First frame forfeited at the snooker World Championship without a ball potted

At the WPBSA World Championship in Sheffield, UK, on 26 April 2013, Dechawat Poomjaeng (Thailand) forfeited the fourth frame of his second-round match against Michael White under the "three-miss" rule when he failed to make contact with the reds three times in a row while attempting safety shots, before a ball had been potted. An animated Poomjaeng went on to lose the match 13–3. Under snooker's 'three-miss' rule, a player forfeits a game if he misses the target ball three times in a row "when there was a clear path in a straight line from the cue ball to a ball that was on or that could have been on, such that central, full-ball contact was available". Poomjaeng was warned by referee Michaela Tabb after his second miss, as per the rules, and conceded the frame with his third miss, when he attempted to hit a different red and return to the baulk cushion.

Only twice before has a frame been conceded at the World Championship under the 'three-miss' rule, but both when frames have been more advanced. At the 1996 World Championship, Ken Doherty (UK) forfeited frame 12 of his last 16 match against Darren Morgan when he was trailing 89 points to 55 and went on to lose the match 13-5. At the 1997 World Championship, John Parrott (UK) forfeited frame 11 of his last 16 match against Anthony Hamilton when he was leading 33 points to 22. Parrott went on to win the match 13-11.

In the final qualifying round of the 2002 World Championship, Paul Wykes (UK) forfeited frame six of his match against Dominic Dale before a ball had been potted under the 'three-miss' rule. The match took place at the Newport Centre in Wales, UK, rather than at the Crucible Theatre during the main/televised stages of the World Championship, so it has been discounted as a contender for this record.

Alan McManus (UK) was the first player to win a frame at the World Championship without potting a ball - the seventh frame of his first-round match against Chris Small in 2004. Small conceded the frame with just five points on the board (he was losing 1-4) after potting a red and then committing a foul trying to hit the brown ball when he was snookered. He conceded the frame due to ill health.