Total clearance talk through

[Big Splash!]

@JVC

Jesus, you've owned more cues than your high break!

Always play for options if you can, make some triangles. And when you do have to play for one ball, play with perfect CB control. Try and think a few shots ahead but concentrate only on the ball in hand when you play a shot. That's all their is to snooker really, apart from potting. You can practice options, you can practice CB control with exercises. You can beat 64 man, I know you can.

Play it like Alex.

[Big Splash!]

what do they measure across the drop?

3.3'' is the official size according to WS. However, a lot of folk reckon they're bigger. I think they're closer to 3.5''. I played on a 3.25'' today and there's no way WS tables are only 0.05'' bigger, no chance.

[Shockerz]

I would say playing a pot thinking i can get to a certain spot but not getting even close to it ha ha ha, then next shot is a recovery pot which leads to a balls up

Sounds like me. Start to lose a little position normally due to timing and then it gets a little jerky. Sometimes I know I'm not quite quite on the right line and do a little something to pot it anyway but occasionally miss it, aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh just get uuuuuuppppppppp!

[tedisbill]

That's a good point actually. There's many ways to achieve the same result, nice to see different approaches to the same set of balls.

Well, what actually happens sometimes, is you make a bad choice, but manage to get the next pot and get away with it anyway. Lots of times I see players make a bad choice, but then the next couple of things happen to work out OK, and they're none the wiser. They don't even realise that 2 or 3 shots ago, their bad decision is what costs them a bigger break 90% of the time.

I'm sure I do that as well. My shot choice is gonna be nowhere near as good as Ronnie and Hendry. I'm forever talking to my mate Robbie (he's made 10 maxies) about shot choice. He's helped me improve massively over the last few years.

[itsnoteasy]

I can miss with every excuse ever invented, because I will have done every fault possible , many many times over, and continue to do them, it's pathetic sometimes. From feet to tip , it's all gone wrong inbetween the two,more often than its gone right that's for sure.

[Shockerz]

Well, what actually happens sometimes, is you make a bad choice, but manage to get the next pot and get away with it anyway. Lots of times I see players make a bad choice, but then the next couple of things happen to work out OK, and they're none the wiser. They don't even realise that 2 or 3 shots ago, their bad decision is what costs them a bigger break 90% of the time.

That's a good point as well, now I'm wondering how much of my snooker is poor decision making.

Got the wrong cue, playing at the wrong club, drinking the wrong lager

Seriously though, I wonder if you could count the misses we all have and could group them I would imagine there would be lots of things that would stick out for us to learn from.

I did keep track 5 or 6 years ago of the crucial errors I had made in each match frame to see if I could see a pattern and highlight poor decision making or types of shots I continually couldn't play.

It proved worth while as it proved I shy'd away from certain match winning / losing balls and played way too safe; still struggle with that sometimes now.

[Shockerz]

I can miss with every excuse ever invented, because I will have done every fault possible , many many times over, and continue to do them, it's pathetic sometimes. From feet to tip , it's all gone wrong inbetween the two,more often than its gone right that's for sure.

Know what you mean. I'm coming up 53 and feel like i'm hanging on by my finger nails. Timing, lack of practice, lack of playing partners and to much time in other sports.

But, sometimes the enjoyment is in the challenge and the journey even if you don't get there. Seen some really good century breakers give up as they could become a money earning pro but don't have the enjoyment just being great at their level.

[Big Splash!]

I can miss with every excuse ever invented, because I will have done every fault possible , many many times over, and continue to do them, it's pathetic sometimes. From feet to tip , it's all gone wrong inbetween the two,more often than its gone right that's for sure.

Yep, all been there. I believe it's about the wee finger, straight cue delivery and playing the shot 100%. I know people will stop feathering, then the demon of doubt fleets through the mind before you take the cue back, tense and ka-boom, what a mess. Tell him to go away, play with no fear. Even if you do get out of position, look at the recovery shot, think about how hard it is and how great it will be to pull it off and keep the break going. At this stage, I'm thinking, I've made XX points. The break is over effectively even though I'm at the table. So if I pot this recovery shot, it's icing, I'm not expected to make this tough shot so there is zero pressure and I can now go for a shot 100% with no fear because there is no downside. Even if it's only one ball extra, it's one brilliant ball on top of the break for me to be chuffed with and smile at. I make more than 50% of those shots in this mindset.

* I was between yellow and brown today, red next to the blue. I made the red into the blue pocket without it touching the bumpers. And I hit it plain ball. Hell of shot. I got down with the **** it attitude, let's give this a go, nothing to lose and if it goes in, wowsers. I was smiling for ages after.

@shockerz, you ain't wrong bud. Some maxi makers have quit, achieving everything they could. Some have switched to pool to make money. If you still love the game, maybe you don't have their tons but you do have the love and LOVE is very special. You're a winner for that baby.

[rdsalt]

Nice break, and done with a machine spliced 1/2 split cue.

[Big Splash!]

Nice break, and done with a machine spliced 1/2 split cue.

Are you sure it wasn't a JPU, TW or MW? :biggrin-new: If only he'd bought some angel ash; Q school would have beckoned.

[DeanH]

Nice break, and done with a machine spliced 1/2 split cue.

Are you sure it wasn't a JPU, TW or MW? :biggrin-new: If only he'd bought some angel ash; Q school would have beckoned.

Could be a JP Master cue :wink:

[Big Splash!]

Could be a JP Master cue :wink:

It could be a Riley house cue; same thing. :biggrin-new:

INMB hits the numbers with a JD 147 maple machine splicer. If you've got it, you've got it.

[tomwalker147]

Well, what actually happens sometimes, is you make a bad choice, but manage to get the next pot and get away with it anyway. Lots of times I see players make a bad choice, but then the next couple of things happen to work out OK, and they're none the wiser. They don't even realise that 2 or 3 shots ago, their bad decision is what costs them a bigger break 90% of the time.

I'm sure I do that as well. My shot choice is gonna be nowhere near as good as Ronnie and Hendry. I'm forever talking to my mate Robbie (he's made 10 maxies) about shot choice. He's helped me improve massively over the last few years.

Bang on Ted. I think we'd get on, we seem to be from the same school of thought.
Just to boost Pottr's ego, I was nowhere near the player I am now before we started practising together and it's down mostly to improving my shot selection. The good players like Jack get into prime position very early in the break and from then on they're in control.

[tedisbill]

Cheers, Tom. It's nice to know some people agree

There's a game within a game. Being able to pot balls is only half of snooker really.

[alabadi]

Shot selection and the thought process of break building is massive. I see countless threads on here about cue action and technique, but so many players could drastically improve even with exactly the same cue action as they have right now.

spot on Ted, one of my flaws, its held me back over the last couple of years