Interesting fact

[Black Hole]

Nowhere near the 42 I first thought of... want a clue?

 

[Deleted member 473]

Go on.

 

[Black Hole]

Something to do with a sport you might have noticed I enjoy watching.

 

[MikeSh]

Snooker?
In which case there are 4 corner pockets and 2 side pockets.

 

[Black Hole]

No

 

[Deleted member 473]

Scott Williams has won 42 caps for Wales?

 

[gomezz]

Looking backwards, 2 40 sounds like a pleasant way to pass an hour at the end of the afternoon.

 

[EEPhil]

I can't think of any interesting facts, so someone else can take over if the following is correct.
42 is the the total points value of all the balls on a snooker table. 15 reds = 15. Colours 7+6+5+4+3+2 = 27. 27+15 = 42.

 

[gomezz]

You forgot the white: -4.

 

[prpr]

You forgot the white: -4.

Not necessarily. It can be anything from -4 to -7.

 

[gomezz]

True. And a real maximum break is not 147 but 155. Never seen on the telly that I know of.

 

[prpr]

Something to do with a sport you might have noticed I enjoy watching.

10, double 16
18, double 12
Perhaps not your thing.

 

[Black Hole]

42 is the the total points value of all the balls on a snooker table. 15 reds = 15. Colours 7+6+5+4+3+2 = 27. 27+15 = 42.

Correct, but unstated that 42 is the minimum possible combined score for a completed frame of snooker.

A 155 break is incredibly unlikely, seeing as it would need to be a free ball after a foul followed by potting a black, and then a maximum break on top. I very much doubt we'll ever see one of those (and the final score would be at least 159).

 

[prpr]

Correct, but unstated that 42 is the minimum possible combined score for a completed frame of snooker.

I'd say 35. With only the black left on the table there is no scope for snookers.

 

[Black Hole]

But that's not a completed frame.

 

[prpr]

But that's not a completed frame.

Yes it is. You are not required to pot the black and can claim the frame if you are more than 7 points ahead, since there is absolutely 0% chance that the opponent can score more than 7 points.
Perhaps you ought to read the rules. Section 2 Rule 1(b).

 

[Trev]

But those who achieve a 147 break always go for the final black even though they don't have to under Section 2 Rule 1(b).

 

[Black Hole]

I see it like chess. The game ends when your opponent's king is captured, but there is a principle of etiquette that the opponent capitulates when capture is inevitable rather than actually be captured. There is no relevance to this, the game might just as well progress to the completion.

The player isn't required to complete the frame by potting the black, but he isn't required not to either. The frame ends when there is no point in playing on, but that's checkmate not regicide.

 

[prpr]

But those who achieve a 147 break always go for the final black

No they don't. Someone rather good didn't, to protest at what he perceived as the paltry prize money for scoring a 'maximum'.

 

[Trev]

Forgot that one. It was Ronnie O'Sullivan last year.