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**nrage** · 20 March 2012, 10:17 AM

It sounds like you game is suffering from some nerves and perhaps a little bit of a lack of concentration when playing an opponent, which is perfectly normal. The only cure for this is to keep practicing so that your solo skill level is as high as possible, and to play lots and lots more matches to get used to pressure and distractions.

Something else which might help is to try to artificially introduce pressure into practice. For example, when you're doing a drill, say potting long blues, keep track of your high score i.e. 7/10 and then try to beat it. If you then pot 6/10 and have 2 or more balls left to make more than 7, you will start to feel some pressure to perform. Alternately, say to yourself if I miss this I will ___ (insert something you don't really want to do).

The other idea I had was to introduce distraction, if you can find something that you can put on the side of the table (or nearby), which moves erratically and then concentrate on potting and ignoring it, you'll get better at doing this in a match situation.

It's all about training your brain to deal with any problems you might encounter, the more you face and deal with them, the better you'll get at it.

One last thing, perhaps during a match you're not ruthless enough, perhaps you don't have enough of a killer attitude. Many people are too kind to truly demolish an opponent, once they score a few points they feel they've done enough, and relax just a touch losing concentration and eventually missing. It takes discipline and focus to keep the concentration up, and to completely demolish your opponent, scoring more points than truly necessary to beat them. Something to consider anyway.

It sounds like your practice has been paying off though, good work!

**Terry Davidson** · 20 March 2012, 11:10 AM

Sidd:

First of all, improvement takes a lot of practice, which you are doing however it also takes a LOT OF TIME and I still believe you are being too hard on yourself and expecting improvement to come rapidly. If you were 14 years old it would come rapidly but since you're not young anymore (sorry) it comes with a great deal of difficulty.

As to the difference between solo practice and matches...every player in the world has experienced this and every player in the world STILL experiences. There are no players in existance who play as well in matches as they do in practice.

Now to the technique...something effects you during matches but this cause will come out in a technique problem and generally it will be movement on the shot so have someone check you when you are playing a match and think you're not playing well and see if they can see any upper body movement

Terry

**pottr** · 20 March 2012, 11:28 AM

If you were 14 years old it would come rapidly but since you're not young anymore (sorry) it comes with a great deal of difficulty.

Spot on as ever Terry. I have to admit that's how I rationalise away the reasons whenever I play badly.

If you know all the shots in the book and you genuinely believe you should be able to apply it on the match table, let it happen. Try not to get bogged down by analysing every mechanical nuance in your cue action. Just living life carries subconscious pressures that you no doubt take on to snooker table whether you're aware of it or not.

Just try not to focus on the way things are going on the table and focus on how much you actually enjoy playing snooker. If you take the expectation and pressure off yourself then you'll realise how happy playing the game makes you. Decent standard will follow as a result.

**Terry Davidson** · 20 March 2012, 07:11 PM

There is no real way to achieve your practice abilities during matches except for this. With enough practice with a good technique when you are in a match and decide to take on a pot you have to absolutely BELIEVE you are going to make the pot without even concentrating on it, just trusting you technique to do the job.

Then you can concentrate on making sure you hit the white as exactly the spot you want to hit it (or in other words you return the cue to the EXACT ADDRESS POSITION at the time of strike.

Also, every player in the world play better in practice than they do in matches. That's a fact and has to be lived with. The pro's secret is there is not as much difference for them between the two as compared to us mere amateurs.

But then again, Hendry has been complaining about this same issue in his post-match interviews, especially when he loses a match

Terry

**Sidd** · 21 March 2012, 08:27 AM

Thanks a lot for your suggestions guys. I will comment on your comments person by person:

Nrage: Thanks a lot! When I compared how things are for me with what you wrote, I found you quite right on all accounts and the last thing you quoted is my exact problem, yes I have this issue in my game, if there are last two reds available and my score is 30 plus I tend to get easy on the poor chap even though I know he will not act like that if I am in that situation. So yes I lack that killer instinct; something for me to think about and develop in my game.

Coach: I also think that you are right as well given my age (34) and hence this means that it will take lots of more practice and time honestly in getting there. Yes putting practice game in to match play is one's dream but then its not an easy thing to do. I will now start to concentrate on the BELIEVE principle; I am sure it will help becasue I have also noticed that on certain shots if I have this in my mind that it may not pot then it NEVER pots in reality... Lets see with that too.

