most difficult thing to do in snooker?

[Sam-Romford]

Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to know what you guys think is the most difficult task to do in playing snooker in a beginner or amature level?

For professional players i think they have to deal with a lot of pshycological issues but i think for beginners or even amatures the most challenging or difficult "technical" issue is to be able to "deliver the cue in a straight line constantly" so that the cue ball can hit the object ball where it should in order to pot the object ball.

If u think there are other aspects or issues in snooker which are more crucial than this please do reply, you can also rank your choices in order.

Thanks

[hotpot]

Different players will have strengths and probably weaknesses at almost every level . Some are great breakbuilders but may be weaker on long shots like the current Stephen Hendry , whils others may be vice versa like Perry Mans was in his day .

Mark Selby seems to have plenty of mental strength , whils O,sullivan can struggle in that department on times .

[Izzyfcuk]

Easy quiz!

DISCIPLINE

[ADR147]

for me i would say concentration.

[Inoffthered]

The first red and black for me

[CueInAction]

Definitely concentration for me too. My game can be flowing in the middle of the break, then I'll break down on a complete sitter of a shot.

Another issue I've struggled with in the past was with keeping a running score count in my head which has made me miss crucial/pressure shots. When I was in my early teens I would break down as soon as I was playing the shot to take me over the 50 mark as I was piling pressure on that one shot. I still have issues with this little voice in my head as I'm approaching a ton (which shouldn't really be a problem as the frame is won by this point) but now I'm a lot better at composing myself prior to walking into a shot

[Terry Davidson]

For the amateur just beginning and perhaps up to the 50 break skill level is definitely learning how to deliver the cue consistently straight. Once that is achieved then improvement comes a lot quicker. However, this is the most difficult thing a player has to achieve and there have been great players whose technique might look really bad but they only way they could play well is being able to deliver the cue well (Alex Higgins comes to mind).

For the decent amateur it has to be concentration and discipline are the hardest because we are all trying to get from the 50+ break skill level up to running the odd century.

Once we achieve the level of being able to run the odd century it now becomes concentration and motiviation to get to a point where we would be at international amateur level. I believe confidence plays a very big part at this level too.

Terry

[vmax4steve]

For me the most difficult and the most crucial thing is to be able to keep your eyes focussed on the point on the object ball that the cue ball needs to contact at the exact moment of striking the cue ball. Keeping your head still makes this a little easier but your eyes can move off target without your head moving. Hand and eye co-ordination, the hand will follow the eye so keep your eyes focussed on what you need to hit.
It's even more difficult to do this when playing with side and aiming to contact the object ball whilst allowing for the deflection of the cue ball. You must focus on the part of the object ball you are aiming for the cue ball to hit even though you know it won't hit it there. For to take your eyes off that point and focus on the point where the cue ball will be deflected onto will make your hand follow your eye and you will miss.
I myself can't do this consistantly enough to call myself a good player, which is why I blow hot and cold all the time, but when I do it I just don't miss and every pot just goes in (kicks not withstanding) no matter how hard it is. When I'm not doing it I can't pot them when they're over the pockets.

For the record nrage, this is my own advice and no one else's, but if all else fails you then try it for yourself. Don't think about anything else but focussing on that point and it might just work for you too. Might just beat that high break of 26, you never know. Now wouldn't that be ironic.

[Sam-Romford]

For the record nrage, this is my own advice and no one else's, but if all else fails you then try it for yourself. Don't think about anything else but focussing on that point and it might just work for you too. Might just beat that high break of 26, you never know. Now wouldn't that be ironic.[/QUOTE]

Steve your right mate, a lot of the players including myself just look at the contact point on the object ball, this way i get more pots, that specially helps the long pots even if cant get them i miss them by centemeters. But during cueing while looking at the point of contact you must also keep it in mind where abouts in the cue ball you want to strike and with what pace and if you can do that witout taking your eye of the point of contact you are likely to get the pot AND the plosition.

