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Best 'single ball potter' of current players?

Postby shanew48 » 13 Jul 2020 Read

Mark Williams seems to always be anointed with this crown, I take the phase 'single ball potter' to mean that it doesn't matter about position in which case I would like to put forward one Rob Milkens, now granted he doesn't do it often enough and the rest of his game is at times club standard but he really does have a tremendous eye for a pot, if Ronnie played some of them, people would be waxing lyrical but I think because Milkens doesn't ever stay in tournaments long enough to get much exposure he is overlooked in this regard.

The other obvious candidates are Trump and Zhao Xingtong but if there was a 'I can't see anyway to play safe so if just going to have to pot this outrageous red at pace' competition, I really think Milkens could top them all, all the other parts of his game are basically 'very good club player' standard but his potting is obviously 'very good professional standard' which has taken him very far and he has made a pretty decent living now for many years which goes to show how far having a tremendous eye for a pot can take you.

Re: Best 'single ball potter' of current players?

Postby Prop » 14 Jul 2020 Read

Martin Gould is in with a shout. He’s probably not the best, but he’d be in the discussion.

The thing is with the term ‘single ball potter’ is that it’s sometimes indicative of a player who hasn’t got the best cueball control, and as such isn’t especially successful. So you’ll probably get some suggestions that aren’t obvious. Trump is an exception to this, although until the last couple of seasons his positional play was still quite loose. You could argue his career started with his sheer potting ability.

A few more off the top of my head... Alex Higgins, Hendry, Ebdon, Robertson. And yeah, Ronnie has to be in there. He’s seldom out of position, but once in a while he’ll bury an incredibly tough pot with the weight of a frame or match on it. Being able to make the toughest single ball pots under the greatest pressure has to be considered.

ETA: Just noticed the thread title was current players. Can’t be fussed to edit now.
Last edited by Prop on 14 Jul 2020, edited 1 time in total.

Re: Best 'single ball potter' of current players?

Postby Holden Chinaski » 14 Jul 2020 Read

Prop wrote:Ronnie has to be in there. He’s seldom out of position, but once in a while he’ll bury an incredibly tough pot with the weight of a frame or match on it. Being able to make the toughest single ball pots under the greatest pressure has to be considered.

Agreed.

Re: Best 'single ball potter' of current players?

Postby TheRocket » 14 Jul 2020 Read

Being a great single ball potter is about doing it under pressure. Gould might be the best potter when the pressure is off. But if its a deciding frame, one red left and its a tricky pot, I wouldnt bet my money on him to pot it.

Re: Best 'single ball potter' of current players?

Postby Johnny Bravo » 14 Jul 2020 Read

TheRocket wrote:Being a great single ball potter is about doing it under pressure.

No, no and hell no !!! :no:
It's just about one's ability to pot balls. Where are not discussing who is the best under pressure.

Re: Best 'single ball potter' of current players?

Postby Iranu » 14 Jul 2020 Read

Johnny Bravo wrote:
TheRocket wrote:Being a great single ball potter is about doing it under pressure.

No, no and hell no !!! :no:
It's just about one's ability to pot balls. Where are not discussing who is the best under pressure.

It doesn’t really matter because the answer’s Judd either way!

Re: Best 'single ball potter' of current players?

Postby TheRocket » 14 Jul 2020 Read

Johnny Bravo wrote:
TheRocket wrote:Being a great single ball potter is about doing it under pressure.

No, no and hell no !!! :no:
It's just about one's ability to pot balls. Where are not discussing who is the best under pressure.


How can you be called the best single ball potter when you fail to pot those difficult balls under pressure and when it matters the most? Sports is always about showing your ability in competition against an opponent.

If its only about potting balls under exhibition type of atmosphere or when the frame is already over then the best potter might be not even inside the Top16.

In fact it might be some random dude who has a Snookertable at home and pots some crazy balls.

Re: Best 'single ball potter' of current players?

Postby Prop » 14 Jul 2020 Read

TheRocket wrote:
Johnny Bravo wrote:
TheRocket wrote:Being a great single ball potter is about doing it under pressure.

No, no and hell no !!! :no:
It's just about one's ability to pot balls. Where are not discussing who is the best under pressure.


How can you be called the best single ball potter when you fail to pot those difficult balls under pressure and when it matters the most? Sports is always about showing your ability in competition against an opponent.

If its only about potting balls under exhibition type of atmosphere or when the frame is already over then the best potter might be not even inside the Top16.

In fact it might be some random dude who has a Snookertable at home and pots some crazy balls.


Bang on it, and well said.

Every club player that’s played the game for a while, can make 50s, 60s, could put together a Tequila-style montage of their best pots, and on the face of it look every bit like an amazing single ball potter. Every bit the real deal. But context is everything. I knocked in a screaming long red down the cushion with side as a shot to nothing the other day. As we all have, at some point. But...

There was nothing on it. It meant nothing. If I was doing that in front of 1500 people, TV cameras, with a title riding on it, and hundreds of thousands of pounds, well I’d have probably miscued or not even bothered, and played a bad safety shot instead.

It’s a bit like playing poker for fun. If you’re not actually putting money (ie something worth losing) on the line, it changes the dynamic completely.

Anyway, did anyone mention Martin Gould? I’m surprised his name hasn’t come up.
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