Snooker's Biggest Quiz

[davis_greatest]

Congratulations snookersfun! It is indeed possible to pot 32 balls in a frame and score only 32 points, while satisfying the requirements of the question!

So here is the table after round 339, excluding rounds 333 and 337 which remain open.

Pos. . . . . . . . Score . . . . . . Player
..1 . . . . . . . . . 44½. . . . . . . snookersfun
..2 . . . . . . . . . 23½. . . . . . . davis_greatest
..3 . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . . . attilahun
..4 . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . . . Lindea
..5 . . . . . . . . . 19 . . . . . . . . Monique
..6 . . . . . . . . . 19 . . . . . . . . Alex0paul
..7 . . . . . . . . . 18½. . . . . . . Robert602
..8 . . . . . . . . . 14⅓ . . . . . . . chasmmi
..9 . . . . . . . . . 14 . . . . . . . . Cessy143
10 . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . JPK123
11 . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . Cyril
12 . . . . . . . . . 12½. . . . . . . The Statman
13 . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . Mal
14 . . . . . . . . . 10½. . . . . . . Mitsuko
15 . . . . . . . . . 10 . . . . . . . . dantuck_7
16 . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . PaulTheSoave
17 . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . Marc
18 . . . . . . . . . . 7½. . . . . . . kellie-text
19 . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . April Madness
20 . . . . . . . . . . 6. . . . . . . crucible77
21 . . . . . . . . . . 5½. . . . . . . abextra
22 . . . . . . . . . . 5½. . . . . . . Ginger Freak
23 . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . hegeland
24 . . . . . . . . . . 41/2 . . . . . frameandfortunereturns
25 . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . semih_sayginer
26 . . . . . . . . . . 3½. . . . . . . rambon
27 . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . jon
28 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Odrl
29 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Valderie
30 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Ellena
31 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Obligation
32 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . berolina
33 . . . . . . . . . . 1½. . . . . . . jaguarf1
34 . . . . . . . . . . 1½. . . . . . . janverhaas
35 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Bongo
36 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Teresa
37 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Gingerale
38 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Shaggy365
39 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . pat39
40 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . JoanneT63
41 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . In-off
42 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . mcmanusrules
43 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Ronnieisthebest
44 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . aphex
45 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . t.lavery55
46 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . sunny3909

(A reminder that there are no tied positions – you move directly to the top of the list for your new score.)

ROUND THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVEN
...is still open?

ROUND THREE HUNDRED AND FORTY

If you have just one visit to the table during a frame, what is the highest break you can make yet still lose the frame (without conceding, forfeiting, retiring, being disqualified etc)?

[snookersfun]

Again, 32 is what I had in mind! snookersfun, please explain how to make these pots for the point!

hurray!

well, I would need an unbelievable number of free balls. 16 to be exact. Pot every red free ball together with a red (15x2 pots- 2 points each break) and then pot a free ball yellow together with the yellow (2 additional pots for 2 points).

[davis_greatest]

Again, 32 is what I had in mind! snookersfun, please explain how to make these pots for the point!

[snookersfun]

just a first idea:
32 balls

[davis_greatest]

ROUND THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINE

What is the greatest number of balls you can pot during a single frame of snooker, such that (i) at no point does the total number of points you have scored during your scoring visits exceed the number of balls you have potted; and (ii) whenever your opponent comes to the table, there are fewer balls remaining than there were at the start of his previous visit?

[Odrl]

Congratulations Odrl! That is the exact answer I had in mind! A break of 85 in 12 shots - averaging more than 7 points a stroke!

A very honourable mention to Monique, too, who had nearly all the shots there with a very good answer, but didn't quite go far enough.

I must admit that I wasn't thinking along those lines until I read Monique's solution. So all credit to her.

[davis_greatest]

Congratulations Odrl! That is the exact answer I had in mind! A break of 85 in 12 shots - averaging more than 7 points a stroke!

