If Ypu Make a Red Off the Break in Snooker to You Get to Go Again

Overview article

Snooker table, drawn to calibration, with starting positions of all object balls and the cue ball placed within the "D" for a intermission-off shot.

Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a baize-covered table with pockets in each of the 4 corners and in the heart of each of the long side cushions. It is played using a cue and snooker assurance: one white cue ball , 15 red balls worth i point each (sometimes played with fewer carmine balls, usually 6 or 10), and half-dozen balls of different colours : xanthous (two points), green (three), brown (4), blue (5), pinkish (half-dozen), blackness (seven).^[1] A player (or team) wins a frame (individual game) of snooker by scoring more than points than the opponent(due south), using the cue ball to pot the crimson and coloured balls. A player (or team) wins a match when they have achieved the all-time-of score from a pre-determined number of frames. The number of frames is e'er odd so as to prevent a tie or a draw.

The table [edit]

Snooker is played on a rectangular snooker table with 6 pockets, one at each corner and i in the eye of each long side. The table usually has a slate base, covered in green baize. A baulk line is fatigued across the width of the table, 29 inches (74 cm) from the cushion at 1 end; these two latter items are respectively designated as the baulk cushion and baulk end. A semicircle of radius eleven+ ane⁄2 inches (29 cm), called the D, is drawn behind this line, with its heart on the midpoint. The absorber at the other terminate of the table is known as the top absorber.

A regulation (full-size) tabular array is 12 ft × 6 ft (iii.7 m × 1.8 thousand); because of the large size of these tables, smaller tables are common in homes, pubs and other places where space is limited. These are ofttimes around 6 feet (ane.8 m) in length, with all the dimensions and markings scaled downwards appropriately. The balls used are sometimes also scaled down, and/or reduced in number (in the case of the reds) by omitting the longest row of balls in the rack.

The balls [edit]

Pack of reds, not touching the pink

Snooker balls, like the balls for all cue sports, are typically made of phenolic resin, and are smaller than American pool assurance. Regulation snooker balls (which are specified in metric units) are nominally 52.v mm (approximately ii+ ane⁄15  inches) in diameter, though many sets are actually manufactured at 52.four mm (nearly 2+ 1⁄xvi  in). No weight for the assurance is specified in the rules, but that the weight of any ii balls should non differ past more than 0.5 m. Some recreational sets (which are usually non measured metrically) are 2+ i⁄8  in (most 54 mm) up to as large as puddle balls, at two+ ane⁄4  in (almost 57.2 mm); larger ball size requires wider pocket openings. Miniature sets besides be, for half-size abode tables. At that place are fifteen red balls , vi "color" balls (xanthous, green, brown, blue, pink, and black), and ane white cue ball . Unremarkably none of the balls are numbered, though the six colour assurance often are in the US, where they are hands mistaken at first glance for pool balls (the design is similar, only the numbering does not match pool's scheme).

At the outset of a frame, the assurance are set up in the arrangement shown in the analogy. The six colours (a term referring to all balls except the white and the reds) are placed on their ain spots. On the baulk line, looking up the tabular array from the baulk end, the greenish ball is located where the "D" meets the line on the left, the brownish ball in the middle of the line, and the yellowish ball where the "D" meets the line on the right. This guild is oftentimes remembered using the mnemonic God Anoint You, the first letter of each discussion being the first letter of the iii colours (Dark-green, Brown, Xanthous). The blue ball rests at the verbal eye of the table, while the pink is placed midway between information technology and the elevation cushion. The red assurance are arranged in a tightly-packed triangle behind the pink, with the apex every bit close as possible to the pink only not touching information technology. Finally, the blackness ball is placed on a spot 32.five cm (12.8 in) from the superlative cushion, centred from left to right and so that the brown, blue, pink, and black balls all sit on an imaginary line that bisects the table forth its length.

Objective [edit]

The objective of the game of snooker is to strike the white cue ball with a cue and so that it strikes the object assurance in turn and causes them to autumn into one of the half dozen pockets. Points are scored for potting balls legally, in accord with the rules described below, or in the event of a foul committed by the opponent. The player who scores more points wins the frame, and the first player to win a set up number of frames wins the match.

