Particular type of shot

[DandyA]

I pick things up from everywhere, but you're right a lot of the physics came from Dr Dave and his amazing library of articles, formulas, and videos. The high-speed ones give you a really good idea what is really happening, the things that happen too fast to see with the naked eye.

Also Mike Page has some very easy to understand videos on various things...

Cue ball control:
http://www.youtube.com/user/FargoBil.../4/2J0I6IgLlo8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oii0UhnYjCc

Half-ball hit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zysbWeI2_ZE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vRi3Jih1Lg

Sidespin/squirt:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXJ7bDafTms

thanks for those links nrage ... it's too late tonight but I'm sure I'll enjoy watching those when I get a chance ...

on a slight aside, was it Mike Page who did the video that proved (with a bit of sandpaper) that you can't overspin the white however high or however hard you hit the cueball ... that was a real "a-ha" moment for me ... after that, I could do length of the table Jimmy White banana shots (to stop the white) with ease - as I'm sure you know, it's not how high you hit the white, it's how hard you hit it ...

[nrage]

thanks for those links nrage ... it's too late tonight but I'm sure I'll enjoy watching those when I get a chance ...

on a slight aside, was it Mike Page who did the video that proved (with a bit of sandpaper) that you can't overspin the white however high or however hard you hit the cueball ... that was a real "a-ha" moment for me ... after that, I could do length of the table Jimmy White banana shots (to stop the white) with ease - as I'm sure you know, it's not how high you hit the white, it's how hard you hit it ...

Yep, that was Mike's video - at least, the one I've seen was. If you click on one of his links in my post, then on the user/channel name "FargoBilliards" you'll find the "overspin" video in the list on the right. There isn't too many to look through and oddly some are appearing twice.. there is a search link which will bring up a box you can type "overspin" into.

[kramer8]

yeah that is difficult for me also. As is bridging over a ball.

[stephenm2682]

after listening to willie thorne during the welsh open, he was calling shots and talking about putting side on the ball even if the cueball wasn't touching a cushion, i thought this was just a myth that it can change the direction?

[nrage]

after listening to willie thorne during the welsh open, he was calling shots and talking about putting side on the ball even if the cueball wasn't touching a cushion, i thought this was just a myth that it can change the direction?

Side spin with a slightly elevated cue will cause the white to swerve on the cloth. There is also some evidence that side spin can be transmitted (tho if so, it's so minute as to make very little/no difference). Also, I think some people use side/squirt and swerve more than strictly necessary, but do so because they have learned to play that way.

[sifon4o]

My question is not about a specific shot, more of a technique thing, but meh I'll post it here.

Me and the owner of the club I play in were arguing about one of the exercises Alan Trigg suggest playing, in particular - the matchbox routine. Whenever I do this exercise I do the entire shot perfectly well, without touching the matchbox, but exactly at the end of the stroke, when my hand hits my chest the cue jumps a little and hits the matchbox. He says that it shouldn't happen, but in my opinion this is perfectly normal, especially on the power shots. My hand touches my chest after I've hit the white so this little 'jump' with the cue comes after that - when I'm following through the shot.

What is your opinion? Is this normal or is my cue action bad?

[nrage]

If it's well after contact with the white then it can't have any effect on the shot.

The only thing to be concerned about, is that if you have to play with an especially long bridge, and you don't move your grip hand down the cue to compensation then this motion will happen earlier in the action - try the matchbox routine with a longer than normal bridge, without moving the grip hand and you should see what I mean eventually (once you shift it far enough).

[FerruleFox]

Side spin with a slightly elevated cue will cause the white to swerve on the cloth. There is also some evidence that side spin can be transmitted (tho if so, it's so minute as to make very little/no difference). Also, I think some people use side/squirt and swerve more than strictly necessary, but do so because they have learned to play that way.

You can definitely throw a ball with side.

Set up a straight red, then use a colour to slightly block the potting angle. Don't leave a gap between the balls (so that you could swerve the white to the potting angle) ... you will still be able to pot the red using extreme side.