A very honourable mention to Monique, too, who had nearly all the shots there with a very good answer, but didn't quite go far enough.

So here is the table after round 338, excluding rounds 333 and 337 which remain open.

Pos. . . . . . . . Score . . . . . . Player
..1 . . . . . . . . . 43½. . . . . . . snookersfun
..2 . . . . . . . . . 23½. . . . . . . davis_greatest
..3 . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . . . attilahun
..4 . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . . . Lindea
..5 . . . . . . . . . 19 . . . . . . . . Monique
..6 . . . . . . . . . 19 . . . . . . . . Alex0paul
..7 . . . . . . . . . 18½. . . . . . . Robert602
..8 . . . . . . . . . 14⅓ . . . . . . . chasmmi
..9 . . . . . . . . . 14 . . . . . . . . Cessy143
10 . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . JPK123
11 . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . Cyril
12 . . . . . . . . . 12½. . . . . . . The Statman
13 . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . Mal
14 . . . . . . . . . 10½. . . . . . . Mitsuko
15 . . . . . . . . . 10 . . . . . . . . dantuck_7
16 . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . PaulTheSoave
17 . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . Marc
18 . . . . . . . . . . 7½. . . . . . . kellie-text
19 . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . April Madness
20 . . . . . . . . . . 6. . . . . . . crucible77
21 . . . . . . . . . . 5½. . . . . . . abextra
22 . . . . . . . . . . 5½. . . . . . . Ginger Freak
23 . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . hegeland
24 . . . . . . . . . . 41/2 . . . . . frameandfortunereturns
25 . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . semih_sayginer
26 . . . . . . . . . . 3½. . . . . . . rambon
27 . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . jon
28 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Odrl
29 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Valderie
30 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Ellena
31 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Obligation
32 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . berolina
33 . . . . . . . . . . 1½. . . . . . . jaguarf1
34 . . . . . . . . . . 1½. . . . . . . janverhaas
35 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Bongo
36 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Teresa
37 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Gingerale
38 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Shaggy365
39 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . pat39
40 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . JoanneT63
41 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . In-off
42 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . mcmanusrules
43 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Ronnieisthebest
44 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . aphex
45 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . t.lavery55
46 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . sunny3909

(A reminder that there are no tied positions – you move directly to the top of the list for your new score.)

ROUND THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVEN
...is still open by Bongo.

ROUND THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-NINE
... anyone?

[The Statman]

Ordl

Just come online and found you have given the exact answer I was about to post!

[Odrl]

Ok, I got 85.

Previously to the first relevant stroke, you had a free ball, potting it, then being called for a miss on the colour. You also conceded enough points, that the following clearance will result in a respotted black. You are then put back in, with a colour the ball on, and every red still on the table.

Shot 1: You pot the black, scoring 7 points.
Shot 2: You pot all reds, scoring 15 points.
Shot 3: You pot the black as the colour, scroing 7 points.
Shot 4-9: You pot the colours, scroing 27 points.
Shot 10: The scores are tied, and without your opponent getting a shot, you pot the respotted black, scoring 7 again.
Shot 11: You break off in the next frame, potting the reds, and scoring 15 points.
Shot 12: You pot the black, as the colour, scoring 7 points.

7+15+7+27(2,3,4,5,6,7)+7+15+7=85

[Odrl]

You said 12 consecutive strokes. Must it be just one break? Or can it be spanned over two frames?
if so it could be ...

16 reds (free ball and all reds in one shot), black, colours, respotted black --- 15 reds (one shot) , black, yellow ... for 16+7+27+7+15+7+2= 91

That would be quite something. You would need to have the break off in the 2nd frame, and pot every red off it. Still, it is theoretically possible.

Oh, it's 81 btw, not 91.

[Monique]

You said 12 consecutive strokes. Must it be just one break? Or can it be spanned over two frames?
if so it could be ...

