Advice From Other Members.

[S Davis Fan]

Hi

I have been seriously playing snooker from feb, now with practicing from 4-6 hours a week. I practice on my own and like to see how many colours I can clear up off their spots, I have managed to pot all colours 3 times now, and often get to the black but sometimes I bottle it, or have to pot the pink and leave me a long black or cut. Now a couple of older players have come and given me advice, and one is not to play with screw to much but to play the ball dead weight on the colours. I find this risky as the ball could roll off. I prefer to set up a thickest yellow and play with a little screw, trying to leave myself a similar shot on the green then again a straight brown from which I can screw it back or a little angle. Why to people moan at me screwing it so much I used to have problems screwing now I can screw back really hard if I want to and keep really still on the shot surely being able to do that, means I'm a better player than rolling the balls in dead weight. Also I have been getting my line of aim and then getting down looking at the white and then checking the object ball angle and if it's right I keep my eyes on object ball and play the shot. This guy today coached me into looking only at the spot on the object ball getting down ignoring the white still looking at object ball, 3 feather pause and hit, this goes against any book or video I have seen. I prefer the latter.

Also for finding where to put the back right leg of the stance he says, I should stand with the line of shot between both feet then move my right foot in between my feet onto the line I'm looking and then move my left foot forward and to the left. I actually found this to help me a bit, but not ignoring the white.

Many Thanks Paul

[Robert602]

With a good solid cue action you should be able to hit the ball quite firmly without losing any accuracy. I've seen league players who float everything in dead weight because they don't have the confidence in their technique to do anything else. A firm hit is less susceptible to roll offs or kicks, or even nervy twitches.

Scew shots are really a separate issue. They're very often an option, sometimes the best one, sometimes not. You can often give yourself more room for error positionally by choosing a different shot, say by using a cushion to come into the line of the shot rather than across it. They're fun, but a lot of players get a bit addicted to them and don't see (or don't get used to playing) the better alternatives.

Regarding looking at the white - I find when I'm really playing well I don't consider looking at the white once I'm down on the shot. I instinctively line up correctly. This is particularly the case in practice when obviously I have all the table time and get into a good rhythm.

On other days though I need to look at the white to stop myself cueing across the ball, it definitely helps me in those situations. For the sake of consistency it probably is best to build it into your routine. I can't think of a pro that doesn't check the white while they're cueing up.

[bongo]

In my opinion, you should look at the white, definately. When standing behind the shot, and walking in, you should look at the object ball. If you look at the cue ball, then it is easy to drift off the line of aim, but if you are looking at the object ball, then it is easier to get down onto the right line. By looking at the white, you can be 100% sure you are addressing the cue ball in the right place. If you are playing a shot and you do not look at the white then you will find it very difficult. Then you should look at the object ball, and make sure you are on the right line. That is just basically what you should be doing, and it is what I was told I should do.

[Blondie]

.....interesting one, during backswing, I just tend to let my eyes go from the cueball to the object ball and then back again, ensuring I'm 'lined' up' correctly, and 'settled' into the shot. [And it's only really a 'flicker' of the eye, with the head completely still.] And at the end of the backswing, as I pause, I just let me eyes go to the object ball and stay there. [For me, it's only really the last second or two that my eyes are looking at the spot on the object ball where contact with the cueball needs to be made.] This works for me as it's not really a long time, it tends not to allow my eyes any time to wander back to the cue ball as such, or anywhere else for that matter.....

............and tend to like a 'balance' of shots in and around the colours, screw is a good option, where appropriate, but for positional play also like to use stun as well. Preference is to use both really, depending on the lay of the balls..... :snooker:

[bongo]

Simplicity

I really doesn't matter if you hang upside down from the lamp shade (well it would because a least one foot needs to be in contact with the floor), if you have a routine that works then great! Simplicity is the key to Snooker. We aim for perfection and that is what gives the ambition and motivation to carry on and keep improving. Aim for perfection but simplicity is very important. Keep it simple!

[S Davis Fan]

Thanks for all the advice.

I have watched two great videos, like John Parrotts video, and I love Steve's Davis champion way. I have allways tried to look at the white and the object ball, it was just this guys that tried to tell me not to.

Thanks Guys Paul

[kevy62]

Thanks for all the advice.

I have watched two great videos, like John Parrotts video, and I love Steve's Davis champion way. I have allways tried to look at the white and the object ball, it was just this guys that tried to tell me not to.

Thanks Guys Paul

Hi there, firstly we (players) are not robots!
by all means checkout other players stances & styles but when it comes down to it, from a coaching point of view you "must" do what comes naturally & then try to develop the players strengths & build on that.

