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What if...?

Postby 9baller

An amateur like me (regular 25-35 breaks) comes up against a pro in a comp played off levels. What is the best way to play them?

would you try and pot a red then send the colours to the baulk cushion so that the better player can't do much? Or do you try and punch above your weight hoping you either exceed your best performance, or dying a valiant death?

I want to play snooker tournaments for experience but I also want to give winning a respectable shot. I just don't know what the best recommendation is. I know in handicaps the idea is to tie everything up but would that be just as true off levels?

Thaaaaaanks :)
9baller

Re: What if...?

Postby Wildey

9baller wrote:An amateur like me (regular 25-35 breaks) comes up against a pro in a comp played off levels. What is the best way to play them?

would you try and pot a red then send the colours to the baulk cushion so that the better player can't do much? Or do you try and punch above your weight hoping you either exceed your best performance, or dying a valiant death?

I want to play snooker tournaments for experience but I also want to give winning a respectable shot. I just don't know what the best recommendation is. I know in handicaps the idea is to tie everything up but would that be just as true off levels?

Thaaaaaanks :)
9baller

Gamesmanship and Grinding that's the best way you cant compete with these players on Level Terms you got to mess things up and mess with their heads as much as possible.

Re: What if...?

Postby SnookerFan

Working under the assumption that this is a serious match, I'd say if you can't break-build as well as your opponent, try and put him under pressure with snookers.

If you'd won a competition and got to play him in an exhibition, treat it like fun.

Re: What if...?

Postby Sickpotter

9baller wrote:An amateur like me (regular 25-35 breaks) comes up against a pro in a comp played off levels. What is the best way to play them?

would you try and pot a red then send the colours to the baulk cushion so that the better player can't do much? Or do you try and punch above your weight hoping you either exceed your best performance, or dying a valiant death?

I want to play snooker tournaments for experience but I also want to give winning a respectable shot. I just don't know what the best recommendation is. I know in handicaps the idea is to tie everything up but would that be just as true off levels?

Thaaaaaanks :)
9baller


I'd go with valiant death ;-)

Don't engage in gamesmanship. A seasoned pro will have encountered these tactics many times and know how to deal with it. Gamesmanship only provides an edge when playing someone of similar calibre. If you can't make a one visit frame winning break you won't be able to put them under pressure using this tactic. If it slows their breakbuilding abilities down it's certainly not going to help yours and will likely give you a reputation you may not want. "Grinder" is no longer considered a compliment for most snooker players.

Take the competition for what it is, a learning experience. Watch the pro shot selection and use their selections to help refine yours. Coming from a pool background your tendency will be to attack many pots that are too low a percentage shot to be considered the right shot. This will cost you so take the time to learn what the pros are considering too risky and follow suit.

It's unreasonable to expect to win when playing someone who's more skilled/experienced so don't apply that kind of pressure to yourself. Play your game, learn, enjoy the competition and look to find players of similar skill that can become good practice partners.

Best of luck :hatoff:

Re: What if...?

Postby Roland

All you've got to do is play your own game and take the beating when it happens. If you play your own game and play a few good shots and put a few pots together then you'll be much happier afterwards. Knocking colours safe is an option but if you don't get that white safe you'll lose quickly.

One thing I've learned from the odd frame against a very good player is that you can force errors from good safety shots and get yourself a chance to score. What happens next is in your own hands, how long can you hold yourself together before you miss or lose the white.

Re: What if...?

Postby 9baller

Cheers for all of the advice guys I didn't reply earlier incase anybody else wanted to chip in.

I definately would prefer the valiant approach, if not for any reason other than if you can knock colours on the baulk cushion with such precision then why can't you pot with decent accuracy?

If I was playing someone on a star table it wouldn't matter, I'd miss most shots anyway! ;-)

Re: What if...?

Postby jamesg1985

From my experience of playing better players in competitions at my local club I'd say you will get chances, it's just what you do with those chances that counts. My safety just about matched these better players but in the balls I was a nervous wreck because of the occasion and knowing that if I missed then they could score heavily. I'd say try and relax and concentrate on each shot at a time, you will get chances. Also, play a good percentage game, i.e try and assess whether different balls are worth taking on, how many times would you get them out of 10 attempts? Don't be influenced by the attacking game he might play, play to your own strengths and ability. At the same time, don't be overly negative, back yourself and try and have a confident mindset. This is a good article on shot selection from Terry Griffiths http://www.terrygriffithssnooker.com/sn ... ction.aspx