Billiards, does it help your snooker?

[Cyril]

when i registered it didnt give me a password so requested on to my email but still nothing

lost

I just followed he instructions. It sent me an email which had a link which requested a password. Then I just logged on.

[pigeonslayer]

Snooker finished last week, so I had an hour or so of Billiards last night, first time i have played this year.

I love playing the game.

As said above the English Billiards site is great, and the 'Billiards for Snooker Players' book that they sell on there is good too.

Only problem with those videos of shots is that the fella makes it look so easy.
In snooker you mainly only have to worry about the pace and path of the cue ball - which is usually controlled with stun/screw - as the object ball is pocketted.
In billiards with even the simplest of in-offs you have to be thinking about pace and contact as it has such an effect on the object ball and therefore the ability to continue the break.
The half ball in-offs that are shown are easy to get, but getting the object ball where you want it is a different matter.

[cantpotforshíte]

Most definitely. Billiards teach the exact paths of the cue ball off the object ball. Amateur snooker players tend to visual general directions which leads to sloppier cue ball contral.

Well put. Also, being able to visualise the whole shot (path of cue ball and object ball) will actually help your potting.
I often think that we miss pots in snooker because we haven't picked an exact spot for the white to finish.
If your brain doesn't have a correct set of instructions, then it'll fill in the grey areas with some .. ermm .. artistic license. And we know what happens then.

[Dennett]

In Canada we play a version of billiards called Russian Billiards (nothing to do with the real Russian Billiards). The game is very social and entertaining for snooker players (works great with three or four players), and provides a nice change from the more difficult English Billiards (which is a two-player game).

Here is a link to the rules and history of the game:

http://www.palmtreesinoakbay.com/Rus...0Billiards.pdf

Enjoy!

Cheers,

Dennett Netterville
Victoria, BC, Canada
IBSF/Snooker Gym Master Coach

[fateric]

Good God!! I thought I'd seen every snooker/billiards/pool site in existence in 17 years trawling the net but englishbilliards.org is pure gold. The only small gripe I have is that you can't resize the videos!

Mat Wilson

[jb134]

Good God!! I thought I'd seen every snooker/billiards/pool site in existence in 17 years trawling the net but englishbilliards.org is pure gold. The only small gripe I have is that you can't resize the videos!

Mat Wilson

Different class isn't it.

[thelongbomber]

http://www.englishbilliards.org/ is a great site ... if you click on "syllabus" there are detailed instructions, videos and practice routines ...

What a superbly done site!

[ace man]

I thought I knew general path of the cue ball very well after it struck the object ball...until I tried English billiards! It is shocking how difficult the game is...I was awful...a high break of only 20 something? I thought I could score higher than at snooker...obviously not...

[franksandellsnooker]

I thought I knew general path of the cue ball very well after it struck the object ball...until I tried English billiards! It is shocking how difficult the game is...I was awful...a high break of only 20 something? I thought I could score higher than at snooker...obviously not...

I am a forum consultant to the website English Billiards .org and was delighted to read the kind words endorsing this as one of the finest cuesport sites ever produced. Its originator Martin Goodwill is the European champion.His and Roger Morgan's book The snooker players guide to English Billiards is the perfect compliment if you wish to no more.
Billiards once the skills are acquired and understood is the master game and will enhance the knowledge of any player. It is in many respects easier to play than snooker.
It is vital to play the game with good quality balls of equal weight and density they should weigh about 141g each across the set.