Snooker rules and refereeing
  • Home
  • R.A.C.C.S. and Canadian Referees
  • How to become a referee
  • Snooker for beginners
  • The Rules
    • The Official Rules as revised; 2024-2025
    • Updates-to-the-Rules-of-Snooker-Aug-24
    • Snooker Rule Changes (2010) Explained by Referee Andy Yates
    • Question and Answers as agreed at a WPBSA Rules Meeting held on 27th June 2013.
  • Rules Quizzes
    • Snooker referee quiz: (questions without answers) >
      • Snooker referee quiz: (questions with answers)
    • Referees “Rules” Quiz: ! (questions without answers) >
      • Referees “Rules” Quiz 1: (questions with answers)
    • Referees “Rules” Quiz 2 (questions without answers) >
      • Referees “Rules” Quiz 2: (questions with answers)
    • Referees “Rules” Quiz 3: )(questions without answers) >
      • Referees “Rules” Quiz 3: (questions with answers)
    • Referees “Rules” Quiz 4: (questions without answers) >
      • Referees “Rules” Quiz 4: (questions with answers)
    • Referees “Rules” Quiz 5: (questions without answers) >
      • Referees “Rules” Quiz 5: (questions with answers)
    • Referees “Rules” Quiz 6: (questions without answers) >
      • Referees “Rules” Quiz 6: (questions with answers)
  • Rules you must understand as a player
    • The Break
    • Frame, Game or Match?
    • Who takes the top scorer
    • Keeping score
    • When is the Frame over?
    • Understanding the 'Miss'
    • Understanding the 'Three Miss Rule'
    • Angled Ball (Pocket hook)
    • Seven Point Fouls
  • How do I .....
    • Rack the balls
    • Respot the colour balls
    • Re-spot the cueball after a Miss
    • Use the Ball Marker
    • Handle the rests and other furniture
    • Organise a tournament
  • So you don't like the call; now what?
  • Some information on the Equipment
    • The cue
    • The Balls
    • The Chalk
    • Videos about the table
    • The Cloth >
      • "Double Shaved"
    • The Spots
    • Scoring Software
    • Pocket Templates circa 1996
  • Guides for the Referee
    • Referee’s Guide to Positioning by Steve Fletcher
    • Referees Guide to What to Say, and When to Say it by Clive A Brown, January 2012
    • Calling the score
  • Variations of the game
    • The six -red game
    • Snooker Shoot Out
    • The 900 rules
  • Links to Videos
  • Other Links
  • Contact
Picture






Welcome to the Unofficial Snooker Rules site.

My name is Jim Jack, and I am the Senior Snooker Champion of Canada, 2009.
I am also a certified IBSF international Snooker Referee, Certified in 2011 at the International Under 21 Tournament is 2011.

Here in Canada, we don't have access to the excellent referee associations available outside North America, As a result, qualified referees in this country are few and far between, and snooker played here is usually played to rules that qualified referees would find lamentable. Very few players know the rules, and fewer are competent to interpret situations on the table and make the correct call.


Kevin Patrick, our Head Referee here in Canada has formed an organization called R.A.C.C.S. to try to change this situation and encourage the game to be played properly.

As one of the referees in Canada, my goal with this site is to help him by spreading a better understanding of the game and its equipment, so that Snooker will be played by the rules even if a qualified referee is not available.

Perhaps I will encourage more players to become referees. I hope so.

Here you will find:
- The official rules
- An explanation of recent changes to the rules
- A guide for referees and would-be referees on how to be a good one
- A series of quizzes to test your knowledge of the rules

- A detailed explanation of the rules most commonly misunderstood
- Some notes about the equipment we use
- Some videos highlighting the Referees world











Picture