The Basics
Snooker is played on a 12-foot by 6-foot table with a white cue ball and 21 object balls: 15 red balls worth 1 point each, and 6 coloured balls with values ranging from 2 to 7 points. The objective is to score more points than your opponent by potting balls according to strict rules, combining both offensive skill and defensive tactical play.
Ball Values
Each ball has a specific point value:
- Red: 1 point
- Yellow: 2 points
- Green: 3 points
- Brown: 4 points
- Blue: 5 points
- Pink: 6 points
- Black: 7 points
How to Play
Play begins with the player attempting to strike a red ball first. If a red ball is potted, the player then nominates and attempts to pot one of the six coloured balls. If the colour is potted, it is replaced on its designated spot on the table. The player then returns to striking a red ball, and this alternating sequence continues until all the reds are cleared.
Once all reds have been potted, the player must pot the coloured balls in sequence: yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, and finally black. The coloured balls are not replaced once potted at this stage. The player's turn ends when they fail to pot a ball or commit a foul.
Fouls
A foul occurs when a player fails to legally pot a ball. The minimum penalty for a foul is 4 points, but the actual penalty is whichever is higher: 4 points, the value of the ball struck first (if wrong), the value of the ball potted (if any), or the value of the ball on (the ball to be struck).
Common fouls include:
- Missing the ball on (failing to make contact with the correct ball)
- Hitting the wrong ball first
- Potting the cue ball (in-off)
- The cue ball not hitting a cushion after contact (if no ball is potted)
- Playing out of turn
- Push shot (striking the cue ball twice in one shot)
- Jump shot (cue ball jumping over another ball)
The Miss Rule
If the referee believes a player has not made a genuine attempt to hit the ball on, a "miss" can be called. When a miss is called, the balls are replaced to their positions before the shot was taken, and the incoming player may either take the shot again or nominate the incoming player to take the turn. This rule prevents deliberate abuse and maintains competitive integrity.
Free Ball
After a foul, if the incoming player's cue ball is snookered (unable to make direct contact with the ball on because another ball is blocking the path), the player may nominate any ball on the table as a "free ball". This free ball is treated as if it were a red ball (1 point), and after potting it, the player can attempt any colour. This rule ensures the snookered player has a fair opportunity to score.
Snooker
A player is snookered when the direct line between the cue ball and the ball on is blocked by another ball. Strategic snooker play—placing your opponent in a position where they cannot directly access the ball they're supposed to hit—is a key element of snooker's tactical depth. Expert players use snookers to control frames and force opponents into committing fouls.
Winning a Frame
A frame is won by the player who scores the most points. If the score is tied when only the black ball remains on the table, the black is repositioned on its spot, and the two players play a decider match—the first to pot the black, or the first to force the opponent into a foul, wins the frame.
Winning a Match
Professional snooker matches are contested over a predetermined number of frames. Common formats include best-of-9 (first to 5 frames), best-of-19 (first to 10), and best-of-35 (first to 18). The World Championship final, the sport's most prestigious event, is contested over 35 frames across four sessions, making it a true test of endurance and consistency.
Need to know more? Check out the Snooker Glossary for detailed definitions of every term, or explore our other snooker guides.