BILLIARDS GAMES RULES

Index Computer simulation of evolution (GTCEL genetic algorithms and Mendel's laws) Common billiards games rules Computer learning games. Esnuka, Spanish billiards. Three ball billiards rules (French billiards) Snooker rules (English billiard) Pool rules (American billiards)

V. SNOOKER RULES (ENGLISH BILLIARDS)

See Common rules.

The aim of the game Snooker is to obtain points by potting as many balls as possible.

The balls are worth:

Red Yellow Green Brown Blue Pink Black

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

The white ball is the cue ball.

At the beginning of the frame, the cue ball is placed in the left semi-circle, the D, and to break, the cue ball must pass between the yellow and brown balls.

The first ball played in each player's turn (break) must be a red. If no red ball is potted, it becomes the other player's turn. If a red ball is potted, it remains in the pocket until the end of the frame, the player receives one point and he must play a colour.

If a colour is potted, the player receives the points corresponding to that ball and the ball is replaced on the table in its original position (respotted). The player then plays another red ball and then a colour and so on.

The above snooker rules apply when red balls remain on the table. When all reds have been potted, the player pots any colour and must then pot the balls in the following order:

• yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black

The snooker freeware computer program displays in a window the colour of the ball to be played at any time. The white circle represents a colour. Furthermore, the points scored by a player in each break and his sub total within a frame are also displayed.

Points scored in a shot are added to the score, except where a foul is made.

For the purposes of the snooker freeware program, two balls can never be struck at the same time and the "touching ball" situation can never occur.

FOULS

• The cue ball does not touch any other ball.

• The cue ball touches first an incorrect ball (a ball not on).

• The cue ball is potted. In that case, the cue ball is replaced on the D. The cue ball can be moved within the D by moving it with the mouse.

• Pot two different colours within the same stroke.

• Pot a ball of a different colour than the ball first hit.

PENALTIES FOR FOULS.

• A player who makes a foul may be requested to repeat his turn.

• The minimum amount received by the opponent for a foul is 4 points.

• The scores for fouls are calculated according to the values of the balls involved in the foul, the forfeit being the value of the highest.

• The points for fouls are added to the opponent's score, not subtracted from the player's.

• The opponent receives 7 points if two reds are played consecutively.

SNOOKERING

A player is snookered when he is prevented from hitting the ball on by a direct stroke because of obstruction by another ball, which is not on. The only way to get out of the snooker is to play off a cushion or cushions.

When a foul is made in a snooker situation, the referee or the opponent declares free ball. The opponent may therefore choose to play any ball on the table. He must touch the nominated ball and if he pots it, he receives the points corresponding to the ball that should have been played.

As free ball does not exist in the program, the only alternative is to oblige the player who made the foul to play again.