LAWS OF THE GAME OF SNOOKER

The standard Hoyle. A complete guide and reliable authority upon all games of chance or skill now played in the United States whether of native or foreign introduction. 1904

THE GAME OF SNOOKER.

This is one of the most popular and entertaining extensions of Pyramid Pool. In addition to the fifteen balls of the pyramid, a given number of pool balls are placed on the table.

A player must pocket a pyramid ball before he can play at one of the pool balls, and he is not permitted to strike a pool ball before he strikes a pyramid ball. If he does, his adversary scores as many points as the pool ball struck would have been worth had it been pocketed under the rules. The balls used at Snooker are: Black, which scores seven; blue, six; pink, five; brown, four; green, three; yellow, two.

The black is placed on the spot occupied by the red in billiards; the blue at the apex of the pyramid; the brown on the spot to the left of the balk; the green in the centre of the same; the pink in the centre of the table; yellow on the right-hand spot of balk.

When any of the pool balls are pocketed they are replaced on their own spots. When a pyramid ball has been pocketed the player must play at a pool ball. If all the pool balls are covered by pyramid balls he is snookered. If he can, he may strike any one of the pool balls by first striking a cushion. He must call his spot. A game of Snooker takes longer than two games of Pyramid.

It is great fun in this game to put a white ball so close behind a pool ball that the next player cannot hit a pyramid ball, which snookers him from all of them.

LAWS OF THE GAME OF SNOOKER.

Any number can play. A new player can enter at the end of a round, or an old one can stop.

The player shall first play at a red ball and cannot play at a ball of another color until after he has pocketed a red ball. He can play at any number of red balls in succession, but after he has taken a colored ball he may play again and take a red ball prior to again playing on a colored ball.

A player who has taken a red ball and then put a colored ball into a pocket shall replace the latter on the original spot before playing again. For every colored ball which is not put back each player must pay a penalty of one point for each stroke made by him until said ball is replaced.

A player is responsible for the proper placing of the balls and that they all are on the right spots, and this he must see to before he plays. He is liable to be called upon for a penalty of one point for every ball not in its proper place prior to the making of a stroke. The striker may be required to replace any ball out of place.

For every ball pocketed the striker receives its value from every one of the players. Any penalties must also be paid to each player. If a player strikes one or more balls and pockets his own, he must forfeit the value of the ball first struck. If he pockets the ball he plays for, and caroms and pockets one or more colored balls, he must receive the value of the ball he played for and pay the value of the highest colored ball he pocketed. This does not apply to red balls, any number of which may be pocketed.

For striking the wrong ball the striker pays the value of the ball hit. But one colored ball can be taken at the same stroke. For making a miss and running in, the striker loses one point. The other rules as adopted by one of the leading billiard parlors of New York follow:

If, when playing on a red ball, the striker misses and hits a colored ball and with the same stroke accidentally pockets one or more of the red balls, he loses the value of the colored ball he hit first and cannot therefore score. The red balls thus pocketed must be put back on the table.

If, after all the red balls are pocketed, the player shall pocket a colored ball and then carom on to one or more colored balls and pocket them also, he is entitled to receive the value of the ball he first played at and may pay the value of the highest colored ball he pocketed in the same stroke.

If, when all the red balls are pocketed, the player pocket his own ball as well as the colored ball he played at, the ball pocketed shall be put on the table and the player must lose the value of the colored ball.

When the white ball is touching a colored ball the striker cannot score; he must, however, play his stroke and is liable to any penalties incurred.

When more than one error is committed in one stroke, the very highest penalty must be exacted. Penalties do not hold good after one complete round has been played.

When a player forces a ball off the table he must pay the full value of that ball, or, if it be in the case of the white ball, as if he had made a coup.

For making a foul stroke or fouling another ball the player may not score.

For playing out of turn the striker must pay one point to each of the other players, besides any other penalty incurred, and furthermore he shall not receive any of the points he has won.

No ball can be temporarily taken up. No red ball can be replaced on the table, save when forced off or for a foul stroke, or as mentioned above.

When it is necessary to replace a colored ball and the spot is occupied, it must be placed on the nearest vacant spot. All disputes must be decided by a majority of the players, unless a referee has been agreed upon.