At a meeting of the Billiards Association and Control Council that took place last month certain minor, but important, amendments to the Rules of Pool, Snooker, and Volunteer Snooker, were passed.
The Pool Rule affected is Rule 12, and the amendment consists of the insertion, at the end of the opening sentence, of the words," If in hand, from the centre of the baulk line. "The Rule, therefore, now reads as follows:— 12. Balls Up.—The striker is, in all cases, entitled to a stroke clear of a ball which is not on, directly in a straight line to any point of the ball he is on. (If in hand, from the centre of the baulk line). The Referee shall, etc., the remainder of the Rule being unaltered.
Rule 3, clause (n) of the Rules of Snooker has been amended to read:— (n). A player is said to be snookered with regard to any ball when a direct stroke in a straight line of the cue-ball (if in hand from the centre of the baulk line) to any point of such ball is obstructed by any ball which is not on.
The above amendment also applies to Rule 3, clause (n) of the Rules of Volunteer Snooker.
The recent amendment to Rule 16 of the Rules of Snooker (Snookering After a Foul) which was passed at a previous meeting of the Council, appeared in the May issue of The Billiard Player.
Rule 5 of the Volunteer Snooker Rules has been re-drafted and amplified, in order to make itself explanatory, and to obviate the necessity of any reference to the Rules of Snooker. This amended Rule now reads:— 5. Mode of Play.—Players must first determine, by lot or other convenient method, the order of their turn, which must remain unaltered. The first player shall play from hand. The cue-ball must first strike a red as the initial stroke of each turn, until a red has been lawfully pocketed. The value of each red lawfully pocketed by the same stroke shall be scored, and the next stroke of the break shall be on a pool ball.
In subsequent strokes of this and the following turns, if the cue-ball strike alternately reds and pool balls in the same break, or (reds being off the table) pool balls in the progressive order of their values, such balls shall be free. Pool balls volunteered out of this order (as determined by the stroke immediately preceding) shall be penalty balls. If the striker fail to pocket a penalty ball the stroke shall be foul; if the penalty ball is pocketed without further contravention of these Rules, the foul shall be condoned, and the value scored, provided that, if any pool ball be pocketed from the same spot three times in succession in the same turn, it shall remain off the table until after the next stroke, for which any ball nominated by the striker shall be free. Each pool ball pocketed or forced off the table must otherwise be re-spotted before the next stroke, until finally pocketed under these Rules. If the striker fail to score, the next player shall play from where the cue-ball came to rest. If the cue-ball is pocketed or forced off the table, the next player shall play from hand. The game is thus continued until all the reds are off the table. If the player who lawfully pockets the last red pocket any pool ball by the next stroke of his turn, this ball is re-spotted. After this stroke (or all reds off the table) the lowest valued pool ball then remaining, if lawfully pocketed, must not be re-spotted. A player must nominate, when requested by his opponent, which ball he is on, and may so nominate for his own protection.
The following addition to Rule 9 of Volunteer Snooker was passed:—(" No ball shall be held to be spotted unless placed on such spot by hand.") Rule 16 of the Rules of Volunteer Snooker has been amended to read as follows:— 16. Snookering After a Foul.—After a foul stroke if the next player is found to be snookered with regard to all reds, or the pool ball he is on, he is then on the nearest ball (if in hand, measured from the centre of the baulk line) as a free ball, or may volunteer.
[The foregoing amendments were approved at the last Council meeting. It is not, we understand, proposed to reprint the rules at the moment, but a four-page leaflet containing the amendments is being prepared for insertion in the books of rules, and will (on enclosing 1d. stamp) be obtainable after this month from The Billiards Association and Control Council, 7, Cheapside, E.C.2.—Ed., B.P.]