16 reds (free ball and all reds in one shot), black, colours, respotted black --- 15 reds (one shot) , black, yellow ... for 16+7+27+7+15+7+2= 81

[davis_greatest]

70 is very good, but we can do better.

Actually, I should have added to the question (and would have, had it not been for the late hour), the first shot must also be your first shot of a break - if anything, that makes it slightly harder! But even with that addition, could still exceed 70.

[Monique]

I'd say 70 ... very unlikely situation I know but what about this?
You come at the table with a free ball and all reds still there but with a deficit of 63 points (all awarded on fouls). You pot the free ball (that's shot 0)

You then pot black (shot 1), 8 reds (in one shot) black, 7 reds (one shot), black, all colours, you tie, win the "draw" for the respotted black and pot it (doubling it in green pocket f.i.)
that's 15 (reds) + 21 (3 blacks) + 27 (colours) + 7 (respotted black)

[davis_greatest]

bongo, a reminder that you have had an answer to round 337 Maybe time to confirm if it is correct so we can move on ... pending which:

Round 338

How many points can you (theoretically) score unanswered in a snooker match with 12 consecutive strokes (with your opponent not getting a shot in between, nor forfeiting points in any other way, nor the referee making any errors)?

Edit (addition): the first shot must also be your first shot of a break (NB careful wording )

[The Statman]

Congratulations Monique. Walden is the lowest ranked player to beat O'Sullivan in a ranking final.

So here is the table after round 336, excluding round 333 which remains unanswered.

Pos. . . . . . . . Score . . . . . . Player
..1 . . . . . . . . . 43½. . . . . . . snookersfun
..2 . . . . . . . . . 23½. . . . . . . davis_greatest
..3 . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . . . attilahun
..4 . . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . . . Lindea
..5 . . . . . . . . . 19 . . . . . . . . Monique
..6 . . . . . . . . . 19 . . . . . . . . Alex0paul
..7 . . . . . . . . . 18½. . . . . . . Robert602
..8 . . . . . . . . . 14⅓ . . . . . . . chasmmi
..9 . . . . . . . . . 14 . . . . . . . . Cessy143
10 . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . JPK123
11 . . . . . . . . . 13 . . . . . . . . Cyril
12 . . . . . . . . . 12½. . . . . . . The Statman
13 . . . . . . . . . 12 . . . . . . . . Mal
14 . . . . . . . . . 10½. . . . . . . Mitsuko
15 . . . . . . . . . 10 . . . . . . . . dantuck_7
16 . . . . . . . . . . 9 . . . . . . . . PaulTheSoave
17 . . . . . . . . . . 8 . . . . . . . . Marc
18 . . . . . . . . . . 7½. . . . . . . kellie-text
19 . . . . . . . . . . 7 . . . . . . . . April Madness
20 . . . . . . . . . . 6. . . . . . . crucible77
21 . . . . . . . . . . 5½. . . . . . . abextra
22 . . . . . . . . . . 5½. . . . . . . Ginger Freak
23 . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . hegeland
24 . . . . . . . . . . 41/2 . . . . . frameandfortunereturns
25 . . . . . . . . . . 4 . . . . . . . . semih_sayginer
26 . . . . . . . . . . 3½. . . . . . . rambon
27 . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . jon
28 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Valderie
29 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Ellena
30 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . Obligation
31 . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . berolina
32 . . . . . . . . . . 1½. . . . . . . jaguarf1
33 . . . . . . . . . . 1½. . . . . . . janverhaas
34 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Bongo
35 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Teresa
36 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Gingerale
37 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Shaggy365
38 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Odrl
39 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . pat39
40 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . JoanneT63
41 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . In-off
42 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . mcmanusrules
43 . . . . . . . . . . 1 . . . . . . . . Ronnieisthebest
44 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . aphex
45 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . t.lavery55
46 . . . . . . . . . . . ½. . . . . . . sunny3909

(A reminder that there are no tied positions – you move directly to the top of the list for your new score.)

ROUND THREE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SEVEN

...is already open by Bongo.