Not an easy shot but very makeable with practice.

[Snookerfan123]

has anyone got any tips on long potts when the cue ball is on the cushion and break building

[saddler79]

Side spin with a slightly elevated cue will cause the white to swerve on the cloth. There is also some evidence that side spin can be transmitted (tho if so, it's so minute as to make very little/no difference). Also, I think some people use side/squirt and swerve more than strictly necessary, but do so because they have learned to play that way.

Transmitted spin is no myth. Try a straight shot using top and side and just top. Definite comparative deviation in the cueball.

For me using side effectively is the hardest aspect of the game. The white throws straight off the cue, then swerves if there is enough distance to object ball and then transmits to the object ball. These 3 factors have to be taken account of in every shot with side. Its what makes the pros so good to watch!

[Back2Rehab]

Played snooker last night for the 1st time since I broke my right Humerous bone ( bone between elbow/shoulder ) on Easter Monday 2012, I have compleatly lost my cueing action, pots 3/6 inch wide of pockets, felt like I was playing for the 1st time ever. Even worse when you know what to do, but your arm won't let you lol. Can anyone help, or have been in a similar predicament to myself ?

[bricktip]

I think you need to mentally allow yourself time to get your game back. Don't expect to be there in a few days, just go in with the attitude that it's a process and you expect to start playing properly after say 4 weeks, otherwise you'll just get frustrated which won't help.

[Terry Davidson]

back2rehab:

My advice would be to get your doctor to refer you back to the physiotherapist. When you go to the physio take your cue with you and show the physio what you're trying to do. He/she should check out your range of motion and do an assessment to see if you are inducing any pain on the backswing or delivery. The physio may give you some exercises to do.

I assume your arm was in a cast for awhile and this would have caused the shoulder muscle to degrade somewhat over time and you need to get the shoulder muscle back to normal.

This also hints at you getting your upper arm and shoulder muscle involved in the delivery of the cue a bit too early in the delivery and you should try using JUST the elbow although the muscle which drives the cue forward is actually the inside upper arm muscle (not sure of the name, but the one body builders flex) and this muscle has to have a chance to get back to normal before you can expect a return to form.

If you get an exercise routine from the physio, be sure you follow the instructions faithfully as in most cases like this it will be some kind of flexing exercise with a weight and probably to be repeated 3 times a day or so.

Also, as bricktip has said, your muscle will require time to heal and recover and there's really no way to speed that process up. It will take exercise, patience and time.

Do NOT go to a chiropractor as this is not really their field of expertise.

Terry

[Particle Physics]

Played snooker last night for the 1st time since I broke my right Humerous bone ( bone between elbow/shoulder ) on Easter Monday 2012, I have compleatly lost my cueing action, pots 3/6 inch wide of pockets, felt like I was playing for the 1st time ever. Even worse when you know what to do, but your arm won't let you lol. Can anyone help, or have been in a similar predicament to myself ?

Was there nerve damage, or just a weakened muscle due to a cast, or both? I'm assuming the bone fully repaired and there is no pain from the fracture now? If it's a weakened muscle (the body simply canabalises or turns unused muscle into fat) then you need to do some exercises, and of course, snooker is a muscle exercise, but I mean some light weights to rebuild the muscle groups, biceps and triceps. You won't have been using the forearm much either, so some weights to strengthen these muscles would also be useful. As Terry says, your physio should advise you what to do, though I have found this 'profession' to be somewhat lacklustre in the UK.

The brain sends electrical signals to the muscles. This communication system will improve with use. It really depends on how much damage you did, and what type of damage, w.r.t. getting your old cueing arm back to full use.

[Jmoinen]

Hello, I am new to snooker and am working on my potting skills. I have a question about that: how on earth do you pot the object ball if you simultaneously want to put some kind of a screw on the white to get to the next ball?? For example when putting side on the ball. hen I do that, I miss the pocket by miles!