Rules

SNOOKER RULES - click here to link to the WPBSA (World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association) website to view, print &/or download the "updated version of the rules" and "a full explanatory document explaining the key changes". These are PDF documents that are readable and printable.

Demonstration Videos Introduction

The following is a introduction to and explanation of the rule demonstration videos, created by the Lower Mainland Seniors Snooker League

Objective of the videos

1. To standardize the various interpretations that our LMSS League follows.
2. To demonstrate many scenarios and to explain how the rules should apply.
3. To increase players’ knowledge of what the rules are in order to avoid disputes and disagreements.
4. To provide opportunity for players to study and review in private.
5. To view each video click on any of the titles below. The video will open and play in a new window. After viewing video close window and choose another from list.

DEMONSTRATION VIDEO CREDITS:

This project was commissioned by the delegates of the Lower Mainland Seniors Snooker League at the AGM of June 2007. Vancouver, B.C.

- JOHN HORSFALL - host, technical adviser and demonstrator

- FRANK BOURASSA - project coordinator/author

- DAVE CAIRNS - Rules Committee Member

- GAETAN LAFLEUR - Rules Committee Member

- BILL MILLER - Rules Committee Member

- STEVE SURINAK - Rules Committee Member

- LEO VANDEN BOOGARD - Rules Committee Member

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Thanks to the late Ted Wormworth, Past President of BC Cue Sports, for his opinions and assistance with the final stages of the project. Thanks to Leo van den Boogaard for the use of his billiards room for videotaping and to Ivan Gimesi for his assistance and advice.

Rule demonstration videos

To view each video click on any of the titles below. The video will open and play in a new window. After viewing video close window and choose another from list.

When observing do not stand in the player's peripheral vision. See attached document below.

The League has from time to time made changes to it's interpretation of the WPBSA rules.

A study of the 2018-2019 Constitution of the LMSSL will show the latest revisions to the rules, that have been adopted by the League. (see link in Forms & Documents page). Pay close attention to the italics.

These italics indicate where the changes have been made to the latest version LMSSL Constitution.

In the event of a conflict between the rules adopted by the LMSSL and the WPBSA rules -- PLEASE NOTE -- the LMSSL rules take precedence.

OUT OF ORDER FOULS (4-handed snooker league play)

The over-riding principle which makes out-of-order foul ls easy to understand and easy to determine the outcome and penalties as well as who shoots next is controlled by

Rule 10 c) in Section 3 of the WPBSA Rules of Snooker (Rules revised; August 2019) which states that: if a foul is neither awarded by the referee nor successfully claimed by the non-striker before the next stroke is made, it is condoned. AND 18(c) in Section 3 which states .....if the FOUL was called for playing out of turn, the offender’s partner will lose a turn.

Remember that out of order fouls must be called in a timely fashion because when another shot is made it “condones” or legalizes the prior shot. There is no going back after someone else shoots or the striker takes another shot. It is always ONLY the last shot that is out of order and the offender's partner always loses a turn.

See Out of Order Fouls 2019.PDF document below for detailed explanation.

SLOW PLAY (see document attached below)

August 2019

PRE-SEASON BULLETIN – from the League Executive

See PDF document below

USING THE BLUE BALL MARKER TO DETERMINE A FREE BALL - See 6 Ball Marker picture files below

The blue ball marker has special dimensions. The width is exactly the diameter of a ball and the depth is exactly one half the diameter of a ball. The notch is the middle of a ball diameter. Because of these dimensions, the blue ball marker can also be used to easily determine if there is a free ball after a foul.

There are 3 pairs of diagrams which show how to use the marker to determine if there is a free ball or not. The marker can be placed beside the object ball or beside a potentially intervening ball and the marker can also be used to determine if a ball that is slightly behind the object ball prevents contact with an extreme edge of the object ball.

A referee can use another ball to do the same thing. However it is very easy to accidentally bump a ball when using another ball to determine free ball. Because the blue marker it's not a hard and it's lighter it is less likely to actually move a ball accidentally than when using another ball.