Concentration

[57varieties]

Youre not wrong happened several times to me.

[alabadi]

Quote from Geet Sethi, former World Billiards Champion:
'The best definition of concentration that I have come across is, “the intellect supervising the mind to remain in the present.” '

Use your intellect (your thinking self) to decide what you need to achieve for the current shot, ie. Exactly where to leave the white, the pace required, line of aim, where to hit the cue ball.
Then visualise the shot and let yourself (your inner self, your mind) do it.

sounds like a lot of time would be needed to go through a routine like that when playing , which will **** off your apponent for taking too long on every shot.

i think this could be used in solo practice to get into a routine, then once mastered it should become more natural and quicker as the brain gets use to it. i find if i over analyse in a match it puts me off, because the rythm is lost. and i can tell that my oponent is getting annoyed which bothers me, it shouldn't i know, however frames would just go on forever if i had to do it that way.

usually when we see good players they get down straight away and play the shot, it doesn't seem like they are working out power, position walk in, visualisation or line of aim...etc they just play.

Alabbadi

[cantpotforshíte]

That's exactly it, Alabaddi ... practice it until it becomes second nature. Then it doesn't take more than a second to visualise the shot before you take it.
It's the most important thing to have a definite and clear goal if you want to let yourself improve, and to play the game naturally. The players that do this actually tend to be quite a bit quicker than those who are trying to pot the ball and get position when they are down on the shot.
The object of this is to prevent over-analysis, and to trust yourself to be able to carry out the instructions that your brain gives you. I personally think it's the most important part of any snooker shot.

[57varieties]

Everything said is spot on and I have been trying to do this in practice with some success but taking it to the match table is again somethig else. If at first you dont succeed and all that!!!!!!.

[denja]

What do you do to help you keep your concentratioon when you are on a break. Do you have any tips for ways of keeping your concentration.

If you are thinking about concentration you are not concentrating I know this may sound strange but imagine the table is one big aquarium with the balls different colored fish sort of immerse yourself shutting out any outside distractions think of that dull soundless underwater feeling hope this makes sense I fully expect some members will think I am a nutter but TRY IT !!! you Have nothing to lose.

[ace man]

What do you do to help you keep your concentratioon when you are on a break. Do you have any tips for ways of keeping your concentration.

No, but I can give you tips to lose concentration quickly during a break and almost surely crack under self induced pressure.

After quite a few tricky shots I was on a break of about 30, but finally in decent position...

"reds are looking good...I'm already on 30, solved problem balls like a pro, pink and black on their spots, just one or two tough reds...let's make a huge break..."
"...oh no, don't get ahead of yourself, nothing is easy here..."
"...ok, red potted, but ended tough on black...you moron, first easy red you had and you messed up already..."
"now I have to pot tricky little black, and then I'll again be on an easy red...hate this angle, but I could make a record...let's hope this black goes in..."
"right in the middle...what a shot...man, I'm good..."
"easy red to the middle, but what then? no, let's go for one near the black, and if I make it, it will cannon the red nearby and I'll be perfect on the black..."
"...and the red goes in! yes! perfect on the black...47 now, go on..."
"...easy black now, but I must cue this nicely"
"...black barely dropped in...still in business..."
"...just one more slightly tricky red down the cushion and the all the reds will be easy...let's cue this nicely..."
"NO! missed it! $@#$@#@$"

[Sidd]

also helpful in this manner is that during such a thinking that this is an easy red ok a tough black ok a tricky red... you can and should also or instead think like that ... ok i have a three quarter red which stuns easily for the black ok i have a half ball black good pot now i have a full ball need to screw deep etc... lets remember to remember the potting angle thinking... as Steve Davis taaught... it helps in concentration as well as improves potting accuracy.