The Invention of a new Sport!
September 28th 2010 21:53
Link: twitter.com/mattsaltmer
Having grown tired of snooker being the only form of sporting entertainment where I live, and desperate to excite ourselves with something new, myself, a friend and my brothers, about 18 month's ago took it upon ourselves to invent a new sport. It is a major adjustment of snooker, with pretty much the only rule remaining that the table starts the game looking the same. After a year and a half of tweaking the rules, and playing regularly, we now feel the sport is the finished article, and ready to be unleashed on the world. It is called 'Spook'ar'.
The game still requires the skills of snooker, ie basic potting. But it has some exciting and quite complicated rules, which provides great entertainment. For example, I recently won a game despite losing by 15 points with only two points left on the table. I will include a full list of the rules at the bottom of the post ..
A game of spook'ar requires three players, with all three taking it in turns having shots. Tournaments include either four or five players, with each sitting out a game. In a tournament situation, three points are awarded to the winner of a game, two to second placed, and one point to the loser.
We feel that spook'ar is a more entertaining version of snooker, almost like twenty20 cricket is too test. By reading the rules however, you will quickly realise just how different it is too snooker! While obviously not to be taken too seriously, I can guarantee that playing spook'ar is great fun, and a good laugh if your a snooker fan, as it is a little less serious. Having kept it under wraps while we have made sure all of the rules work out, and that we know what the procedure is in every scenario, we would now love others to try it out!
Let me know if you give it a try, and I very much recommend it!
Spook'ar was invented on April 22nd 2009, with the first ever game taking place at the Market Weighton Social Club, between Matt Saltmer, Nick Milson and Gareth Saltmer. It is a variation of snooker, but requires much more tactical know-how, and is infinitely more enjoyable! The sport is just beginning but will no doubt become a global phenomenon! If you wish to play, the rules of Spook'ar are listed below, enjoy, and remember, if you get spooked, you will lose!
Rule System:
Starting the game:
The table is set up identical to the start of a snooker game! There needs to be 3 players, who begin the game by playing a 3-way rock, paper, scissors. The winner of this breaks!
The break is taken from the usual position in the semi-circle. However, should a competitor pot a ball on the break, they automatically lose the frame and will be forced to watch the other two competitors from their seat!
In Spook'ar any ball can be potted at any time,
Rule 1:1: 'Playing your 'Spook'a'r!'
During the frame each player is allowed one 'Spook'a'r' shot, this shot acts very much as a double your point shot, should this miss or pot the shot has been used, and cannot be used again throughout the remaining frame.
Additional Rule 2:1: Spook'a'r Regain.
Following the play of your Spook'a'r shot on any of the colours, it then becomes applicable to that colour, so following either a successful pot or miss, once the ball has been potted and been replaced on the table due to any other rules, your Spooka'r is regained and free to use as you wish.
Rule 1:2: Combination Shootouts.
A shootout becomes possible following the successfull consecutive potting of at least two Red Balls, following this you can decide to either build up your combination, carry on the break or play the Shoot Out. The Combination system works as follows, two red pots allows you to have a shootout on the yellow, three reds the green, four reds the brown etc etc.......
The shootout works by the relevant colour and the white being placed in opposite corner pockets, a simple nudge in and the points become yours, the acceptance of taking a shootout allows such shot to take place, however you break comes to an end following the shootout.
Should the colour involved in the shootout be already on the table, the ball is moved to the corner pocket and then replaced on its spot, should the coloured ball be in the pocket already the ball is used for the shootout, it simply remains in the pocket following the pot.
Rule 1:3: The Power '3'
The Blue, Pink and Black as in regular snooker are the three highest scoring individual balls. Following the initial break shot, all three balls are pottable. However following the potting of any two of the balls throughout the game, when only one of the power three remain, and more than 6 red balls remain in play this final ball is 'out of play'. This remains so until 6 or less red balls remain and the last power three then becomes active and freely pottable again.
Additional Rule 2:1: Power '3' Return Pot
Should only one of the remaining power 3 remain on the table, in regards to the above rule, you are allowed to pot that remaining power on the provision that it would return a fellow power back to the table. Example being if the Black is remaining on the table with 8 reds, yet the blue is on the top of one of the six pockets. The black would be allowed to be potted due to the fact of Rule 1:4 the blue being 'brought' back.
Rule 1:4: Bring a Ball Back.
The ruling is optional, and completely up to the individual who is currently in play, and becomes valid following the successfull potting of two consecutive colours.
The basics being following the potting of the yellow and green totalling 5 points, this allows you to bring back the relevant colour totalling those points, so should the blue be already out of play it can now be replaced on it's spot.
This system works for all consecutive pots on colours, so yellow and the blue allows you to bring the black ball back into play, should the colours potted total more then the maximum seven for black you are able to bring any colour previously out of play, back into the game. The rule is completely option as to it's benefit to the individual
Rule 1:5: The 'Floating' White
The rule becomes active following fouls, and can be done so in two possible ways:
[1] Two fouls by the same player allows the following player to pick up the white and 'float' it to any location on the table, allowing you to begin your break from there.
[2] The potting of the white ball without hitting a ball on the table. Should you hit a ball and pocket the white regular fouling rules apply. However should the white go in the pocket without touching a ball on the tabe, the 'Floating' white becomes available for the following player.
Rule 1:6: The 'DPD'- Double Point Pot
If the cue ball is over the bork line and the ball you wish to pot is over the 'line' between the middle pockets, the ball potted becomes worth double, and the break continue.
Rule 1:7: 'Spook'ar Flook'ar'
SIMPLE- Pot a ball purely by accident or via a flook, you get an additional point per ball.
Rule 1:8: Colour Clash
Should you pot a ball in any pocket and there already be a colour in that pocket, as the last ball to be pocketed the ball is now replaced on the table. Should any reds be pocketed imbetween the consecutive pocketing of colours then the ball cannot be replaced.
Rule 1:9: Overflow
Following the potting of balls in any of the 6 pockets, once the pocket is 'overflowing' and the last ball potted in floating loosely Overflow becomes active, and the player can chose any ball within that pocket to be replaced on the table. Overflow does not have to be noticed the turn a ball is pocketed it can be used at any point.
Rule 2:0: Light Hinderance
Should the allocated 12 minutes per 20 pence come to an end during your break, and NOT before or after the individual is gifted a 'Light' bonus point.
Special Circumstance: Rule 2:2: Gareth Syndrome!
Although rare should all colours bar one be potted before any reds leave the table. All colours come back onto the table to effectively let the game begin again. The competitor who scored any points are allowed to keep points gained prior to the re-spotting. This ruling can only be played once per frame, and is there to purely not allow the frame to become one-sided. It would also probably not be used unless Gareth Saltmer is participating in the frame!
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