114. Rule Scenarios - Free ball situations

As a follow up on the subject of Rule Scenarios, Barry talks further about the free ball situation. He also talks about the match referee and what happens when there is no official referee. To close, Barry poses a 'free ball' question which is answered in a following video.

[corallaroc]

Thank you for going back to the old intro music. :-) Also great video as always!

[domainadmin]

Thanks about clearing up 3:38 a similar situation caused a debate about if being angled was a free ball or not in my local snooker club

[JetPoweredCloud]

Great vid, Barry.
I definitely feel a lot of the more complex rules of Snooker require a good practical demonstration, sometimes
Thank you!

[nrpp]

147 likes, don't want to mess it up

[nimgee]

The rule was revised in 2019, and according to the 2019 version, the senario at 3:33 IS NOW A FREE BALL.

[lesmcqueen]

No free ball. A free ball is called prior to the next player placing the cue ball back in the D. As such, it must first be determined if the object ball can be hit from _somewhere_ in the D. The red can be struck full face from a specific spot in the D. Placing the cue ball directly below the red would allow both sides of the red to be hit relative to the cue ball position. The next player may or may not choose to play from that spot.

[supersnooker]

3:42 If white balls can see only half of the red Then the blue balls come to cover the red leaves. Is this a foul?

[robertconnell]

Another cracking video Barry, so clear & and easy to understand. I'm 46 & been playing since I was 10 & still not sure of all the rules. I t looks like a free ball but obviously there must be a catch. Merry Xmas.

[charlesscottkelly]

I would like to wish you and your camera man a merry Christmas and Happy new year, and thanks for your hard work in making your videos.
I will be working on a few of your videos over the holidays.
all the best.

[noelwilliams]

It should be a free ball. There is no specific point within the D that you are able to hit BOTH edges of the red. Even though you have the choice of being able to hit each extreme by positioning the cue ball, it is a free ball as both extremes cannot be hit from a single position.

[kristofhorvath]

What about the new rules (2019), where Section 2 Rule 17 (e) had been modified? The official explanatory says, "The Rule where the curved face of the cushion took priority over a ball not on in determining whether the cue-ball was snookered or not has been removed. The cue-ball can only be snookered by balls that are not on." In the video from 3:26, is the cue-ball snookered by the blue ball according to the new rules?

[kompot]

Hi Barry, thank you for clarifying the situation in 2:50 that I've asked about, appreciated!

[GeorgeAlexanderOz]

Actually, now I see a little problem. The target area at the object ball gets smaller when you spot the cue ball closer to it. This means, the "extreme edges" get closer to each other depending on the distance of the cue ball to the object ball.

Btw, that is related to the horizon problem in geometry, i.e. the question how far the horizon is from a certain altitude. If the player on is forced to place the cue ball on a spot that is not snookered, then there is a whole area close to the object ball where there is no snooker. Consequently, in that case there is no free ball.

However, the way the cue ball is spotted at about 06:10, there is no way to hit the extreme edges. That would be a free ball situation.

[seeyouthen]

Happy Christmaas Barry and thanks for all the Youtube tuition. Without reading any answers my answer is No it is not a free ball. In the same way it wouldn be a free ball if 4 reds were lined up and 2 colours at each end. Or if the reds were still clustered in the V formation. You are able to articulate it better than me though!.

[johnsrabe]

It’s all very clear if you remember the nominated ball in a free ball situation becomes red for that shot, and that you can only be snookered by a ball.

[oscarshrestha]

No Barry, in the 1995 updated rulebook, there's no angled so the blue is the ball which snookered the red in 3:44

[jshbontjer]

Nice video again, thanks...btw: your comment about „when no ref is available, the best way to approach it...“is not only the best way, but also the rule (of course you know this already😉)...maybe just for other fans who don’t: rule 3.19 c: When there is no referee, such as in a social game, the opposing player will be regarded as such for the purpose of these Rules.

[simrandeeppall]

Hi Barry, at 2:18 seconds if you nominate black as the free ball.
And if yellow goes along with red, isn't that a foul of 7 points instead of 4, can you please clarify.
As per my knowledge the foul is of the same number of points as the ball you nominate.
Please clarify...
Regards.
P.S: Big Fan of your videos.

[bishalbhaukajee]

suppose no reds remaining on the table and my opponent fouls and i get a freeball, yellow ball is hanging on the yellow pocket and I'm snookered behind the green ball so i nominate the green as freeball and plant yellow with the green however both yellow and green drops into the pocket. now my question is: does the yellow go back to its spot, i know the green does. and do i get 2pts or 4pts in that case?

[wickedpawn]

Barry, at 3:14, isn't it the opposite? you either play the shot yourself from the resulting position, or ask the opponent to replay the same shot again. Please clarify.