Sinuca brasileira

The layout of balls in sinuca brasileira

Sinuca brasileira (Brazilian Portuguese for Brazilian snooker), often simply called sinuca, is a cue sport played on a snooker table, using only one red ball instead of snooker's fifteen, with the normal six colours of the standard set of snooker balls. Each ball carries the same basic point value as in snooker. As with other pocket billiards games, a white cue ball is used to pot the red and other coloured balls. The game is played almost exclusively in Brazil and is little known outside this region.

Rules

Ball values are the same as in standard snooker (red = 1, yellow = 2, green = 3, brown = 4, blue = 5, pink = 6, black = 7) and points are awarded to a player after the corresponding ball is legally potted.

The colours are set up on their normal spots as in snooker, while the remaining red ball is placed halfway between the pink ball and the right side cushion. The cue ball is placed in the "D". The opening player may move the ball anywhere within the "D" before playing. After this, players will only have a chance to move the cue ball when an in-off foul (fault) occurs, and the incoming opponent will get ball-in-hand, permitting placement of the cue ball anywhere within the "D".

The first shot must be played so that the red ball is contacted; however, it is not permitted to either pocket the red ball or leave the opponent snookered.

Taken in turns, each player has a choice to either shoot for the ball with the lowest point value (a free shot); or, select any other ball (a penalty shot). On choosing a free shot a player must proceed with a continuation shot, and the free ball remains out of the game. Any ball may be nominated and selected as the ball 'on' for the continuation shot; which, after being pocketed, must be re-spotted. Missing either the free shot or the continuation shot ends the player's innings. However, if the player elects to shoot a penalty shot, the penalty ball is re-spotted and the next shot taken must be a free shot. In contrast to free or continuation shots, missing a penalty shot is not only the end of an innings but also a foul.

Every foul awards an opponent with 7 points. All other rules are the same as in snooker, although plants, cannons and other combination shots are automatically illegal because all the balls are different colours.