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The rules used for snooker by GrandBilliards are based on the European Billiards & Snooker Referees Association. While keeping the basic rules the same, a few modifications were made for online play purposes. |
Snooker Rules
THE GAME
- Description
The game can be summarised as follows:
- Each player uses the same White cue-ball and there are object balls - Reds each valued one (1), and six colours: Yellow valued two (2), Green valued three (3), Brown valued four(4), Blue valued five (5), Pink valued six (6) and Black valued seven (7).
- Scoring strokes in a player’s turn are made by potting Reds and colours alternately until all the Reds are off the table and then the colours in the ascending order of their value.
*A pot is when an object ball, after contact with another ball and without any infringement of these Rules enters a pocket. Causing the ball to be potted is known as potting.
- Points awarded for scoring strokes are added to the score of the striker.
- Penalty points from fouls are added to the opponent’s score.
- A tactic employed at any time during a frame is to leave the cue-ball behind a ball not on such that it is snookered for the next player. If a player or side is more points behind than are available from the balls left on the table, then the laying of snookers in the hopes of gaining points from fouls becomes most important.
*A Ball On is any ball which may be lawfully struck by the first impact of the cue-ball, or any ball which may not be so struck but which may be potted, is said to be on.
*The cue-ball is said to be snookered when a direct stroke in a straight line to every ball on is wholly or partially obstructed by a ball or balls not on. If one or more balls on can be struck at both extreme edges free of obstruction by any ball not on, the cue-ball is not snookered.
(i) If in-hand, the cue-ball is snookered if it is obstructed as described above from all possible positions on or within the lines of the “D”.
(ii) If the cue-ball is so obstructed from hitting a ball on by more than one ball not on
(iii) The cue-ball cannot be snookered by a cushion.
- The winner is the player making the highest score
- Position of Balls
At the start of the frame, the cue-ball is in-hand and the object balls are positioned on the table as follows:
- The Reds in the form of a tightly-packed equilateral triangle, with the Red at the apex standing on the centre line of the table, above the Pyramid Spot such that it will be as close to the Pink as possible without touching it, and the base of the triangle nearest to, and parallel with, the top cushion.
- Yellow on the right-hand corner of the “D”.
- Green on the left-hand corner of the “D”.
- Brown on the middle of the Baulk-line,
- Blue on the Centre Spot,
- Pink on the Pyramid Spot, and
- Black on the Spot.
- Mode of Play
- The first player plays from in-hand.
- For the first stroke of each turn, until all Reds are off the table, Red or a free ball nominated as Red is the ball on, and the value of each Red and any free ball nominated as a Red, potted in the same stroke is scored.
- If a Red, or free ball nominated as a Red, is potted, the same player plays the next stroke and the next ball on is colour of the striker’s choice which, if potted, is scored and the colour then spotted.
- The break is continued by potting Reds and colours alternately until all Reds are off the table and, where applicable, a colour has been played at following the potting of the last Red.
- The colours then become on in the ascending order of their value and when next potted remain off the table except as provided for in Rule 4 below, and the striker plays the next stroke at the next colour on.
- Reds are not replaced on the table once pocketed or forced off the table regardless of the fact that a player may thus benefit from a foul.
- If the striker fails to core or commits a foul, his turn ends and the next player plays from where the cue-ball comes to rest, or from in-hand if the cue-ball is off the table.
- End of game
When only the Black is left, the first score or foul ends the frame excepting only if the final foul or score (with the Black as the ball on) balances the players' points.
If the points are thus equalled, the Black is spotted and the Cue Ball is played from in-hand by:
- by the player who has just lawfully pocketed the Black, or
- by the opponent of the said player if the Black was not pocketed lawfully (that is, if the score was balanced due to a foul).
- Playing from In-hand
To play from in-hand, the cue-ball must be struck from a position on or within the lines of the “D”, but it may be played in any direction.
- Spotting Colours
- Any colour pocketed or forced off the table shall be spotted before the next stroke is made, until finally potted under Rule 3.
- If a colour has to be spotted and its own spot is occupied, it shall be placed on the highest value spot available.
- if there is more than one colour to be spotted and their own spots are occupied, the highest value ball shall take precedence in order of spotting.
- If all spots are occupied, the colour shall be placed as near its own spot as possible, between that spot and the nearest part of the top cushion.
- Snookered After a Foul
After a foul, if the cue-ball is snookered, the player next shall play FREE BALL. *A free ball is a ball which the striker nominates as the ball on when snookered after a foul
- If the player next in turn elects to play the next stroke,he may nominate any ball as the ball on, and any nominated ball shall be regarded as, and acquire the value of, the ball on except that, if potted, it shall then be spotted.
- It is a foul if the cue-ball should fail to hit the nominated ball first
- If the free ball is potted, it is spotted and the value of the ball on is scored.
- If a ball on is potted, after the cue-ball struck the nominated ball first, or first simultaneously with a ball on, the ball on is scored, and remains off the table.
- If both the nominated ball and a ball on are potted, only the ball on is scored unless it was a Red, when each ball potted is scored. The free ball is then spotted and the ball on remains off the table.
- If the offender is asked to play again, the free ball call becomes void.
- Fouls
- If the striker has not made a stroke, his turn ends immediately.
- All points scored before a foul is awarded are allowed but the striker shall not score any points for any ball pocketed in a stroke called foul.
- The next stroke is played from where the cue-ball comes to rest or, if the cue-ball is off the table, from in-hand.
- If more than one foul is committed in the same stroke, the highest value penalty shall be incurred.
- The player who committed the foul incurs the penalty prescribed below, and has to play the next stroke if requested by the next player
- Penalties
All fouls will incur a penalty of four points unless a higher one is indicated in paragraphs (a) to (d) below. Penalties are:
- value of the ball on by
- causing the cue-ball to miss all object balls,
- causing the cue-ball to enter a pocket,
- playing a jump shot
A jump shot is made when the cue-ball passes over any part of an object ball, whether touching it in the process or not, except:
(*) when the cue-ball first strikes one object ball and then jumps over another ball.
(**) when, after striking an object ball lawfully, the cue-ball jumps over that ball after hitting a cushion or another ball
- value of the ball on or ball concerned, whichever is higher, by
(i) causing a ball not on to enter a pocket,
(ii) causing the cue-ball to first hit a ball not on,
(iii) causing a ball to be forced off the table.
- a penalty of seven points is incurred if the striker plays at Reds, or a free ball followed by Red, in successive strokes,
- Play Again
Once a player has requested an opponent to play again after a foul, such request cannot be withdrawn. The offender, having been asked to play again, is entitled to
- change his mind as to
(i) which stroke he will play, and
(ii) which ball on he will attempt to hit.
- score points for any ball or balls he may pot
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