Tips for Newbies on Escaping Snookers

[thelongbomber]

I learned a lot of these tricks, tips, concepts, and more over the last 10 years of playing this lovely game. My learning and experience hasn't exactly been conventional as I didn't have snooker mecca (uk ) to learn from. Anyhow, I figure it's worth sharing and hopefully, newbies can improve their game as a result. NOTE: It's important to have some grasp of spin and how balls react with spin on cushions. If you don't know this yet, go to a table with only the cue ball and use top, bottom, right, and left spin at different angles to get a basic understanding.

Enjoy!

1. With slow to medium pace (the cue ball shouldn't travel more than 2 table lengths total) and plain ball (no side, no top/bottom), the cue ball will leave the first cushion the same angle it enters the cushion.
   
2. Screw on the cue ball causes the angle to become narrower when striking a cushion
   
3. Top spin on the cue ball causes the angle to become wider when striking a cushion.
   
4. Cushions are made of rubber and compress a bit when struck with pace. This can also cause angles to become narrower. For example, a bank shot to the middle pocket that doesn't go at slow to medium pace (the angle is too wide), can be "made" to go by hitting with pace. The object ball will actually compress the cushion and cause the angle to become narrower.
   
5. Whenever possible, use running side and two cushions to hit an object ball. When playing one cushion your angles have to be precise, but when using a second cushion, you have a greater margin for error on hitting the object ball. Try on a table and you will understand.
   
6. If needing to go one cushion, measure the half way point between the cue ball and object ball and visualize this spot on the cushion. I even keep my cue pointed while walking back to the cue ball. Assume both the object and cue ball are at the same distance from the cushion when making this measurement. If they aren't, adjust accordingly.
   
7. Using running side widens the angle of the cue ball. Using check side narrows the angle of the cue ball. Check side is useful as a way to compensate for angles and can cause the cue ball to head towards the object ball in a more straight angle. As a way to understand this, try placing an object ball over the green pocket, and the cue ball a few inches away from the middle pocket at the same side of the table. Now try striking with medium to hard pace, and left hand draw at the opposite cushion half way between the balk line and yellow pocket. Change pace and spin to understand this example of check side. Try with running side at the other side of the balk line (about 6 inches towards the middle pocket).
   
8. Once you are down on the shot and ready to strike the cue ball, don't keep looking at the object ball. This is especially important if it's not in your line of sight. By the time you are down on the shot, you should already know what you need to do.
   
9. Measure your angles and determine your initial cue ball strike point while standing up and calculating the angle required. Once you are down on the shot, only think about the cue ball strike point and pace.
   
10. Try to use permanent reference points on the table to calculate angles or make adjustments with spin. For example, all the colored ball spots are good visualization aids. I use them to make initial calculations of angles. Knowing where these spots are by memory (yes, you eventually will remember them and have a sense for where they are), helps me know what angles are and are not available for a given shot.
    
11. Finally, the most important tip of all: Practice! :snooker:
    

Hope that helps

[miscuehamburg]

Very good summary

What helped me big deal was to use my cue in order to estimate the angles. I just walk where I think I will hit the cushion, lay my cue on it pointing toward the cueball and then turn it slowly towards the objectball (of course not making any marks). Comparing the thus visualised angles it soon becomes obvious where to hit the cushion. Then the only task left is to focus on that point while walking down on the shot (without running over somebody). For me this methode quarantees an escape quote of at least 90%.

[jrc750]

[*]If needing to go one cushion, measure the half way point between the cue ball and object ball and visualize this spot on the cushion. I even keep my cue pointed while walking back to the cue ball. Assume both the object and cue ball are at the same distance from the cushion when making this measurement. If they aren't, adjust accordingly....

The bit highlighted sounds easy doesnt it

[thelongbomber]

The bit highlighted sounds easy doesnt it

Well spotted! Not sure if there is any straightforward way to explain this but here I go:

If you must hit a ball one cushion (for whatever reason, or because it seems the easiest path), then you need to approximate the aiming point on the cushion. Here is how it's done (as best I can explain it).

Is the cue ball parallel to the object ball (ie in comparison to the cushion you intend to send the cue ball)? If it is, then the aiming point on the cushion is the half way mark with no spin. That should be pretty straightforward and doesn't need further explanation.

