Live or Dead

[ZORRO]

I`m wondering if the ref would call a foul, if you touch one of the colours while placing the cue ball in the `D` after an In-off?
The table is `Live` in normal play, but is it `Dead` when you have cue ball in hand?

Just a thought.

`Z`

[SquaredCue]

Hi,

This is not a simple yes/no question. This is the relevant part of the official rules (Section 3 Rule 10 paragraph (j)):

If an object ball in play is disturbed by the striker
while the cue-ball is in-hand, the referee shall call
FOUL and the cue-ball will remain in-hand for the
next stroke, unless the foul is committed involving
the cue-ball while it is not in the striker’s possession.

In my understanding, if the white ball is resting on the table when the foul is committed, the white ball will not be in-hand for the next player. Obviously, if the white ball is in the player's hand when another ball is disturbed, the white ball will be in-hand for the next player, too.

[ZORRO]

That clears that up.
TY Csaba.

[Wizard]

Just need a clarify on this one. Question was if a colour was disturbed whilst placing white after an in-off. Surely the colours are therefore not "object" balls? I reckon the ref would just replace the colour on its spot in this instance.

[SquaredCue]

Hello Wizard,

I think the colours are indeed object balls. White is the cue ball and all other balls are object balls.

the ref would just replace the colour on its spot

Why would they? The disturbed object balls, according to the rules, stay where they come to rest unless they leave the bed of the table.

[Wizard]

My interpretation of the object ball (as in the objective) is the ball that is next to be hit (maybe I got that wrong). In this instance I would see a red as the object ball unless they have all been pocketed and therefore the player has not disturbed the object ball merely slipped up whilst replacing the white. I'll give you that one though as you would have a better grasp of the current rules than I do.

[SquaredCue]

Hi,

Although I don't know (and have never read) the official rules of other sports, I did read the snooker rules several times and I think it is a well constructed set of rules which cover most aspects of the game. For example, the rules don't leave space for individual interpretaion about what is an object ball at what is not:

Section 2, Rule 4:

4. Balls
(a) The White ball is the cue-ball.
(b) The 15 Reds and the 6 colours are the object balls.

I'm not saying the text of the official rules is perfect, there are still a few places where it could be improved or even corrected.

[Wizard]

Hi,

Although I don't know (and have never read) the official rules of other sports, I did read the snooker rules several times and I think it is a well constructed set of rules which cover most aspects of the game. For example, the rules don't leave space for individual interpretaion about what is an object ball at what is not:

Section 2, Rule 4:

4. Balls
(a) The White ball is the cue-ball.
(b) The 15 Reds and the 6 colours are the object balls.

I'm not saying the text of the official rules is perfect, there are still a few places where it could be improved or even corrected.

Granted mate and that's pretty much what I was saying. Open to interpretation as to what is the object ball in a particular circumstance. I have no examples to quote other than if I was playing someone else without a referee, I would probably allow them to put it back and call it an accident. Maybe being too kind but I can't see how a non-deliberate fumble of the cue ball should affect the game and for me it would only be fair to allow them to replace it and have a crack at the object ball which is in this circumstance is the red. Guess in this day and age you have to allow for it being a deliberate fumble which I find quite sad.