According to the rules, a Miss is in play when the cue-ball fails to first contact a ball on and the referee considers that the striker has not made a good enough attempt to hit a ball on based on his ability to play the game.
This rule requires that a referee make a judgement call. It follows that if there is no referee, there cannot be a miss.
When refereeing, there are some things that a referee will look for to determine whether a MISS should be called:
a) If the striker can see any part of a ball on, then he must legally strike a ball on or a MISS will be called (use judgement on this, because although professionals can hit the glow radiating from hidden red at 13 feet, an amateur may not be able hit a half-exposed ball.
b) If the striker has a relatively easy pack to hit, but decides instead to try for a more difficult, but safer, single ball or small cluster, then he had better be successful or a MISS will most definitely be called.
c) If the striker has an easy 1-cushion escape, but decides to go after a more difficult, but safer multi-cushion escape, then he had better be successful or a MISS will most definitely be called.
d) If the striker does not reach the intended target, whether by insufficient pace on the cue ball or by striking an intervening ball not on, then a MISS will be called.
e) If the striker fails to legally strike the ball on but leaves the cue ball in such a position that the incoming striker has been left in a poor position, especially if such was played intentionally, then a MISS will be called.
Normally in a frame with no official referee, the players opponent takes on those duties, but he/she is in a conflict of interest position when calling a Miss, and this is where the tempers fray.
There is no good answer to this dilemma, but I will offer a few that are not in the rules, but may be better for non-refereed play ....
1) Forget the Miss rule entirely and trust each other to make a best-effort to hit the ball on.
Or:
2) Use a standard set of simplified miss rules (e.g. any of either a) through d) above)
Or:
3) Decide on a maximum number of attempts beforehand, (say 3?) and only replace the balls that many times
Or:
4) Award a free ball if the opponent does not hit the ball on.
Or:
5) Play from in-hand if the opponent does not hit the ball on.
If the ball on cannot be reached (for example, the cue ball is surrounded by cushions and colours and there is no way possible to reach a red) then a Miss will not be called. The procedure in this situation is that the striker hit the cue ball in a direction towards (directly or indirectly) and with enough force to reach the ball on. Obviously, he will fail to hit the ball on and will hit another ball instead. He has fouled, but not missed.
This rule requires that a referee make a judgement call. It follows that if there is no referee, there cannot be a miss.
When refereeing, there are some things that a referee will look for to determine whether a MISS should be called:
a) If the striker can see any part of a ball on, then he must legally strike a ball on or a MISS will be called (use judgement on this, because although professionals can hit the glow radiating from hidden red at 13 feet, an amateur may not be able hit a half-exposed ball.
b) If the striker has a relatively easy pack to hit, but decides instead to try for a more difficult, but safer, single ball or small cluster, then he had better be successful or a MISS will most definitely be called.
c) If the striker has an easy 1-cushion escape, but decides to go after a more difficult, but safer multi-cushion escape, then he had better be successful or a MISS will most definitely be called.
d) If the striker does not reach the intended target, whether by insufficient pace on the cue ball or by striking an intervening ball not on, then a MISS will be called.
e) If the striker fails to legally strike the ball on but leaves the cue ball in such a position that the incoming striker has been left in a poor position, especially if such was played intentionally, then a MISS will be called.
Normally in a frame with no official referee, the players opponent takes on those duties, but he/she is in a conflict of interest position when calling a Miss, and this is where the tempers fray.
There is no good answer to this dilemma, but I will offer a few that are not in the rules, but may be better for non-refereed play ....
1) Forget the Miss rule entirely and trust each other to make a best-effort to hit the ball on.
Or:
2) Use a standard set of simplified miss rules (e.g. any of either a) through d) above)
Or:
3) Decide on a maximum number of attempts beforehand, (say 3?) and only replace the balls that many times
Or:
4) Award a free ball if the opponent does not hit the ball on.
Or:
5) Play from in-hand if the opponent does not hit the ball on.
If the ball on cannot be reached (for example, the cue ball is surrounded by cushions and colours and there is no way possible to reach a red) then a Miss will not be called. The procedure in this situation is that the striker hit the cue ball in a direction towards (directly or indirectly) and with enough force to reach the ball on. Obviously, he will fail to hit the ball on and will hit another ball instead. He has fouled, but not missed.