Match [edit]

A match unremarkably consists of a stock-still, odd number of frames. A frame begins with setting up the balls as described in a higher place. A frame ends when all assurance are potted, or when one of the players concedes defeat due to being also far behind on points to tie or beat the opponent's score.

A match ends when one player has won enough frames to brand information technology impossible for the other histrion to catch upward. For example, in a lucifer of 19 frames, the outset player to win x of them is the victor.

Gameplay [edit]

Snooker tabular array with all balls at the kickoff of a frame. The cue ball has been placed within the D for a break-off shot.

At the beginning of each frame, the balls are set upward by the referee equally explained. The frame begins with 1 player taking the cue brawl in-mitt, placing it anywhere on or within the D and attempting to hitting i or more of the red balls on an initial break-off shot. A common strategy for this shot involves placing the cue ball on the baulk line, between the dark-brown brawl and either the light-green or xanthous brawl. The break-off alternates between players on successive frames.

Only one player may visit the table at a time. A break is the number of points scored by a player in one single visit to the table. A actor's turn and suspension cease when he or she fails to pot a brawl or does something against the rules of the game (called a foul), or when a frame has ended.

The ball or assurance that can be hitting first past the cue brawl are called the ball(s) "on" for that detail stroke. The ball(southward) "on" differ from shot to shot: a red brawl, if potted, must be followed by a colour, a potted colour must be followed by a carmine, and so on until a break ends. If a red is non potted, any red ball remains the brawl "on" for the opponent's start shot. Merely a ball or balls "on" may be potted legally by a player; potting a brawl not "on" constitutes a foul. All of the reds are "on" for the break-off shot, and for the first shot of any turn in which i or more reds are still on the table.

If the cue ball comes to rest in direct contact with a ball that is on or could exist on, the referee shall declare a "touching ball". The striker must "play away" from that ball without moving it, merely is not required to hit whatsoever other ball because the touching ball is on. If the object brawl moves, it is considered a "push shot" and a foul is called. No penalty is incurred for playing abroad if:

1. The ball is on. Example: Striker pots a colour, making the reds on for the next shot, and the cue ball comes to rest touching one of them.
2. The brawl could be on and the striker nominates it every bit on. Example: Striker pots a red, cue ball comes to residuum touching the dark-green, and the striker declares that ball as on.
3. The ball could be on, and the striker nominates another ball as on and hits it first. Example: Striker pots a ruby-red, cue brawl comes to rest touching the green, and the striker declares the black every bit on and hits information technology offset.

If the cue ball is touching another ball which could non be on (e.g. touching a colour when the striker must pot a red, or vice versa), a touching brawl is non chosen, and the striker must play abroad from information technology and hit a legally nominated object ball. Where the cue ball is simultaneously touching several balls that are on or could be on, the referee shall betoken that each and every one of them is a touching brawl; the striker must therefore play abroad from all of them.

The striker scores no points for balls potted every bit the result of a foul. Depending on the state of affairs, these balls will either remain off the table; be returned to their original spots; or exist replaced in the positions they occupied earlier the foul shot, along with any other balls that were moved during the shot. For details on such situations, see Fouls beneath.

Each frame of snooker generally consists of two phases. The offset phase lasts every bit long equally whatever red assurance remain on the table. During this phase, all red balls are "on" for the get-go of a histrion's turn; the role player must therefore start hitting and attempt to pot i or more than of them. If the player either commits a foul or fails to pot a cherry, the plough ends and the opponent begins to play.

Colour	Value
Red	1 point
Yellow	2 points
Green	3 points
Chocolate-brown	4 points
Blue	v points
Pinkish	6 points
Black	vii points

Each legally potted red ball awards i point and remains off the table until the end of the frame. The player continues his or her turn by nominating one of the six colours (xanthous, green, brown, blue, pink, black) equally the brawl "on" for the adjacent shot. The rules of the game indicate that the role player must land the desired color to the referee, although it is usually clear which ball the actor is attempting to pot, making a formal nomination unnecessary unless the referee insists on it.

Potting the nominated colour awards farther points (two through seven, in the same club as the preceding paragraph). The referee then removes the color from the pocket and replaces information technology on the table in its original spot. If that spot is occupied (that is, if the ball cannot be placed on it without touching some other ball),^{[two] [3]} then the brawl is placed on the highest available spot. If all spots are occupied, information technology is placed as close to its own spot as possible in a direct line between that spot and the superlative cushion, without touching another ball.^[2] If there is no room this side of the spot, it volition exist placed as close to the spot every bit possible in a direct line towards the bottom cushion, without touching some other brawl. The player and so resumes play, with the cherry-red balls "on" once more.

Considering only i of the colours can exist "on" at whatever given fourth dimension, it is a foul to first hit multiple colours at the aforementioned time, or pot more than ane colour (unless a free brawl has been awarded; see below).

If a thespian fails to pot a brawl "on", whether a ruddy or a nominated colour, the other role player volition come to the table, with the reds always beingness the balls "on" as long as there are even so reds on the table.

The alternation betwixt red balls and colours ends when all reds have been potted and an attempt (successful or not) to pot a colour is made after the final red is potted, or when the final carmine is potted or knocked off the table as the result of a foul and is not replaced. All six colours have and so to be potted in ascending order of their value (yellow, green, brown, blueish, pink, blackness). Each becomes the brawl "on" in that social club. During this phase, the colours are not replaced on the table after beingness legally potted; nevertheless, any colour potted equally the result of a foul is re-spotted.

After all half-dozen colours take been potted, the role player with the college score wins the frame (merely meet below for end-of-frame scenarios).

Fouls [edit]

A foul is a shot or activeness by the striker which is against the rules of the game. When a foul is made during a shot, the player'due south plow ends, and no points are awarded for any balls potted on that shot. Mutual fouls are:^{[4] [v]}

• Declining to striking any other brawl with the cue ball.
• First hit a ball "not-on" with the cue ball.
• Potting a ball "not-on".
• Potting the cue ball (in-off).
• Touching any object ball with anything but the cue ball.
• Touching any brawl before all balls take come to a consummate stop.
• Hitting the cue ball more than once on the same shot.
• Making a ball state off the table.
• Touching the cue ball with anything other than the tip of the cue. The exception is that while positioning the cue brawl "in-manus"; it may be touched by anything except the tip of the cue.
• Playing a "push shot" – a shot in which an object ball (whether "on" or not) in straight contact with the cue ball moves when the cue ball is hit, unless the cue ball hits a very fine edge of the object ball.
• Playing a "spring shot" – a shot where the cue brawl leaves the bed of the tabular array and jumps over whatever role of a brawl before kickoff hit another ball.
• Playing a shot with both feet off the footing. The histrion may lean over the tabular array, support a portion of his or her weight on it, and/or use a mechanical span equally desired, but at to the lowest degree one human foot must remain in contact with the basis.

When a role player commits a foul and the cue ball remains on the tabular array, the opponent may either play from the resulting position or, if he considers it to exist disadvantageous, request that the offender play once again. If the cue ball is potted or leaves the tabular array, the opponent receives it "in-hand" and may so place it anywhere inside the "D" for the next shot.

Information technology is sometimes erroneously believed that potting two or more balls in 1 shot is an automatic foul. This is only true if one of the potted assurance is not "on" (e.g. a red and a colour, or ii different colours). When the reds are "on", 2 or more of them may be legally potted in the same shot and are worth i point each; all the same, the histrion may only nominate and endeavor to pot one colour on the adjacent shot. If a complimentary ball has been granted (come across beneath), a colour may be legally potted in the same shot as a red or some other colour, depending on the circumstances.

