A little help/guidance required please.

[bluenose1940]

Can someone please explain to me, in basic english ideally, the rule that covers playing out of turn in doubles snooker.

We recently had our Handicap Doubles Final at our club and, a situation regarding playing out of turn arose that none of us had encountered before. This is something that has happened a number of times on the normal club evenings when games are totally informal and no-one really cares but, this latest occurrance came during the final when things are run much tighter, we even have a referee but that is usually a club member who is probably unaware of some of the more obscure rules anyway!

The situation arose when the game had reached the last six colours. The yellow was close to the blue spot and was duly potted, he was about to line up to pot the green when one of the opponents pointed out that he had played out of turn, this resulted in total chaos because despite referring to the rule book, none of them were sure that the rule was being interpreted correctly. Apparently they did get over it to everyone's satisfaction but, it would be nice if we knew exactly what should have happened,

Firstly, should it be the referee who spots the offence or, is it down to the players.

Secondly, should the yeloow have been replaced where it was before it was potted or does it go on its own spot?

Is the penalty 4 points but with a higher figure for blue, pink or black?

I have to say that I do find some of the rules pretty difficult to interpret. maybe it's an age thing!!!

Many thanks for any help.

[DeanH]

I don't do doubles that often anymore
but to me...

The foul can be brought to the notice of the referee by any player; if the referee had not noticed.
Once noticed, Foul and turn of the offending player ends.
Previous scores in that turn but not that final stroke will be condoned and awarded.
Penalty points 4 or value of ball on; in this case the Yellow, so four penalty points.
Yellow is spotted as it was pocketed in the stroke the foul occurred/noticed (if a Red, that stays off the table and Red is ball on).
Yellow is ball on.
Turn reverts to the non-offending pair, with the original order maintained. (The non-offending player who would have followed the correct opponent who should have played).

If snookered, the usual Snookered After A Foul options apply.

[Londonlad147]

As ever Dean is correct, but I would add a couple of points.

For clarity, points can never be gained for strokes during which a foul occurs, so as Dean says, if there was a break and then the mistake in order of play was spotted mid break, then the points awarded for those previous shots in the break would stand, but not for the yellow. It follows that no colour can ever stay pocketed in a stroke where a foul is committed, because a pot is defined as a legal potting of an object ball.

Again, as dean says, the original order is maintained once the foul is called, but the next player, if he chooses to put the offending side back in, the striker will be the player who played out of turn. So, if the original order is ABCD but at some point it is found to be ABA then D will have the choice as to whether to play or put A back in to play (and he'd be followed by B).