Potting With Side

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

It's not 'deflection'

Very true. Deflection is a misnomer - it's more correctly squirt.

Throw is something different entirely, and you may call it what you want when you get 'round to it. Off you popski, snookerites!

In the meantime, however...

[focus]

I don't understand why low deflection is particularly desirable if you know how your cue behaves.

To help make an angle around a ball, if you can't quite make the potting angle, or to widen the angle to open the pocket, it's a tool in your box. If you don't want the ball to bend, hit it centre ball. I am very much trying to minimise my use of side....but when I do use it, I don't want to lose one of the best things about it - the ability to bend the ball around stuff.

It's not 'deflection', it's throw.

It's not 'english', it's side.

Don't fall for the Johnny come lately terms, we invented snooker and we have had terms all that time for our game. We don't need a big mac in our game.

[focus]

I hate snooker it's the most stupidest game ever invented, and I am never ever going to improve,oh look I got another fifty break, this is the best game I have ever played, I will be a ton machine pretty soon
I'm like a schizo with it ,but at the end of it all I would still rather play poorly than not play.

Yep, it's the same for all of us mate, 50s and tons keep us going but what would actually be nice is playing utter rubbish for months on end so we could quit and play an easy game like pool or an outdoor game like golf instead.

[itsnoteasy]

I hate snooker it's the most stupidest game ever invented, and I am never ever going to improve,oh look I got another fifty break, this is the best game I have ever played, I will be a ton machine pretty soon
I'm like a schizo with it ,but at the end of it all I would still rather play poorly than not play.

[focus]

Welcome to my world Tommykiid, those centre cue ball shots work only to a certain degree on tables like ours, when the power of the shot goes up, touch the jaws and they rattle and stay out, you learn quite quickly to take what you have and run away to baulk, or learn to stroke them in with varying degrees of side, the choice is yours.

Aim to miss is the answer to learning to pot with side, the very most important thing though is to focus your eyes on the thicker, sometimes thinner, contact point on the object ball (both when lining up the pot and again on the strike) not the actual contact point needed for the pot, otherwise your hand will follow your eye and you'll miss every time.

Thicker or thinner ? that's what you need to learn, but start with thicker and see how it goes.

Maybe I should be using side more on billiard tables at 3.25"? Breaks are certainly harder than on 3.3" and 3.5" snooker tables when using stun, run through, top and deep screw.

[vmax4steve]

but the tables antique and the pockets are like a quarter ball smaller then normal but d barman is cool and re clothed the table for us so i cant figure out if its just the difficulty of the table or im just not improving ahh snooker love it so much and hate it all the same

Welcome to my world Tommykiid, those centre cue ball shots work only to a certain degree on tables like ours, when the power of the shot goes up, touch the jaws and they rattle and stay out, you learn quite quickly to take what you have and run away to baulk, or learn to stroke them in with varying degrees of side, the choice is yours.

Aim to miss is the answer to learning to pot with side, the very most important thing though is to focus your eyes on the thicker, sometimes thinner, contact point on the object ball (both when lining up the pot and again on the strike) not the actual contact point needed for the pot, otherwise your hand will follow your eye and you'll miss every time.

Thicker or thinner ? that's what you need to learn, but start with thicker and see how it goes.

[mikeyd100]

Yeh its getting harder to enjoy tho where im from there is no snooker scene whatsoever and only one table in the back of a pub that regularly host a DJ beside the table and i play with hairy potter from this forum but the tables antique and the pockets are like a quarter ball smaller then normal but d barman is cool and re clothed the table for us so i cant figure out if its just the difficulty of the table or im just not improving ahh snooker love it so much and hate it all the same

Ah I see, look at it this way though re the tighter pockets, it will make your game tighter and more precise too.
Yep I hear ya re the love n hate thing, it's a tough game but an awesome game.

Shame that there isn't a lot of Snooker where you are though.

[Tommykiid]

Haha, oh dear, thats the last thing you need when getting down on the shot.
You'll find your way mate, keep enjoying it though

Yeh its getting harder to enjoy tho where im from there is no snooker scene whatsoever and only one table in the back of a pub that regularly host a DJ beside the table and i play with hairy potter from this forum but the tables antique and the pockets are like a quarter ball smaller then normal but d barman is cool and re clothed the table for us so i cant figure out if its just the difficulty of the table or im just not improving ahh snooker love it so much and hate it all the same

[markz]

For now miss and try again but i see my coach next week and I now have a lot of questions for him so hes gonna earn his money haha

I'm sure your coach will have his own ideas as well so be prepared for hearing more voices in your head lol. Like Mikey said just get on the table and enjoy learning, don't beat yourself up. Too many players try to run before they can walk and pay for it, forever trying to catch up.

[mikeyd100]

For now miss and try again but i see my coach next week and I now have a lot of questions for him so hes gonna earn his money haha

Print this thread off and give it to your coach looollllss :P

[mikeyd100]

Its good and kinda funny practiced a few shots today with some of the advice received but then while getting down on the shot all i heard was arguments so some potted some not haha

Haha, oh dear, thats the last thing you need when getting down on the shot.
You'll find your way mate, keep enjoying it though

[Tommykiid]

Have you decided on a plan of action Tommy? Are you going all out physics or the good old miss it and try again lol

For now miss and try again but i see my coach next week and I now have a lot of questions for him so hes gonna earn his money haha

[markz]

Its good and kinda funny practiced a few shots today with some of the advice received but then while getting down on the shot all i heard was arguments so some potted some not haha

Have you decided on a plan of action Tommy? Are you going all out physics or the good old miss it and try again lol

[Tommykiid]

Dear Mr Tommykiid, how are you finding the thread - useful or not hahaha

Its good and kinda funny practiced a few shots today with some of the advice received but then while getting down on the shot all i heard was arguments so some potted some not haha

[mikeyd100]

Hey Guys does anyone have any tips for judging the angle that you need to adjust to when potting with side ?

Dear Mr Tommykiid, how are you finding the thread - useful or not hahaha