What Percentage of shots do you play with Side ?

[nrage]

... If, however, you are out of position or need side to get into perfect position then the use of side is the correct choice, and avoiding it the incorrect one.

You're very 'black and white' on shot choice

If you can actually pot balls with side, then yeah side is the 'correct' choice. But, if trying to use side takes your pot percentage waaay down, then trying to use it is not the 'correct' choice at all.

Playing for a different/easier position, or playing another shot with easier position would be the 'correct' choice. It's all about finding the best /likely/ outcome, which is somewhere between the best ideal outcome and easiest and ok outcome.

This is my current situation and why I almost never use side. Once I have practiced it and gotten confident with it, then and only then would I dream of using it in a game, even a friendly/practice game.

[magicman]

"Correct" choice is very little about my opinion and more about what is the "received" judgement of what is the right shot given those circumstances. If you don't play with side when its the correct choice when exactly will you use it? You admit to not using it, even in a friendly, practice game. How then, do you dream of ever mastering it? I'm afraid you must put aside your current objections and try to play the 'right' shot when it appears, then and only then will your game improve.

[nrage]

"Correct" choice is very little about my opinion and more about what is the "received" judgement of what is the right shot given those circumstances.

Ahh.. I see, we have a disagreement on our definition of 'correct'. Absolute vs relative correctness specifically.

I am saying 'correct' is relative to skill level of the player and is determined by the 'best' outcome which is 'likely' achievable by the player.

You seem to be saying that 'correct' is absolute.. that there is only 1 correct choice in any given situation, if so...

Who/what decides the correct choice?
And on what basis?

It seems to me that you're saying the correct shot is the one with the best possible outcome i.e. given:

1. play with screw and side to get position on the black
2. play with top to get position on the pink

Is #1 the 'correct' shot? .. Would you always choose #1?

.. all I'm saying is, if a player cannot play with side then the 'correct' choice for that player is #2 above, not #1.

If you don't play with side when its the correct choice when exactly will you use it? You admit to not using it, even in a friendly, practice game. How then, do you dream of ever mastering it? I'm afraid you must put aside your current objections and try to play the 'right' shot when it appears, then and only then will your game improve.

Like I said "..Once I have practiced it and gotten confident with it, then and only then would I dream of using it in a game..."

I did a bit of practice with side yesterday on a pool table and was amazed by how much I had to aim to the left or right, when applying side, to make the pot. If you ask someone who has not practiced it, to do it in a game, and give them exactly one chance to get it right (as in a game) .. it's not going to happen.

[magicman]

You can argue til your blue in the face nrage, but you're just avoiding the issue. Practising side on a pool table??? The throw of the white is down to the cue you use, the power applied and the weight of the balls. How is practising with pool balls helping you gain an understanding of how a snooker cue-ball will throw off-line?

Don't get me wrong, I understand your 'in a match' argument, but you pointedly stipulated you don't even practice with side in a friendly game. You'll never get better at side if you don't play it. This is unarguable.

[nrage]

You can argue til your blue in the face nrage, but you're just avoiding the issue.

Not avoiding, delaying, until my cueing and potting is better.

Practising side on a pool table???

Sadly, we don't have a snooker table at work

The throw of the white is down to the cue you use, the power applied and the weight of the balls. How is practising with pool balls helping you gain an understanding of how a snooker cue-ball will throw off-line?

Because the pool balls we have are snooker balls .. well, almost.

I replaced the original white (which in uk pool is smaller) with a 2" white, to match the size of the reds/yellows. So, the balls are only 1/15th - 1/16th of an inch smaller than actual snooker balls.

The cloth is nowhere near as fast, and that doesn't help, but it's not bad for a practice table at work

Don't get me wrong, I understand your 'in a match' argument, but you pointedly stipulated you don't even practice with side in a friendly game. You'll never get better at side if you don't play it. This is unarguable.

I dont 'yet' play it in a friendly game because I haven't 'yet' practiced it enough. Once I get a certain level of ability/confidence I will use side when I need to. First in friendlies, and eventually in match play too.

At this stage however I need to focus on the basics, like teaching my brain to 'see' potting angles, and getting my cueing consistently straight without confusing everything with side spin.

[ace man]

About 20% I would say. Prior to snooker I played American pool for 10 years or so, a game which requires lots of side spin, so it becomes natural. Even though snooker ball/cue/cloth combination produces different deflection to pool and pockets are very tight, I adapted surprisingly well.

[vendetta_revived]

Very few, apart from the break off I use it only if I can't see enough of the ball and need to throw it in, to snook my opponent, to break a snooker.

I use checkside if I'm making a very very thin cut and sometimes for avoiding in offs. All in all, not all these appear in a single match and I use it may be 3 times in a frame including the break off.

[Freddie Ng]

As least as possible.. maybe about 20-30% of the entire frame. Sometimes none at all, amateur like me should stick more to normal shots :snooker: