Number One Tip For Players

[icantplay]

But when playing poorly and trying to figure your game out, dont you look at your cue and see where youre going accross or something?

[thinsy]

Definately not....

If you think you are doing something really wrong like cueing across the ball ask a friend to help. Even if they can't play they will be able to see if your arm, cue ball and intended target are aligned.

You must look where you're going !

[kirkwuk]

In reference to cueing; "Keep looking at the object ball [the oneyou're about to hit] and don't take your eyes off for a second!"

I heard someone say this in our club and the conviction when he said it just inspired me to say this to myself on every shot. As a total beginner I am finding myself getting more pots which is helping me beat my friends more often.

[ADR147]

The number one tip is without a doubt to keep still before during and after each shot - make an effort not to move your head until the ball is in the pocket.

[trevs1]

The number one tip is without a doubt to keep still before during and after each shot - make an effort not to move your head until the ball is in the pocket.

Hey andrew, c'mon now.

If you stayed still before, during and after your shot, you'd only ever pot one ball, because you wouldn't be able to move around the table to take the next one.....

[trevs1]

In reference to cueing; "Keep looking at the object ball [the oneyou're about to hit] and don't take your eyes off for a second!"

I heard someone say this in our club and the conviction when he said it just inspired me to say this to myself on every shot. As a total beginner I am finding myself getting more pots which is helping me beat my friends more often.

The way I've always understood it is this:

When playing any shot, your eyes shouldn't be fixed on the object ball alone.

If you watch the players on the box now, you'll see their eyes alternate between the cueball and object ball.

On addressing the white, the eyes should be doing as above, cueball to object ball, a number of times.
This establishes that the entire setup is in order, and ensures all checks have been made to assess correct alignment, correct point of contact on the white, etc etc etc, wihtout going into all the boring details.

The eyes should be fixed on the white ball during the final backswing, then, and only then, as the cue begins to travel forwards on the delivery, the eyes lift up onto the object ball and stay fixed on it until the shot has been made.

If anyone is having any decent coaching, I'm sure this is what you'd be told.

And no, I'm not a coach.

[ADR147]

Hey andrew, c'mon now.

If you stayed still before, during and after your shot, you'd only ever pot one ball, because you wouldn't be able to move around the table to take the next one.....

LMAO - Thanks for that trevor! - i am sure you knew fine what i meant!

[Uncursed]

My tip would be to practice!

Practice Practice Practice!

[jimbo]

The way I've always understood it is this:

...

The eyes should be fixed on the white ball during the final backswing, then, and only then, as the cue begins to travel forwards on the delivery, the eyes lift up onto the object ball and stay fixed on it until the shot has been made.

If anyone is having any decent coaching, I'm sure this is what you'd be told.

And no, I'm not a coach.

OK I'm no coach either, but keeping the eyes fixed on the white until the cue travels forward sounds wrong to me. I was always under the impression that you should switch your eyes to the object ball either as you start your final backswing, or at the end of the backswing - at the pause *before* you start to push the cue through to hit the ball. In my experience (I'm no pro but I've hit a fair few centuries), you need that extra bit of time with your eyes fixed on the object ball to get help your timing right.

jimbo

[snookersaint]

Work on the basics, worry about moving the white ball later, Dont hit the balls too hard,

[Semih_Sayginer]

100% concentration and focus on every shot, no matter how easy will see you miss a lot less easy shots, and "get" a few more difficult ones, if used along with advice already known about the technical side of the game

[trevs1]

OK I'm no coach either, but keeping the eyes fixed on the white until the cue travels forward sounds wrong to me. I was always under the impression that you should switch your eyes to the object ball either as you start your final backswing, or at the end of the backswing - at the pause *before* you start to push the cue through to hit the ball. In my experience (I'm no pro but I've hit a fair few centuries), you need that extra bit of time with your eyes fixed on the object ball to get help your timing right.

jimbo

I think if you read my post again, you've misunderstood me.

I only said the eyes are fixed on the white 'DURING THE BACKSWING',

Before that they'll alternate between cueball and object ball.

I think for the 'eyes lifting' bit, we're pretty much saying the same thing, but, I wouldn't ever say the eyes lift as you start a backswing.

When I say "as the cue begins to travel forwards", perhaps what I should have said is "just before the cue starts to travel forwards". The difference in the timing between the eyes lifting and cue moving forwards is minimal though, and, does have some variation player to player.

As you pointed out a little more accurately, fractioinally before the delivery at the end of your pause is the correct point to begin lifting the eyes up to the object ball.

Hope this is not confusing everyone...

[snookerandy]

if you cant pot play safe

[ADR147]

if you cant pot play safe

If you can't pot take up a different game!

[gotmunchiez]

Watch snooker!
I know, it sounds obvious! But watching a lot of snooker and learning from it makes a big difference to your shot selection and positional play. I play against two friends, one watches snooker and the other doesn't. They're both better single ball potters than me.

The one that watches snooker beats me in about 7 out of 10 frames and we have some good close games. He has a good understanding of break building and positional/safety play.

The one that doesn't watch snooker beats me probably 1 in 20 frames, when I have an absolute shocker. His game involves: jumping up on the shot, only taking on the easiest post instead of the slightly more difficult one to get perfect position, playing his "confidence shots" (hitting every shot really hard with random top/back spin, then claiming he played for the immensely difficult positional shot off 4 cushions, in and out of baulk, narrowly missing the kiss on 10 balls on the way to somehow end up on a colour), accidentally putting on huge amounts of side, and playing safety shots that leave me right in amongst the black and reds It's actually pretty frustrating to play against him though, since he refuses to listen to any advice.

We're not particularly good players, but two of us have high breaks of 46/48 and one has a high break of 22 - can you guess which?