Agility4All 2025 version

In an attempt to demystify the game of snooker, agility judge Sally Jones has written this guide. Snooker's not something that most people can do in the few minutes they get to walk the course whilst asking those around them. Taking some time to read this in the relative peace of your own home can give you some idea of the game. She recommends reading this description BEFORE reading the rules.

This will, hopefully, will give you a skeleton idea of what's going on so you can hang the rules onto that framework. But you must read the rules, too.

To illustrate how it works, I'm going to be using a sample course. This one has 4 x red jumps (numbered Red1 to Red4) and a number of other obstacles labelled 2A through to 7B. Let's say a course time of 50 seconds has been set.

You will hear people referring to the 2-7 numbers as colours instead of numbers. These reflect the value of the coloured balls in the game of snooker played on a table. I won't be using the colours here - I'll stick to numbers. However, I will refer to the 1 point red jumps as RED.

This is the course

The basic idea is to score the most points in the shortest time or at least 37 points if you just want to qualify. It will help if you think of the game as being in two parts even though the time set is for the whole game. It also helps to work backwards and look at the second part first.

The numbered obstacles 2-7 (and all the ABCs) make up the 'closing' sequence and, in the closing, they have to be completed in order exactly as they are labelled with no mistake. If you manage to get to the last obstacle or sequence before the time is up, you will score 2+3+4+5+6+7=27 points. Note, you don't have to do the finish jump in the time. You just have to have started the last number so in this example, dog has entered tunnel at 7A at 50 seconds. If you then complete 7A and B without fault, you get the 7 points.

If you look at this 2-7 sequence as a normal course, work out how much time it will take your dog to get from 2 to the beginning of 7. In this example, let's say it will take 20 seconds. This then leaves you 30 seconds for the first part (opening). So far, not too complicated, right? At least in theory.

For the opening you have to make some decisions. You have to make up a route that comprises a red jump (worth 1 point) and then a number 2-7. You do this three times, each time using a different red (1 point) jump. In our example, we have said you have calculated you have 30 seconds for the opening. What can your dog do in that time?

You also have to leave each red jump standing before you can attempt a 2-7. So, it goes: Red then a 2-7 different red to first one, then a 2-7 different red to first and second one and then a 2-7. In this part of the guide, I'll assume your dog doesn't knock down any of the reds or make any mistakes in the 2-7 either. It's easy when it goes right.

The best score you can get in this first part is 24. That's 1+7, 1+7, 1+7 =24. The total for the whole game is therefore 51. But the question is, do you have time to complete that route? It's common that snooker courses will be set where it's tough to get around 3 x 7s in the time so decisions need to be made and this is where strategy comes in..

For example, you may decide to go for 3 x 7 in the opening but because of the time that takes, you only get as far as 6 in the closing. That means you score 44 in total. However, there may be a much quicker route that doesn't make as many points in the opening but allows you to score all the way to 7 in the closing. For example, 5,5,6 and then completing the closing will score 46 points in total. Look at the attached examples of routes. You will see that the length of the route for the 3 x 7 is 204 metres (bottom left) whereas the 5,5,6 is only 157 metres. There's also a 5,5,7 for comparison. There are many more combinations, too.

What all these three routes have in common is that they all end on an obstacle that sets up nicely for the first obstacle of the closing, #2.

Where there are combination obstacles (3,4,7), it is common practice for the judge to specify that they may be taken in any order and from either direction in the opening. This means, for example, it's okay to take Red 4, 7B from the back, 7A from the other end. In order to get the points you need to you have to complete all parts of a combination without fault. If your run goes well, it's just like any other agility course apart from the fact there aren't numbers on the opening sequence.

If something goes wrong, it's not so easy and you have to be able to think on your feet. It's when your dog knocks one of the reds that it requires a cool head. Let's say you are attempting the 5,5,7 route but your dog knocks Red 2. Before you can attempt a 2-7, you have to clear a red jump so, in this example, it would make sense to do Red 3, followed by 7. That's a relatively easy one to rectify. Okay, you lose 6 (1+5) points, but it's still a qualifying score of 41. Using the same 5,5,7 route, imagine your dog knocks Red 3. Because there is still an unused red, you could manoeuvre carefully to do Red 4 instead before doing 7. I encourage you to read the rules carefully here as they vary depending on whether there are 3 or 4 reds.

If at any time you hear the whistle blown, that means it's game over and you should proceed to the finish jump to stop the clock.

To recap

Make sure you know the rules before you start and at a show, check out the following:-

• Total time set

• Rules set by judge re combinations or direction of obstacles in opening

• Walk the closing and time it to start of #7 (use your phone or stopwatch)

• Deduct time needed for closing from total time

• Decide an opening that fits within the time you have left

• Learn it like it's a normal course

• Don't panic!

About the author...
Sally Jones has been involved in agility for 35+ years  and has seen the sport grow from when it could hardly be called a sport to the international phenomenon it has become.

She has judged and taught agility in Europe, America and South Africa and was the coach of the Italian National Squad at the WAO for six years. She has been honoured to judge at WAO.

Sally has written many articles for dog magazines around the world and, in the olden days, had a column called Perennial Starter in Agility Eye.

First published 20th June 2025

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