Let’s dive into the core details about Snooker Rules and Regulations:

snooker table animated

Equipment

● The snooker table measures 12 feet by 6 feet and has six pockets. It has cushings and is covered with a green baize cloth.

● The balls consist of the 15 reds and 6 colours mentioned earlier.

●  Cues must not exceed 57 inches in length and have no added weights. They are tapered at one end to allow potting balls.

● Other equipment includes rests, chalk for cues and measures.

Set Up and Break-Off

● At the start of a frame, the balls are placed in a predetermined position on the table – reds arranged in a triangle with the colours in the D shape.

● The break-off shot comes after the balls are racked. The player attempting the break must strike the cue ball from baulk and it must contact a red ball fully.

● If any balls are potted, the breaker continues at the table. If no balls are potted, it becomes their opponent’s turn.

Order of Play

● After a ball is potted, the next shot must be played from where the cue ball finished, barring any fouls.

● Reds must always be potted before a colour and in no particular order. But colours must be potted in ball-in-hand order of points – yellow to black.

● The player must nominate the next ball they intend to pot or can announce a safety shot instead to hamper the opponent’s chances.

● If reds are cleared from the table, colours are potted in their numerical order based on points value.

Scoring

● Reds are worth 1 point each and colours from 2-7 points based on their hue as mentioned before.

● A player’s score keeps accumulating as they continue potting balls in the permitted order during a single visit to the table.

● The first player to reach the predetermined target score wins the frame. In pro matches it’s generally 147 points in one frame.

Fouls

● There are various types of fouls that can occur during play like snookering an opponent, foul shots, pushing/nudging balls etc.

● For any foul, the incoming player gets ball-in-hand. They can place the cue ball anywhere on the table except on/near a cushion or touching another ball. This gives them an advantage.

● A player also forfeits their turn if they pot the  cue ball or drive it off the table entirely, incurring a foul.

Let’s examine some of the key fouls in more detail:

● Snookering – This occurs when a player places the cue ball in a position such that the opponent cannot attempt potting the nominated ball without first hitting another ball. This is not a foul per se but leaves the snookered opponent at a disadvantage.

● Foul Shot – When attempting a pot and any ball other than the nominated one is pocketed, it constitutes a foul. This also happens if the nominated ball is potted but does not hit a cushion first as is compulsory.

● Push Shot – Deliberately moving or nudging any ball with the tip of the cue during execution is not allowed and results in a push shot foul. Care must be taken to avoid this while playing position.

● Jump Shot – Jumping the cue ball over any ball, even lifted slightly above the cloth, is a severe foul. The  cue must remain in contact with the cloth during the shot.

● Touching Balls – Any contact between the cue and non-nominated balls or object balls and each other before a shot is deemed a foul and incurs a penalty.

These are some of the common shot fouls that can occur. Players must take utmost care to avoid them as they hand the advantage to their opponent by committing a foul

Read full article at CueBall Chronicles.