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SECTION 2 - Definitions
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1. Frame
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A frame of snooker comprises the period of the play from the first stroke,
with all the balls set as described in Section 3 Rule 2, until the frame is
completed by:
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(a)
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concession by any player during his turn,
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(b)
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claim by the striker when only the Black remains and there is more than
seven points difference between the scores in his favor,
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(c)
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the final pot or foul when only the Black remains, or
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(d)
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being awarded by the referee under Section 3 Rule 4(d), Rule 14(c), or
Section 4 Rule 2.
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2. Game
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A game is an agreed or stipulated number of frames.
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3. Match
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A match is an agreed or stipulated number of games.
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4. Balls
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(a)
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The White ball is the cue-ball.
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(b)
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The 15 Reds and the 6 colors are the object balls.
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5. Striker
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The person about to play or in play is the striker and remains so until the
referee has decided he has left the table at the end of his turn.
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6. Stroke
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(a)
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A stroke is made when the striker strikes the cue-ball with the tip of the
cue.
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(b)
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A stroke is fair when no infringement of Rule is made.
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(c)
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A stroke is not completed until all balls have come to rest.
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(d)
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A stroke may be made directly or indirectly, thus:
(i) a stroke is direct when the cue-ball strikes an object ball without first
striking a cushion
(ii) a stroke is indirect when the cue-ball strikes one or more cushions
before striking an object ball.
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7. Pot
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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.
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8. Break
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A break is a number of pots in successive strokes made in any one turn by a
player during a frame.
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9. In-hand
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(a)
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The cue-ball is In-hand
(i) before the start of each frame,
(ii) when it has entered a pocket, or
(iii) when it has been forced off the table.
(iv) when it has been asked to be played from in-hand under Section 3
Rule 14(i)
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(b)
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It remains In-hand until
(i) it is played fairly from In-hand, or
(ii) a foul is committed whilst the ball is on the table
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(c)
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The striker is said to be In-hand when the cue-ball is In-hand as above.
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10. Ball In Play
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(a)
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The cue-ball is in play when it is not In-hand.
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(b)
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Object balls are in play from the start of the frame until pocketed or forced
off the table.
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(c)
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Colors become in play again when re-spotted.
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11. Ball On
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Any ball which may be lawfully struck by the first impact of the cue-ball,
or any ball which may not be so struck but which may be potted, is said to be
on.
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12. Nominated Ball
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(a)
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A nominated ball is the object ball which the striker declares, or indicates
to the satisfaction of the referee, he undertakes to hit with the first
impact of the cue-ball.
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(b)
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If requested by the referee, the striker must declare which ball he is on.
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13. Free Ball
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A free ball is a ball which the striker nominates as the ball on when
snookered after a foul (see Section 3 Rule 10).
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14. Forced Off The Table
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A ball is forced off the table if it comes to rest other than on the bed of
the table or in a pocket, or if it is picked up by the striker, whilst it is
in play except as provided for in Section 3 Rule 14(h).
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15. Foul
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A foul is any infringement of these Rules.
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16. Snookered
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The cue-ball is said to be 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 struck at both extreme edges free of
obstruction by any ball not on, the cue-ball is not snookered.
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(a)
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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".
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(b)
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If the cue-ball is so obstructed from hitting a ball on by more than one ball
not on
(i) the ball nearest to the cue-ball is considered to be the effective
snookering ball, and
(ii) should more than one obstructing ball be equidistant from the cue-ball,
all such balls will be considered to be effective snookering balls.
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(c)
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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.
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(d)
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The striker is said to be snookered when the cue-ball is snookered as above
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(e)
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The cue-ball cannot be snookered by a cushion. If the curved face of a
cushion obstructs the cue-ball and is closer to the cue-ball than any
obstructing ball not on, the cue-ball is not snookered.
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17. Spot Occupied
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A spot is said to be occupied if a ball cannot be placed on it without that
ball touching another ball.
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18. Push Stroke
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A push stroke is made when the tip of the cue remains in contact with the
cue-ball
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(a)
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after the cue-ball has commenced its forward motion, or
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(b)
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as the cue-ball makes contact with 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.
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19. Jump Shot
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A jump shot is made when the cue-ball passes over any part of an object ball,
whether touching it in the process or not, except:
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(a)
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when the cue-ball first strikes one object ball and then jumps over another
ball,
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(b)
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when the cue-ball jumps and strikes an object ball, but does not land on the
far side of that ball,
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(c)
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when, after striking an object ball lawfully, the cue-ball jumps over that
ball after hitting a cushion or another ball.
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20. Miss
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A miss is when the cue-ball fails to first contact a ball on and the referee
considers that the striker has not made a good enough attempt to hit a ball
on.
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| The official rules of snooker are copyright of the
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA).
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