Pottr: You reminded me of my wife actually

I sometimes discuss my game with her and the problems and everything. I also used to tell her that snooker is my stress buster so I go there to play and enjoy and the load off. One day she told me that in fact it isnt my stress buster becasue she said that whenever I am not playing well I am under more stress; she thinks I am too involved in snooker and that is why I am not enjoying but trying to be a perfectionist whereas I am not a professional player so I should enjoy no matter how I play. I do understand that this point is important and I do enjoy myself but unfortunately the way I love this game and the way I look at this game is rather too engaging and overwhelming for me that if I am not playing proper I curse myself and cannot enjoy

need to wrok that out but how, I do not know! Bottom line is that I do enjoy, deep down in my heart, but just want to improve. I know it will take time and sometimes letting things go on is the key. Lets see!

OK one last thing guys that I forgot to mention before. Maybe that is the reason or could be the reason behind my stagnation. Pleae advice if you guys also think like that! I work at the UN and the work environment is very stressful and demanding no wonder. I work 9-5 so the only time I can go to play is after office so I reach the club by 6 and play till 8 or 9. Do you guys think that I find it hard to focus at times due to this routine I mean going to play after full day work means that I am tired and my nerves are perhaps not ready ???? If that is the case then I will concentrate on solo during week days and play games on weekends only when I am fresh and relax and easy.

**pottr** · 21 March 2012, 10:29 AM

Absolutely it's the case. The working week takes it's toll on your mind and body full stop. It's only natural that it will impact your snooker.

**mikeadyla** · 21 March 2012, 11:05 AM

Maybe in matchtime you get too focused on techniques? Try to play a match without worrying on techniques and just focus on competing, and see if it helps. Not promising, but it helped for my boyfriend.

I work in the UN (well actually the International Criminal Court) so I understand the stress of working

Though the Netherlands have it pretty easy so I'm sure you work much harder than me.

Good luck!

**LittleMissAlexa** · 21 March 2012, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Sidd View Post

Hello everybody, I am posting after some time now. I have been practicing and playing almost on a daily basis in the past few weeks and have been concentrating on my game. However, I am not improving at a pace that I think I should be. I am now lost again thinking on many things in trying to find out that culprit and to tame it for me.

OK so first things first. My technique has improved a lot no doubt. Thanks to Terry's advice and coaching tips, I have improved my stance, grip, wrist cock, delivery, sighting, lining-up, backswing and delivery. I can now pot consistently quite often and can feel the shot before making it and even after making it; so this means I have now a sense of what I am doing how I am doing it and what is about to happen once I will do it. This has increased my confidence even on some difficult shots like red being in or near the cushion etc

During solo practice I can develop nice decent little shots and can continue potting including screwing the pink in centre from a large angle to get on a red. However, this does not apply to friendly games and matches that I play with my club mates. During games I can pot from any chance now no doubt and have improved but then I still cannot develop breaks like I will be confidently potting reds and colours and then suddenlyy on 30-35 break score I will position a nice red and miss it... Therefore, most of my breaks end up at 20-25 or 30-35 and this is frustrating. I cannot figure out what is happening now.

I have developed this feel of the shot that when my grip is proper and accurate after playing my cue seems to be sliiping just a minor milimetre or so and this feel tells me my grip is not tight and is perfect. I know this for sure cuz when I miss of play wrong I do not feel this and suddenly ralise I am gripping hard and change the pressure on the grip and hence start poting again.

Why am I not still consistent and being able to pot and build breaks? I sincerely believe that I can easily make 50-60 breaks and should be doin so consistently but in reality I am even struggling to achieve a 40 on average.

If I do solo I work on my technique; all aspects of it and then my solo becomes very nice and smooth. But in matches its hard to build breaks and I end up missing easy balls every now and then. So it is again technique, or I need to give more time for things to happen for me, or more concentration or focus etc WHAT???

Secondly, I am working on my safety and long pots. My long pots are not that good again and I will normally miss every 7 out of ten in a match. Similarly on safety I would like to hit a red 3 quarters and come back to baulk but end up ALWAYS hitting more than intended i.e. half ball lets say. Why is this happening why am I slightly hitting the ball thicker than intended and not thinner? Is that maybe also the reason why I am not building breaks? During short range shots being missed I would under or over cut them both so both think n thin but on long range pots and safety attempts I am hitting thick?

