First League Match

[Particle Physics]

The captain of a local three man Summer league team in the Exeter League has asked me to play tonight. It's two frames each, with handicaps. So because I've not played league before, I will be +15 I think. Any tips fellas on how to approach and handle this match. I'm a bit nervous I admit.

[cantpotforshíte]

Yep. Have a whale of a time and enjoy your night out mate.

[Gerry Armstrong]

The captain of a local three man Summer league team in the Exeter League has asked me to play tonight. It's two frames each, with handicaps. So because I've not played league before, I will be +15 I think. Any tips fellas on how to approach and handle this match. I'm a bit nervous I admit.

Stay still on the shot, keep your head down and remember your follow through!!

[snookerdad]

What is the worst thing that can happen?

OK. Did anyone die?

No. Well, anything else is a bonus.

Smile a lot and congratulate your opponent if he makes a good shot.

Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)

[Particle Physics]

Stay still on the shot, keep your head down and remember your follow through!!

Yep, think Steve Davis, don't move till the object balls contacts something. Stay Down.

[Particle Physics]

What is the worst thing that can happen?

OK. Did anyone die?

No. Well, anything else is a bonus.

Smile a lot and congratulate your opponent if he makes a good shot.

Tim Dunkley (World Snooker coach)

Great advice.

[Loader]

First League Match

As someone who is now also trying to take the game a bit more seriously and improve (after years of casual play) I wish you good luck. As someone without this experience myself I would just say enjoy it and well done for being asked

[vmax4steve]

Know your limitations, play the table not your opponent and don't take it badly if you lose. You only learn from your mistakes.
I remember my first league match, I was given +25 as a new player in the league, had to play someone off -10 so I got 35 points start, I had a 20+ break first visit to the table and swerved out of a snooker and he went to pieces moaning that I was handicapped too highly and I beat him easily.
Didn't go so well in the following matches when playing players round about the same start as me with better safety games and that's when the learning started.

[Gerry Armstrong]

Know your limitations, play the table not your opponent and don't take it badly if you lose. You only learn from your mistakes.
I remember my first league match, I was given +25 as a new player in the league, had to play someone off -10 so I got 35 points start, I had a 20+ break first visit to the table and swerved out of a snooker and he went to pieces moaning that I was handicapped too highly and I beat him easily.
Didn't go so well in the following matches when playing players round about the same start as me with better safety games and that's when the learning started.

League snooker players moaning about starts? Surely not!!!

[johno]

Sound advice given so far, take your time and try not to let the handicap mark alter your mindset, play as if
you've both started from scratch and play the table not the opponent. Don't panic if the first frame dosen't
go to plan, take stock and if need be play more defensive to force an opening. Have a good one pal

[Particle Physics]

Sound advice given so far, take your time and try not to let the handicap mark alter your mindset, play as if
you've both started from scratch and play the table not the opponent. Don't panic if the first frame dosen't
go to plan, take stock and if need be play more defensive to force an opening. Have a good one pal

Cheers dude.

[Particle Physics]

League snooker players moaning about starts? Surely not!!!

If it's anything like the pool league there will be plenty of chewing over of this and that. Let's hope not, this is snooker afterall. Vmax makes some good points. I kinda feel that after all the coaching advice from the wise owls on TSF over the last couple of months, I'm sort of representing TSF more than anything. Looks like I'm playing the first frame - eek. Up the TSF!

[Particle Physics]

I thought of you all during my two frames, thinking, what would Terry advise here, keep your head up like Gavin said, and enjoy. How would Vmax or Nrage approach a first league game. Anyway, we won 6-0 and I had the highest break, nothing massive. I also clocked the most points in a frame over the whole night. Long potting practice paid off with a crucial pink in one frame and lovely long brown in the other. I was very raw and it took a while to get the cue line and shot line together with the eye line. These frames are quite cold on the mind and body. There was no warm-up or practice it being an away match. It was difficult to think three shots ahead, the pressure gets inside the mind and can stop clear thinking.

Just one negative and that was the table. I don't think a match table should role that badly, not even at Riley's. It needs levelling. Cloth was ok, but the balls were very light and they jumped a lot and there were plenty of bad contacts, so probably BCE, which on a quick cloth are unsuitable. And the cue ball should not be chipped as part of a match set; it doesn't breed confidence. The home team were really annoyed at the table.

To be fair, they were a lovely bunch of guys and perfectly well behaved. I was really pleased to see such a nice display of behaviour, in total contrast to some of the pool match atmosphere I've come across. They were still friendly at the end, despite the defeat, which shows how to take defeat with class. Good on 'em. As for giving up pool to play snooker, it's looking like a wise move, I enjoyed the night more than any pool night this season.

Practising and changing the way I played definitely had an effect, and the wisdom of those (herein) who have advised me over the last couple of months cannot be overestimated. I've only listened to one player I know in the flesh and that was about shortening the bridge to ball length, the rest of the set-up and shots is down to you guys. And Terry, I kept foot in line for you all night.

Up the TSF!

[jrc750]

Well done, great feeling when you win, especially away

[Particle Physics]

Well done, great feeling when you win, especially away

Cheers buddy. I was just happy to pot the long balls. Break-building needs years of work, but it's early days. My captain was over the moon, six points bumps them up the table a lot. Even better was that I played their best player twice, though I did wonder at first if this was a wise move by my captain. To be fair, my opponent was off colour, though his safety was outstanding and he just kept snookering me for about twenty minutes; I was on the rack in that period and just had to tough it out.

I think someone on TSF said coaching was a waste of time. I don't agree with that view.