So what if the cue ball and object ball are NOT parallel to the cushion you intend to use (the scenario most likely to happen)? What I do is try to see an IMAGINARY cue ball parallel to the object ball and that provides a good starting reference point for what you need to do with the REAL cue ball. For example, if your cue ball is 5 inches further away from the cushion then the object ball, then imagine sending your REAL cue ball through the IMAGINERY cue ball (which IS parallel to the object ball).

Once you get good with this technique it becomes a pretty useful way to measure angles, and get out of snookers using one (or more) cushions. I'm pretty good with hitting snookers these days and some of the club regulars exclaim in frustration "I can't snooker this guy!".. I love those moments

Anyhow, at some point I will do up a video to explain this further. I'm working on a bunch right now and will upload some time soon (somewhere between next week and end of 2011 )

[renniwevarb]

Do we need to account for the ball diameter for the aiming point on the cushion?

I do slight adjustments based on my experience and memory of clearing some snookers. But technically speaking how do we offset for this element of ball diameter? (if the balls are points then we won't have this problem... but )

[damienlch]

...Anyhow, at some point I will do up a video to explain this further. I'm working on a bunch right now and will upload some time soon (somewhere between next week and end of 2011 )

thanks for sharing your technique, longbomber. i find them most useful.

video demonstrations? that'll be great!! will be waiting with bated breath...

[thelongbomber]

Do we need to account for the ball diameter for the aiming point on the cushion?

I do slight adjustments based on my experience and memory of clearing some snookers. But technically speaking how do we offset for this element of ball diameter? (if the balls are points then we won't have this problem... but )

Well, I assume when measuring angles that the cue and object ball are points yes. Over time, you can make small adjustments (bit of check or running side) to widen/shorten the angles. You can also use draw (angle becomes narrow) or top spin (widens the angles). As you learn this game more and get more experience, you also realize the importance of pace when using cushions as that again plays a role in the resulting angles.

Where things can get complicated is when you need to hit only a small region of the object ball (for example because it's partially hidden from the natural angle). In these scenarios understanding check/running and perhaps even opting for a 2 or 3 cushion escape might be the better way to go.

[checkSide]

This is a method I invented and used myself, it may help someone!

Place the cueball on the yellow spot, and try to shoot off one cushion to land the white on the cushion behind the black spot.
Once you find the angle needed to move from yellow to black, memorise it and move the cueball to the brown spot. Carry out the exercise again until you have the exact spot for the brown. Repeat with the green spot.

You now know three very useful angles. You can use these for snookering behind the black at the end of the game.
You can use them for reference points when potting a baulk colour and moving the cueball down the table.
You can also use them when playing the cueball back to baulk from the black end.
As well as escaping snookers!

These three angles will give you the base knowledge you can use for figuring out millions of things on the table!

Cheers

[thelongbomber]

This is a method I invented and used myself, it may help someone!

Place the cueball on the yellow spot, and try to shoot off one cushion to land the white on the cushion behind the black spot.
Once you find the spot, move the cueball to the brown spot. Carry out the exercise again until you have the exact spot for the brown. Repeat with the green spot.

You now know three very useful angles. You can use these for snookering behind the black at the end of the game.
You can use them for reference points when potting a baulk colour and moving down the table.
You can also them when playing the cueball back to baulk.

This will give you the base knowledge you can use for figuring out millions of things on the table!

Cheers

Never tried that one! Nice tip!

[Freddie Ng]

I learned a lot of these tricks, tips, concepts, and more over the last 10 years of playing this lovely game. My learning and experience hasn't exactly been conventional as I didn't have snooker mecca (uk ) to learn from. Anyhow, I figure it's worth sharing and hopefully, newbies can improve their game as a result. NOTE: It's important to have some grasp of spin and how balls react with spin on cushions. If you don't know this yet, go to a table with only the cue ball and use top, bottom, right, and left spin at different angles to get a basic understanding.

Enjoy!

1. With slow to medium pace (the cue ball shouldn't travel more than 2 table lengths total) and plain ball (no side, no top/bottom), the cue ball will leave the first cushion the same angle it enters the cushion.
   