Conclusion: what should I do and where do I go from here? Should I forget this and still practice practice and practice or is there something really wrong still that I need to work out??????

When the changes become second nature you will get your concentration back as ypou will have less on your mind

**Terry Davidson** · 21 March 2012, 11:30 AM

Sidd:

Without any doubt whatsoever I can tell you that if you expect to play well after a day of stressful work then you are DREAMING! As an example, I recently played in an invitational tournament in Montreal, but because of a screw-up with my wife's schedule I couldn't leave home (because of our 3 dogs and no dog sitter) until early in the morning on the day I was to play. Because of traffic problems it was an 8hr drive and I arrived just 2 hours before I was to play. Stressed out because of the traffic problems and also too much coffee and not enough food.

Well, I played absolutely awful and lost 5-0. You have to prepare both your body and mind before a snooker match and I failed to do either and paid for it big time.

Also, if you can get your technique to a point where you BELIEVE you will pot every one you go after (and this has to happen in solo practice first) then you get to the point where the pot is taking up 5% of your concentration (because it is now virtually automatic) and 95% of your concentration is going into how you hit the cueball to get position, or as I said getting the cue back to the exact address position with the correct power. If you can achieve this, which is very difficult to do and even some pros have not achieved this level, then you will notice rapid improvement.

But remember, that rapid improvement will only be to the level you are capable of. You can only increase that 'capable' level by more and more practice.

Terry

**LittleMissAlexa** · 21 March 2012, 11:37 AM

Originally Posted by Terry Davidson View Post

Sidd:

Without any doubt whatsoever I can tell you that if you expect to play well after a day of stressful work then you are DREAMING! As an example, I recently played in an invitational tournament in Montreal, but because of a screw-up with my wife's schedule I couldn't leave home (because of our 3 dogs and no dog sitter) until early in the morning on the day I was to play. Because of traffic problems it was an 8hr drive and I arrived just 2 hours before I was to play. Stressed out because of the traffic problems and also too much coffee and not enough food.

Well, I played absolutely awful and lost 5-0. You have to prepare both your body and mind before a snooker match and I failed to do either and paid for it big time.

Also, if you can get your technique to a point where you BELIEVE you will pot every one you go after (and this has to happen in solo practice first) then you get to the point where the pot is taking up 5% of your concentration (because it is now virtually automatic) and 95% of your concentration is going into how you hit the cueball to get position, or as I said getting the cue back to the exact address position with the correct power. If you can achieve this, which is very difficult to do and even some pros have not achieved this level, then you will notice rapid improvement.

But remember, that rapid improvement will only be to the level you are capable of. You can only increase that 'capable' level by more and more practice.

Terry

The Long Fix is better than the short term fix

**Sidd** · 22 March 2012, 07:26 AM

Thanks guys. Its good that I brought this up otherwise I would have had continued cursing me forever... There is a way through which I believe I can enjoy myself in a much better way. I will start applying that since tonight and I am sure it will not only help me improve my game but will also kill the stress that I have to go through for not playing proper.

What I will simply do is that on weekdays when I go to play after work, I will only do solo for a couple of hours and then go home and then on weekends (part of Friday and Saturday) I will play games and matches...! MAybe this will help, lets see!

Thanks a lot to all of you!
ADIOS

**Sam-Romford** · 22 March 2012, 09:23 AM

Listen Sidd, as a well wisher i will try to give you some facts
The club where i go to practice (Romford snooker club) is believed to be one of the most historical club in the whole of london, Steve Davis used to practice his a*se off in one of the tables, If you look at east london you will see this from area of London quite a lot of snooker players became well known as a pro or top amature, i can name a few though Ronnie (Chigwell), Peter Ebdon, Steve Davis, Mark King, Ali Carter and current No 32 Matthew Selt (we call him Matt) who still pops into his club for practice matches or solo practice. Romford Club is quite far from where i live in East London, about 45 minutes by train but i still travel there, because if you pop into that club you will come across players who take the game quite seriously, and therefore you will see a lot of the players playing solo or serious match.