Should a cue brawl be touched with the tip while "in-hand", i.east. when breaking-off or playing from the "D" afterwards beingness potted or knocked off the tabular array, a foul is not committed every bit long every bit the referee is satisfied that the thespian was only positioning the ball, and not playing a shot or preparing to play one.

The post-obit fouls award 7 points to the opponent when committed:^[1]

• Touching an object ball with anything other than the cue ball
• Playing at reds, or a gratuitous ball followed by a cherry, in successive strokes
• Failing to declare which ball is "on" when requested to do and so past the referee
• Later potting a red or gratis ball nominated as a reddish, committing a foul earlier nominating a color
• Using a brawl off the tabular array for any purpose
• Using any object to mensurate gaps or distance

Any other foul awards points to the opponent equal to the value of the ball "on", the highest value of all balls involved in the foul, or iv points, whichever is highest. If multiple fouls are committed in i shot, simply the penalty for the highest-valued foul is scored. The penalty for a foul is thus no lower than iv points and no higher than seven.

Not striking the brawl "on" showtime is the most mutual foul. A common defensive tactic is to play a shot that leaves the opponent unable to striking a ball "on" directly. This is most normally called "snookering" one'due south opponent, or alternatively "laying a snooker" or putting the other role player "in a snooker".

Considering players receive points for fouls by their opponents, repeatedly snookering one's opponent is a possible fashion of winning a frame when potting all the assurance on the table would be insufficient to ensure a win or necktie. This portion of the frame is known as the "snookers-required" stage.

Free ball [edit]

Costless brawl situation, with the red on simply snookered past the black.

A free brawl is a actor-nominated substitute for the ball "on" when a histrion becomes snookered equally the consequence of a foul committed past the opponent.^[1] The snooker is considered illegitimate in this case, and the affected player is allowed to nullify it by nominating any object ball as being "on" for the offset shot of his/her turn. Once the free ball shot is taken legally, the game continues normally; however, if the player who committed the foul is asked to play over again, a free ball is non granted. If the gratis brawl is potted past itself, information technology is respotted and the role player scores the points for the actual ball "on."

For instance, as illustrated in the provided movie, if the ball "on" is the ruby-red, just is snookered by the black due to a foul, the fouled actor will exist able to name whatever colour as the gratuitous ball. The thespian could then pot the chosen colour as if it were a red for ane point. The colour will so be respotted, the thespian will nominate a color to be on for the next shot, and normal play will resume.

As a natural corollary of the rules, the complimentary ball is always a colour ball. If the ball on is a cherry-red, and then past definition it cannot exist snookered via another red, every bit it just provides an alternative make clean shot with another ball on. If the ball on is a red, and is snookered by a colour later on a foul, then logically the red is either the final one or all reds are snookered past a colour ball, meaning the free ball has to be a colour. If the brawl on is a colour ball that is snookered by a ruby-red, a previous red must accept been successfully potted; the snooker therefore must be cocky-inflicted and cannot take occurred as the consequence of a foul. If the ball on is a colour that is snookered by another colour later on a foul, all reds must accept been already potted; thus the free ball all the same has to be a colour brawl.

The scoring for a shot in which both the costless ball and the bodily brawl on are potted depends on the point in the game at which information technology occurs. If the reds are on and both the free brawl and one or more than reds are potted, so each brawl potted is scored as a red for ane point. If a colour is on and both it and the complimentary ball are potted, only the bodily ball on is scored. In both cases, the gratuitous brawl will be re-spotted and the actual ball(s) on volition remain off the table. These ii situations represent the only times when a color can exist potted in the same shot as a red or another colour without a foul occurring.

The player may hit the complimentary ball into the bodily brawl on in club to pot the latter, referred to as planting. Going back to the picture above, the thespian could nominate the black as the free ball and use it to establish the real ruby-red. If the histrion potted both balls in one shot, ii points would be awarded and the black would be re-spotted. A foul is committed if the player fails to strike the free ball either first past itself, or simultaneously with the bodily ball on.

