Did you have it or did it come?

[Maxmillion27]

I’m just hoping to hear a few stories from people who had to work at potting over a-bit of time. Could you just pot consistently (way, way back in the beginning of your game) or was it something that you had to really practice? And for those that had to practice - did you get to the stage where you can break ~50? (A 50 break is still a big number for me) I guess what I am asking is, can consistent potting really be learnt or do you just have to have the ability.

A little information about me so as you wise guys can critique my game. I was a Saturday night player who played with friends. I could sink, on occasion, a red and a colour ball. I was just a social player who didn't take the game seriously. 3 weeks ago I decided to take up Snooker more seriously. I have read about technique and watched some master-classes by Ronnie O'Sulivan. I have put all this information into my practice time no matter how uncomfortable it initially feels or how many shots in the start it made me miss. (I'm a low handicap Golfer and I know about the benefits of playing worse correctly to ultimately improve when you get used to the new feelings)

In the last few weeks I have gone from only potting a red and a colour to having a high break of 16 balls for 55. I average from 4 to 8 balls in a visit at the table. (Probably not the right way to learn but I concentrate solely on potting for now) I have been practising for around an hour and a half a day after work.

My shot routine is: Stand behind the cue ball. With my line of sight I make a straight line through the cue ball, the object ball and myself. I find that doing this enables 'me' to instantly to see the point of contact. I now move down into the shot with only one thought, 'don't take eyes off point of contact'. I let my body flow, as it wants, when I move down into the shot. For 'me', 9 times out of 10, if going down on the cue ball ends with the cue naturally (no thought in doing it) touching the centre of my chin then I know I have got the shot.

I was always a lazy player. I would never go down the extra 8 inches to get the cue against my chin. It was 2 days after I got used to getting right down on the shot that I had my 55 run and a major consistency improvement. It's amazing how much difference that little extra distance down makes.

Anyway, that’s the end of my ramble. Happy Snookering.

[Semih_Sayginer]

had to practise

listen to advice from people who are obviously better

watch snooker, not just to see the play, but to concentrate on ALL aspects of their play...

shot selection
stance
cue grip
cue ball address
head still
stroke

to name but a bare few

use the advice

and try to copy what you see the pro snooker players do

if required, as for lessons off of a local good player...one who can make regular breaks of 70+ will know what to do, and should be a decent enough "coach" for a while anyway until you see improvement.

or similar

[elvaago]

I can't speak for snooker, because I've spent less time playing snooker than the average Peter Ebdon frame takes...

But in pool, I won my first two games ever, and I won the first 3 out of the first 5. I've always been good at potting the balls, especially the long pots. My main weakness seems to be potting balls when the pocket is outside my visual range.

[Obligation]

I'm a very un-natural player, so it took me a while to get into a natural rythmn. Once you get there it's good though!

My main weakness is long, straight pots..

(Did any of that make any contextual sense?) :S

[Watford]

You can't compare potting on a pool table to snooker it's 100% more difficult!
It's funny the more you practice the more of a natural potter you become!

[Obligation]

Did you say pool was 100% more difficult??

[Semih_Sayginer]

It's funny the more you practice the more of a natural potter you become!

agreed watford

what really gets on my chest is commentators and so called experts saying who has more natural talent than so and so etc....

were they present in the first years a player started playing?

everyone progresses, and then makes it look more natural when they are flowing. doesnt mean they picked up a cue and knocked in a 120 with a club cue and no chalk, on a ripped, sloped table.

it does my head in.

[Cessy143]

agreed watford

everyone progresses, and then makes it look more natural when they are flowing. doesnt mean they picked up a cue and knocked in a 120 with a club cue and no chalk, on a ripped, sloped table.

it does my head in.

Semih, you really must play in a nicer club

Seriously though, good point

[Semih_Sayginer]

and at taking part of my post for your "funny".

[Watford]

Did you say pool was 100% more difficult??

You know what a mean!!!!

[Obligation]

Isn't pool a lot easier??

[elvaago]

Playing pool itself is easier. Winning tournaments is harder because there are more players who play at top level. Big tourmanents also involve playing a lot more matches (up to 50 or so matches to win a tournament sometimes.)

I followed the last IPT tournament where players had to play 4-5 matches a day. That's pretty tough IMO.

[Obligation]

Yes, it is, but the games to go by quicker.

On average, how long would you say an average pool match goes on for?

[elvaago]

Good point. Pool matches are shorter, but I think most people will agree that a short match can be harder to win than a long match. One brief moment of bad play and you're going home, while in long matches, you can compensate for bad play by picking up your game in another session.

[..KiD DyNaMiTe..]

When I 1st started I was awful I didn't know a thing! Once I learned the grip, the stance, the cue action ETC. I can easily combine breaks of 30+/40+,50+ on a few occasions. I've only been playing 2 years next month!