| Posted on 22nd December by James Blaize-Smith of Milton Keynes |
I have been told by a friend that if you pot the yellow for example and the yellow spot
is unavailable, the yellow is placed on the highest available spot. I have always used
the rule 'next' highest available spot. e.g. you have potted the yellow, the yellow spot
is unavailable, but the green and black spot are available.
Which spot does it go on ? Green or black ?
|
Your friend is correct.
In the example you give the yellow would be placed on the black spot.
|
| Posted on 16th December by K Rattu of Smethwick |
I've recently purchased a 9 x 4.5 foot snooker table and am considering buying a new
set of balls. What is the ideal size of ball that I should purchase for a table of this size ?
|
The ball size is determined by the height of the cushion from the bed of the table, and
not by the size of the table itself. Indeed many undersized tables are manufactured to
use the same sized balls that are used on the 12ft table.
If the wrong size is used then they will either jump every time they strike the cushion
or they will tend to get trapped underneath it. If the set you are currently using react
in neither of these ways then you can be sure you are already using the correct size.
If so you will simply need to measure them to know which size to order.
|
| Posted on 9th December by Noel Ridge of Galway, Ireland |
Can you tell me if the miss rule applies to amateur snooker and if so
is it only in ranking tournaments or does it now apply to all games ?
If the miss rule is being used is it only allowed if the match is being refereed ?
|
The miss rule has applied to all players since 1995 so now obviously applies
to all games. If the match is not being refereed, you must remember that
the players involved must then referee each other, and for this reason I
strongly recommend that you aquire a copy of the current rule book - it
will save many arguments if you have it with you.
You can order the rule books from the English Association for Snooker and
Billiards. Follow this link, which will take you to their "Merchandise" section
Towards the bottom of that page you will find a link that will take you to an
order form that you can print off to send with your cheque or postal order.
|
| Posted on 17th November by Philip Fewkes of Nottingham |
What is the smallest possible winning score at snooker after all
the balls have been potted, regardless of how unlikely it may be ?
|
The smallest possible winning score would be 16 - 15.
To make this possible the fifteen reds need to be potted but not scored. This
is the 'unlikely' part of your question, but could be achieved by a player going
in-off the break, but striking the pack of reds so hard that he potted them all.
This would give no score for the reds and a 4 point penalty for the foul.
This leaves the six colours to be accounted for. These 27 points would need to be
shared between the two players, and this is one of the ways they could be potted.
Break Shot
Yellow
Green
Brown
Pink
Total Score
|
Player A
0
2
3
4
6
15
|
Player B
4
5
7
16
|
Penalty Received
Blue
Black
Total Score
|
|
| Posted on 17th November by Barney of Norwich |
A question from the "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" program on the 3rd November 2001.
When only the "colours" remain in a frame of snooker, which ball should be potted
immediately after the green. They gave the correct answer as "brown" out of 4
possible options: A yellow, B brown, C blue, D pink.
Is this correct as if the yellow is one of the colours it must be potted before the brown.
|
Yes, the yellow is one of the colours, but it is the first to be potted when no reds
remain. The correct sequence for potting the six colours is yellow, green, brown,
blue, pink and black.
So the yellow first, then green - and immediately after the green - the brown.
|
| Posted on 9th November by Kevin Eaton of Staplehurst |
What is the best method to play a shot off the cushion. If the white is flush with the
cushion how can you be accurate and safe.
|
The secret to playing off the cushion successfully is to make the
stroke as simple as you can.
Only the top of the cue-ball can be struck, and attempting to play
side will normally guarantee failure except for the very best players.
Control the positional side of the stroke by strength alone and make
sure that the centre of the tip is directly underneath the highest point of the cue-ball.
With each forward movement that you make with your cue before playing the shot, take
the tip of the cue right up to the edge of the cushion, and if you need to, alter your
bridge slightly to allow the cue to pass beyond the cushion edge without touching it.
Concentrate on this with each forward movement until you feel comfortable, you may
find that you need to grip the butt of the cue a little further up than for a normal shot.
When you are sure you can strike the cue-ball accurately look up to the object-ball to
confirm you are still aiming correctly, and then play the shot - a shorter backswing of
the cue can also improve a straighter follow-through.
|
| Posted on 27th October by Oliver Golding of London |
If the white is potted, can the player who is next to play get a free ball by cunning
placing of the white in the "D" when a red might otherwise have been fully visible from
elsewhere in the D.
|
|
The answer is no. If the incoming player decides to play
the shot himself then, if such a position exists, he must
place the cue-ball in a position from which a clear shot
can be played to both extreme edges of a ball that is on.
Imagine the two reds in the top diagram are the only ones
that remain. Even in this example a free ball would not be
given. The lower diagram clearly shows that the cue-ball
can be placed in a position that does allow a clear shot to
be played at either extreme edge of the red.
With the cue-ball placed so close to the red the player can
play in the direction A or B, without the yellow or brown
preventing the shot being played.
|
|
| Posted on 20th October by Michael Jackson of Nottingham |
I played my shot and the white stopped very near to a pocket without dropping in.
I moved away from the table and my partner approached the table preparing to take
his shot. Whilst deciding how to play his shot the white ball dropped into the pocket
without being touched. Who loses the points for the foul and why ?
|
You may be wrong in your assumption that this was a foul stroke. If an experienced
referee had been in control of this frame then his decision would have been based
on the length of time that elapsed between the cue-ball coming to a stop, and the
moment when it fell into the pocket.
If he considered all forward motion of the cue-ball had stopped before it fell into the
pocket, he would not call a foul, and the cue-ball would be replaced into the position
it had occupied.
The number of seconds that the cue-ball would need to remain on the edge before
falling is not stated, and the referee would have to make the decision. As a general
rule you could probably assume that if it stayed on the edge for two seconds or less
it would be considered a foul; three seconds or more it would not be a foul and would
be replaced.
|
| Posted on 13th October by Amanda Hockley of South Petherton |
I have a couple of Burroughs & Watts Snooker Plus balls, orange and purple,
in their box and allegedly dating back to pre 1906 which seems feasible from
the history of their owner.
I would be interested to know a bit more of their history such as who truly
invented the game and why it was dropped, I understand it was to give
a higher break than 147 but that's about all.
|
Joe Davis invented the game but it's far more recent than you suggest, he introduced
it to the public on October 26th 1959 during the News of the World Tournament.
He invented the game as he thought snooker was dying as a public entertainment,
and hoped this new variation that allowed greater chances for break-building and
a higher maximum of 210 would help to revive the game.
It was dropped simply because it never really took off. Those who played the game
found the "normal" version couldn't really be improved. As with all novelties it had a
brief period of popularity before fading into obscurity.
See also the reply given to a similar question received in March.
|