Failing to pot the free ball incurs no penalization, so the striker may play a snooker using the free ball if desired. Notwithstanding, if said snooker is accomplished by having the free ball obstructing the brawl on, and so the strike is a foul and a penalization of the value of the ball on is awarded to the opponent. The reason is that the free ball was to exist treated as the ball on, and one cannot snooker a ball on by another ball on (post-obit the same logic that a blood-red cannot snooker another red when red is on). The only exception to this is when there are but ii balls remaining on the table, namely pink and black. If the opposition somehow fouled trying to pot pink, and illegitimately snookered the striker with the black, and so information technology is off-white for the striker to snooker the opposition "back" with the gratuitous black brawl.

A complimentary ball scenario does not occur when the ball gets stuck at the edge of a pocket jaw (usually referred to as "angled") in such a manner that the role player is unable to hit any ball on. This is because according to the official snooker rules a ball is snookered only if its way is obstructed past balls non on. In this scenario, subsequently a foul, the actor may choose to either accept the shot from the current position or ask the offender to play over again, every bit per the usual rules on fouls.

Foul and a miss [edit]

A foul and a miss volition exist chosen if a player does non hit the ball "on" first (a foul) and is accounted by the referee to take non made the best possible try (a miss). In this instance, the opponent has the option to request that all assurance on the table be returned to their position before the foul, and require the fouling role player to have the shot again.

The rule was introduced to forestall players from playing professional fouls (i.e., deliberately fouling so every bit to exit the balls in a safe position, reducing the gamble of giving a frame-winning chance to the opponent). Multiple misses often occur because players attempt to hit a shot very softly or thinly in situations where a fuller contact might get out their opponent an like shooting fish in a barrel potting chance. This tin can lead to an plainly like shooting fish in a barrel escape being attempted several times, as players feel that it is improve to concede many points but get out a safe position, than concede none and leave a frame-winning hazard.

In practice, the "best attempt" determination consists of three key elements that are easily practical objectively:

• Whether the player's choice of shot is the easiest to be achieved. If a player deliberately attempts a difficult shot with an easier escape bachelor, intention to leave the opponent a bad position after a foul is presumed, and thus a miss will be chosen.
• Whether the cue ball has been hitting with sufficient forcefulness to achieve the ball "on". Undershooting virtually e'er results in a miss, as intention to leave the opponent in a bad position after a foul is again presumed in this instance.
• Whether the histrion has tried to get the cue ball as close to the ball "on" as possible.

All 3 of these elements must be present in order for the referee to decide that a histrion has made his or her best attempt.

There are 3 situations in which a miss will not exist chosen, even if the referee decides that a best endeavor has not been made:

1. If either thespian needs penalization points to win a frame, or if either thespian would need them afterward the current penalisation is applied. This is to prevent the players from running up the score due to repeated misses in worst-instance scenarios.
2. If the score difference is equal to the number of points still on the table, either before or afterwards the penalty is applied, and the referee believes that the foul was not intentional. This is to prevent the score difference from decreasing too much, at the referee's discretion.
3. If information technology is physically impossible to play a legal shot (the snooker is truly inescapable, equally judged by the referee). The player must still put sufficient forcefulness into the shot and so that the cue ball would be able to reach its target if it were not obstructed, and attempt a shot that could succeed if the obstruction were not present.

If a actor fouls and misses in a non-snookered scenario, and if the opponent requests that the shot exist replayed from the original position, a 2d failure to make a best endeavor is ruled a foul and a miss regardless of the score difference. The fouling player is issued a warning by the referee, and a tertiary such failure forfeits the frame to the opponent. A foul after such a alert is very rare.

The end of a frame [edit]

A frame unremarkably ends in one of three ways.

• A concession, in which 1 player gives upwardly due to existence too far behind to have a realistic adventure of winning the frame. Concession before the snookers-required stage may be interpreted as unsporting conduct and result in a penalisation of a 2nd frame being applied.^[1]
• The final black is potted legally (including later on a re-spot), and this does not go out the score tied.
• The striker leads past more than than seven points with just the black remaining. They may claim the win at this point, but may besides elect to pot the black despite having won the frame after potting the pink. This may exist done if the striker wishes to complete a high-scoring suspension (encounter "Maximum suspension" below).