As an example if you find switching your eyes from cueball to object ball tough for whatever reason? or think that you may have been misinformed,
or can't quite grasp it ("fat bloke in the club said") attatude, then i would advise you to think like this!

A dart player throws a dart at the bullseye!

where is he looking??

1. is he looking at the dart?

(1. does his head turn hard right, then look forward as his arm moves through his preliminary address to the dart board? before he throws the dart?)


2.does he just look at the bullseye?

(2. both eyes fixed on the bullseye until after he throws the dart?)


the answer to the question is simple, he looks where he is aiming,
so the answer is 2.

please forgive the example, but it is the same in any cuesport.

your eyes should switch from cueball to object ball as you use your practice strokes to settle, once you are happy with your address of the cueball you "should" be looking at the object ball only, (not the dart) when you actually strike the cueball ....

get it?

Some players don't find this easy, but with a bit of practice you will twig it, i'm sure you could find someone to pratice with, who could be perhaps more helpful to your progress, good luck & "Stick at it" it works!

regards, kevy.

[RocketRoy1983]

I have been coached by the snooker coach and father-in-law of a former world champion who has coached me to put all the clolurs on their spot with one red on the table somewhere near the pink/black spot and pot red, colour then clear the colours. This is because a lot of frames are decided late on and it also gives you great practice on clearing the colours.

Also in relation to the cue ball/object ball which one to look at dept. the correct answer in my opinion (Which i got from Joe Davis' book and has served me well) Is to address the ball with as many feathers as you feel comfortable looking at the cue ball, object ball as many times as you feel comfortable. When your ready to play the shot stop ensuring the cue is going to hit the white in the correct place then look at the part of the object ball you want to hit and deliver the cue in a straight line with all the usual follow through etc...As easy as that.

[kevy62]

I have been coached by the snooker coach and father-in-law of a former world champion who has coached me to put all the clolurs on their spot with one red on the table somewhere near the pink/black spot and pot red, colour then clear the colours. This is because a lot of frames are decided late on and it also gives you great practice on clearing the colours.

Also in relation to the cue ball/object ball which one to look at dept. the correct answer in my opinion (Which i got from Joe Davis' book and has served me well) Is to address the ball with as many feathers as you feel comfortable looking at the cue ball, object ball as many times as you feel comfortable. When your ready to play the shot stop ensuring the cue is going to hit the white in the correct place then look at the part of the object ball you want to hit and deliver the cue in a straight line with all the usual follow through etc...As easy as that.

Hi there, i'm sorry to be blunt, but what you are "actually" saying is, you should be looking at the object ball when you deliver the cue!
might I add that this is a basic principle of any cueing technique!

[poolqjunkie]

You need to tell some people you are not interested in their opinion--politely. To tell you to hit all balls dead weight is just wrong--you ned to be able to hit your shots with a variety of speed.

For running out the colors, I like to stay low on my baulk colors, that way I can screw or use the cushion to get on my next ball. I like to have an angle on the brown, not straight, so I can come off the side cushion for the blue. But if I am striahgt, then I need to control my back screw so I do not come too far, and do not get close to the cushion. If I am on the high side of the brown, I usually play it with some running side top to go bottom and side cushion for the blue. You can practice getting on the yellow from the black, pink and blue, and you will have different starting positions on your yellow, which you need to be comfortable in potting.

Sometimes, you need to deep screw the yellow to get on the green(if you are straight on the yellow, but the cue ball is level with the blue), and sometimes, you can roll it in. Sometimes, you need to stun follow it with the rest (a bit awkward with the cue ball between the blue and the yellow, about say a full 3/4 on the yellow on the high side), sometimes, you may need a bit of side to swing the ball off the bottom and side, or just the bottom. You also need to deep screw the green to get on the brown sometimes, or you can roll it in, and get off the side cushion...etc

Just want to say that you need to be able to hit your shots with many speeds, because you need them. Running out the colors is a good practice, and there are many different types of speed and shots that you need to be able to execute in order to do it consistently.

I liek to use my back swing distance to control how hard I hit my bals, and I pay attnetion not to grip the cue too tight on my power shots. I think playing screw is fine, because stun and screw are very important in break bui8lding. You should also practice your top though. Dont be great at screw but terrible at power follow.

[RocketRoy1983]

Hi there, i'm sorry to be blunt, but what you are "actually" saying is, you should be looking at the object ball when you deliver the cue!
might I add that this is a basic principle of any cueing technique!

My post was for the convenience of the guy asking the question. Thank you.

[kevy62]

My post was for the convenience of the guy asking the question. Thank you.

sorry roy , my apologies

it was the same answer, as in the previous 5 posts ,once more my apologies