Snooker Rules
Type of Game: International or 'English' snooker is the most popular snooker game in the world. Snooker is usually played on a 6 x 12-foot English billiard table - which has narrower cushions than pocket billiard tables. You can also play on 5 x 10-foot tables or smaller tables. The playing area between the cushions on a 6 x 12-foot billiard table measures 11-feet, 8.5-inches x 5-feet, 10-inches with a tolerance on both dimensions of +/-0.5-inches. The height of the table should be 34-inches, with an allowable variance of half an inch, and is measured from the floor to the top of the cushion rail
Players: Two players, or more, in teams
Balls Used: There are 15 object balls used in snooker that are solid red (called reds) and unnumbered, six different colored object balls (called colors) and a cue ball (called the white ball). The point values for the object balls are as follows: red=1, yellow=2, green=3, brown=4, blue=5, pink=6, black=7. The balls used in international snooker are 2-1/16-inches in diameter.
The Rack: Play begins with the balls placed in their specific spots. The pink ball is placed in front of the reds on the pyramid spot. The apex ball of the triangle of reds is racked as close as possible to the pink ball without touching it.
Baulk-line and Baulk: A straight line drawn 29-inches from the face of the bottom cushion, and parallel to it, is called the baulk-line and the intervening space is called the baulk.
The Half Circle: The half circle is a semi-circle described in baulk, with its center at the middle of the baulk-line with a radius of 11.5- inches When the shooter has cue ball in hand within the half circle, they may place the base of the ball anywhere on the line or within the half circle and may use their hand or any part of the cue to place the ball, as long as they aren't attempting to play a stroke.
Object of the Game: The object of snooker is to score more points than your opponent.
Scoring: You can score points in two ways: players score points for fouls committed by their opponent and by legally sinking a ball. Each pocketed red ball has a point value of one, and each pocketed colored ball has a specific point valued assigned to it. A frame is over when all balls have been pocketed, following the rules of play; if only the black (7) ball is left on the table the frame ends with the first score or foul committed. If the score is tied after that the black ball is spotted in its original position and the players lag or draw lots for the option of playing at, or making their opponent play the black ball with the cue ball in hand within the half circle. The frame ends with the first score or foul Opening Break: Players lag, or draw lots, for the option of breaking in the opening frame and then take turns alternating. The breaking player has cue ball in hand within the half circle and must cause the cue ball to touch a red ball on the shot. You don't have to send a ball to a rail or sink one. If the player doesn't do this it's a foul (see penalties for fouls). If a foul is called, and with all fouls, the incoming player can either accept the table and become the striker or ask the offender to break again.
Rules of Play
1. The striker continues to play until he fails to sink a ball.
2. The striker must follow Rules of Play 5 and 6. You don't have to cause the cue ball or an object ball to strike a cushion or sink it after the cue ball has touched a legal object ball (ball on). It is a foul if you don't touch a legal object ball first.
3. The incoming striker always has a red as his legal object ball (ball on), as long as reds are on the table.
4. Any pocketed red balls on a legal shot are legally pocketed balls; the striker doesn't have to call any particular red ball(s), pocket(s) or details of how the shot will be played.
5. When a red ball is "ball on" (legal object ball), the striker must cause the cue ball to touch a red ball first. It is a foul if you fail to do so.
6. After scoring a red ball the next object is a color, and as long as reds are on the table you must alternate play between reds and colors, (though within each group you may play a ball of your choice). When reds are on the table and a color is the object, the striker must (a) call which color ball is the object before shooting (that ball is then 'ball on'), and (b) make sure the cue ball touches that colored ball first. It is a foul if the player fails to do this.
7. If you sink a color and the ball on is red it is a foul.
8. It is a foul if the ball on is color and you sink any other ball.
9. In International Snooker jump shots are illegal. If you intentionally cause the cue ball to jump from the table by any means, it is a foul if the jump is an effort to clear an obstructing ball.
10. If reds are on the table, each pocketed color is spotted before the next shot (see spotting balls below for spotting rules). After a color has been spotted, if the striker plays while that ball is incorrectly spotted (and opponent or referee calls it before two such plays have been taken), the shot is a foul. If the striker plays two strokes after the error without it being announced by the opponent or referee there is no penalty and play continues as if the error never happened. The striker is responsible to make sure all balls are spotted correctly before shooting. If the striker plays while a ball(s) that should be on the table isn't there, a foul may be awarded whenever it is discovered during the striker's inning. Any scoring before the foul will count.
11. When there are no reds left on the table, striker's balls on becomes the colors in ascending numerical order (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7). Legally pocketed colors are not spotted after being sunk; they remain off the table. (The black (7) ball is an exception in the case of an even score; see scoring).
