How to become a professional snooker player

[Smeeagain]

This really is not for me !!! Seriously! (enquiring on behalf of a youngster I know) But how do you become a professional snooker player. Enter Q school, pay your entry and take it from there? What standard would a basic q school player be (in terns of high break ability as one benchmark)?

Thanks
Smee

[tedisbill]

Q School is the main way these days yes. So pay your entry and if you win you're then on the tour. Remember that once you're actually on the tour though, you'll need money for the entry fee for each event. £100 for PTCs. £600 entry for bigger events.

In terms of standard, guys I know that have entered and not made it, are making 147s in practice and in a session of practice, say best of 19, they'll knock in 5-6 tons, maybe even more.

Hopefully that will give you some idea.

[Smeeagain]

That's great thank you. As i say it is not for me (you'll only have to read some of my posts to work that out!) but I'll pass it on. You say though that Q school is 'the main way'. Is there another way?

[cyberheater]

In terms of standard, guys I know that have entered and not made it, are making 147s in practice and in a session of practice, say best of 19, they'll knock in 5-6 tons, maybe even more.

It's amazing when you see this level of standard isn't enough to get you through Q-School but the guys that do make it barely making 30's and 40's in televised snooker tournaments. The pressure must be immense.

[tedisbill]

There are various other tournaments and events you can win that also award a tour place or finish well in PTC events.

Have a read of this mate:

http://www.prosnookerblog.com/2014/0...15-making-132/

[tedisbill]

It's amazing when you see this level of standard isn't enough to get you through Q-School but the guys that do make it barely making 30's and 40's in televised snooker tournaments. The pressure must be immense.

Yeah it's mind blowing. Bottle is massive in sport. There will only ever be a handful of people that can bring it when it really matters.

[Smeeagain]

which is why centuries, maximums etc are all the more impressive in competitions and finals, as is the use of folk like Dr Steve Peters - although I do think that the commentators made too big a deal of it regarding ROS at the World Championship

[cyberheater]

which is why centuries, maximums etc are all the more impressive in competitions and finals, as is the use of folk like Dr Steve Peters - although I do think that the commentators made too big a deal of it regarding ROS at the World Championship

Yes. Every 5 mins it seems.

[magicman]

The fact that Selby was 10-10 with ROS with a high break of 74 and won 18-14 with a high break of 87 should indicate to people that tactical nouse and clever shot choice is more important than the ability to knock in century after century.

Every pro, and most top amateurs can knock in centuries regularly. What makes the difference between their games?

If knocking in maximums was relevant, then John Higgins wouldn't have become World champion and world no 1 without ever having had one. I knew amateurs, myself included who'd had max's at the time. We weren't the best in the world. Why was he? Because he played clever. He was tactically superior to his opponents.

Selby has taken over his mantle as the hardest match player out there. Maybe it's not the exciting stuff that Alex Higgins, Jimmy White, Paul Hunter, ROS etc play, but if we fail to see what's right before our eyes we're blinded to a different form of brilliance.

[alabadi]

The fact that Selby was 10-10 with ROS with a high break of 74 and won 18-14 with a high break of 87 should indicate to people that tactical nouse and clever shot choice is more important than the ability to knock in century after century.

.

you mean a high break of 127 which he got in the in frame 30