What is a "foul and a miss" in snooker?
I · Intermediate · Fouls and penalties · 5 of 5A striker must try their best to hit the ball on. If the referee judges they did not, it is called a foul and a miss. The opponent can then have every ball put back and make the offender play again. With a clear, full-ball path to the ball on, repeated misses lead to a warning and then to losing the frame.
How it works
- The duty: to hit the ball on, or a ball that could be on, to the best of one's ability.
- No miss called: when a player needed snookers before or as a result of the stroke and the miss was not intentional.
- Impossible shots: the striker is assumed to be trying if they play at the ball on hard enough to reach it, but for the blocking balls.
- The choice: the opponent may ask for a replay from where the balls stopped or from the original position, with all balls put back.
- A clear path: failing to hit a ball on when there is a straight path to any part of it is always a miss, unless snookers were needed.
- A full-ball view, or a touching ball: a second failure from the original position is a miss whatever the score; then the offender is warned that a third will lose the frame.
- Ending the sequence: asking the offender to play from where the balls stopped.
- Six-reds snooker: at most five misses in a row, with other options after the fourth.
The glossary has the miss, the foul, the ball on, the snooker, the frame and the safety shot.
Tricky cases
A player needs snookers and misses the ball on by accident. Is a miss called?
No, provided the referee is satisfied the miss was not intentional. The foul still costs points.
The ball on is in plain view and the striker misses it twice. What happens?
The second failure is called a miss whatever the scores. Before a third attempt from the same position, the referee warns that another failure will give the frame to the opponent.
Can the frame be awarded without a warning?
No. A frame cannot be awarded if no warning was given.
After the balls are put back, the striker touches a ball before playing. Is that a miss?
No. A miss is not called if no stroke was played; the usual penalty applies and the opponent again has the options.
Why the rule exists
Without it, a player could hit a safe spot on purpose and leave the opponent in trouble, at the cost of only four points. The miss rule makes a deliberate miss cost the position as well.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Foul and a miss | Balls may be put back | WPBSA Snooker 3.14(a), 3.14(b) |
| Clear path | Always a miss unless snookers were needed | WPBSA Snooker 3.14(c) |
| Full-ball view | Warning, then frame awarded | WPBSA Snooker 3.14(d) |
| Six-reds snooker | Five in a row at most | WPBSA Snooker 3.19(a) to 3.19(c) |
| Snooker Shootout | The rule does not apply | WPBSA Snooker Shootout rule 19 |
From the rule book
World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association, Official Rules of the Games of Snooker and English Billiards (May 2022 update), snooker part, Section 2 Rules 21 and 22 and Section 3 Rules 14 and 19. Checked 14 October 2026. Official document: the association's rule book, which covers snooker and English billiards together.