Why are pool and snooker cues so different?

[the lone wolf]

Fingers crossed I can start charging that for mine in a couple of months.....:emmersed:

That's just it Ninja. Some of these cue makers are 2nd and 3rd generation - so the cue collector buys into that history.
There will be Jacoby collectors out there who will buy at least one cue from them each year in order to add and keep their collection relevant.

[eihi]

Only Mark Gray has been successful, and he's hardly elite. No snooker/English pool player has ever developed a break good enough to be truly dominating. Even Appleton, who has won virtually everything, struggles with his break.

Why would snooker players leave big money over there for chump change in the US?
You just got to look at allison fisher, most successful woman pool player ever, who started with snooker.

There is no shortage of snooker vs pool matchups and i have seen lots of top pool players loose to snooker players on the pool table quite frequently. I never see pro pool players beat anyone on a snooker table, if you have a match it happens I would love to check it out.

[the lone wolf]

It's all about dedication.
Cliff Thorburn made the switch from pool to snooker, the rest is history.
It can be done, but only the few will succeed.

[Cue crafty]

It's all about dedication.
Cliff Thorburn made the switch from pool to snooker, the rest is history.
It can be done, but only the few will succeed.

I thought Cliff's first game was always snooker? Im sure ive heard him say that in interviews, I know he used to hustle pool in the clubs in Canada in his younger days but I think that was just to earn a few extra bucks and he was able to do that because he was a talented snooker player...

I may be wrong, I do agree though that dedication is key and you can make it with talent and hard work.

[jonny66]

I'd like to see someone make a switch from Russian billiards to snooker, has there ever even been a Russian pro snooker player?

[the lone wolf]

I'd like to see someone make a switch from Russian billiards to snooker, has there ever even been a Russian pro snooker player?

Good question!

[eihi]

I'd like to see someone make a switch from Russian billiards to snooker, has there ever even been a Russian pro snooker player?

Wow, Never heard of Russian billiards, just read up on it and watched some videos on youtube. Looks hard as hell to pot a ball, them pockets are tiny as heck in relation to them huge balls.
Russian Billiards.JPG

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

Why would snooker players leave big money over there for chump change in the US?
You just got to look at allison fisher, most successful woman pool player ever, who started with snooker.

There is no shortage of snooker vs pool matchups and i have seen lots of top pool players loose to snooker players on the pool table quite frequently. I never see pro pool players beat anyone on a snooker table, if you have a match it happens I would love to check it out.

This argument has been fought and won several times. Neither Ronnie O'Sullivan, nor any snooker player, will ever become a top 16 pool player.

Simply not possible without major rule changes, especially on the break.

[vjmehra]

This argument has been fought and won several times. Neither Ronnie O'Sullivan, nor any snooker player, will ever become a top 16 pool player.

Simply not possible without major rule changes, especially on the break.

There's no incentive for them to switch though, never say never, big prize money can be quite motivating! Albeit unlikely yes.

That said I've always thought straight pool would be an easier switch for snooker players, rather than the power games. Not sure if any have ever really given it a proper go?

Also, it seems the break is less important in Chinese 8-Ball (as run outs are less frequent), so that might be worth some perseverance (Mark Selby did okay the other year after all). Although some of the Chinese players (unsurprisingly perhaps) make those pockets look easy!

[Hello, Mr Big Shot]

There's no incentive for them to switch though, never say never, big prize money can be quite motivating! Albeit unlikely yes.

That said I've always thought straight pool would be an easier switch for snooker players, rather than the power games. Not sure if any have ever really given it a proper go?

Also, it seems the break is less important in Chinese 8-Ball (as run outs are less frequent), so that might be worth some perseverance (Mark Selby did okay the other year after all). Although some of the Chinese players (unsurprisingly perhaps) make those pockets look easy!

Yeah, I'm very impressed with some of those, more so than the Chinese snooker players to be honest.

Pettman made the switch and got nowhere, even on GB9. The idea a 30-50 ranked snooker player could take up pool is absurd. Anyone really think Alan McManus or Anthony Hamilton could dominate pool on the basis they've won the odd snooker championship? No chance.

As for straight pool, yes, this is much more likely. Pettman himself got the record on a 10 foot table in competition (119, i think), but those tables are rare, and a long way from mosconi's 526 record.

[Ramon]

This argument has been fought and won several times. Neither Ronnie O'Sullivan, nor any snooker player, will ever become a top 16 pool player.

Simply not possible without major rule changes, especially on the break.

Not quite agree with that , tbh .
Top 16 snooker players gonna have to say goodbay to snooker for a while (atleast 2 years). If they do that, they can beat the top 16 pool players in the world.
same goes for top 16 pool players.
Of course, that is easier said than done.
the problem is, we are talking about 2 diff games with 2 diff strategy and tactics.
Most of the top snooker palyers are playing for many years and are used to strategy applied in the game of snooker. same applies to the top pool players. say goodbay to that is almost impossible.
of course, I refer specifically to highest standard in both games.
Apart from that, I bet there are many top snooker players who are able to beat a top amateur pool player and likewise applies to the top pool players in the world .

[vjmehra]

Yeah, I'm very impressed with some of those, more so than the Chinese snooker players to be honest.

I think you might be right there, some of the cue actions are very smooth, the accuracy combined with the action on the cue ball they get is impressive!

Pettman made the switch and got nowhere, even on GB9. The idea a 30-50 ranked snooker player could take up pool is absurd. Anyone really think Alan McManus or Anthony Hamilton could dominate pool on the basis they've won the odd snooker championship? No chance.

I don't disagree with that, but not sure that's the same thing as saying a top snooker pro could never become a top 16 pool player.

As for straight pool, yes, this is much more likely. Pettman himself got the record on a 10 foot table in competition (119, i think), but those tables are rare, and a long way from mosconi's 526 record.

Mosconi's record was on an 8 foot table though (and possibly in an exhibition)?

That said the trade off is of course the equipment was not the same as today, so impossible to say whether its more or less impressive than if someone were to match it today (which is unlikely as the comps only seem to go to 150/200)!

Would be interesting to see if anyone could beat it actually if someone put up a decent enough prize fund!

[eihi]

Mr Big Shot, you have made your opinion quite clear, and I disagree with you.

Allison fisher is the most successful woman pool player of all time, so you saying no snooker player can be a world champion is a bit silly, since it has already happened.
You seem so staunch on your opinion without considering or even acknowledging my point about Fisher, we will just have to agree to disagree

[eihi]

I am wondering who are the biggest cue manufactures over in England, I always hear about JP cues, is John Parris considered the best cue maker over there? Who else are the big names?

[eihi]

I don't disagree with that, but not sure that's the same thing as saying a top snooker pro could never become a top 16 pool player.



Mosconi's record was on an 8 foot table though (and possibly in an exhibition)?

Yes Mosconi's high run was done on a 4x8 and in an exhibition.

Are any of you familiar with the cue makers that made cues that Mosconi played with>?
I know he liked Herman Rambow cues, and that he had a Balabushka that his family tried to auction off after he passed away, they were expecting 100,000$ for it, though I don't know what it sold for.
Both the cue makers have an interesting history and their cues sale for big $$$






Do cues get better with time, do they feel different? I haven't ever shot with a 50 year old cue. :/