The Rules of Snooker

Object of The Game

The object of the game is to score more points than the opponent by potting object balls in a predefined order. At the start of a frame, the balls are positioned as shown and the players take it in turns to hit a shot in a single strike from the tip of the cue, their aim being to pot one of the red balls and score a point. If they do pot at least one red, then it remains in the pocket and they are allowed another shot - this time the aim being to pot one of the colours. If successful, then they gain the value of the colour potted. It is returned to its correct position on the table and they must try to pot another red again. This process continues until they fail to pot the desired ball, at which point their opponent comes back to the table to play the next shot. The game continues in this manner until all the reds are potted and only the 6 colours are left on the table; at that point the aim is then to pot the colours in the order yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black. When a colour is potted in this phase of a frame, it remains off the table. When the final ball is potted, the player with the most points wins.

Points may also be scored in a game when a player's opponent fouls. A foul can occur for numerous reasons, such as hitting a colour first when the player was attempting to hit a red, potting the cue ball, or failing to escape from "a snooker" (a situation where the previous player finished their turn leaving the cue ball in a position where the object ball cannot be hit directly). Points gained from a foul vary from a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 7 if the black ball is involved.

One game, from the balls in their starting position until the last ball is potted, is called a frame. A match generally consists of a predefined number of frames and the player who wins the most frames wins the match overall. Most professional matches require a player to win five frames, and are called 'Best of Nine' as that is the maximum possible number of frames. Tournament finals are usually best of 17 or best of 19, while the World Championship uses longer matches - ranging from best of 19 in the qualifiers and the first round proper, up to 35 frames in length (first to 18), and is played over two days.

Professional and competitive amateur matches are officiated by a referee who is the sole judge of fair play. The referee also respots the colours on to the table and calls out how many points the player has scored during a break. Professional players usually play the game in a sporting manner, declaring fouls the referee has missed, acknowledging good shots from their opponent, or holding up a hand to apologise for fortunate shots.

An extended spider, which can be used to bridge over balls obstructing a shot that is too far away to be bridged by hand

Other terminology used in snooker includes a player's break, which refers to the total number of consecutive points a player has amassed (excluding fouls) when at one visit to the table. A player attaining a break of 15, for example, could have reached it by potting a red then a black, then a red then a pink, before failing to pot the next red. The traditional maximum break in snooker is to pot all reds with blacks then all colours, which would yield 147 points; this is often known as a "147" or a "maximum".

