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Below is shown a position from the famous Fu-Day game of snooker in which Day achieved four snookers. This was aided by the snooker-friendly condition of the balls in a cluster at the end of the table, allowing the cue to be hidden.
Why would Fu not clear the cluster by hitting the brown/green to the side of the table? Obviously it will be a foul, but he would only take one foul penalty and it would make it a lot harder for Day to hide the cue after that.
In most situations, not attempting to hit the ball "on" would be a "Foul and a Miss" and the opponent would have the option of having the balls reset to the position before the shot, rendering this tactic worthless:
The striker shall, to the best of his ability, endeavour to hit the ball on or a ball that could be on after a Red has been potted. If the referee considers the Rule infringed, he shall call FOUL AND A MISS
[...]
After a FOUL AND A MISS has been called, the next player may request the offender to play again from the position left, or at his discretion, from the original position, with all balls being replaced
(Official rules, Section 3, Rule 14 Foul and a Miss). However, my reading of Rule 14 is that "Foul and a Miss" cannot be called if snookers are required:
If the referee considers the Rule infringed, he shall call FOUL AND A MISS unless:
(i) any player needed penalty points before, or as a result of, the stroke being played;
so Fu could perhaps have done this. On the other hand, there is Section 4, Rule 1:
In the event of:
[...]
any conduct by a Player which in the opinion of the referee is wilfully or persistently unfair
the referee has the option of awarding the frame to the opponent. I don't know what counts as "wilfully unfair" for world class players.
