Is this illegal?

Genghis

Reading the thread about the freeball on the yellow, it got me thinking of a professional foul that I think might exist in the game.

Here's the scenario.

You are 31 points up, two reds to go. You pot one of the final reds, and knock the other over a pocket. Unfortunately, the white finishes in an awkward position, and you don't have good position on any of the colours. Now 32 points up (with a possible 35 on the table), you need to pot any colour from brown up to secure the frame.

With the final red over the pocket, you could play safe, but there is always the chance that your opponent will be able to pot the red over the pocket - even if snookered. If he pots this, and either the blue, pink or black, then clears up, you have lost the frame.

Looking at the score board you realise that with 32 points up, you could afford to pot the final red in place of a colour, forfeit a 4-point foul and still be in a better position afterwards. The red cannot be replaced, but can a freeball be called? Technically, the next ball that is 'on' is the yellow, so if you make sure that you leave the white ball so that it can see both sides of it, then it is not a freeball situation.

By fouling you have improved your position. Is this legal?

Duiske

Genghis wrote:

Reading the thread about the freeball on the yellow, it got me thinking of a professional foul that I think might exist in the game.

Here's the scenario.

You are 31 points up, two reds to go. You pot one of the final reds, and knock the other over a pocket. Unfortunately, the white finishes in an awkward position, and you don't have good position on any of the colours. Now 32 points up (with a possible 35 on the table), you need to pot any colour from brown up to secure the frame.

With the final red over the pocket, you could play safe, but there is always the chance that your opponent will be able to pot the red over the pocket - even if snookered. If he pots this, and either the blue, pink or black, then clears up, you have lost the frame.

Looking at the score board you realise that with 32 points up, you could afford to pot the final red in place of a colour, forfeit a 4-point foul and still be in a better position afterwards. The red cannot be replaced, but can a freeball be called? Technically, the next ball that is 'on' is the yellow, so if you make sure that you leave the white ball so that it can see both sides of it, then it is not a freeball situation.

By fouling you have improved your position. Is this legal?

That would come under the "Foul Miss" rule and the red and white would just be replaced in their original position.

padser

Duiske_Lad wrote:

That would come under the "Foul Miss" rule and the red and white would just be replaced in their original position.

However if you changed the senario slightly.

Highly improbable I know, but the red is again just over the pocket, you realise from the way the balls are positioned (two colours on either side of red but a path through to it) that the only shot you can play to avoid going in off is to screw straight back, but this will leave you snookered (v tough to get out of, possibly 2/3 misses first) on the yellow. Now you are 31 points in front. Giving away 4 points for going in after potting red will leave you safe.
Can the miss rule be called if you go in after potting the ball (or indeed after hitting it)???

Duiske

padser wrote:

However if you changed the senario slightly.

Highly improbable I know, but the red is again just over the pocket, you realise from the way the balls are positioned (two colours on either side of red but a path through to it) that the only shot you can play to avoid going in off is to screw straight back, but this will leave you snookered (v tough to get out of, possibly 2/3 misses first) on the yellow. Now you are 31 points in front. Giving away 4 points for going in after potting red will leave you safe.
Can the miss rule be called if you go in after potting the ball (or indeed after hitting it)???

Different to the other scenario in that you are actually trying for the red rather that potting it out of order. You would probably get away with something like that down the local club, but i'm sure a professional ref would spot it. A ref can call a miss on any foul if he thinks its deliberate