Snooker

Order of play

• Break off from the D. Pot a red (1), then any colour: yellow 2, green 3, brown 4, blue 5, pink 6, black 7. Repeat.
• Colours go back on their spots while reds are left (on the highest free spot if their own is taken). Reds stay down. Two or more reds in one shot all count.
• After the last red and its colour, clear the colours in order: yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black.
• Your visit goes on until you miss or foul. The points from one visit are your break.
• With only the black left, the first score or foul ends the frame. If that leaves the scores level, the black is re-spotted: toss a coin, the winner picks who plays from the D, and the next score or foul wins.

Fouls

• A foul gives your opponent at least 4 points, or the value of the ball on or the highest ball involved if that is more (so 4 to 7).
• Fouls: potting the white, missing everything, hitting or potting a ball not on first, a red and a colour together when on a red, push or jump shots, touching any ball with your hand or clothes, playing at reds twice in a row (7), using a ball off the table (7).
• After a foul your opponent plays from where the balls stopped, or puts you back in to play again.
• Free ball: if they're snookered after your foul, they can nominate any colour as the ball on. It scores as a red (or as the colour on) and is re-spotted. They can't snooker you behind it unless only pink and black are left.
• Miss rule: not trying your best to hit the ball on is a foul and a miss, and the balls can be put back. With a full ball in view, a third miss in a row loses the frame. Not called once either player needs snookers.
• Touching ball: play away from it without moving it.

Counting

• Points remaining: reds × 8 + 27 while a red is on (each red with the black, then 27 for the colours).
• You need snookers when you're further behind than the points left. A maximum is 147, or 155 with a free ball at the start.
• Stalemate: both players can agree to re-rack. Scores in that frame are cancelled and the same player breaks.
• Concede when you can't win. Shake hands either way.

Variants

• 6-red and 10-red: the same rules with fewer reds (maximum 75 or 107), common on pub and home tables.
• Leagues often drop the miss rule; pubs often play every foul as 4 points with no put-back. Set these under House rules.
• Snooker Shoot Out: 10-minute frames, a shot clock, ball in hand after every foul, no miss rule, and a level frame goes to a blue-ball shoot-out. The clock isn't tracked here.