Exception to free ball rule

[Belloz22]

I read that if you have a free ball, and only the pink and black remain on the table, you can snooker behind the black... can anyone confirm this is true?

[The Statman]

Yes, it's true. If you think about it, there would be circumstances where a free ball would be of no advantage at all if you needed more than one snooker, if you couldn't do this when only pink and black remained - this is why the rule is worded like that.

[RaNeN]

I always have a doubt here. Not the same question though.
As we can snooker a player behind the black when only the pink and black are left.
I was wondering if the black and pink are in line to a pocket and I play the plant using the black and potting the pink... this is a pot, correct?

Also if I nominate the black as the free ball and fluke it in, its 6 points.....correct?

Also as the rule states that if we nominate a colour as a free ball (while only colurs are on the table) and pot both the nominated colour and the ball on....we get points only for the ball on....correct?

So, What I want to know is when I get a free ball on the pink....and the black is very close to the pink. I just nominate the black as the free ball and swing wildly and I end up potting both.....would the pink be considered as a pot and black be back on the table or is it a foul?

[davis_greatest]

So, What I want to know is when I get a free ball on the pink....and the black is very close to the pink. I just nominate the black as the free ball and swing wildly and I end up potting both.....would the pink be considered as a pot and black be back on the table or is it a foul?

1) If in playing your shot, you strike the pink ball first, then it is a foul (because you chose to nominate the black as a free ball), 6 points away, and both balls are respotted.

2) If in playing your shot, you strike black first, or pink and black simultaneously, then the pink is a valid pot and you score 6 points. If, as a result, you remain 8 or more points behind your opponent, you will have lost the frame. However, if you are 7 or fewer points behind, or are level or in front, the black will be respotted. You will continue your visit (although if you are 8 or more points in front, there is no need to do so), with black as the ball on.


Here is the excerpt of the rules dealing with a free ball:

10. Snookered After a Foul
After a foul, if the cue-ball is snookered, the referee shall state FREE BALL (see Section 2, Rule 16).
(a) If the player next in turn elects to play the next stroke,
(i) he may nominate any ball as the ball on, and
(ii) any nominated ball shall be regarded as, and acquire the value of, the ball on except that, if potted, is shall then be spotted.
(b) It is a foul if the cue-ball should
(i) fail to hit the nominated ball first, or first simultaneously with the ball on, or
(ii) be snookered on all Reds, or the ball on, by the free ball thus nominated, except when the Pink and Black are the only object balls remaining on the table.
(c) If the free ball is potted, it is spotted and the value of the ball on is scored.
(d) If a ball on is potted, after the cue-ball struck the nominated ball first, or simultaneously with a ball on, the ball on is scored and remains off the table.
(e) If both the nominated ball and a ball on are potted, only the ball on is scored unless it was a Red, when each ball potted is scored. The free ball is then spotted and the ball on remains off the table.
(f) If the offender is asked to play again, the free ball call becomes void.

[andyschurok]

I have a question about this post....

1) If in playing your shot, you strike the pink ball first, then it is a foul (because you chose to nominate the black as a free ball), 6 points away, and both balls are respotted.

2) If in playing your shot, you strike black first, or pink and black simultaneously, then the pink is a valid pot and you score 6 points. If, as a result, you remain 8 or more points behind your opponent, you will have lost the frame. However, if you are 7 or fewer points behind, or are level or in front, the black will be respotted. You will continue your visit (although if you are 8 or more points in front, there is no need to do so), with black as the ball on.


