Question and Answers as agreed at a WPBSA Rules Meeting held on 27th June 2013.
1. Q. The referee declares “Touching Ball”. The player comes to the table and says the balls are not touching. After many attempts, the referee is not able to get the balls touching, as he had previously declared. What to do next?
A. If the referee declares “Touching Ball”, the player must play away from this, as if it was a touching ball. It was agreed that this is covered in the Rule Book. Section 3.8 (b) Page20.
2. Q. If the non-striker unscrews his cue or removes his tie or starts clearing personal items from the table during the closing stages of a match, is it to be concluded that he is conceding?
A. Yes – dependant on the circumstances, the referee’s decision is final. Covered in the Rule Book. Section 4. 1. Page 28.
3. Q. In the deciding frame of a match, player A pots the final red which puts him 29 ahead with only 27 on the table. Player B offers his hand as a concession, which is accepted. However, the cue-ball is still moving and enters a pocket. What is the decision?
A. The game has already been conceded so the concession would stand. Rule Book Section 4. 5 Page.29
4. Q. A player is in a sequence of potting red, black, red, black etc. When the referee spotted the black next time, the player checks and now sees that the black will not pass a red. When the referee removes his finger, the ball just slightly rolls off the spot, so as not to be able to be potted. Now, regardless of the fact that the referee probably incorrectly spotted the black in the previous occasions, what should happen next?
A. The referee’s decision is final, and therefore play should continue as long as the referee is satisfied that the ball is on the spot. Section 5. 1 (a) Page.30. (a) The referee shall; (ii) be free to make a decision in the interests of fair play for any situation not covered adequately by these Rules.
5. Q. Player comes to the table after his opponents turn and taps his cue on the table in appreciation of his opponents’ last stroke, but inadvertently touches the cue-ball which was still in motion from his opponents shot.
A. A foul has been committed , therefore the opponent is awarded either 4 points or the value of the ball ‘on’. Rule Book Section 2. 5 Page .11.
6. Q. In the Rules of Billiards Section 2 Definitions, 6 . Stroke, (a) A stroke is made when the striker strikes the cue-ball with the tip of the cue “in the direction of cue alignment”. This is missing from the Rules of Snooker, any reason as to why?
A. The rulebook remains correct and does not need to be changed. Snooker & Billiards are different games and the rules do vary; this was intentionally different from the rules of Snooker.
7. Q. Can anyone explain the following; For a free ball after a foul, the incoming player must be able to strike both extremes of a ball on. However after two foul and miss calls, when a player can only see a full ball contact, he is liable to lose the frame if missing again. i.e. why the difference?
A. The committee feel that nothing needs to be done in relation to this matter, as the rules are clear on this subject.
8. Q. Player breaks off but for one reason or another, hits the pink hence a Foul and a “Miss” call by the Referee. The non striker requests the balls to be replaced, which includes the cue-ball to the break off position.
A. Scenario (a) Player moves the white by sliding it along within baulk and it didn’t leave the bed of the table. Referee calls a foul but is the ball now in hand for the incoming player.
No, the ball is not in hand, play on from where it is.
OR
Scenario (b) Player picks the white up and places it in the exact same position. Is this in hand? Yes.
It was agreed to make an amendment to the rulebook: Section 2. Rule 14 Forced off the table. Page 13 By adding the words “or intentionally moved by hand”: The new wording will now read as follows:-
Section 2. 14 Forced off the table. Page 13
A ball is forced off the table if it comes to rest other than on the bed of the table or in a pocket, or if it is picked up by the striker, or intentionally moved by hand whilst it is in play except as provided for in Section 3 Rule 14(h). This now means that however the ball is moved it will be IN HAND.
This is effective from 5th August 2013, and the rulebook to be changed at the next print.
9. Q. Player pots a red but fouls the green with his cuff. The cue ball is travelling on towards another red that is hanging over a pocket. Before the cue-ball arrives, the red falls into the pocket. What is the decision?
A. This is covered in the rulebook Section 3. 9, Page 21, Ball on Edge of Pocket. All balls to be replaced as before the shot was played.
10. Q. With just one red left on the table and the difference in the scores being 33 points in favour of player A who believed that he could strike the final red by playing between the yellow and blue, but struck the yellow on the way through. The referee immediately called “foul and a miss” but the cue ball goes on and collided with the red which entered the pocket. Now player A is 29 up with 27 on the table. His opponent asks for the balls to be replaced which the referee duly does and brings the red back to the table. Was this the correct decision?
There were two possible answers which were:
1. No Foul and a Miss should have been called because of the difference in scores.
2. Yes, it should be a Foul and a Miss because under these circumstances, player B is now at a distinct disadvantage by now requiring penalty points by an unfair (though not unlawful) manner.
A. The committee feel the referee acted appropriately in this instance. The decision by the committee is that a referee should refer to the Snooker Rules Section 5:1 (i) and (ii), Page 30.
11. Q. Another query is in the docking of a frame where a player is warned for a second time for an act of ungentlemanly conduct. The player committing the act requires a large amount of snookers in that particular frame, effectively having lost the frame anyway (barring penalty points). Should he be docked the frame he has more-or-less lost anyway (and which is still live and he is playing on) or should he be docked the next frame ensuring he is effectively punished?
