Serious question

[nick serdula]

Is snooker still played anywhere with the old rule that allowed for snookers to be played with contact on the object ball but no rail being hit by anything at all without penalty excluding the break?
After all this was why it was called snooker. I liked the older game. It allowed for a speed shot freezing the cue to a blocking ball after contact with a object ball. No rail was not a foul proveded you had a good hit.
Thanks
Nick

 

[WesleyW]

Is snooker still played anywhere with the old rule that allowed for snookers to be played with contact on the object ball but no rail being hit by anything at all without penalty excluding the break?
After all this was why it was called snooker. I liked the older game. It allowed for a speed shot freezing the cue to a blocking ball after contact with a object ball. No rail was not a foul proveded you had a good hit.
Thanks
Nick

It's still the same. After contacting the OB there is no need to contact the rail with any ball.

 

[nick serdula]

I thought so

That is not how it is played here in Fl. I don't know why though.
Much thanks
Nick

 

[WesleyW]

That is not how it is played here in Fl. I don't know why though.
Much thanks
Nick

Maybe they don't knew the rules and play like the rules of pool.

 

[Bob Jewett]

That is not how it is played here in Fl. I don't know why though.
Much thanks
Nick

Many Americans are still playing by the old "American Snooker" rules. It has been a long time since the US produced anyone who could compete at the top level of snooker, so it really makes no sense for the US to cling to its own rules. The US Snooker Association tournaments are conducted according to the international (standard) rules. Those rules seem to be available at:

http://www.worldsnooker.com/about_the_rules.htm

 

[raybo147]

Thats not the old rule, its just the rule. The hitting the rail thing was concocted by somebody who felt they needed to dumb down a game for whatever reason I do not know. One of the best defensive shots in snooker is rolling up behind one of the baulk colors.

 

[nick serdula]

Brother you said it!

Thats not the old rule, its just the rule. The hitting the rail thing was concocted by somebody who felt they needed to dumb down a game for whatever reason I do not know. One of the best defensive shots in snooker is rolling up behind one of the baulk colors.

I could not agree more.
Nick

 

[The_Teach]

How is snooker going in the States?

After the collapse of the tobacco sponsorship the pro game took a bit of a nose dive over here in the UK. Things again seem to be improving with the introduction of a new ranking event this year and I have also read that there may be a German Open ranking event next year.

My thoughts are that to be a true "World Tour" the events need to be spread out and not just in the UK!

To get back on thread though as I realised I took a bit of a detour, it is an important part of snooker that you do not have to hit a rail!