New Rule Book for Billiards and Snooker

[Londonlad147]

And if so then the 3 Misses will apply, if cue ball is put back to the original position.

Sorry, you're wrong. Although there is no snooker there is no straight line path such that central full ball contact is available. So without central full ball contact you can't lose a frame for three misses.

[Londonlad147]

The curved face of a pocket has not been considered for snookering for many years (since 1995 IIRC), so the only change is that the commentary about the curved face has been removed and a snooker is purely down to an intervening ball not on.

This really came about as a result of an image that Steve Davis posted and which Jan Verhaas confirmed was indeed NOT a snooker because of the way the old rule was worded. The scenario was that the last red was say six inches away from the middle pocket and tight on the cushion. The green was immediately next to it nearer the centre pocket. the cue ball was about six inches in from the cushion and about six inches the other side of the baulk pocket. From there a straight line path to the extreme edge of the red would have meant hitting the knuckle of the pocket BEFORE hitting the green ball. Therefore, in the words of the old rule, the curved face of a pocket was nearer than any obstructing ball not on, then the cue ball is NOT snookered.

This scenario was probably discussed on this forum at the time (and certainly was discussed at length on the Facebook Rules & Referees Group), because for many this was an obvious snooker, but the rules said no. I'd never even thought about the possibility of this not being a snooker, because, like most referees and players, we believed the rule to only apply when the cue ball was in the jaws of a pocket.

The removal of the reference to the curved part of the cushion (ie jaw) and statement that the cue ball cannot be snookered by a cushion, now makes it crystal clear that only a ball not on can cause a snooker, and that in the scenario described above, there would now be a snooker.

[Londonlad147]

Sure, but if the curve is no obstacle following the new rule, you are not snookered and you can (in theory) hit the ball on directly. That's why it will always be a miss. If the cueball is not behind the curve and you can hit the object ball directly but miss, it will also always be a miss.

The wording change is only relevant to determining whether a free ball exists, after a foul has been called. The considerations for whether a Miss should be called has not changed as a result of the wording change about the jaw. The fact that if you're in the jaw and have no straight line path to a ball on then usual considerations must be made, as they always have.

[Londonlad147]

Hope other refs come on

I aim to please :-)

[Railfan87]

Is there another thread discussing the most recent (?) update in November, 2019? I've been more or less hiding in the weeds, but I'll be reffing in March and just wondering why I'm not seeing any chatter.

Will there be a new printed rule book? A new wall poster version?

Cheers from Canada!
Chris

[DeanH]

I have not seen any new printed book for the revised Nov19 rules.
WPBSA has not done a post (of any size) for many years.
So I did my own for the club - to replace the old ones from 84

[Railfan87]

I have not seen any new printed book for the revised Nov19 rules.
WPBSA has not done a post (of any size) for many years.
So I did my own for the club - to replace the old ones from 84

Yes, you were kind enough to send me one ... if you recall the "mailing tube bent and hanging out of a post box!"

[DeanH]

yes, I recall that
if you want an update let me know and I will see what I can do

[Railfan87]

That would be great! Do we think the rules are stable enough now?

[DeanH]

Steady for a few years I expect
I will see what I can do, may be a while but I wont have forgotten you

[trying]

I have not seen any new printed book for the revised Nov19 rules.
WPBSA has not done a post (of any size) for many years.
So I did my own for the club - to replace the old ones from 84

Dean, do you have that as a pdf? I'd been thinking about doing a copy and paste job to produce an A3 sized one to go alongside my framed 1935 revision

[Londonlad147]

As far as I know the 2019 v3 rules published in November went to the printers back then, so I'm surprised not to have seen anything about the book being available yet.

[DeanH]

Dean, do you have that as a pdf? I'd been thinking about doing a copy and paste job to produce an A3 sized one to go alongside my framed 1935 revision

I should be able to get some thing together, when I get time
i will contact you when ready.
I hope WPBSA dont collar me for copyright
I asked them back in August if they would do a A3 poster like they used to but they said there was no plans.

[trying]

I should be able to get some thing together, when I get time
i will contact you when ready.
I hope WPBSA dont collar me for copyright
I asked them back in August if they would do a A3 poster like they used to but they said there was no plans.

An A3 poster was what I had in mind. Maybe copy and paste is the answer. A bit OTT for my own snooker room but I thought it would look nice framed next to the old version.

[DeanH]

I don't need to copy/paste
I have done publishing in the past
I had 2011 already done so just the changes to be affected


Now if you want A? - how much margin do you need so the words don't go under the frame?

No Billiard Room looks right without a set of rules