My Struggle With Myself :(

[stjimmy18-1991]

Well guys i am pleased to announce i now have my first 50 to my name

1 pink, 2 blacks and all the colours

I played 5 frames today and had 50, 43, 40, 32 and 25. That's pretty decent for me I have a slight cold too lol

I was just focusing on pushing the cue through today with conviction, and also keeping my head still and focusing on the point i want to hit on the object ball.

Happy days!

[Acrowot]

Well done Jimmy. Keep it going.

[crrjmust]

its about satisfaction, play in a way u get satisfaction

[AndyG]

Looks like I'm too late (now that you've succeeded!) to suggest that you seek out the book "Pleasures of Small Motions" by Bob Fancher (e.g. on Amazon http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pleasures-Sm.../dp/1585745391). It was suggested to me by members on this site and it just might blow your mind. I guess I'm still in the process of reconfiguring my own...

Good luck!

[renniwevarb]

Well done stjimmy!

We all have our ups and downs in this fascinating game, glad you didn't give up on it... turned the corner and saw the lights!

[jrc750]

Well guys i am pleased to announce i now have my first 50 to my name ....

Well done (not jealous at all )

[stjimmy18-1991]

Thanks for your help, support and compliments guys. I'm itching to get back down to the table but the cold i felt yesterday has got worse, so staying indoors and watching the world champs today. Time to study the shot selection of the pros

Incidently, i thought i'd share this with everyone. It's a break list i have from 29th December 2010, so roughly 4 months worth of playing. I document every break i make over 20 in a match situation (no line ups or practice spreads).

Here it is:

20+ (89)

20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 20, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 22, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 23, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 24, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 25, 26, 26, 26, 26, 27, 27, 27, 27, 28, 28, 28, 28, 29, 29, 29

30+ (22)

30, 30, 30, 30, 30, 30, 30, 31, 31, 31, 31, 31, 31, 32, 32, 32, 35, 35, 36, 36, 37, 39

40+ (10)

40, 40, 40, 41, 42, 42, 43, 43, 44, 46

50+ (1)

50

[stjimmy18-1991]

Just another addition to my thread

I went down for some solo practice today and found out that the table i normally play on had been reclothed. Happy days!!! )))
Made the game so much easier as i could just focus on timing the ball rather than bashing it to get the white moving. I played really well in solo and another player in my club came over to me and asked for some frames.

Now this player had knocked me out in the monthly handicap tournament a few months ago while giving me 10 start, so i was determined to get my revenge off levels.

I played alright against him, didn't miss many silly balls and had a 29 (which should of been 34+ since i landed chinesed over a red for the brown, a red over the hole and all other colours easilly available :/)

And i ended up easilly winning 2-0, scoring over 100 points in total with him scoring around 20 in total. How did i ever lose while getting a start?

I'm feeling alot better about myself and the 50 i had on tuesday has given me alot of belief. I'm looking forward to getting back on the table and getting to a standard where i can make 20-30 every time i visit the table.

[stjimmy18-1991]

Here's another addition to my thread, thought i'd share a small experience i had today.

Me and my friend decided to have a small session of frames together, just practicing, no scoring. Unpressured matchplay.

I played SHOCKINGLY bad for a few hours, i felt like i hadn't picked a cue up before and this was a my first time playing. I was missing balls by feet, not inches. I felt drunk.

But i didn't want to let it get to me, i remembered all the advice i've been given in this thread and decided i'll stick in there with the belief that things can always turn around if i find a bit of form.

And during the last two frames we had, i had a 38 and 41. Not great i know, but to make those breaks playing like an idiot, i was well pleased.

On the 41, i went into the pack from the black on 34, landed on a tricky red to middle with a simple cannon to hold for the pink in the middle, got the cannon, but the red "flirted" with the middle and it was access denied.

My highest break was sitting right there, on one of the worst playing days ive ever had!!

So i'm pleased, to be able to have a shot at my highest break (which is 50), on one of my worst days, it really showed me the value of just sticking in there and not losing your head.

[cazmac1]

There’s a section in the Joe Davis book where he describes pretty much what you've said in your first post. He says that his students ask him why they play great one day and bad the next and Joe puts it all down to sighting, saying that some days you guess the potting angles better than others days. Although some ppl would say his teaching methods our out of date there are still some very useful stuff in there. Try and get a copy and read the section on sighting.

[stjimmy18-1991]

Wow, i've got alot to say here. Not only did i made my 100th 20 break since i started my breaks list (29th Dec 2010), but i also made my first 60 break!!
It consisted of 4 blues, 4 pinks and 1 black.

I'm so pleased my highest break actually sums up what i think my skill level should be. I jawed a tricky red to the yellow pocket with the white on the top cush :S Pefect on pink next.

But im so pleased. I'm ready to push on and get as close to that ton as i can!!

Onwards!!

[Rii]

Congrats, and best of luck for the ton!

[sootyvrs]

Try not to be too concerned with what your breaks are as this can be more of a distraction than something positive.

When I used to play a lot of snooker and as I was improving I preferred when my opponent would just tot up the break in his head and then tell me what I got when I finished.

This was most useful to get past my first half century many years back and then breaks above this would happen without much thought.

You seem now to be going in the right direction and once you remove that mental block, then sky is your limit (up to where your talent lets you).

I remember when I started playing darts it was the same wanting to get that first 180. I can't count the times I get 2 darts in the treble and fumble the third dart! Once done it was no longer a big deal but it's surprising how much pressure we can put on ourselves.

Good luck improving

[sootyvrs]

Try not to be too concerned with what your breaks are as this can be more of a distraction than something positive.

When I used to play a lot of snooker and as I was improving I preferred when my opponent would just tot up the break in his head and then tell me what I got when I finished.

This was most useful to get past my first half century many years back and then breaks above this would happen without much thought.

You seem now to be going in the right direction and once you remove that mental block, then sky is your limit (up to where your talent lets you).

I remember when I started playing darts it was the same wanting to get that first 180. I can't count the times I get 2 darts in the treble and fumble the third dart! Once done it was no longer a big deal but it's surprising how much pressure we can put on ourselves.

Good luck improving

[stjimmy18-1991]

Cheers for the advice guys. I'm really starting to take off now. Just came back from a session where i had 24 20 breaks, 5 30s, 4 40s and 1 50.

Including a 47 and 51 in the same frame. I missed a yellow on 51 for a possible 78 clearance!

But im so pleased to be finally playing how i felt i should be. I think part of this is to do with i've slowed my backswing down a bit. But who knows, im not complaining.