Few Rules Clarification!

[_Harry_Potter_]

I was watching Ronnie vs Ding 2007 Masters Final today and there were few rules I was really not sure about. Just wondering if snooker community can put some light on it.

1. Ball Re-Spot:
In one of the frame, black ball was potted but all the colors positions were occupied. Ideally, if all the color spots are occupied then ball should be placed as close as possible to the top cushion from its spot but the referee placed the black just below the pink ball..not sure why this happened.

2. Foul & Miss:
Need some details on this. In which situation this rule applies? In one of the frame, safety play was going on and Ronnie tried to nudge the red bunch gently but missed the touch - here there were few others risky red visible so in case I understand why referee called it Foul & Miss. But in frame 7, Ding snookered Ronnie just behind black and only pink was available. The white was entirely hidden behind black and pink was not visible at all. Here again Ronnie tried to hit pink but missed so its a foul but why is it a miss?

3. Free Ball Rule:
Need some details on this. In which situation this rule applies?

[DeanH]

I was watching Ronnie vs Ding 2007 Masters Final today and there were few rules I was really not sure about. Just wondering if snooker community can put some light on it.

1. Ball Re-Spot:
In one of the frame, black ball was potted but all the colors positions were occupied. Ideally, if all the color spots are occupied then ball should be placed as close as possible to the top cushion from its spot but the referee placed the black just below the pink ball..not sure why this happened.

You are correct, if the ball's spot is occupied and all the other spots are occupied then it goes along the perpendicular line from the top (black cushion) to the spot and as close as possible to its spot without touching any other ball.
If that area is crowded, then you go the other side of the spot (still on the perpendicular line) and as close to the spot.
Which frame was this situation?
Maybe there was so much crowding by reds that the closest to the sport was a position that was actually reall yclose to the pink.

2. Foul & Miss:
Need some details on this. In which situation this rule applies? In one of the frame, safety play was going on and Ronnie tried to nudge the red bunch gently but missed the touch - here there were few others risky red visible so in case I understand why referee called it Foul & Miss. But in frame 7, Ding snookered Ronnie just behind black and only pink was available. The white was entirely hidden behind black and pink was not visible at all. Here again Ronnie tried to hit pink but missed so its a foul but why is it a miss?

Remember the first line of the Foul and a Miss rule states that a player must "play to the best of their ability", so even if no part of any ball on is visible, the referee can call a miss if he believes the player did not play the shot to their ability, so a Miss is called.

3. Free Ball Rule:
Need some details on this. In which situation this rule applies?

For a great explanation on how to judge a free ball (and then link to part 2 "what you can do with a free ball") see
http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...f-you-have-one

[nst]

On a phone, so I'll keep reply brief. Foul and a miss technically has nothing to do with whether or not you can see reds.

Not sure what OP means by "situation the rule applies". Dean's link probably works just not sure if there is more to the qn

[DeanH]

On a phone, so I'll keep reply brief. Foul and a miss technically has nothing to do with whether or not you can see reds.

"ball on" not just reds

Not sure what OP means by "situation the rule applies". Dean's link probably works just not sure if there is more to the qn

I have the feeling that English is not OP's first language, so went by the "essence" of the questions; I will add a bit more to Qn 3. see below

[DeanH]

3. Free Ball Rule:
Need some details on this. In which situation this rule applies?

The situation is when you are snookered after a foul and the Rule sec 3.12 "Snookered after a Foul" applies, and one of the options is that you can nominate a Free Ball.
The link in the above post goes into brilliant detail of what can happen if this choice is taken.
If you don't want to play a Free Ball you can ask the opponent, the offending player, to play again. They do not get the Free Ball option.