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Rules regarding snookers when only the pink & black are left

Postby SpiderWebb

What are the rules when a player needs snookers, and only the pink and black are left? Let's say the player in front is snookered behind the black, if he makes no effort to play the pink, but plays to leave the snooker behind the black, knowing the miss rule does not apply (snookers needed), how can the other player win? Or if the player in front does not aim to hit the pink, but angles the other player, how can that player win? Surely the only fair way, is if the miss rule applied in this case, and the player in front had to play again?

Re: Rules regarding snookers when only the pink & black are

Postby Wildey

SpiderWebb wrote:What are the rules when a player needs snookers, and only the pink and black are left? Let's say the player in front is snookered behind the black, if he makes no effort to play the pink, but plays to leave the snooker behind the black, knowing the miss rule does not apply (snookers needed), how can the other player win? Or if the player in front does not aim to hit the pink, but angles the other player, how can that player win? Surely the only fair way, is if the miss rule applied in this case, and the player in front had to play again?

If player in front makes no effort to hit the pink and leave it snooker then player behind can still put him in to play the shot from that possition ie player in front snookered again through his own shot 6 points to player behind with another 6 potential points if he doesent hit the pink again.

Re: Rules regarding snookers when only the pink & black are

Postby SpiderWebb

Many thanks for your answer.
Okay, so it seems that a rule, like the misrule, applies in this case. But in the normal misrule case, the referee decides whether a reasonable effort has been made, and in pretty well most cases, the player is made to play again. Is this the case here, if the player misses the pink, though it 'appears' he may have tried to hit it (though in fact, he may have tried to just miss it, so that the cue ball ends up in a place from which it is difficult to get a snooker).

Re: Rules regarding snookers when only the pink & black are

Postby acesinc

SpiderWebb wrote:Many thanks for your answer.
Okay, so it seems that a rule, like the misrule, applies in this case. But in the normal misrule case, the referee decides whether a reasonable effort has been made, and in pretty well most cases, the player is made to play again. Is this the case here, if the player misses the pink, though it 'appears' he may have tried to hit it (though in fact, he may have tried to just miss it, so that the cue ball ends up in a place from which it is difficult to get a snooker).


Hi SpiderWebb,

I think you are over-analyzing this. Wildey gave exactly the correct answer. Player A leads, Player B requires snookers, Pink and Black remain, B snookers A behind Black. Logic dictates that there is absolutely no reason in the world that A would not make an honest effort to touch the Pink ball so of course the Miss Rule should not apply. If A does not even try to hit Pink, he may well be handing the frame to B if Pink and Black are in a pottable position. So he will play to hit Pink though he will certainly be cautious about what his White will do.

So if Player A fouls and the game is now on the table (no snookers required any more), there is no Miss applied. Player B has the usual options, that is, he can play at the Pink himself and maybe he can run out Pink and Black to win, or if Player A's cautious stroke left the Pink ball available but not pottable, then B may choose to put A back in the position where the balls came to rest. The incoming player ALWAYS has those two options upon ANY foul. In this case, there was no Miss, therefore the balls will NOT be reset to their original position.

Re: Rules regarding snookers when only the pink & black are

Postby SpiderWebb

Hi, thank you for your answer.
I agree that I am over-analyzing this, that is why I find no answers to this difficult question. Let me put this into a scenario:
The two players are left, with just the black and pink. Player A is snookered behind the black ball. Player B needs several (perhaps many) snookers. But player B is the world's greatest player at getting snookers, it's really his forte! Player A knows this, and realises that if he tries to hit the pink, and hits or misses it, then player A will get snookers, and may eventually win, no matter how far he is behind. Thus, it is in player A's interest, to make sure, that his shot must look very much as if he is trying to hit the pink, while at the same time, he tries to make sure, that when he misses, his cue ball ends up in a position from where it is the most difficult to get a snooker from. That must be player A's goal, and his only hope, is that the referee, will accept that he has made a reasonable attempt to hit the pink - and if the referee does, player A has a chance of winning against this fantastic snooker-getter.
This scenario only seems to exist, if only the pink and black are left, and snookers are required, that is why I'm raising it. I believe, that the rule should be, that when only the pink and black are left, the miss rule can apply when snookers are needed. This would solve this issue. I'd be interested to know what others think...

Re: Rules regarding snookers when only the pink & black are

Postby acesinc

SpiderWebb wrote:Hi, thank you for your answer.
I agree that I am over-analyzing this, that is why I find no answers to this difficult question. Let me put this into a scenario:
The two players are left, with just the black and pink. Player A is snookered behind the black ball. Player B needs several (perhaps many) snookers. But player B is the world's greatest player at getting snookers, it's really his forte! Player A knows this, and realises that if he tries to hit the pink, and hits or misses it, then player A will get snookers, and may eventually win, no matter how far he is behind. Thus, it is in player A's interest, to make sure, that his shot must look very much as if he is trying to hit the pink, while at the same time, he tries to make sure, that when he misses, his cue ball ends up in a position from where it is the most difficult to get a snooker from. That must be player A's goal, and his only hope, is that the referee, will accept that he has made a reasonable attempt to hit the pink - and if the referee does, player A has a chance of winning against this fantastic snooker-getter.
This scenario only seems to exist, if only the pink and black are left, and snookers are required, that is why I'm raising it. I believe, that the rule should be, that when only the pink and black are left, the miss rule can apply when snookers are needed. This would solve this issue. I'd be interested to know what others think...


You are just running in circles here. To make it as simple as possible, Player A is snookered behind Black and so must contact Pink or his opponent may have a chance to win. If he could have a choice, would he rather: 1) hit the Pink thus giving away no penalty points maintaining the "snookers required" status, or 2) fail to hit Pink giving away six penalty points in the process, but he played in such a way that now he knows that Player B at least will not be able to lay ANOTHER snooker on him.

And that is it. The answer to that tells you whether that player was really trying his best to make contact with the Pink. If anyone can possibly think that 2) above is a valid answer, that person needs to re-assess his relationship with Snooker.