfan87]

see the following great post concerning this scenario (and others):
http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...-t)-do-with-it

That's a great post! Thanks for sharing it with us, Dean!

[DeanH]

That's a great post! Thanks for sharing it with us, Dean!

It is a great post, I refer back to it often
Don't forget to use the link at the beginning of the first post to go back to the previous thread about "see if you have a free ball in the first place"


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