Here is the excerpt of the rules dealing with a free ball:

10. Snookered After a Foul
After a foul, if the cue-ball is snookered, the referee shall state FREE BALL (see Section 2, Rule 16).
(a) If the player next in turn elects to play the next stroke,
(i) he may nominate any ball as the ball on, and
(ii) any nominated ball shall be regarded as, and acquire the value of, the ball on except that, if potted, is shall then be spotted.
(b) It is a foul if the cue-ball should
(i) fail to hit the nominated ball first, or first simultaneously with the ball on, or
(ii) be snookered on all Reds, or the ball on, by the free ball thus nominated, except when the Pink and Black are the only object balls remaining on the table.
(c) If the free ball is potted, it is spotted and the value of the ball on is scored.
(d) If a ball on is potted, after the cue-ball struck the nominated ball first, or simultaneously with a ball on, the ball on is scored and remains off the table.
(e) If both the nominated ball and a ball on are potted, only the ball on is scored unless it was a Red, when each ball potted is scored. The free ball is then spotted and the ball on remains off the table.
(f) If the offender is asked to play again, the free ball call becomes void.

(i) fail to hit the nominated ball first, or first simultaneously with the ball on...

doesnt the ball on mean the pink... even if you nominate black?

[Belloz22]

rule fets more confusing the more you read it...

does anyone know any other exception to snooker rules, i.e. snookering behind black on free ball/

[davis_greatest]

I have a question about this post....




(i) fail to hit the nominated ball first, or first simultaneously with the ball on...

doesnt the ball on mean the pink... even if you nominate black?

Yes, it does mean that, in this case. That is why it is a foul if the cue ball fails either to hit the nominated ball (black) first or to hit the pink and black simultaneously.

I.e.
if the cue ball hits the black first, that is not a foul
if the cue ball hits the pink and black simulataneously, that is not a foul

if the cue ball hits the pink first, that IS a foul (because the black was nominated)
if the cue ball fails to hit either ball, that IS a foul

[Dave B]

Just to add to this thread - You can roll up behind a free ball at any stage in the frame so long as at least one ball on is not behind the free ball. For example if after a few shots 1 red went behind the yellow and all other reds were around pink and black and your opponent left you a free ball you could leagally declare the blue as a free ball and roll up behind it. If no reds had been potted then you would have snookered the player on 14 reds behind the blue but the remaining red (even though snookered) would not be behind the free ball and therefore OK.

[RaNeN]

Just to add to this thread - You can roll up behind a free ball at any stage in the frame so long as at least one ball on is not behind the free ball. For example if after a few shots 1 red went behind the yellow and all other reds were around pink and black and your opponent left you a free ball you could leagally declare the blue as a free ball and roll up behind it. If no reds had been potted then you would have snookered the player on 14 reds behind the blue but the remaining red (even though snookered) would not be behind the free ball and therefore OK.

Nice point! Never knew abt this nor did I ever think of this.

[RaNeN]

I still dont understand the answer to my question.

When the pink and black are left on the table and I get a free ball.I nominate the black and hit the black 1st which is a wild shot, end up potting both the pink and the black. Is this a foul? If not, What happens?

[The Statman]

I still dont understand the answer to my question.

When the pink and black are left on the table and I get a free ball.I nominate the black and hit the black 1st which is a wild shot, end up potting both the pink and the black. Is this a foul? If not, What happens?

As long as you hit the black (which you nominated) first, then if you pot EITHER ball it is a fair shot and six points are scored. If both go in, you still score six points, not 12.

If the pink is potted it stays down (so your next shot is on the black). Hard luck if you needed the points from the free ball as well as the 13 to win!

[Dave B]

As long as you hit the black (which you nominated) first, then if you pot EITHER ball it is a fair shot and six points are scored. If both go in, you still score six points, not 12.

If the pink is potted it stays down (so your next shot is on the black). Hard luck if you needed the points from the free ball as well as the 13 to win!

Absolutely correct

In any free ball situation you can pot the nominated ball and a ball on. When the free ball is on a red then then nominated ball and any red potted will count as 1pt each. Only when we get to the colours do you only get the value of the ball on. As in your question the pink is the ball on and because black was nominated as the free ball it has a value of 6pts for this shot. So by potting both balls only 6pts would be given and the black put back on its spot for the next shot.

[RaNeN]

Thank you, Statman. Its cleared now!