KADASL – Support Your Local Snooker League

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THE APPLICATION OF THE MISS RULE IN THE KADASL

The league rules – which are not ever intended to reflect every application of those rules - say at “1.3 Unless expressly covered in the rules of this league, all frames of snooker will be played under the current WPBSA (World Snooker) rules of snooker;However, the miss rule will only be used in the league (1) for all non-full team competitions at the semi-final and final stage only and (2) if stipulated that it will be usedprior to the start of a frame by a qualified referee. Players can always call a miss on their own shots”.

The LEAGUE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEETING on Monday 29th November 2010 at Shaw Heath club stated that:

“the Secretary had issued ‘Miss Rule Guidance’ from a very simple guide used in a south Manchester league and instructing players how they should apply if such matters arise. This is how our league will apply the rule. There was a debate regarding the ability of referees persee BUT it was agreed that under our existing rules, once a referee is agreed between the ‘players’ then they are the referee full stop. Ultimately their decision is final but in times of dispute they can use any means of reaching a decision – the players themselves, spectators and (via the etiquette document) the team captains. It was felt that once referees got used to using the rule then this really was a ‘no issue’ matter:

  1. If the STRIKER can see, in a straight line,ANY part of ANY ball 'on' and fails to make first contact with a ball 'on' then a miss WILL be called.
  1. A miss WILL be called if, in the opinion of, the referee, the STRIKER has not made a genuine attempt to hit the ball 'on' or any other ball 'on'. This is a very simple judgement call - as the REFEREE, ask yourself 'as a player of similar ability to the striker, could orwould I expect to do better?'
  1. A miss WILL be called if the cue ball falls SHORT of reaching the object ball.
  1. If a striker playing a swerve shot hits the intervening ball then a miss WILL be called.
  1. A miss will NOT be called if either player is in a 'snookers required' position.
  1. A miss will NOT be called if the penalty awarded from the foul PUTS the player in a 'snookers required' position.
  1. STRIKERS should call a miss on themselves in exactly the same manner they would if they were to accidentally commit any other foul. The same honesty is expected.
  1. REFEREES should be vigilant when performing their role and should bear 2 important points in mind (a) is the shot about to be played, likely to have a miss applied to it? If so then the referee should be in a position to see all balls etc and (b) whilst their decision is final, they can use the players and spectators to assist them in reaching that decision.
  1. REMEMBER - whilst the rules of snooker apply to EVERY level of the game from local to international, the OFFENDED player can refuse to accept the miss if they choose and simply carry on as per a normal 'foul'.
  1. The KADASL approach will be – to remove confusion surrounding the varied standard of referee in our league - that only matches in competition semi-finals and finals PLUS those league games refereed by a qualified referee (who is known as such to the players) will have the miss rule applied.
  1. Subject to 10 above – this DOES NOT stop any referee (indeed they are encouraged to do so) in any game from calling a miss when a full ball is on and the player in question decides to play a more difficult shot and ‘misses’. This is clearly an attempt by the player to gain an advantage and, effectively, cheat.

A subsequent clarification was made to assist unqualified referees to say that they would NEVER call a miss when a snooker was involved. Qualified referees could do so but not unqualified ones. ANY referee can call a foul when a full ball is ‘on’ – any ‘offended’ player (see 9 above) can decline the miss and continue as if it were a normal foul shot.

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