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Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

Juddernaut88 wrote:Good luck today prop :)


Thanks mate!

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

Mixed feelings about this afternoon. I won 7-2, but that’s about it. Had a scrappy 31. Didn’t feel anywhere near as settled as I did at the end of last week.

Be reet.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Juddernaut88

The win is the important thing though. Making a 31 break is also decent. I'd love to be able to do that.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

Juddernaut88 wrote:The win is the important thing though. Making a 31 break is also decent. I'd love to be able to do that.


Yeah I really don’t see it that way though. I’d rather feel good on shots and keep the white under control, even if it meant losing. 7-2 flattered me, as well. It could have ended up 7-2 the other way.

Today I felt awkward on shots, overhitting, underhitting, with an occasional 5 minute window where I’d find a bit of consistency.

Snooker is such a fickle game. Last week I started to click near the end of the session and would probably have had a few 40s if we stayed on. This week I went into it feeling confident but I was atrocious <laugh>

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby chengdufan

Prop wrote:
Juddernaut88 wrote:The win is the important thing though. Making a 31 break is also decent. I'd love to be able to do that.


Yeah I really don’t see it that way though. I’d rather feel good on shots and keep the white under control, even if it meant losing. 7-2 flattered me, as well. It could have ended up 7-2 the other way.

Today I felt awkward on shots, overhitting, underhitting, with an occasional 5 minute window where I’d find a bit of consistency.

Snooker is such a fickle game. Last week I started to click near the end of the session and would probably have had a few 40s if we stayed on. This week I went into it feeling confident but I was atrocious <laugh>

I'm with you Prop. When it's me and my friend pushing balls around, the feeling of pleasure is completely down to how well I feel I've played. And to a lesser extent how well my opponent played. The scoreline is largely irrelevant.

Different when playing in a competition of course.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

chengdufan wrote:
Prop wrote:
Juddernaut88 wrote:The win is the important thing though. Making a 31 break is also decent. I'd love to be able to do that.


Yeah I really don’t see it that way though. I’d rather feel good on shots and keep the white under control, even if it meant losing. 7-2 flattered me, as well. It could have ended up 7-2 the other way.

Today I felt awkward on shots, overhitting, underhitting, with an occasional 5 minute window where I’d find a bit of consistency.

Snooker is such a fickle game. Last week I started to click near the end of the session and would probably have had a few 40s if we stayed on. This week I went into it feeling confident but I was atrocious <laugh>

I'm with you Prop. When it's me and my friend pushing balls around, the feeling of pleasure is completely down to how well I feel I've played. And to a lesser extent how well my opponent played. The scoreline is largely irrelevant.

Different when playing in a competition of course.


Yep, that makes sense. I haven’t played competitively for a long time. That might be part of the reason I’m not playing to the standard I feel I should be (not to ignore lockdown issues as well, obviously).

The club have asked my mate and me to play for them in the league a few times but we don’t really have that much flexibility in either of our schedules. So generally the snooker we play is very loose, attacking and probably not conducive to improving our games <laugh>

Another factor is that a few years ago I was giving my mate a 20 start. He loves the game like I do but back then I was at a higher level. I think he’d have probably made a 20 on his best day. Since then he’s got better and better... and better! He’s now had a 57 IIRC and doesn’t get a head start in points. He’s technically got the edge on me in some areas. Straighter cue action etc. But I think I have the advantage in shot selection and general experience. And when I do get those rare moments of being ‘in the zone’ I’m capable of scoring more heavily. A good way of putting it is that my A game is better than his A game, but my B game is worse than his B game, and I seldom actually play my A game!

I believe we’re now in a situation where we’ve effectively levelled off, and neither of us is that much better than the other that either of us would naturally improve by playing ‘the better player’.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Juddernaut88

5-1 win for me today :D but 3 of the frames I won were black ball games. No decent breaks from me but my safety was a lot lot better so pretty content with that.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby 1892

@Prop - out of interest, what is your highest break?

Played probably about 7 times now since the clubs reopened and hitting the ball nicely at the minute. Not making big breaks but playing some lovely pots. Anything mid or long range that requires power and I’m losing all accuracy though and getting nowhere near the pot and the cue ball is running wild.

Trying new things technically as well, such as shorter bridge and a more delayed back swing which I am finding helpful.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

1892 wrote:@Prop - out of interest, what is your highest break?

Played probably about 7 times now since the clubs reopened and hitting the ball nicely at the minute. Not making big breaks but playing some lovely pots. Anything mid or long range that requires power and I’m losing all accuracy though and getting nowhere near the pot and the cue ball is running wild.