Illegally Potted Ball: Illegally pocketed reds are not spotted; they remain off the table. Illegally potted colors, however, are spotted. (see spotting balls.)
Object Balls Jumped off the Table: If a red jumps off the table it isn't spotted and a foul is called against the striker. Colors that jump off the table are spotted and a fouls is called against the striker.
Spotting Balls: Reds are never spotted. Colors that need to be spotted are positioned at the start of the game. If a color's spot is taken (to mean that to spot it would make it touch another ball), it is positioned on the spot of the highest value color that is unoccupied. If all spots are taken, the color is spotted as close as possible to its original spot on a straight line between its spot and the nearest point on the top (foot) cushion.
Cue Ball after Jumping off the Table: Incoming player has cue ball in hand within the half circle. When cue ball is in hand within the half circle (except the opening break), there is no restriction (based on position of reds or colors) on what balls can be played; the striker may play any ball on the table no matter where it is.
Touching a Ball: While balls are in play, if the striker touches any ball with anything other than the tip of the cue during a legal stroke, it is a foul.
Snookered: The cue ball is snookered when a direct stroke in a straight line to any part of every ball on is obstructed by a ball, or balls, not on. If there is an unobstructed ball, the cue ball isn't snookered. If in-hand within the half circle, the cue ball is snookered only when it is obstructed from all positions on or within the half circle. If the ball is obstructed by multiple balls then the one nearest the cue ball is the snookering ball.
Angled: The cue ball is angled when a direct stroke in a straight line to any part of every ball on is obstructed by a corner of the cushion. If there is any ball on that isn't obstructed, the cue ball isn't angled. If angled after a foul, the referee or player will call 'Angled Ball', and the striker can either (1) play from that position or (2) play from in hand within the half circle.
Occupied: A spot is occupied if a ball can't be positioned on it without touching another ball.
Touching Ball: If the cue ball touches another ball which is, or can be, on, the referee or player shall call 'Touching Ball'. The striker must then play away from it or it is a push stroke (foul). There is no penalty if (1) the ball is not on; the ball is on and the striker nominates such ball; or (3) the ball is on and the striker nominates and hits another ball first. If the referee rules that a touching ball wasn't moved by the player it isn't a foul.
Push Stroke: A push stroke is a foul and occurs when the cue tip remains in contact with the cue ball (1) when the cue ball touches the object ball, or (2) after the cue ball starts its forward motion. Provided that when the cue ball and object ball are almost touching, it is a legal stroke if the cue ball hits the finest possible edge of the object ball.
Miss: The striker must try to hit the ball on to the best of his ability. If the referee judges the player hasn't done so, he will call foul and a 'miss'. The incoming player (1) may play the ball(s) as they are, or (2) may ask the ball(s) be returned to their original position and have the offender replay the stroke. Note: if it is impossible to hit the ball on, the striker is judged to be attempting to hit the ball on.
Free Ball: After a foul, if the cue ball is snookered, the referee or player shall call 'Free Ball'. If the non-offending player takes the next stroke he may call any ball as on. For this shot, the ball shall be regarded as and acquired the value of the ball on. If the cue ball fails to first touch, or - except when only the pink and black remain on the table - be snookered by, the free ball it is a foul. If the 'free ball' is pocketed, is spotted, and the value of the ball on is scored. If the ball on is pocketed it is scored. If the 'free ball' and the ball on are sunk, only the value of the ball on is scored.
Fouls
If a foul is committed:
1. The offender must pay the penalty prescribed, which is added to the opponent's score, and has to shoot again if asked by the opponent. Once a player has been asked to play again the request can't be withdrawn. 2. Should more than one foul be committed in the same stroke the penalty with the highest value penalty shall be given. 3. Any ball spotted incorrectly shall remain where placed unless it's off the table, then it will be spotted properly.
Penalties for Fouls
The following are fouls and a penalty of four points or the higher one is prescribed:
1. Value of the ball on -by striking: a) when the balls are still moving from the previous shot. b) the cue ball more than once (double hit). c) without one foot on the floor. d) out of turn. e) improperly from in hand within the half circle. by causing: f) the cue ball to miss all object balls. g) the cue ball to enter a pocket. h) a snooker with free ball. i) a jump shot.
2. Value of the ball on or ball concerned - by causing: a) a ball not on to enter a pocket. b) the cue ball to hit a ball not on first. c) a push stroke. d) by striking with a ball incorrectly spotted. e) by touching a ball with anything than the tip of the cue. f) by forcing a ball off the table.
3. Value of the ball on or higher value of the two balls by causing the cue ball to hit two balls at the same time other than two reds or a 'free ball' and the ball on.
4. Penalty of seven points is given if - the striker a) after sinking a red commits a foul before calling a color. b) uses a ball off the table c) plays successive strokes at reds. d) uses any other ball than the white one as the cue ball.