Particular type of shot

[RocketRoy1983]

No, I have a clean contact with the white but then seem to raise the tip of the cue so the cue finishes several inches above the table in an uncontrolled fashion and not resting on my bridge hand.

Oh you mean ala Alex Higgins? Well so long as you cue the white in the centre (Or correctly wherever you hit it) it wont matter much. It might not be textbook looking but so long as you follow through straight for the first 4mm of contact with the white it shouldnt matter a great deal.

[submarine]

Oh you mean ala Alex Higgins? Well so long as you cue the white in the centre (Or correctly wherever you hit it) it wont matter much. It might not be textbook looking but so long as you follow through straight for the first 4mm of contact with the white it shouldnt matter a great deal.

It looks very Alex Higgins, only crept into my game in the last couple of years when I have been playing more regularly. Will now try to stop worrying about it then, cheers Roy!

[cantpotforshíte]

It looks very Alex Higgins, only crept into my game in the last couple of years when I have been playing more regularly. Will now try to stop worrying about it then, cheers Roy!

If I could look very much like Alex Higgins when I played, I'd be pretty happy

[41shots]

Frustration...

I've been recently having huge problems with my game. I've been playing snooker for 8 months now. I've made steady progress all the time. In the past few weeks I've taken a few steps back and it's getting to the point where my quite new MW cue might soon turn in to toothpicks.

I was starting to feel confident a couple of months ago. I made most easy long pots and also felt comfortable trying more difficult pots in the medium range. My biggest problem was and still is backspin and topspin. I haven't even tried side spin yet. I think I know the basics of backspin: hit low, cue parallel to the table, hit through the white. And the result of this: a stun shot or 2 inches of reverse. Every single time the same result. And believe me, I've tried a million times. I've tried relaxing and not trying "too hard" but it doesn't seem to work. The same problem is with topspin.

As you all know, creating breaks without this skill is almost impossible. Even if I was the best potter in the world, I wouldn't make a break more than 30.

[saddler79]

I've been recently having huge problems with my game. I've been playing snooker for 8 months now. I've made steady progress all the time. In the past few weeks I've taken a few steps back and it's getting to the point where my quite new MW cue might soon turn in to toothpicks.

I was starting to feel confident a couple of months ago. I made most easy long pots and also felt comfortable trying more difficult pots in the medium range. My biggest problem was and still is backspin and topspin. I haven't even tried side spin yet. I think I know the basics of backspin: hit low, cue parallel to the table, hit through the white. And the result of this: a stun shot or 2 inches of reverse. Every single time the same result. And believe me, I've tried a million times. I've tried relaxing and not trying "too hard" but it doesn't seem to work. The same problem is with topspin.

As you all know, creating breaks without this skill is almost impossible. Even if I was the best potter in the world, I wouldn't make a break more than 30.

Something most new players struggle with and myself until a few years ago. A few tips for you when playing a deep screw or with heavy topspin:

- Hold the cue with a very light grip
- Strike the cue ball as low/high as you feel possible but eliminate the possibility of a miscue. Equally as important is to strike the cue ball exactly where you address it. Sounds obvious but one of my playing partners always used to set up to the white with a very low cue and then raise the cue into the shot producing a stun rather than screw effect.
- Exaggerate the follow through. Push the cue through as far as you can and ensure you push through in a completely straight line. You also must ensure that you maintain the cue parallel with the table throughout the shot.
-Probably the hardest to teach and arguably the most important factor is TIMING (definition I believe is something like maximum acceleration of the cue through the cue ball at the time you strike the white). If you time the white ball sweetly you will be amazed how much screw/top you can generate even with relatively little power. For me this just came with practice. I'm sure the coaches on here will be able to explain a lot more about timing and how to improve it.

Hope this helps.

My troublesome shot at the moment is the break off shot. I am left handed and break off the left side of the pack aiming at the last red with left hand side. 9/10 I get the correct side of the blue and a decent white somewhere behind the baulk line. The problem is that quite often one loose red out of the pack is travelling up to the baulk end or the middle pocket leaving a sitter every time for my opponent. Ive tried breaking from the other side but just cant get used to it. Anyone have any alternative breaks to try?

[andy carson]

Something most new players struggle with and myself until a few years ago. A few tips for you when playing a deep screw or with heavy topspin:

- Hold the cue with a very light grip
- Strike the cue ball as low/high as you feel possible but eliminate the possibility of a miscue. Equally as important is to strike the cue ball exactly where you address it. Sounds obvious but one of my playing partners always used to set up to the white with a very low cue and then raise the cue into the shot producing a stun rather than screw effect.
- Exaggerate the follow through. Push the cue through as far as you can and ensure you push through in a completely straight line. You also must ensure that you maintain the cue parallel with the table throughout the shot.
-Probably the hardest to teach and arguably the most important factor is TIMING (definition I believe is something like maximum acceleration of the cue through the cue ball at the time you strike the white). If you time the white ball sweetly you will be amazed how much screw/top you can generate even with relatively little power. For me this just came with practice. I'm sure the coaches on here will be able to explain a lot more about timing and how to improve it.

Hope this helps.

