A LITTLE-KNOWN snooker rule played a big role in Liu Hongyu being dumped out of the English Open.
Liu took on countryman Si Jiahui for a place in the fourth round of the Brentwood tournament on Monday.
GETTYLiu Hongyu was in action against countryman Si Jiahui in the English Open on Monday[/caption]
TNT SPORTSThe Chinese cuist lost the fifth frame after falling victim to the three-miss rule, which he violated with two misses of the green[/caption]
TNT SPORTSHis missing of the pink after twice failing to hit the green handed the frame to Si[/caption]
But he exited the competition in the most bizarre circumstances.
A monumental blunder from the Chinese cueist in the fifth frame resulted in him violating the three-miss rule.
After potting a red while 21-4 up, Liu found himself behind a collection of balls and left with the dangerous option of playing the black.
He instead opted to play the green and twice failed to make contact with the colour, which led to a warning from the referee.
He once again refused to play the black and nominated the pink as his colour of choice instead.
But he got his escape wrong and made contact with the red instead of the pink.
Liu immediately knew the ramifications of the miss, which resulted in him falling 3-2 behind.
Si, however, didn’t and looked perplexed when the official informed him of Liu’s forfeiting of the frame.
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TNT SPORTSLiu couldn’t believe his bad luck as he missed the pink[/caption]
TNT Sports Neal Foulds said of Liu’s mission to hit the black: “I’m not sure how he would have hit the black.
“Maybe he would have needed a stepladder.”
Snooker rules state: “after a foul and a miss has been called under paragraph (c) above when there was a clear path in a straight line from the cue-ball to a ball that was on or could have been on, such that central, full-ball, contact was available (in the case of reds, this to be taken as a full diameter of any red that is not obstructed by a colour), or when the cue-ball is touching a ball that could be on, then: (i) a second failure to first hit a ball on in making a stroke from the original position shall be called as a foul and a miss regardless of the difference in scores; (ii) in the event of a second failure as in (i) above, if asked to play again from the original position, the offender shall be warned by the referee that a further failure will result in the frame being awarded to their opponent.”
Liu ultimately didn’t recover from the setback and lost the match 4-2.
Si’s reward for beating his countryman is a fourth-round clash with former World No.1 Luca Brecel.
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