Miscue on the break

A miscue on the break. Only 3 object balls contacted a rail.


    Here is a great article written by my colleague Fred Johnson for the Colorado VNEA newsletter. Fred has a great writing style. I hope you enjoy reading and learn something.

    Carom is breaking and miscues on the break. The cue ball hits the rack and three solids jump out and hit the rail, but ONLY three object balls hit the rail. Snooker, being the attorney dog that he is, looks at the score sheet and determines that he only needs three balls to win the round and win totals. Snooker starts to shoot at the three solids, which will be easy shots, when Carom tells Snooker that he must re-rack the balls since four object balls did not go to the rail, and that Snooker can then break or he can have Carom break again. Snooker simply ignores Carom and promptly shoots the solids down declaring the round won and total won. Carom is upset and calls a Referee – YOU. You make the call!!!! 

    There isn’t any question but that Carom failed to make a legal break – four numbered balls must be driven to a cushion or one or more object balls must be pocketed on the break in order to constitute a legal break. [Rule B.2.]. Neither happened. BUT, it is Snooker’s option. Under Rule B.2. he can call for the balls to be re-racked and shooting the break himself or have Carom re-break, or Snooker can accept the table in position and shoot. Snooker did the latter, and he had every right to do so under the Rules. Snooker gets the three solids, wins the round and totals. The best that Carom can do is run the table after Snooker misses his next shot after having made the three solids.

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