Impossible snooker

[Mattk]

They just mentioned it in passing on the tv but what happens if a player is caught by a snooker that is literally impossible to escape from?

[Maydup]

They play as best they can and pay the penalty for missing the ball.

[kayakamina]

After 3 unsuccessful attempts you lose the frame.

[kayakamina]

I'll just amend 'attempts' to misses.

[janzman]

If its an >unsuccessful miss< it must be a hit.... :-)

[kayakamina]

Yes.

I didn't word it very well at all.
As I understand the miss rule the player receives two warnings and after a third miss forfeits the frame.

I am probably wrong!

[Mattk]

Now you've mentioned it that sounds correct.

[sunny-dave]

It's only called a 'miss' if the player is deemed by the referee not to have made a real attempt to hit the object ball in the most obvious way (usually for tactical reasons).

If it really was a case of an 'impossible snooker' that would not be the case and so the frame would just continue until either the player did somehow hit the object ball, or his opponent accepted a good opportunity to play the next shot, rather than having the balls re-spotted.

[bert_h]

The 'miss' rule can be suspended at the referee's discretion. It happened at 14-10 in the Carter v. Maguire match. The snooker needed a three-cushion escape, and Carter tried it four or five times, but was called for a miss each time. Then he tried again and missed by such a tiny gap that the referee just made it a simple foul stroke. It was up to Maguire whether to play from there, or tell Carter to play from there, but not to have the balls replaced again.

If the snooker just looked impossible via no matter how many cushions or how much spin, the player would have to make a plausible effort, and if the referee decided it was the best effort that could be expected, he'd give the foul, and the other player the choice of who would play next from wherever the balls had ended up.

[THECORBYLOON]

The three misses rule applies only when there is a direct line between the white ball and another ball which could be hit but the player chooses not to go for it. There could be a situation where a red is out in the open but the player tries to hit another in an attempt to leave the other player in a worse position. If two attempts are made and missed, the player is warned that if he misses again, he will lose that frame.

[New Judge]

“After 3 unsuccessful attempts you lose the frame.”

No you don’t. As TCL says, only if you are NOT snookered do you forfeit the frame after three misses.

Apart from that, I think others have adequately explained what would happen in the event of an “impossible” snooker.

[Snookermck7856]

When the cue comes to rest in contact with three other balls. It happened to me in practice - white trapped in contact with three reds.
The white can't be moved with it being a push shot. Is it reset frame?
If it was from a foul shot is it reset frame or could it be ball in hand/D to the opponent.

[bhg481]

That's interesting; mattk seems to have awarded BA to a post which has been removed.