[Sam-Romford]

Terry I completely agree with you. I think starting from a beginner things which hold a player back form playing good snooker are mainly the technical issues (grip, cueing straight, sighting etc), but once you have mastered all the basic techniques and knocking in 60s and 70s the only things you are dealing with are pshycological issues staying calm under pressure, confidence, anger control etc.
But i think for decent amateurs one problem could be once they have achieved thier regular breaks like 50, 55 and start approaching towards their first ton, they start suffering from pshycological issues which dont allow the player to carry on the break building.

But Terry now that we all are pointing out what each of us suffer from the most, it would be really nice of you if you could help us out with your wise words.

btw in one of the threads about cueing straight you mentioned 14 points to keep in mind which will help a player cue straight, i think that was the best advice you have ever given out in this forum. Its great to have someone like you here with us.

[vmax4steve]

Steve your right mate, a lot of the players including myself just look at the contact point on the object ball, this way i get more pots, that specially helps the long pots even if cant get them i miss them by centemeters. But during cueing while looking at the point of contact you must also keep it in mind where abouts in the cue ball you want to strike and with what pace and if you can do that witout taking your eye of the point of contact you are likely to get the pot AND the plosition.

Whereabouts on the cue ball where you want to strike should be determined in your mind before you get down on the shot m8. I didn't know that I did this as my game is completely natural and uncoached, but I went through my routine slowly and focussed on what I actually did and what I found out was that when I was playing really well I was thinking ahead very quickly, looking at the balls on the table as I was playing, knowing what I wanted to do for the next shot as I was walking around the table ie: 'pot that red with a little left hand side to check it off the cushion to stay low on the black for that red over there' and then looking at the point of contact on the object ball as I was approaching it until I placed my right foot on the floor behind the shot before getting down. As soon as my right foot is placed I shift my focus onto the place on the cue ball that I need the tip of the cue to hit, then place my left foot in position, then get down on the shot and address the cue ball in the correct place. Once I have done this I once again focus on the point of contact on the object ball and then play the shot.
I never think about how many feathers or a pause, my grip, where my elbow is or anything else except that point of contact. All this happens very quickly and it looks like don't have a set routine but in fact I do. It takes longer to focus on long shots that it does for close shots and that looks like I'm taking more care over the long shots, but in fact I'm not, my routine is always the same when I'm playing well.
When I'm not playing well my routine has obviously changed in some way and to find out what it is takes time and practise, but I invariably find that I'm not looking at the point of contact on the object ball and when I address this one issue I immediately start to play well. Heaven knows why I always go through everything else first but my guess is that I assume I must be focussing on that point of contact because that is the very act of looking at what you are doing, but with snooker there are other variables that can take your eye offline so to speak ie: the cue ball, the pocket, the position required for the next shot, getting or missing cannons or even a speck of chalk on the cloth. Anything can take your eye offline and to keep your eye online is very difficult, especially for me.

This is the basis of hand and eye co-ordination for all ball games and those that truly excel get their eyes focussed on the correct target, which in snooker is the point of contact on the object ball.

[themayorofflair]

For me it is consistancy, pure & simple. Consistancy of mind & consistancy of technique.

[Sam-Romford]

For me it is consistancy, pure & simple. Consistancy of mind & consistancy of technique.

I personally think if you have a consistent mindset and attitude that will help you to be consistent with your techniques as well.

[ace man]

How about winning? Not missing very simple key or frame balls? Not beating one's self? Forgetting mistakes quickly?

Playing well in relaxed atmosphere of a casual game and actually beating someone in a very important match where there is points/money/trophy/pride/ego at stake are two completely different things.

[pottingpinks]

I'd say the most difficult thing to do is screwing the cue ball back on a straightish shot from long distance and maintaining accuracy at the same time, its so hard in fact (for me anyway) that I rarely ever try to do it!!