Trying new things technically as well, such as shorter bridge and a more delayed back swing which I am finding helpful.


It’s a 65. Nothing spectacular. Yes, I find my weakness is playing with power over distance. Short/mid range with power is fine, and equally long range at a steadier pace is fine.

It’s good that you’re experimenting and having success with it. The shorter bridge can be hugely beneficial, especially in and around the black and reds.

Practice makes perfect <ok>

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby SnookerEd25

Iranu wrote:I wish I had someone to play snooker with regularly.


Where are you based, Iranu?

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

Badsnookerplayer wrote:36 break today :hmmm:


Reflective of your form? Or no chances? It might take a few more games to find a groove. Btw I say this knowing you’re a good player.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Badsnookerplayer

Prop wrote:
Badsnookerplayer wrote:36 break today :hmmm:


Reflective of your form? Or no chances? It might take a few more games to find a groove. Btw I say this knowing you’re a good player.

Just getting the touch back now. Had spells in the zone but you can't force it - it will come I know Prop.

Playing tomorrow and Thursday so chances will come.

Will keep you updated

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Badsnookerplayer

Juddernaut88 wrote:Badsnookerplayer please coach me sometime :)

Well the most important thing is that you are probably hitting the ball too hard. Obviously I cannot know that but every time I am playing bad I am hitting too hard. There is a sweet spot between hitting the ball dead weight and firmly. That's when I play well. Gotta feel the shot. (Let the spin on the cueball do the work if the white needs to travel.)

Other than that....

Make sure you pause on the backswing so long it feels almost too long.
Sight the object ball while you are pausing - refine your striking point
Now just put everything into pushing the cue through straight, smooth and soft



Anyway - that's my thoughts but what do I know right now??

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

Badsnookerplayer wrote:
Prop wrote:
Badsnookerplayer wrote:36 break today :hmmm:


Reflective of your form? Or no chances? It might take a few more games to find a groove. Btw I say this knowing you’re a good player.

Just getting the touch back now. Had spells in the zone but you can't force it - it will come I know Prop.

Playing tomorrow and Thursday so chances will come.

Will keep you updated


Good luck <ok>

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Dan-cat

Badsnookerplayer wrote:
Juddernaut88 wrote:Badsnookerplayer please coach me sometime :)

Well the most important thing is that you are probably hitting the ball too hard. Obviously I cannot know that but every time I am playing bad I am hitting too hard. There is a sweet spot between hitting the ball dead weight and firmly. That's when I play well. Gotta feel the shot. (Let the spin on the cueball do the work if the white needs to travel.)

Other than that....

Make sure you pause on the backswing so long it feels almost too long.
Sight the object ball while you are pausing - refine your striking point
Now just put everything into pushing the cue through straight, smooth and soft



Anyway - that's my thoughts but what do I know right now??


Bang on. Also - lengthen the final backswing concsiously

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Juddernaut88

Well done badsnookerplayer :) I didn't play snooker this weekend. I had my vacinne on Thursday so I thought it was best to take it easy this weekend just in case I were to get any side effects etc. I only really had slight pain in my arm on Friday and been fine ever since.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Badsnookerplayer

Juddernaut88 wrote:Well done badsnookerplayer :) I didn't play snooker this weekend. I had my vacinne on Thursday so I thought it was best to take it easy this weekend just in case I were to get any side effects etc. I only really had slight pain in my arm on Friday and been fine ever since.

Cheers JN - really has taken a while to get the game back in order after lockdown.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

Badsnookerplayer wrote:After two disastrous sessions last week, today was much better.

57 break gives me hope that things will continue to improve :chin:


Nice one! Sounds like you’re knocking the rust off. I’m hopefully playing some time this week.

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

Had a few hours earlier. I was terrible in general, but had a 34 and a couple of 20 odds. It was one of those days when every frame seemed to go messy. The 34 was a real slog. Balls on cushions, struggling for position, and never really getting into the groove. I worked twice as hard for that as I have most 50s :roll:

So, no real improvement, but there’s no reason for me to improve as long as I’m only playing every few weeks. So it is what it is. I still love it I do :-D

Re: 17 may snooker clubs open

Postby Prop

Also, this from Baddie deserves quoting. It’s so true. I heard Angles describing it as ‘finding the biting point of the clutch in your car’, which I thought was an excellent analogy. It’s the key to tight positional play, especially around the pink and black spot, playing those delicate little stun-screws :-)

Badsnookerplayer wrote:There is a sweet spot between hitting the ball dead weight and firmly. That's when I play well. Gotta feel the shot. (Let the spin on the cueball do the work if the white needs to travel.)