Rules of Snooker - The End of A Frame

The End of A Frame

A frame normally ends in one of three ways:

• A concession, when one player gives up due to being too far behind to have a realistic chance of winning the frame. Concession before the snookers-required stage may be interpreted as ungentlemanly conduct and result in a penalty of a second frame being applied.
• The final black is potted legally (including after a respot), and this does not leave the score tied.
• When the black is the only object ball remaining, and the striker leads by more than seven points, the striker may claim the win, but may also elect to proceed with potting the black, for example to complete a high-scoring break.

There are three less common ways to end a frame:

• A foul on the black, when the black is the only ball left. It is sometimes wrongly assumed that play continues after a foul on the black if there are fewer than seven points between the scores. This is not the case: the player who is in the lead following the assessment of a penalty after a foul when only the black remains is the winner.
• Failure to hit a ball "on" three times in a row, if the player has a clear sight of the ball. The referee will warn a player after a second such miss that a third miss will mean that the opponent will be awarded the frame. This rule does not apply if the player is snookered. As missing due to avoiding a direct shot on a ball is usually a tactical, rather than skill-related, outcome, this rule is rarely invoked, as a player will simply hit the ball directly on the third shot.
• If the referee deems a player is taking too long to take the shot, the player may be warned. If the player continues to hesitate, the frame may be awarded to the other player at the discretion of the referee. In practice, a delay of over two minutes can result in such a forfeiture.

If the score is tied after the final black is potted, the black is "respotted" and the cue ball put "in hand". The referee will then toss a coin, with the player winning the toss choosing who will take first strike at the black. Play then continues normally until the black is potted or another frame-ending situation occurs.