2. Screw on the cue ball causes the angle to become narrower when striking a cushion
   
3. Top spin on the cue ball causes the angle to become wider when striking a cushion.
   
4. Cushions are made of rubber and compress a bit when struck with pace. This can also cause angles to become narrower. For example, a bank shot to the middle pocket that doesn't go at slow to medium pace (the angle is too wide), can be "made" to go by hitting with pace. The object ball will actually compress the cushion and cause the angle to become narrower.
   
5. Whenever possible, use running side and two cushions to hit an object ball. When playing one cushion your angles have to be precise, but when using a second cushion, you have a greater margin for error on hitting the object ball. Try on a table and you will understand.
   
6. If needing to go one cushion, measure the half way point between the cue ball and object ball and visualize this spot on the cushion. I even keep my cue pointed while walking back to the cue ball. Assume both the object and cue ball are at the same distance from the cushion when making this measurement. If they aren't, adjust accordingly.
   
7. Using running side widens the angle of the cue ball. Using check side narrows the angle of the cue ball. Check side is useful as a way to compensate for angles and can cause the cue ball to head towards the object ball in a more straight angle. As a way to understand this, try placing an object ball over the green pocket, and the cue ball a few inches away from the middle pocket at the same side of the table. Now try striking with medium to hard pace, and left hand draw at the opposite cushion half way between the balk line and yellow pocket. Change pace and spin to understand this example of check side. Try with running side at the other side of the balk line (about 6 inches towards the middle pocket).
   
8. Once you are down on the shot and ready to strike the cue ball, don't keep looking at the object ball. This is especially important if it's not in your line of sight. By the time you are down on the shot, you should already know what you need to do.
   
9. Measure your angles and determine your initial cue ball strike point while standing up and calculating the angle required. Once you are down on the shot, only think about the cue ball strike point and pace.
   
10. Try to use permanent reference points on the table to calculate angles or make adjustments with spin. For example, all the colored ball spots are good visualization aids. I use them to make initial calculations of angles. Knowing where these spots are by memory (yes, you eventually will remember them and have a sense for where they are), helps me know what angles are and are not available for a given shot.
    
11. Finally, the most important tip of all: Practice! :snooker:
    

Hope that helps

Nice :snooker:

[damienlch]

hi checkside, that's a very sensible tip you gave. simple and ingenious. lovely.

[Nic Barrow]

Good 'Point'

Do we need to account for the ball diameter for the aiming point on the cushion?

I do slight adjustments based on my experience and memory of clearing some snookers. But technically speaking how do we offset for this element of ball diameter? (if the balls are points then we won't have this problem... but )

Very good 'point'.
You actually visualise a real cue ball touching the cushion where it needs to touch the cushion to escape the snooker.
This way you are aiming the centre of the cue ball to the centre of the imaginary cue ball - which you are CORRECT is NOT a point on the cushion.
Rather this point hovers 1 1/32 of an inch (half a balls width) in front of the cushion.

http://www.thesnookergym.com

[Nic Barrow]

Additions

I learned a lot of these tricks, tips, concepts, and more over the last 10 years of playing this lovely game. My learning and experience hasn't exactly been conventional as I didn't have snooker mecca (uk ) to learn from. Anyhow, I figure it's worth sharing and hopefully, newbies can improve their game as a result. NOTE: It's important to have some grasp of spin and how balls react with spin on cushions. If you don't know this yet, go to a table with only the cue ball and use top, bottom, right, and left spin at different angles to get a basic understanding.

Enjoy!

1. With slow to medium pace (the cue ball shouldn't travel more than 2 table lengths total) and plain ball (no side, no top/bottom), the cue ball will leave the first cushion the same angle it enters the cushion.
   
2. Screw on the cue ball causes the angle to become narrower when striking a cushion
   
3. Top spin on the cue ball causes the angle to become wider when striking a cushion.
   
4. Cushions are made of rubber and compress a bit when struck with pace. This can also cause angles to become narrower. For example, a bank shot to the middle pocket that doesn't go at slow to medium pace (the angle is too wide), can be "made" to go by hitting with pace. The object ball will actually compress the cushion and cause the angle to become narrower.
   