A. The referee may only dock the live frame. In the rulebook, Section 4.1 (b) Page 28 the rules state that after one warning, then the frame can be awarded to the opponent.
A. If the referee declares “Touching Ball”, the player must play away from this, as if it was a touching ball. It was agreed that this is covered in the Rule Book. Section 3.8 (b) Page20.
2. Q. If the non-striker unscrews his cue or removes his tie or starts clearing personal items from the table during the closing stages of a match, is it to be concluded that he is conceding?
A. Yes – dependant on the circumstances, the referee’s decision is final. Covered in the Rule Book. Section 4. 1. Page 28.
3. Q. In the deciding frame of a match, player A pots the final red which puts him 29 ahead with only 27 on the table. Player B offers his hand as a concession, which is accepted. However, the cue-ball is still moving and enters a pocket. What is the decision?
A. The game has already been conceded so the concession would stand. Rule Book Section 4. 5 Page.29
4. Q. A player is in a sequence of potting red, black, red, black etc. When the referee spotted the black next time, the player checks and now sees that the black will not pass a red. When the referee removes his finger, the ball just slightly rolls off the spot, so as not to be able to be potted. Now, regardless of the fact that the referee probably incorrectly spotted the black in the previous occasions, what should happen next?
A. The referee’s decision is final, and therefore play should continue as long as the referee is satisfied that the ball is on the spot. Section 5. 1 (a) Page.30. (a) The referee shall; (ii) be free to make a decision in the interests of fair play for any situation not covered adequately by these Rules.
5. Q. Player comes to the table after his opponents turn and taps his cue on the table in appreciation of his opponents’ last stroke, but inadvertently touches the cue-ball which was still in motion from his opponents shot.
A. A foul has been committed , therefore the opponent is awarded either 4 points or the value of the ball ‘on’. Rule Book Section 2. 5 Page .11.
6. Q. In the Rules of Billiards Section 2 Definitions, 6 . Stroke, (a) A stroke is made when the striker strikes the cue-ball with the tip of the cue “in the direction of cue alignment”. This is missing from the Rules of Snooker, any reason as to why?
A. The rulebook remains correct and does not need to be changed. Snooker & Billiards are different games and the rules do vary; this was intentionally different from the rules of Snooker.
7. Q. Can anyone explain the following; For a free ball after a foul, the incoming player must be able to strike both extremes of a ball on. However after two foul and miss calls, when a player can only see a full ball contact, he is liable to lose the frame if missing again. i.e. why the difference?
A. The committee feel that nothing needs to be done in relation to this matter, as the rules are clear on this subject.
8. Q. Player breaks off but for one reason or another, hits the pink hence a Foul and a “Miss” call by the Referee. The non striker requests the balls to be replaced, which includes the cue-ball to the break off position.
A. Scenario (a) Player moves the white by sliding it along within baulk and it didn’t leave the bed of the table. Referee calls a foul but is the ball now in hand for the incoming player.
No, the ball is not in hand, play on from where it is.
OR
Scenario (b) Player picks the white up and places it in the exact same position. Is this in hand? Yes.
It was agreed to make an amendment to the rulebook: Section 2. Rule 14 Forced off the table. Page 13 By adding the words “or intentionally moved by hand”: The new wording will now read as follows:-
Section 2. 14 Forced off the table. Page 13
A ball is forced off the table if it comes to rest other than on the bed of the table or in a pocket, or if it is picked up by the striker, or intentionally moved by hand whilst it is in play except as provided for in Section 3 Rule 14(h). This now means that however the ball is moved it will be IN HAND.
This is effective from 5th August 2013, and the rulebook to be changed at the next print.
9. Q. Player pots a red but fouls the green with his cuff. The cue ball is travelling on towards another red that is hanging over a pocket. Before the cue-ball arrives, the red falls into the pocket. What is the decision?
A. This is covered in the rulebook Section 3. 9, Page 21, Ball on Edge of Pocket. All balls to be replaced as before the shot was played.
10. Q. With just one red left on the table and the difference in the scores being 33 points in favour of player A who believed that he could strike the final red by playing between the yellow and blue, but struck the yellow on the way through. The referee immediately called “foul and a miss” but the cue ball goes on and collided with the red which entered the pocket. Now player A is 29 up with 27 on the table. His opponent asks for the balls to be replaced which the referee duly does and brings the red back to the table. Was this the correct decision?
There were two possible answers which were:
1. No Foul and a Miss should have been called because of the difference in scores.
2. Yes, it should be a Foul and a Miss because under these circumstances, player B is now at a distinct disadvantage by now requiring penalty points by an unfair (though not unlawful) manner.
A. The committee feel the referee acted appropriately in this instance. The decision by the committee is that a referee should refer to the Snooker Rules Section 5:1 (i) and (ii), Page 30.
11. Q. Another query is in the docking of a frame where a player is warned for a second time for an act of ungentlemanly conduct. The player committing the act requires a large amount of snookers in that particular frame, effectively having lost the frame anyway (barring penalty points). Should he be docked the frame he has more-or-less lost anyway (and which is still live and he is playing on) or should he be docked the next frame ensuring he is effectively punished?
A. The referee may only dock the live frame. In the rulebook, Section 4.1 (b) Page 28 the rules state that after one warning, then the frame can be awarded to the opponent.