My troublesome shot at the moment is the break off shot. I am left handed and break off the left side of the pack aiming at the last red with left hand side. 9/10 I get the correct side of the blue and a decent white somewhere behind the baulk line. The problem is that quite often one loose red out of the pack is travelling up to the baulk end or the middle pocket leaving a sitter every time for my opponent. Ive tried breaking from the other side but just cant get used to it. Anyone have any alternative breaks to try?

I am left handed and have similar, so moved to opposite side of the D and hit the back of the reds off the top cushion, or play it from right as a right handed break off. depending on my mood

[saddler79]

I am left handed and have similar, so moved to opposite side of the D and hit the back of the reds off the top cushion, or play it from right as a right handed break off. depending on my mood

I remember that things got so bad for steve davis for a while he was tapping into the pack from the break. A slightly defeatist approach I would say

Is it convention to hit the last red or is it worth trying the next red maybe with plain ball striking rather than using side?

[RocketRoy1983]

A plain ball stroke even on the 2nd red will always see the white come past the blue as you look on the right hand side. Experiment I say and if you find a break-off which works for you that never/rarely leaves a chance for your opponent then use it against him I say.

[brendan147]

A plain ball stroke even on the 2nd red will always see the white come past the blue as you look on the right hand side. Experiment I say and if you find a break-off which works for you that never/rarely leaves a chance for your opponent then use it against him I say.

RocketRoy,

Thanks for starting such a good thread like this. Here is my question:-

I have a dead straight potting line of blue to the right centre pocket of the table. Both pink and black still on their spots, and I need to clear these 3 remaining colours to win the frame.

What type of shot I should use to get the best position for pink? Hope you and the others can give some good answers here.

Thanks.

[missneworleans]

Straight long shots from a cushion...disaster

[Terry Davidson]

brendan:

As you're right handed you should always play for the pink to be potted from the green side of the table so you're not leaning over

Terry

[brendan147]

brendan:

As you're right handed you should always play for the pink to be potted from the green side of the table so you're not leaning over

Terry

Terry...

It's a dead straight blue the right (green side) centre pocket of the table. The only shot I can think to get the cue ball go back the position as you suggest is by doing the bottom-left-screw ball (7.30pm on the cue ball). Am I right?

[Krypton]

no, that's not what he meant. Instead:

If you end up DEAD straight on blue, play the pot straight. no side needed.

If the cueball is on the yellow side of the table, roll through the blue (stun run through or topspin) to end up on the green side of the table. leave the cueball far enough from the cushion to make cueing for the shot on pink as easy as you can.

If the cueball is on the green side of the table, but still dead straight onto blue, then screw back to exactly the same spot as described above. from there you can play a 3/4 pink into the yellow side top pocket.

a lefthanded player would play the run through from the green side, and the screw from the yellow side, because he would like to end up on the yellow side of the blue, to make the pink shot easier.

got it?

[brendan147]

no, that's not what he meant. Instead:

If you end up DEAD straight on blue, play the pot straight. no side needed.

If the cueball is on the yellow side of the table, roll through the blue (stun run through or topspin) to end up on the green side of the table. leave the cueball far enough from the cushion to make cueing for the shot on pink as easy as you can.

If the cueball is on the green side of the table, but still dead straight onto blue, then screw back to exactly the same spot as described above. from there you can play a 3/4 pink into the yellow side top pocket.

a lefthanded player would play the run through from the green side, and the screw from the yellow side, because he would like to end up on the yellow side of the blue, to make the pink shot easier.

got it?

I have this answer in my head previously. I was talking about the advance shot. Come on, I already get bored with the plain stun ball thing. Let's move our game to the next level. Got that?

[Krypton]

I have this answer in my head previously. I was talking about the advance shot. Come on, I already get bored with the plain stun ball thing. Let's move our game to the next level. Got that?

You're not right here, sorry...

I know what you mean: by cheating the pocket and using side you want to bring the cue ball closer to the pink, coming off one cushion. But that shot is NOT the advanced/experienced/pro way.

It is one level further, if you know how to do it, because you CAN do it. but then, the next level (2 up) will be to NOT play it and leave the cue ball where Terry suggested. Why?

If you want to get better (and from your posts, I consider you are willing to learn) then you should play the game as safely as possible. The great skill is not to play an so called 'advanced stroke' just because you know it can be done, but to minimize risks and use the advanced strokes only when they're absolutely called for.

a pro would NOT play the shot with side, unless he wants to show off / play exhibition shots in a frame he's already won. Consider the risk:

- easy blue, dead straight. advantage: moronically easy pot, just roll it in. disadvantage: the pink is 20 cm further away. If you are good, these 20cm are no problem

- difficult blue with side. advantage: cue ball will end up 20 cm closer to pink (20cm you don't need, as you're good). IF, and only IF you get it perfect.
disadvantage: miss the blue due to excessive side. ruin the position, because the margin on error becomes smaller closer to pink. overhit it -> rest needed. underhit it: to close to cushion. judge side wrong: to close to pink, or miss the blue.


the advanced level you're always talking about starts with EASY shots. watch the youtube stuff - the better the player, the easier his shots look. the skill is not to NEED to play advanced strokes.