Referees Calling Procedures

Black ball potted on the break shot

  • Call “Void Break”
  • Retrieve all Balls and re-rack
  • Call ”Same Player to Re-start Frame, No Penalty”

Foul break

  • Call “Foul Break”
  • Re-rack Balls
  • Call “Opponent to Re-start Frame with Two Visits”.

Cue ball potted on a fair break

  • Call “Foul”
  • Timing to re-start on handing the cue ball to the oncoming player
  • Call “One Visit, Time Running”

In the event of a player showing reluctance to accept the cue ball, i.e., Gamesmanship, place the cue ball on the baulk rail and call “Time Running”.

Any standard foul when group not established

  • Call “Foul, Two Visits”
  • If it is the first time a player is in/takes control of the table, call “Foul, Two Visits…Open Table”

Break shot, any legal ball(s) potted

  • Call “Balls Potted”
  • If player nominates the group potted, call “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”
  • If player nominates the group not potted, call “Red/Yellow Balls Nominated”
  • If colour nominated is then potted, call “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”
  • Failure to pot nominated colour, call “Open Table”

Break shot, fair break, no balls potted

Call “Open Table”.

Should the next shot not establish a group, Call “Open Table” to the breaking player on their first return to the table.

Open table any legal ball potted

Call “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”.

Open table both groups potted

Call “Balls Potted”.

If player nominates a colour, call “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”.

If player fails to nominate, call “Foul 2 visits, Open table”.

First approach after groups are established

On the first time only, that a player is in/takes control of the table, after groups have been established, call “Red/Yellow Balls in Play”.

Any standard fouls during a frame

  • Call “Foul, Two Visits”. No further call is made (other than time calls/fouls) until a pot “on” is missed.
  • Then call “Second Visit”. No call is made at the end of this visit.

Non standard fouls

  • Call “Foul”. Then impose relevant penalty and/or await direction from the oncoming player.
  • Add “Open Table” if no group established and it is the first time a player is in/takes control of the table.

Loss of frame fouls

  • Call “Loss of Frame”
  • Explain reason.

Time fouls

  • At 30 seconds, call “Thirty Seconds”. This must be called on time even if the player appears to be about to stroke the shot.
  • At Sixty Seconds, call “Time Foul, Two Visits”
  • Add “Open Table” if no group established and it is the first time a player is in/takes control of the table.

Touching ball(s)

  • When the cue ball is in contact with any ball(s) “on”, call “Touching Ball(s)”
  • Clearly point to ball(s) in contact with cue ball

Time out

  • If Time Out is granted or required by the Referee, call “Time Out”
  • At the end of the Time Out period, call “Time Running”

Total snooker/foul snooker

After a request from a player only, call “Total/Foul/Jaw Snooker”, or as appropriate, with “Time Out” calls if necessary.

Stalemate

If the Stalemate Rule is invoked, call “Stalemate, Re-start of Frame, Same Player to Break”, “One Visit”.

Ball nomination

Where a player has a right of ball nomination, after nomination, point to nominated ball and call "Red/Yellow/Black Ball Nominated".