Rules of the Game

• A legally potted ball entitles the striker to continue at the table until he fails to legally pot a ball.
• On all shots, the striker must comply with the appropriate requirements of Rules of Play 5 and 6. It is not necessary to cause the cue ball or an object ball to contact a cushion or drop in a pocket after the cue ball has contacted a legal object ball (ball on). Failure to contact a legal object ball first is a foul.
• As long as reds are on the table, the incoming striker (player taking his first stroke of an inning) always has a red as his legal object ball (ball on).
• Any red balls potted on a legal shot are legally potted balls; the striker need not call any particular red ball(s), pocket(s) or details of how the pot will be played.
• When the striker has a red ball as his "ball on" (legal object ball), he must cause the cue ball's first contact to be with a red ball. Failure to do so is a foul (See Penalties For Fouls)
• After the striker has scored a red ball initially, his next legal object is a colour, and as long as reds remain on the table he must alternate his play between reds and colours (though within each group he may play a ball of his choice). When reds remain on the table and a colour is his object, the striker must (a) designate prior to stroking which colour ball is his object (that specific colour is then his "ball on"), and (b) cause the cue ball's first contact with a ball to be with that coloured ball. If the striker fails to meet these requirements, it is a foul.
• If the striker's ball on is a red, and he pots a colour, it is a foul.
• If the striker's ball on is a colour, and he pots any other ball, it is a foul.
• Jump shots are illegal in International Snooker. It is a foul if the striker intentionally causes the cue ball to jump (rise from the bed of the table) by any means, if the jump is an effort to clear an obstructing ball.
• While reds remain on the table, each potted colour is spotted prior to the next stroke (see Spotting Balls below for spotting rules). After a colour has been spotted, if the striker plays while that ball is incorrectly spotted (and opponent or referee calls it before two such plays have been taken), the shot taken is a foul. If the striker plays two strokes after such error without its being announced by opponent or referee, he is free of penalty and continues playing and scoring normally as though the spotting error simply had not occurred. The striker is responsible for ensuring that all balls are correctly spotted before striking. If the striker plays while a ball(s) that should be on the table is not a foul may be awarded whenever the foul is discovered during the striker's inning. Any scoring prior to the discovery of the foul will count.
• When no reds remain on the table, striker's balls on become the colours, in ascending numerical order (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7). These legally potted colours are not spotted after each is potted; they remain off the table. (The black (7) ball is an exception in the case of a tie score; see Scoring.)
• Illegally Potted Ball: Reds illegally potted are not spotted; they remain off the table. Colours illegally potted are spotted.
• Object Balls Jumped off the Table: Reds jumped off the table are not spotted and the striker has committed a foul. Colours jumped off the table are spotted and the striker has committed a foul. (See Penalties For Fouls)
• Spotting Balls: Reds are never spotted. Colours to be spotted are placed as at the start of the game. If a colour’s spot is occupied (to mean that to spot it would make it touch a ball), it is placed on the spot of the highest value colour that is unoccupied. If all spots are occupied, the colour is spotted as close as possible to its original spot on a straight line between its spot and the nearest point on the top (foot) cushion.
• Cue Ball after Jumping off the Table: Incoming player has cue ball in hand within the Half Circle. When cue ball is in hand within the Half Circle (except the opening break), there is no restriction (based on position of reds or colours) as to what balls may be played; striker may play at any ball on regardless of where it is on the table.
• Touching a Ball: While balls are in play it is a foul if the striker touches any object ball or if the striker touches the cue ball with anything other than the tip during a legal stroke.
• Snookered: The cue ball is snookered when a direct stroke in a straight line to any part of every ball on is obstructed by a ball or balls not on. If there is any one ball that is not so obstructed, the cue ball is not snookered. If in-hand within the Half Circle, the cue ball is snookered only if obstructed from all positions on or within the Half Circle. If the cue ball is obstructed by more than one ball, the one nearest to the cue ball is the effective snookering ball.
• Angled: The cue ball is angled when a direct stroke in a straight line to any part of every ball on is obstructed by a corner of the cushion. If there is any one ball on that is not so obstructed, the cue ball is not angled. If angled after a foul the referee or player will state "Angled Ball", and the striker has the choice to either (1) play from that position or (2) play from in hand within the Half Circle.
• Occupied: A spot is said to be occupied if a ball cannot be placed on it without it’s touching another ball.
• Touching Ball: If the cue ball is touching another ball which is, or can be, on, the referee or player shall state "Touching Ball." Thereafter the striker must play away from it or it is a push stroke (foul). No penalty is incurred for thus playing away if (1) the ball is not on; the ball is on and the striker nominates such ball; or (3) the ball is on and the striker nominates, and first hits, another ball. [If the referee considers that a touching ball has moved through an agency other than the player, it is not a foul.]
• Push Stroke: A push stroke is a foul and is made when the tip of the cue remains in contact with the cue ball (1) when the cue ball makes contact with the object ball, or (2) after the cue ball has commenced its forward motion. Provided that where the cue ball and an object ball are almost touching, it shall be deemed a legal stroke if the cue ball hits the finest possible edge of the object ball.
• Miss: The striker shall to the best of his ability endeavour to hit the ball on. If the referee considers the rule infringed he shall call foul and a "miss." The incoming player (1) may play the ball(s) as they lie, or (2) may request that the ball(s) be returned to the original position and have the offending player play the stroke again. Note: if the ball on cannot possibly be hit, the striker is judged to be attempting to hit the ball on.
• Free Ball: After a foul, if the cue ball is snookered, the referee or player shall state "Free Ball." If the non-offending layer takes the next stroke he may nominate any ball as on. For this stroke, such ball shall be regarded as, and acquire the value of, the ball on. It is a foul should the cue ball fail to first hit, or - except when only the pink and black remain on the table - be snookered by, the free ball. If the "free ball" is potted, is spotted, and the value of the ball on is scored. If the ball on is potted it is scored. If both the "free ball" and the ball on are potted, only the value of the ball on is scored.

Fouls

If a foul is committed:

• the player who committed the foul incurs the penalty prescribed (which is added to the opponent's score), and has to play again if requested by the next player. Once such a request has been made it cannot be withdrawn.
• should more than one foul be committed in the same stroke the highest value penalty shall be incurred.
• any ball improperly spotted shall remain where positioned, except that if off the table it shall be correctly spotted.

Penalties for Fouls

The following are fouls and incur a penalty of four points or the higher one prescribed: value of the ball on -

• by striking:
  • when the balls are still moving from the previous shot.
  • the cue ball more than once (double hit).
  • without at least one foot on the floor.
  • out of turn.
  • improperly from in hand within the Half Circle.
• by causing:
  • the cue ball to miss all object balls.
  • the cue ball to enter a pocket.
  • a snooker with free ball.
  • a jump shot.

value of the ball on or ball concerned -

• by causing:
  • a ball not on to enter a pocket.
  • the cue ball to first hit a ball not on.
  • a push stroke.
  • by striking with a ball not correctly spotted.
  • by touching a ball with other than the tip of the cue
  • by forcing a ball off the table.
• value of the ball on or higher value of the two balls by causing the cue ball to hit simultaneously two balls other than two reds or a "free ball" and the ball on.

penalty of seven points is incurred if -

• the striker
  • after potting a red commits a foul before nominating a colour.
  • uses a ball off the table for any purpose.
  • plays at reds in successive strokes.
  • uses as the cue ball any ball other than the white one.