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Rules & Regulations |
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| SECTION 2 - Definitions |
| 1. Frame |
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A frame of snooker comprises the period of the play from the first stroke,
with all the balls set as described in Section 3 Rule 2, until the frame is
completed by: |
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(a) |
concession by any player during his turn, |
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(b) |
claim by the striker when only the Black remains and there is more than
seven points difference between the scores in his favor, |
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(c) |
the final pot or foul when only the Black remains, or |
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(d) |
being awarded by the referee under Section 3 Rule 4(d), Rule 14(c), or Section 4
Rule 2. |
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| 2. Game |
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A game is an agreed or stipulated number of frames. |
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| 3. Match |
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A match is an agreed or stipulated number of games. |
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| 4. Balls |
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(a) |
The White ball is the cue-ball. |
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(b) |
The 15 Reds and the 6 colors are the object balls. |
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| 5. Striker And Turn |
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The person about to play or in play is the striker and remains so until the final stroke,
or foul, of his turn is complete and the referee is satisfied that he has finally left
the table. If a non-striker comes to the table, out of turn, he shall be considered as
the striker for any foul he may commit before leaving the table. When the referee is
satisfied that the above conditions have been met, the incoming striker's turn begins.
His turn and his right to play another stroke ends when: |
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(a) |
he fails to score from a stroke; or |
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(b) |
he commits a foul; or |
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(c) |
he requests the opponent to play again after his opponent has committed a foul. |
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| 6. Stroke |
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(a) |
A stroke is made when the striker strikes the cue-ball with the tip of the cue, except whilst addressing the cue-ball (known as feathering). |
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(b) |
A stroke is fair when no infringement of Rule is made. |
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(c) |
A stroke is not completed until:
(i) all balls have come to rest;
(ii) the striker has stood up, in readiness for a succeeding stroke, or leaving the table;
(iii) any equipment being used by the striker has been removed from a hazardous position; and
(iv) the referee has called any score relevant to the stroke. |
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(d) |
A stroke may be made directly or indirectly, thus:
(i) a stroke is direct when the cue-ball strikes an object ball without first striking a cushion;
(ii) a stroke is indirect when the cue-ball strikes one or more cushions before striking an object ball. |
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(e) |
Following the final stroke of the opponent's turn, if an incoming player plays a
stroke/strikes the cue-ball before the balls have come to rest, he shall be penalized as
if he were the striker, and his visit to the table shall end. |
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| 7. Pot |
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A pot is when an object ball, after contact with another ball and without any
infringement of these Rules, enters a pocket. Causing a ball to be potted is
known as potting. |
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| 8. Break |
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A break is a number of pots in successive strokes made in any one turn by a player
during a frame. |
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| 9. In-hand |
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(a) |
The cue-ball is In-hand
(i) before the start of each frame,
(ii) when it has entered a pocket, or
(iii) when it has been forced off the table.
(iv) when it has been asked to be played from in-hand under Section 3 Rule 14(i) |
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(b) |
It remains In-hand until
(i) it is played fairly from In-hand, or
(ii) a foul is committed whilst the ball is on the table |
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(c) |
The striker is said to be In-hand when the cue-ball is In-hand as above. |
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| 10. Ball In Play |
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(a) |
The cue-ball is in play when it is not In-hand. |
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(b) |
Object balls are in play from the start of the frame until pocketed or forced off
the table. |
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(c) |
Colors become in play again when re-spotted. |
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| 11. Ball On |
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Any ball which may be lawfully struck by the first impact of the cue-ball, or any
ball which may not be so struck but which may be potted, is said to be on. |
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| 12. Ball In Play |
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(a) |
A nominated ball is the object ball which the striker declares, or indicates to
the satisfaction of the referee, he undertakes to hit with the first impact of
the cue-ball. |
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(b) |
If requested by the referee, the striker must declare which ball he is on. |
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| 13. Free Ball |
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A free ball is a ball, other than the ball on, which the striker nominates as the ball on when snookered after a foul (see Section 3 Rule 12). |
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| 14. Forced Off The Table |
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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(g). |
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| 15. Foul |
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A foul is any infringement of these Rules. |
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| 16. Snookered |
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The cue-ball is said to be snookered when a direct stroke in a straight line to
every ball on is wholly or partially obstructed by a ball or balls not on. If
one or more balls on can be struck at both extreme edges free of obstruction by
any ball not on, the cue-ball is not snookered. |
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(a) |
If In-hand, the cue-ball is snookered if it is obstructed as described above from
all possible positions on or within the lines of the "D". |
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(b) |
If the cue-ball is so obstructed from hitting a ball on by more than one ball not
on
(i) the ball nearest to the cue-ball is considered to be the effective snookering
ball, and
(ii) should more than one obstructing ball be equidistant from the cue-ball, all
such balls will be considered to be effective snookering balls. |
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(c) |
When Red is the ball on, if the cue-ball is obstructed from hitting different Reds
by different balls not on, there is no effective snookering ball. |
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(d) |
The striker is said to be snookered when the cue-ball is snookered as above |
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(e) |
The cue-ball cannot be snookered by a cushion. If the curved face of a cushion
obstructs the cue-ball and is closer to the cue-ball than any obstructing ball
not on, the cue-ball is not snookered. |
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| 17. Spot Occupied |
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A spot is said to be occupied if a ball cannot be placed on it without that ball
touching another ball. |
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| 18. Push Stroke |
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A push stroke is made when the tip of the cue remains in contact with the cue-ball |
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(a) |
after the cue-ball has commenced its forward motion, or |
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(b) |
as the cue-ball makes contact with an object ball except, where the cue-ball and an
object ball are almost touching, it shall not be deemed a push stroke if the
cue-ball hits a very fine edge of the object ball. |
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| 19. Jump Shot |
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A jump shot is made when the cue-ball passes over any part of an object ball,
whether touching it in the process or not, except: |
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(a) |
when the cue-ball first strikes one object ball and then jumps over another ball, |
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(b) |
when the cue-ball jumps and strikes an object ball, but does not land on the far
side of that ball, |
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(c) |
when, after striking an object ball lawfully, the cue-ball jumps over that ball
after hitting a cushion or another ball. |
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| 20. Miss |
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A miss is when the cue-ball fails to first contact a ball on and the referee
considers that the striker has not made a good enough attempt to hit a ball on. |
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The official rules of snooker are copyright of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
Revised August 2014. |
