Cue ball touching red and blue

[Dave_marsy]

If the cue ball is touching a red and the blue and red is the ball on and you play away from the red but the blue moves is this a foul ?

[DeanH]

I would say no, as the red is deemed to have been already played - AS LONG AS the shot was not in the manner of playing INTO the blue (and also applies to the red as well) - push shot, foul.
As long as the shot was played in the manner of 'playing away' from both touching balls - no foul.

If either ball move whilst playing away, this is not necessarily a foul as the referee may consider the movement due to the ball or balls settling into a dip in the cloth.

[Dave_marsy]

So your saying I can’t push the cue ball into the Blue even if the ball on that being the red doesn’t move
I think if the red moves even when playing away it would be deemed a fowl

[DeanH]

So your saying I can't push the cue ball into the Blue even if the ball on that being the red doesn't move

In your scenario of both red and blue touching the cue ball, red being ball on, and you PLAY into the Blue is a foul for a Push Shot - not a foul for moving a touching ball or playing a ball not on.
Regardless if the Red moves or not.

I think if the red moves even when playing away it would be deemed a fowl

As mentioned previously, there is a clause in the rules that cover this, where it is possible for a touching ball to move at the strike but not be a foul.


Rule 3.8(f) If the referee is satisfied that any movement of a touching ball at the moment of striking was not caused by the striker, he will not call a foul.
For example when on a spot and the spot has a dent in the cloth and when the cue ball is struck and moves away the colour ball rolls into the dent.
The manner in which the shot is played clearly shows whether the player is playing away from the touching ball and the shot has no direct affect on the movement of the ball concerned.

[Dave_marsy]

Good reply thank you

[Londonlad147]

As Dean has said you must play away from any touching ball, whether it's a ball on or not. Snooker rules aren't like pool (World Rules at least) where you'd be able to play directly into a touching ball as long as you're playing away from one of your own colour set. In snooker this would be deemed a push stroke. The only movement of a touching ball that is allowed is if the referee thinks that such movement is down to a defect in the cloth rather than being played into.

[vmax]

What if the lay of the balls means you have no choice but to play into the blue to avoid moving the red which is the ball on. Is it a push shot to move a touching ball that is not a ball on or simply deemed a foul for hitting a ball not on ? and if that's the case you have already deemed to have played a legal shot by playing away from the red, which you must do as that's the ball on and therefore the only one that really can be pushed as the blue doesn't come into the push equation because it's not a ball that's on.
The reverse would be the same if the blue was the ball on and you had no choice but to play into the red.

[DeanH]

As with the "impossible snooker" scenario, the player will have to commit a foul, they will be penalised but no Miss will be called.

In this scenario of touching both Red and Blue, a Miss wont be called as it is deemed that the ball on has been contacted; and the player must play a foul; then playing into the Red (ball on) will be a push shot - foul 4, playing into the Blue - push shot, foul 5.
Blue ball on, foul 5 either way
Push shot, as tip, cue ball and object ball contacted all at same time. "Object ball" not "ball on"

[Dave_marsy]

Agree...On everything you said :snooker:

[Londonlad147]

What if the lay of the balls means you have no choice but to play into the blue to avoid moving the red which is the ball on. Is it a push shot to move a touching ball that is not a ball on or simply deemed a foul for hitting a ball not on ? and if that's the case you have already deemed to have played a legal shot by playing away from the red, which you must do as that's the ball on and therefore the only one that really can be pushed as the blue doesn't come into the push equation because it's not a ball that's on.
The reverse would be the same if the blue was the ball on and you had no choice but to play into the red.

In almost all circumstances (especially with only two touching balls) there is a route out which doesn't disturb either ball. The only time I can think of when it is not possible is if the cue ball is on the cushion with two touching balls which are just a little off the cushion. If there are three balls in a line, red cue ball and green say, then it should be possible to play away from the cushion at right angles to avoid moving either object ball.Obviously if there was a third ball in very close proximity then that may well make it an impossible shot to execute in practice even if theoretically possible.