SECTION 2 DEFINITIONS

Standard definitions used throughout these Rules are italicised.

1. Frame

A frame of snooker comprises the period of play from the start (see Section 3 Rule 3(c)), each player playing in turn until the frame is completed by:

  1. an accepted concession by any player; or

  2. a claim by the striker, when Black is the only object ball remaining on the table, aggregate points are not relevant, and there is a difference of more than seven points between the scores in the striker’s favour; or

  3. being awarded to the non-striker, when Black is the only object ball remaining on the table, aggregate points are not relevant, and there is a difference of more than seven points between the scores in the non-striker’s favour; or

  4. the first pot or foul, when Black is the only object ball remaining on the table (see Section 3 Rule 4); or

  5. being awarded by the referee under Section 3 Rule 14(d)(ii) or Section 4 Rule 1(b), 1(d), 3(b) or 3(c).

2. Game

A game is an agreed or stipulated number of frames.

3. Match

A match is an agreed or stipulated number of games.

4. Balls

  1. The White ball is the cue-ball.

  2. The 15 Reds and the 6 colours are the object balls.

5. Striker and Turn

The person about to play or in play is the striker. It is their turn until:

  1. a stroke is played and no points are scored; or

  2. a foul is committed, all balls have come to rest, and the referee is satisfied that the striker has left the table; or

  3. a request is made to the opponent to play again following a foul; or

  4. the frame is claimed by the striker, when Black is the only object ball remaining on the table, aggregate points are not relevant, and there is a difference of more than seven points between the scores in the striker’s favour; or

  5. the final Black is potted and the cue-ball has come to rest.

6. Stroke

  1. A stroke is made when the striker strikes the cue-ball with the tip of the cue, except while addressing the cue-ball (known as feathering).

  2. The cue-ball must be struck only once and not pushed forward. The tip of the cue may momentarily remain in contact with the cue-ball after it commences motion.

  3. A stroke is legal when no infringement of these Rules is committed.

  4. A stroke is not completed until:

    1. all balls have come to rest;

    2. spotting of any balls required is completed; and

    3. any ancillary equipment being used by the striker has been removed, or the referee is satisfied that the stroke is completed.

  5. A stroke may be made directly or indirectly, thus:

    1. a stroke is direct when the cue-ball hits an object ball without first hitting a cushion;

    2. a stroke is indirect when the cue-ball hits one or more cushions before hitting an object ball.

7. Potting and Pocketing

A pot is when an object ball, after contact with another ball and without any infringement of these Rules, enters a pocket. Causing a ball to be potted is known as potting. Causing a ball to enter a pocket in a foul stroke is known as pocketing.

8. Break

A break is a number of pots in successive strokes made in any one turn by the striker.

9. In-hand

  1. The cue-ball is in-hand:

    1. before the start of each frame;

    2. when it has been pocketed;

    3. when it has been forced off the table; or

    4. when the Black is re-spotted as in Section 3 Rule 4(b).

  2. The cue-ball remains in-hand until:

    1. it is played legally from in-hand; or

    2. a foul is committed involving the cue-ball while it is not in the striker’s possession.

  3. The striker is said to be in-hand when the cue-ball is in-hand as above.

10. Ball in Play

  1. The cue-ball is in play when it is not in-hand.

  2. Object balls are in play from the start of the frame until potted, pocketed or forced off the table.

  3. Colours become in play again when re-spotted.

11. Ball On

A ball on is any ball which may be legally hit by the first impact of the cue-ball, or any ball which may not be so hit but which may be potted.

12. Nominated Ball

  1. A nominated ball is the object ball which the striker indicates to the satisfaction of the referee, or declares (states verbally), they undertake to hit with the first impact of the cue-ball.

  2. If requested by the referee, the striker must declare which ball they are on.

13. Free Ball

A free ball is a ball, other than the ball on, which the striker nominates as the ball on when snookered after a foul (see Section 3 Rule 12).

14. Forced Off the Table

A ball is forced off the table if it comes to rest other than on the playing area or in a pocket.

15. Infringements, Fouls and Penalties

An infringement is any violation of these Rules. A foul is an infringement which will end the offender’s turn. Penalties are infringements which do not affect the order of play.

16. Penalty Points

Penalty points are awarded to the non-offender after any infringement.

17. Snookered

The cue-ball is snookered when a direct stroke in a straight line to every ball on is wholly or partially obstructed by a ball or balls not on. If one or more balls on can be hit at both extreme edges free of obstruction by any ball not on, the cue-ball is not snookered.

  1. If in-hand, the cue-ball is snookered if it is obstructed as described above from all possible positions on or within the lines of the "D".

  2. If the cue-ball is so obstructed from hitting a ball on by more than one ball not on:

    1. the ball nearest to the cue-ball is considered to be the effective snookering ball; and

    2. should more than one obstructing ball be equidistant from the cue-ball, all such balls will be considered to be effective snookering balls.

  3. When Red is the ball on, if the cue-ball is obstructed from hitting different Reds by different balls not on, there is no effective snookering ball.

  4. The striker is said to be snookered when the cue-ball is snookered as above.

  5. The cue-ball cannot be snookered by a cushion.

18. Spot Occupied

A spot is said to be occupied if a ball cannot be placed on it without that ball touching another ball.

19. Push Stroke

A push stroke is made when the tip of the cue remains in contact with the cue-ball;

  1. after the cue-ball has commenced its motion, other than momentarily at the point of initial contact; or

  2. as the cue-ball contacts an object ball except, where the cue-ball and an object ball are almost touching, it shall not be deemed a push stroke if the cue-ball hits a very fine edge of the object ball.

20. Jump Shot

A jump shot is made when the cue-ball passes over any part of an object ball, whether hitting it in the process or not, except:

  1. when the cue-ball first hits one object ball, other than a touching ball, and then jumps over another ball; or

  2. when the cue-ball jumps and hits an object ball, other than a touching ball, and at the moment of landing on the playing area, the cue-ball is not on the far side of the current position of that object ball; or

  3. when, after legally hitting an object ball, other than a touching ball, the cue-ball jumps over that ball after hitting a cushion or another ball.

21. Miss

A miss is:

  1. when the cue-ball fails to first contact a ball on; or

  2. when a free ball has been nominated, the cue-ball fails to first hit the nominated free ball or that ball simultaneously with a ball on.

22. Consultation Period

A consultation period is the period in which players may assist the referee with replacing any ball(s) to the original position prior to when an infringement was committed (Section 3 Rules 2(c)(ii), 3(k), 10(i), 14, and 16) or as described in Section 3 Rule 9 and 15. The consultation period starts from the moment the decision is made to replace the ball(s) and ends when both players are satisfied as to the position of the ball(s), or by the referee’s final decision.