Two simple questions.

[Caribe]

Hi,

im sure someone can clear this up ;
i) when breaking off, if the player misses the reds and returns to bulk is it a foul ? (i thought it would be)

ii) Only the colours remain on the table, a foul is committed and it leaves you snookered on your next shot. Can you claim a free ball with only the colours left ?
if you can, i take it the value of the free ball would be the same as the lowest value colour left ?

Thx for yr help in advance,

Paul

[dannyd0g]

the answer to all of your questions is yes

[bongo]

I would also like to add that if a player misses the reds on the break-off, and the cue ball comes to rest where a non-red ball covers the cue ball's path to the reds, this is a free ball, but if no balls that arn't red cover the cue ball from directly striking a red then it isn't a free ball. In other words, the triangle formation of reds can not equal a free ball after the above situation becuase the red is covering a red. It is only if a ball not on is snookering the cue ball from striking the red in this situation that would get a free ball. So many times I have seen a player miss the reds on the break, and the other player comes to the table, not snookered by a ball not on and cliam a free ball because a red blocks a red. They do not get the free ball here. The same would also apply if the break was played but the reds only spread a little, but if reds cover reds, or a ball on covers a ball on, it isn't a free ball, after a foul. Ball on is the ball you need to hit for it to be a legal shot if you have not read the rule definitions!

bongo

[Caribe]

Thanks for that bongo, im only playing friendly games with my mate but the odd rule stumps us both.
One rule which we have ignored is the foul and a miss rule where after a foul the balls are replaced to their position prior to the foul and the shot is taken again.
We're not sure when this rule can be applied, after reading the rules it says something along the lines of the person committing the foul not trying hard enough to hit the object ball ie getting out of a snooker.
How is this decided in a friendly game?

Thx again,

Paul

[bongo]

Thanks for that bongo, im only playing friendly games with my mate but the odd rule stumps us both.
One rule which we have ignored is the foul and a miss rule where after a foul the balls are replaced to their position prior to the foul and the shot is taken again.
We're not sure when this rule can be applied, after reading the rules it says something along the lines of the person committing the foul not trying hard enough to hit the object ball ie getting out of a snooker.
How is this decided in a friendly game?

Thx again,

Paul

Hi Paul,

You are doing the right thing which is ignoring the foul and a miss rule in your games for arguement-free play! As in a friendly game it isn't usually used. It can be a difficult rule to apply as it is the opinion of somebody, which is what decides what happens in the situation, not actually hard and fast rule. There is a lot of confusion on the subject and it is a bit like the football offside rule, by that I mean a lot of people are confused by it, including referees! If you take a difficult escape route that isn't the easiest, then you almost always will be 'put back' if you miss and you are using the miss rule. If you take the easiest route out of a snooker, then the opinion of a referee comes into play on wheather you 'tried hard enough' to hit it. Basically that is what people understand about the foul and a miss rule if they know anything about it.

Below is an article I found on www.thesnookergym.com/blog about the foul and a miss rule.

I hope this information helps you!

bongo

Does The Snooker ‘Miss Rule’ Serve Or Sabotage Snooker?
What do you think about the infamous 'miss rule'?

There are some who say it is the silliest rule in all of sport because:
1. It spoils the tempo of the game.
2. It cannot be understood or explained by most of the viewing public.
3. Only a top referee can implement it properly.
4. It is based on an opinion of a referee - not a hard and fast rule.
5. It causes thousands of arguments every day across the world in amateur snooker tournaments - especially when players who can't make thirty breaks give away forty points in fouls on the colours!
6. Watching referees mess around with their balls causes people to switch off and watch a different, more exciting sport on another channel.

There are others who say is it a vital part of the game and that the referees would never know if the top players were making an honest attempt to get out of snookers - and that the pros would often prefer not to hit the ball but leave the situation safe.

What do you think?

Could the miss rule be avoided by simply allowing players to make fouls, and simply increasing the penalty for a foul?

EG:

1. Make every foul 7 points.
2. After any foul, the player can place the cue ball in baulk if they wish.
3. After any foul, the player may take a free ball if they wish.
4. After any foul, the player may put the cue ball anywhere on the table.
5. After any foul, the player may take two shots (sorry but I couldn't resist making that suggestion!)

Or a combination of the above?….

[davidhawkes]

I agree with Bongo.

Although for friendly games, you could use the obvious miss rule. That is where there is a direct path from cueball to ball on. If a player misses it in this circumstance, a fould and miss must be called.

I personally don't bother in friendly games. I want to help my team mates play better, not get into arguments!