Snooker legend Steve Davis reveals the rule he wants axed to speed up the sport

Winner of snooker’s ultimate prize at the Crucible Theatre six times throughout the 1980s, the legendary Davis is on commentary and punditry duties for BBC Sport’s live coverage of the 2026 World Snooker Championship from Sheffield.

Davis has been involved with snooker for over half-a-century and has seen changes come and go, but one long-standing playing rule annoys him the most, and he disclosed what it is during the last 16 match between Judd Trump and Hossein Vafaei on Monday night.

In what was an epic encounter- with qualifier Vafaei playing beautifully, and ousting the world number one via a deciding frame - frame 22 saw Trump produce a classy break of 76 having watched his opponent string together the previous four frames to take the lead.

But despite requiring five four-point snookers to win the frame, Vafaei elected to play on, to the bemusement of the pundits. In fairness to Vafaei, there were red balls behind the pink, so he probably thought he could at least guarantee himself one snooker.

However, after a passage of play with Vafaei unable to achieve the highly unlikely feat, the score was officially confirmed as 11-11.

Following the frame, the coverage cut to the studio where analysts Davis and Joe Perry talked about Vafaei’s decision to carry on for the penalty points.

It was something former world number one Davis has a strong opinion on. Whilst laying multiple snookers - and then hoping the opponent doesn’t escape from them - is a tall, arduous task, the dangling carrot of perhaps receiving a free ball, which could equate to an extra eight points, is often a reason for players to continue despite the situation appearing hopeless.

But that’s a scenario ‘The Nugget’ wants to see eliminated from the sport because it can become a drawn-out affair, often leading to nowhere.

Davis said: "My pet rule change would be ban the free ball, get rid of it out the rule book then that wouldn't happen.

"It wouldn't be a ridiculous sort of shot-clocky rule but I think that's the rule for me that would speed up snooker; stop players going on for just freak free balls."

“Too much dead time” Robertson concurs with Davis on rule change

Former world champion Neil Robertson is in agreement with Davis when it comes to eradicating fruitless, protracted spells of players carrying on despite needing several snookers.

Speaking to Totally Snookered at the 2026 World Snooker Championship Media Day inside the Crucible, the Australian was asked what snooker rule he’d like to see changed. He responded with: "If you need 10 points or more from fouls to win a frame when you need snookers the frame should just already be over.

"I think that we get sort of maybe too much dead time in matches or, and especially on TV, I've been there myself, you need a free ball. You think 'Oh well you never know' and all of a sudden, 20 minutes later, the frame's still going nowhere.

"So I think once you need two snookers or more probably that should be the end of the frame.

"There's great skill in getting a snooker to get back into a frame, but I think there should be a limit on that, whether it be a time limit that you have to be able to get the snooker or whether it be like a points threshold. I think that's certainly something that I would definitely change 100%.

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