5. Whenever possible, use running side and two cushions to hit an object ball. When playing one cushion your angles have to be precise, but when using a second cushion, you have a greater margin for error on hitting the object ball. Try on a table and you will understand.
   
6. If needing to go one cushion, measure the half way point between the cue ball and object ball and visualize this spot on the cushion. I even keep my cue pointed while walking back to the cue ball. Assume both the object and cue ball are at the same distance from the cushion when making this measurement. If they aren't, adjust accordingly.
   
7. Using running side widens the angle of the cue ball. Using check side narrows the angle of the cue ball. Check side is useful as a way to compensate for angles and can cause the cue ball to head towards the object ball in a more straight angle. As a way to understand this, try placing an object ball over the green pocket, and the cue ball a few inches away from the middle pocket at the same side of the table. Now try striking with medium to hard pace, and left hand draw at the opposite cushion half way between the balk line and yellow pocket. Change pace and spin to understand this example of check side. Try with running side at the other side of the balk line (about 6 inches towards the middle pocket).
   
8. Once you are down on the shot and ready to strike the cue ball, don't keep looking at the object ball. This is especially important if it's not in your line of sight. By the time you are down on the shot, you should already know what you need to do.
   
9. Measure your angles and determine your initial cue ball strike point while standing up and calculating the angle required. Once you are down on the shot, only think about the cue ball strike point and pace.
   
10. Try to use permanent reference points on the table to calculate angles or make adjustments with spin. For example, all the colored ball spots are good visualization aids. I use them to make initial calculations of angles. Knowing where these spots are by memory (yes, you eventually will remember them and have a sense for where they are), helps me know what angles are and are not available for a given shot.
    
11. Finally, the most important tip of all: Practice! :snooker:
    

Hope that helps

Hi The Long Bomber.

Thanks for your information.
I would agree with almost all of it.

However i would disagree with the 2 cushion rule and make it a one cushion rule (as that woudl generally mean the least calculation and the shortest distance for the cue ball to travel).

I also disagree that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
There cannot be a rule for how the ball responds from any cushion either as ball cleanliness (and therefore friction), age of cloth (and therefore friction), humidity in the atmosphere (which also changes friction), cushion height, age of rubber, tightness of cloth around the rubber are all different from one table to the next.
Sooo.... we have to let our mind come up with a 'best guess' based on our knowledge of the table so far.
This is why the 'diamond system' in american pool simply doesnt work (apart from in the imagination of some exponents).

So, how do we increase our ability to 'guess' the correct angle - i agree with you again in that we must practice. But How?

What you do is:
1. Set up a fairly challenging one cushion snooker escape with some distance between cue ball, cushion and object ball. Place three colours either side of the object ball to measure sets of (3) inch gaps away from the object ball.
2. Committ to playing every shot above centre cue ball, with no side spin, and slowly - all to reduce variables and increase learning.
3. Play ten shots as DIFFERENT points on the cushion - before you play each one, GUESS where that contact will send the cue ball on the second cushion.
4. When your guess work becomes stronger, you can then select an object ball to aim for and make a pretty good guess at where you need to strike the cushion to achieve the contact on the desired ball.
5. If you miss the object ball, LEAVE THE CUE MOTIONLESS untill your friend/playing partner can act as the referee and replace the cue ball as in a 'miss'. You pretend to the referee that you are actually guiding him/her to the place the cue ball was - in fact you are keeping the lin you played so that you can ethically cheat to hit the ball second time. Then when the cue ball is placed more or less against the tip of the cue simply adjust the cue a few millimetres to get closer to striking the object ball on the next shot.
Any player who disagrees that this is the correct thing to do will often give away 20 points or more from a snooker. Those who do agree with this an apply is will very rarely give away more thatn 8 or 12 points.
6. Repeat on 10 different tables.

[thelongbomber]

Hi The Long Bomber.

Thanks for your information.
I would agree with almost all of it.

However i would disagree with the 2 cushion rule and make it a one cushion rule (as that woudl generally mean the least calculation and the shortest distance for the cue ball to travel).

