Foul and a Miss

Section 3 -

Snooker 14. Foul and a Miss

(a) The striker shall, to the best of his ability, endeavour to hit the ball on or a ball that could be on after a Red has been potted. If the referee considers the Rule infringed, he shall call FOUL AND A MISS unless:

(i) any player needed penalty points before, or as a result of, the stroke being played;

(ii) before or after the stroke, the points available on the table are equal to the points difference excluding the value of the re-spotted black; and the referee is satisfied that the miss was not intentional.

(iii) a situation exists where it is impossible to hit the ball on. In the latter case it must be assumed the striker is attempting to hit the ball on provided that he plays, directly or indirectly, at the ball on with sufficient strength, in the referee‟s opinion, to have reached the ball on but for the obstructing ball or balls.

(b) After a FOUL AND A MISS has been called, the next player may request the offender to play again from the position left, or at his discretion, from the original position, with all balls being replaced, in which latter case the ball on shall be the same as it was prior to the last stroke made, namely:

(i) Any Red, where Red was the ball on;

(ii) the colour on, where all Reds were off the table; or

(iii) a colour of the striker’s choice, where the ball on was a colour after a Red had been potted.

(c) If the striker, in making a stroke, fails to first hit a ball on when there is a clear path in a straight line from the cue-ball to any part of any ball that is or could be on, the referee shall always call FOUL AND A MISS unless as described under paragraph (a)(i) and (a)(ii).

(d) After a miss has been called under paragraph (c) above when there was a clear path in a straight line from the cue-ball to a ball that was on or could have been on, such that central, full ball, contact was available (in the case of Reds, this to be taken as a full diameter of any Red that is not obstructed by a colour), then:

(i) a further failure to first hit a ball on in making a stroke from the original position shall be called as a FOUL AND A MISS regardless of the difference in scores;

(ii) if asked to play again from the original position, the offender shall be warned by the referee that a third failure will result in the frame being awarded to his opponent; and Section 3 - Snooker

(iii) if asked to play from the position left, the FOUL AND A MISS situation starts again.

(e) After the cue-ball has been replaced under this Rule, and the striker fouls any ball, including the cue-ball while preparing to play a stroke, a miss will not be called if a stroke has not been played. In this case the appropriate penalty will be imposed. The next player may then elect to play himself or ask the offender to play again from the position left or the original position. If being asked to play again, the ball on shall be the same as prior to the last stroke made, namely:

(i) any Red, where Red was the ball on;

(ii) the colour on, where all Reds were off the table; or

(iii) a colour of the striker’s choice, where the ball on was a colour after a Red had been potted; If the above situation arises during a sequence of miss calls as described under paragraph (d), any warning concerning the possible awarding of the frame to his opponent shall remain in effect.

(f) When any ball is being replaced after a miss, both the offender and the next player will be consulted as to its position, after which the referee‟s decision shall be final.

(g) During such consultation, if either player should touch any ball in play, he shall be penalised as if he were the striker, without affecting the order of play. The ball touched shall be replaced by the referee, to his satisfaction, even if it was picked up, Section 3. 10 (d) (iii).