One of the things that makes snooker rules so complicated is the fact that there are so many ways to foul and so many different penalties for fouling. In snooker, unlike some other games of pool, you not only lose your turn if you foul, you also accumulate penalty points. You could actually end the game with a minus score if you had accumulated enough fouls.
The foul most often made in snooker is to hit a “not-on ball” with the cue ball. An “on shot” would be one where you hit the ball you meant to hit. If you are shooting for a red ball, the red ball is considered an “on ball.” If you are shooting at a colored ball, the colored ball becomes the “on ball.” So, if you pocket the “on ball,” you will be trouble-free but if you pocket the “non-on-ball,” you are sure to be assessed a penalty and lose your turn.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common fouls in snooker. Snooker rules are very specific as to what constitutes a foul and what the penalty will be for each type of foul. As we mentioned, to hit a not-on ball is a foul. So is pocketing the cue ball or any non-on ball. You also can’t hit any ball other than the cue ball with the cue stick.
There are a number of fouls involving improper use of a cue stick. For instance, you cannot push a ball with your cue stick and you cannot hit a ball twice with the cue stick (double hitting). Plus, snooker rules say that you cannot touch a ball with any object other than a cue stick. You also will receive a foul penalty if you knock any ball off of the table, jump a ball, or make a shot if both feet are off the ground. In fact, in snooker you must have at least one foot on the ground at all times.
According to snooker rules, penalties in snooker are rather hefty. If you are a very poor player and make a lot of fouls, you can easily end up with a negative score, something you want to avoid at all costs. Every type of foul is assigned penalty points in the range of four to seven. If the foul is on a ball that is red, brown, green or yellow, the penalty will be four points. A foul on the blue ball will cost you five points. Fouls on the pink and black balls will give you penalties of six or seven points, respectively. If you are unlucky enough to make more than one foul on a shot you will be given the penalty worth the highest number of points.
Usually, whoever receives the least number of penalties ends up having the highest number of total points and wins the snooker game. Snooker rules identify several different scenarios by which a game can end. For example, whoever has the most points when the black ball is pocketed, wins the game. If there is a foul on the shot involving the black ball, whoever has the most points after the penalty is assessed, wins the game. If the black ball is pocketed and the score is tied, the black ball is placed back at its original position and play is resumed until the tie is broken. When play is resumed in this manner there is also a new coin toss to see who shoots first.
Other snooker endings can involve one player being so far ahead that when the pink ball (6 points) is pocketed, there is no chance for the other player to catch up. If you are so far behind that you will never catch up, you can concede the game at any point and it’s over.
Many times in snooker the strategy is to hit target balls into the middle of groups other balls so that they are protected on the sides by the other balls. This makes it harder for your opponent to hit a red ball into a pocket, which keeps them from scoring points and getting far enough ahead to win the game.