One of the main reason i take the trouble of traveling that far to that club is i get to socialize with players who have been palying in that club since they are 10 or 12, and most of them are in their mid 30 now, and from them you can learn about the stories of how Steve Davis Became a Legend from a Nugget, How Ronnie and peter ebdon used to play when they were just beginners and armatures and how they have changed their playing style which worked out well for Ronnie but not so well for Ebdon.

Now one of the Ex Pro (still plays in world cup qualifiers) told me something which you will be interested to know, I wont name him but he started Practicing when he was 12 or so and then Ronnie was about 10 or so, He knows Ronnie and Peter Ebdon and some other pros from east london Just like me and you know our school mates with who you studied in the same school,

Now He said Ronnie O Sullivan who is believed to be most talented player ever to pick up a cue waited for about 3 to 4 years ( he cant remember precisely as it was about 20 years ago) to make his first century in a match.

The Reason i wrote a long story because most of the things you can learn about the pros from internet or reading their autobiography is not absolute truth, like if you want to know about any celebrity you need to socialise with people who is or used to be their close friend or family and they are more likely to give you the real story how they became celebrity.

Now I want to ask you a question, If the most talented player ever to pick up a cue waited for 3 to 4 years to make his first century (and he started practicing every day since he was 10), how long an average player should wait ?

**Sam-Romford** · 22 March 2012, 09:24 AM

Listen Sidd, as a well wisher i will try to give you some facts
The club where i go to practice (Romford snooker club) is believed to be one of the most historical club in the whole of london, Steve Davis used to practice his *** off in one of the tables, If you look at east london you will see this from area of London quite a lot of snooker players became well known as a pro or top amature, i can name a few though Ronnie (Chigwell), Peter Ebdon, Steve Davis, Mark King, Ali Carter and current No 32 Matthew Selt (we call him Matt) who still pops into his club for practice matches or solo practice. Romford Club is quite far from where i live in East London, about 45 minutes by train but i still travel there, because if you pop into that club you will come across players who take the game quite seriously, and therefore you will see a lot of the players playing solo or serious match.

One of the main reason i take the trouble of traveling that far to that club is i get to socialize with players who have been palying in that club since they are 10 or 12, and most of them are in their mid 30 now, and from them you can learn about the stories of how Steve Davis Became a Legend from a Nugget, How Ronnie and peter ebdon used to play when they were just beginners and armatures and how they have changed their playing style which worked out well for Ronnie but not so well for Ebdon.

Now one of the Ex Pro (still plays in world cup qualifiers) told me something which you will be interested to know, I wont name him but he started Practicing when he was 12 or so and then Ronnie was about 10 or so, He knows Ronnie and Peter Ebdon and some other pros from east london Just like me and you know our school mates with who you studied in the same school,

Now He said Ronnie O Sullivan who is believed to be most talented player ever to pick up a cue waited for about 3 to 4 years ( he cant remember precisely as it was about 20 years ago) to make his first century in a match.

The Reason i wrote a long story because most of the things you can learn about the pros from internet or reading their autobiography is not absolute truth, like if you want to know about any celebrity you need to socialise with people who is or used to be their close friend or family and they are more likely to give you the real story how they became celebrity.

Now I want to ask you a question, If the most talented player ever to pick up a cue waited for 3 to 4 years to make his first century (and he started practicing every day since he was 10), how long an average player should wait ?

**Sidd** · 26 March 2012, 07:25 AM

Dear Sam-Romford,

Thanks for taking the time out in responsing to me at such length and with such detail. Most apprecited hoenstly. I do not however that why do I kind of start expecting so much in so little time; I know this game requires patience and discipline up to an aweful lot of extent and I am ready for that always but then sometimes I start to take it way too hard on myself, as Terry puts it, and hence end up whining

I do not intend to sound like that but then I guess I do. I truly understand your point and agree that it is not going to happen in days, weeks or months I know it will take me years before I can complete my first century. However, the only thing that worries me again is lack of consistency but now over the passed years I have come to realise that consistency in snooker is something that even the pros aspire for and hence people like me can never have that easily.

I should in fact be happy to have been blessed with the health and time to be able to play at least

for which I honestly am thankful to God Almighty. Thanks for the sound advice I understand the point that you have tried to make dear.

I will try to stick to what I have mentioned above: Solo practice on weekdays and matches on weekends...!!!

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Still hampered: whats wrong- technique or lack of patience or concentration.. ?

Still hampered: whats wrong- technique or lack of patience or concentration.. ?

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