Definition of Snookered
- Thread starter jviss
- Start date
It means that if you can see both sides of an object ball with the cueball, you are not considered to be snookered.
Where this definition of a snooker is pertinent is when your opponent has fouled....
...you must be able to cut the ball ’on’ maximum on either side or you are said to be
‘False snookered’ and you get to nominate any other ball as the one you’re hooked on.
....that’s what a ‘free ball’ is.
The definition is actually more complicated than that. Suppose the blue and brown have been knocked to cushions but pink is on its spot, all of the reds are more or less in their original positions, reds are the balls on and the cue ball is on the brown spot. The striker (shooter) is not snookered even though he can't hit both extreme edges of any red ball. The corner red balls in the pack are protected on one side by reds which because they are on do not count as snookering balls.
Also it is not obvious from the rule, but if the cue ball is touching the jaw of a pocket, that jaw cannot snooker you even though it may be impossible to hit any ball on the table directly with a straight shot. However, if the cue ball is stuck on the jaw of the pocket and the last red is the ball on and pink is in front of that red from the cue ball's position, the pink is snookering you even though it is impossible to hit pink directly.
Then you kind of have to go along with what the other players say, but you should try to read through the rules from time to time as even long-time players get some rules wrong.
Agreed, I just got the rules document and I will read it, and probably discuss it with others, before the next time.