I also disagree that the angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
There cannot be a rule for how the ball responds from any cushion either as ball cleanliness (and therefore friction), age of cloth (and therefore friction), humidity in the atmosphere (which also changes friction), cushion height, age of rubber, tightness of cloth around the rubber are all different from one table to the next.
Sooo.... we have to let our mind come up with a 'best guess' based on our knowledge of the table so far.
This is why the 'diamond system' in american pool simply doesnt work (apart from in the imagination of some exponents).

So, how do we increase our ability to 'guess' the correct angle - i agree with you again in that we must practice. But How?

What you do is:
1. Set up a fairly challenging one cushion snooker escape with some distance between cue ball, cushion and object ball. Place three colours either side of the object ball to measure sets of (3) inch gaps away from the object ball.
2. Committ to playing every shot above centre cue ball, with no side spin, and slowly - all to reduce variables and increase learning.
3. Play ten shots as DIFFERENT points on the cushion - before you play each one, GUESS where that contact will send the cue ball on the second cushion.
4. When your guess work becomes stronger, you can then select an object ball to aim for and make a pretty good guess at where you need to strike the cushion to achieve the contact on the desired ball.
5. If you miss the object ball, LEAVE THE CUE MOTIONLESS untill your friend/playing partner can act as the referee and replace the cue ball as in a 'miss'. You pretend to the referee that you are actually guiding him/her to the place the cue ball was - in fact you are keeping the lin you played so that you can ethically cheat to hit the ball second time. Then when the cue ball is placed more or less against the tip of the cue simply adjust the cue a few millimetres to get closer to striking the object ball on the next shot.
Any player who disagrees that this is the correct thing to do will often give away 20 points or more from a snooker. Those who do agree with this an apply is will very rarely give away more thatn 8 or 12 points.
6. Repeat on 10 different tables.

Fair points made there Nic. I'm not about to challenge your expertise in the matter and yes, simply getting on a table and practicing is ultimately the best way of understanding angles. Good tip there on putting up different scenarios and trying them. I'm going to give that a go on my next opportunity to practice.

A lot of my theories are home grown and come from other players I have seen in my local clubs over the years. Weren't Canadians famous for bringing in new shots into the game like the Thorburn dump shot, plants, etc?

Anyways, I often see "TV matches" where players don't get out of snookers that I know I could have hit myself.

I'm curious though about your theory on one-cushion vs two-cushion escapes. Isn't there a greater margin for error on the two cushion if both the one or two cushion are available shots in a game?

I think perhaps I need to research/video this a little further so I can explain it myself properly. It's definitely a theory I made myself when trying to hit snookers and it turns out to be a sound theory as I have used it in match play for many years now.

Thanks Nic!

[Nic Barrow]

Follow Up

Fair points made there Nic. I'm not about to challenge your expertise in the matter and yes, simply getting on a table and practicing is ultimately the best way of understanding angles. Good tip there on putting up different scenarios and trying them. I'm going to give that a go on my next opportunity to practice.

A lot of my theories are home grown and come from other players I have seen in my local clubs over the years. Weren't Canadians famous for bringing in new shots into the game like the Thorburn dump shot, plants, etc?

Anyways, I often see "TV matches" where players don't get out of snookers that I know I could have hit myself.

I'm curious though about your theory on one-cushion vs two-cushion escapes. Isn't there a greater margin for error on the two cushion if both the one or two cushion are available shots in a game?

I think perhaps I need to research/video this a little further so I can explain it myself properly. It's definitely a theory I made myself when trying to hit snookers and it turns out to be a sound theory as I have used it in match play for many years now.

Thanks Nic!

Well actually what i am always trying to do is disprove my 'theories' or the ideas i stumble across. So if anyone can do that with anythign I say I will be happy to agree with their disagreement!

Yes well two cushion escapes CAN be easier to see visually (EG when snookered behind a baulk colour and coming off side and top cushions to strike a red near the pink).
They are often the CORRECT thing to do stragically.
The problem is that with a blanket rule like 'play with two cushions if possible' then the less experienced players wont know when that is actually making the escape more difficult.
I have always foudn to keep things as simple as possible means you can go far wrong.
But sometimes simplicity requires a bit of explanation!