There are 3 less common ways to terminate a frame:

• A foul on the blackness, when the blackness is the only ball left. It is sometimes wrongly assumed that play continues later a foul on the black if there are fewer than seven points betwixt the scores. This is non the example: the actor who is in the lead following the assessment of a penalty after a foul, when only the black remains, becomes the winner.^[1]
• Failure to hit a ball "on" three times in a row, if the histrion has a articulate sight of the ball. The referee will warn a thespian after a second such miss that a third miss volition hateful that the opponent will be awarded the frame. This dominion does not utilise if the player is snookered. Every bit missing due to avoiding a direct shot on a ball is usually a tactical, rather than skill-related, outcome, this rule is rarely invoked, equally a role player will simply hitting the ball directly on the third shot.^[1]
• A player may incur a verbal warning if the referee deems that he or she is taking too long to shoot. Boosted hesitation may forfeit the frame to the opponent at the referee'south discretion.

If the score is tied later the final black is fouled or potted, the blackness is re-spotted. The winner of a coin toss past the referee decides which role player will accept commencement strike at the blackness; that player receives the cue ball "in-hand" for his/her kickoff shot. Play then continues usually until the black is potted or another frame-catastrophe situation occurs.

If the players reach a stalemate situation, every bit determined by either their own indication or the referee's judgment, they may choose to discard the scores from the electric current frame and restart information technology. Should the stalemate last for a certain period of time as specified by the referee, the players must restart the frame.^[1]

Maximum break [edit]

The highest break that can exist made under normal circumstances is 147. To achieve it, the player must pot all fifteen reds, with the black later on every reddish, followed by potting all half-dozen colours.

This "maximum break" of 147 rarely occurs in match play. The fastest maximum break in a tournament was achieved during the World Championships on 21 April 1997, by Ronnie O'Sullivan against Mick Price in 5 minutes and 8 seconds.^[half-dozen]

If an opponent fouls earlier any assurance are potted, and leaves the player a free ball, the player tin can and then nominate a colour and play information technology as a scarlet for ane bespeak, and so nominate a color and pot information technology for its normal value. It is thus possible to score for 16 reds and blacks (sixteen * 8), plus the values of all the colours (27), resulting in a break of 155. Under tournament weather condition, Jamie Burnett accomplished 148 points.^[7]

The highest possible score, as singled-out from the highest possible break, is unlimited and depends on the value of points scored from the opponent's foul shots when added to the player'south ain scored points (which may non require the highest break). Even so, the highest possible score from a single visit clearance is 162 (foul on the black, followed past a gratuitous brawl treated as a reddish, every bit above).

References [edit]

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Official Rules of the Games of Snooker and English language Billiards" (PDF). The Earth Professional Billiards & Snooker Association Limited. November 2019. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
2. ^ ^{a b} https://world wide web.rulesofsport.com/sports/snooker.html
3. ^ https://wpbsa.com/wp-content/uploads/WPBSA-Official-Rules-of-the-Games-of-Snooker-and-Billiards-2020.pdf^{[ bare URL PDF ]}
4. ^ "Snooker Rules". Billiard Congress of America. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved May 10, 2015.
5. ^ "Official Rules of the Games of Snooker and English Billiards (2019)" (PDF). wpbsa,com. World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 Baronial 2019. Retrieved twenty August 2019.
6. ^ "Fastest 147 suspension in snooker". Guinness World Records. Archived from the original on July 5, 2014. Retrieved May x, 2015.
7. ^ Everton, Clive (October 17, 2004). "Burnett's interruption goes one improve". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September half dozen, 2015. Retrieved May ten, 2015. Under ordinary circumstances the maximum suspension is 147 (15 reds, xv blacks followed by the colours in sequence) and the professional circuit has seen 49 of these. All the same, an "extra" red is very infrequently created by a foul which leaves a free ball with all the reds remaining on the table.

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Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_of_snooker

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