A free ball in snooker is awarded after a foul when the incoming player is snookered on the ball on. The player may nominate another ball as the ball on for that shot, and the nominated ball scores the value of the real ball on.
It is not ball in hand. You do not pick up the cue ball and place it wherever you like. A free ball is a nomination rule designed to correct an unfair snooker left by a foul.
This guide explains when a free ball is awarded, what the nominated ball is worth, what happens after it is potted, and the mistakes that cause most casual-game arguments.
Updated August 2026. Formal matches should always follow the current WPBSA rulebook and referee decisions.
Quick Answer: What Is a Free Ball in Snooker?
A free ball is a nominated substitute ball after a foul. If the foul leaves the incoming player snookered on the ball on, they may nominate another ball as on. For that stroke, the nominated ball has the value of the real ball on and is treated as the legal target.
The Two Conditions
Two things must be true. First, there must have been a foul. Second, the incoming player must be snookered on the ball on as a result of the position left.
If the position is awkward but there was no foul, there is no free ball. If there was a foul but the incoming player can see the ball on properly, there may be normal foul options, but not a free ball.
The practical test is whether the player can hit both extreme edges of a ball on by a direct shot. If they cannot, the free-ball question becomes live.
Free Ball Is Not Ball in Hand
This is the biggest beginner misunderstanding. A free ball does not let you move the cue ball. The cue ball stays where it is unless another rule, such as an in-off, gives ball in hand from the D.
The freedom is in the object ball you nominate. You choose another ball on the table to act as the ball on for one stroke.
What Is the Free Ball Worth?
The nominated free ball is worth the value of the actual ball on. If red is on and you nominate the blue, the blue counts as a red for that stroke and scores one point if potted.
If yellow is on and you nominate the pink, the pink counts as yellow for that stroke and scores two points if potted.
The nominated ball is a substitute. It does not score its own normal value unless that is also the value of the ball on.
What Happens If You Pot the Free Ball?
If you pot the nominated free ball legally, it is usually re-spotted and you score the value of the ball on. Then the game continues normally from the next ball in sequence.
If reds are on and you pot a nominated colour as a free ball, you score one point. Then you may play a colour in the normal way, just as if you had potted a red.
This is why free balls can create unusually high breaks: the nominated ball can effectively act as an extra red when reds are on.
Can You Use the Free Ball to Pot the Real Ball On?
Yes. The nominated free ball can be struck first and used to pot the real ball on, provided the shot is otherwise legal. This is often called a plant or combination in casual language.
If red is on, you might nominate the brown, hit brown first, and use it to pot a red. The scoring depends on exactly what is potted, but the nominated ball is treated as the legal ball on for that stroke.
Practical rule: say the nominated free ball clearly before the shot. Most disputes start because nobody knew what was nominated.
What If You Miss the Free Ball?
Missing the nominated free ball is treated like missing the ball on, because for that stroke the nominated ball is the ball on. If you fail to hit it first, you have fouled.
If you hit the nominated free ball legally but do not pot anything, your visit normally ends and the opponent comes to the table. The game continues from the position left, subject to any foul or miss decision in formal play.
This is why a free ball is an opportunity, not a guaranteed score. You still need to choose a nominated ball you can contact cleanly and control.
What If You Pot Both the Free Ball and the Real Ball On?
When red is on, a common free-ball chance is to nominate a colour, strike it first, and use it to pot a red. Depending on the exact shot, the nominated colour may be re-spotted and the scoring can create an extra point opportunity.
In club play, this is where players often get confused because two balls may move or drop in the same shot. The safest process is to identify the nominated ball, identify the real ball on, then score according to the ball-on value.
In formal play, let the referee handle the exact scoring and replacement. Do not guess if two balls have been potted from a free-ball shot.
Can You Snooker Behind the Free Ball?
This is a common trap. Because the nominated free ball is treated as the ball on, you normally cannot use that same nominated ball to leave the opponent snookered on the real ball on. That can be a foul.
There are specific edge cases, including late-frame pink-and-black situations, where the detail matters. In formal play, leave this to the referee.
For beginner and club play, the safe version is simple: do not try to use the nominated free ball as the blocker after the shot.
Worked Examples
Red is on, opponent fouls, and black blocks every red: you may be awarded a free ball. You nominate blue, pot it, score one, blue is re-spotted, and you then play a colour.
Yellow is on after the reds, opponent fouls, and you cannot see yellow: you may nominate another ball as yellow for that shot. If potted, it scores two.
Opponent fouls but leaves you a full-ball red: no free ball, because you are not snookered on the ball on.
Why Free Ball Matters Tactically
A free ball can turn a foul into a real scoring chance. It can open a plant, create an extra red-like scoring opportunity, or let a player escape a position that would otherwise be unfair.
It also punishes careless safety play after a foul. If you foul and leave your opponent snookered, they may get a much better option than simply playing from the awkward position.
At beginner level, the best free-ball choice is often the clearest contact, not the flashiest pot. A simple legal shot that leaves position can be worth more than forcing a difficult nominated ball and giving the table back.
Club-Play Checklist
- Confirm there was a foul.
- Check whether the incoming player is genuinely snookered on the ball on.
- State “free ball” before the shot.
- Nominate the substitute ball clearly.
- Score the nominated ball as the value of the actual ball on.
- Re-spot a nominated colour when required.
Common Beginner Mistakes
- Thinking free ball means cue ball in hand.
- Calling free ball without a foul first.
- Scoring the nominated ball at its own value instead of the ball-on value.
- Forgetting to re-spot a nominated colour when required.
- Trying to snooker behind the nominated free ball.
- Failing to nominate clearly before the stroke.
Equipment Note
Free-ball decisions are rules knowledge, but accurate cueing helps you use the chance. Browse snooker cues, snooker balls, cue chalk and wider cue sports equipment.
Useful Next Reads
Read snookering behind a colour, how snooker fouls are scored, foul and miss explained, what ball on means and basic snooker rules.
Sources Worth Checking
For formal rule wording, use the WPBSA rules page, World Snooker Federation rules guidance, EBSA rule clarifications and BCA snooker rules guidance.
Bottom Line
A free ball is awarded after a foul when the incoming player is snookered on the ball on. It lets them nominate another ball as the ball on for one stroke.
Remember the sequence: foul first, snookered second, nominate clearly, score the ball-on value.
FAQs
Is a free ball the same as ball in hand?
No. Free ball lets you nominate an object ball. It does not let you move the cue ball.
When is a free ball awarded?
After a foul, when the incoming player is snookered on the ball on.
What is the free ball worth?
It is worth the value of the actual ball on, not its own normal value.
Does the free ball get re-spotted?
If a nominated colour is potted as a free ball, it is usually re-spotted.
Can you get a free ball without a foul?
No. A foul must come first.
Can a free ball lead to a break over 147?
Yes, in unusual situations where it effectively creates an extra red-like scoring chance.
