In snooker, what is the minimum foul penalty awarded to an opponent?

In snooker, the minimum foul penalty awarded to an opponent is four points.

A foul normally gives the opponent at least four points, but the penalty can be higher when the ball involved has a greater value. For example, fouling on the black can produce a seven-point penalty. The referee awards the penalty according to the highest relevant ball value, with four as the floor.

Typical fouls include striking the cue ball incorrectly, hitting the wrong object ball first, failing to hit a ball, or causing a ball to leave the table. The incoming player may then continue from the resulting position or, in situations covered by the rules, require the offender to play again.

The minimum penalty is sometimes confused with the value of the lowest coloured ball, yellow, which is worth two points. Fouls are different: regardless of the low-value ball involved, the standard minimum penalty is four points.