A referee’s call can change the meaning of a snooker shot before the next player approaches the table. To follow the decision, separate three questions: what went wrong, how the score changes, and which options are available next. The examples below are hypothetical teaching situations, intended to make those decisions easier to recognise while watching.
What makes a foul costly
Fouls award the opponent four to seven points. Pocketing the white, hitting the wrong ball first and touching a ball with clothing are examples. The applicable penalty depends on the infringement and relevant ball values. Multiple fouls in one stroke attract only the highest applicable penalty. See the WPBSA rulebook, Section 3.
Imagine a player legally striking the green but brushing the black with a sleeve during the stroke. That contact still means a seven-point foul. Following the white alone would miss the decisive incident. In its refereeing explanation with Olivier Marteel, the WPBSA distinguishes an equipment-contact foul from a failure to hit the intended ball. It is a useful reason to watch the player’s bridge hand and cue as well as the balls.
When a free ball becomes available
The ball on is the currently permitted target ball. After a foul, a free ball is awarded if the incoming player is snookered: no ball on is accessible at both extreme edges without obstruction by a ball not on. The player may nominate another object ball, which takes the ball-on value and is re-spotted if potted. These conditions appear in the official definitions and free-ball rule.
For example, with red on, a nominated blue scores one. After it is re-spotted, a legal blue as the following colour scores five: six altogether. Keep those two strokes separate in your mental scorecard. Asking the offender to play again cancels the free-ball option.
Understanding foul and a miss
A foul-and-miss call can allow the opponent to request another attempt from the original position, with the balls replaced. See Section 3, Rule 14.
The underlying judgment concerns the player’s effort to hit a legal target. WPBSA referee Jan Verhaas explains the intention behind the rule, including why an unintentional failure is generally treated differently once penalty points are needed. A deliberate failure can still attract a miss call. For viewers, the lesson is to listen for the complete decision rather than treating every failed escape as the same event.
How free-ball safety play is restricted
After a non-scoring stroke, the nominated free ball generally cannot leave the opponent snookered on every legal target. The August 2024 amendments describe an exception with only two object balls remaining: pink and black, or black with another colour under the specified spotting provision. That detail matters when comparing a late-frame situation with a similar-looking position earlier in the frame.
A useful viewing routine
Before a replay begins, identify the intended target. Then watch the first contact, listen to the penalty announcement and see who returns to the table. If the referee examines a narrow gap, resist deciding from one camera angle. A high overhead picture can make an obstruction look different from the line available to the cue ball.
The WPBSA rules page remained the reference for the current published edition when checked on 7 October 2026.
For an event-viewing companion, explore our WABO Sport snooker video highlights. The clips show the setting and atmosphere; they are not complete match records or evidence of individual foul decisions.