Simple Method to Learn Positional Play

[Terry Davidson]

dalboy:

OK...we use a Height, Side and Power scale when teaching students. Height goes from H1 (deep screw) to H10 (extreme top spin and likely a miscue). Side goes R1 to R5 and L1 to L5 (towards outside of cueball) and Power from P1 to P10 with 10 being the most power an individual player can ACCURATELY use).

So exact centre-ball striking would be H5 with no R or L. So when I say H7 I mean about 2 tip widths (horizontal) above H5 centre-ball (using a tip width is near enough) and R2 means about 2 tip widths to the right of centre-ball (vertical line centre).

For the power formula, if you can shoot the spots and get 5 lengths of a table then every half length would be a power increment. On my table which is a little slow right now I can get about 4.5 lengths accurately so it works out to about the same. For this shot on the blue and checking off the top cushion I would use H7/R2/P4 but on a pro table with a new cloth probably H7/R2/P3.

Terry

[Dalboy]

Cheers Terry,

Good clips Nrage well worth a couple of watches

Dalboy

[armstm]

very helpful Terry, TY

[armstm]

it makes sense to me and is actually quite helpful.

I'd be interested to hear if anyone else finds it impossible to make any sense of this. Especially paragraph 5. For me, it seems like a lot of confusion about something that is so simple. Honestly my friend, it's all this ball, that ball, cue ball, frictionless surface, soft screw, 90 degrees, object ball, physics etc. very strange indeed.

[steve clarke]

I appreciate your time and trouble in posting this Terry - thanks.

[tomw]

I already knew this and teach it to my team mates, but ssshhhhh.... you might give our opponents a clue :-))

No seriously, very good explanation Terry.

I would add, knowing this you can break the pack off the blue from (almost) anywhere in the baulk half of the table. Just pot it in a middle pocket with stun and that's all ;-)

Greetings
Tom

[coomsey76]

Simple Method to Learn Positional Play

I use this method and I find it really works for me, I can see how it might become confusing when trying to explain it on paper if you know what I mean.....

I've had a lesson with Nic and I was shown this method it was very easy to understand when being shown at a snooker table. I've managed to incorporate this into my game and it has become instinctive to me when I play and its helped my positional play no end.

One of the best things I found about using this method was say if I was playing a black off it's spot and I think to myself I need H4 P3 to get the cue ball where I need to be on the next red, then after potting the black I didn't get the position I needed I will know exactly where I have gone wrong and next time when I have a similar shot I know what power and height I need to get the required position (hopefully).......

Sorry if I've just confused it even more for everybody..... It does work well it has for me anyway!!

[Terry Davidson]

I agree, it is hard to explain in this format. I'd recommend any one who would like to learn the method to watch the videos posted above as you can actually see the results of hitting the cueball at different heights and it's well explained

Terry

[itsnoteasy]

I thought it was a very good explanation, it was explained to me as the fan system, whereas where you hit the white the angle it takes changes as you go from top of cue ball to bottom of cue ball,as if you are opening a fan.
I would also like to thank Terry for the time he takes in trying to help us.

[Wayne G]

Thanks Terry for your patient, excellent advice(again and again).

[Sidd]

One of the best posts ever Terry. Thanks for finding time in explaining this for free to us all here.. I am personally obliged even though I knew all of that through years in practice but now tha tI have read it- I can be more conscious about it while in matches and it will help me a lot in getting better positions particularly those small stuns where the margin or error for the next red positioning is very very small...!!! excellent really...

[the nugget]

Hi Terry is that you on some of the Nic Barrow vids on youtube?

[jarcher]

Simple Method to Learn Positional Play

Terry, another method I've used in the past to improve on positional play, is to line balls up tight to the cushions, but evenly spaced. ie, if you're working on the blue, you'd put 5 reds on each cushion below the middle pockets. Put the blue on its spot, then pick a red to hit whilst potting the blue. The same goes for pinks and blacks.

I've found that its easier to play to a position further away than something 6 inches away, so using this method, when I'm on a break and need precise positioning, I look through the point where I'm wanting the cueball to land and visualize what point on the cushion I'm aiming for, as that's generally further away, then play that shot but with the power to only move the white those 6 inches.

I've found this really helps when you finish high on the black and need to come off the top cushion to land in a certain area of the side cushion for the next red etc. You get to know your angles better and also helps with power and break building.

Hope that makes sense lol

[Giggity1984]

http://billiards.colostate.edu/bd_articles/index.html

Scroll to the bottom and look for the 90degree rule.

Good job Terry in your explanation. Ignore the negative comments.

[bongoblu]

Hi Guys

First time poster, long time reader! I thought it was an excellent post and easy to understand particularly with aid of the videos. Would have taken a lot of effort for Terry to complete for all our benefits so don't quite understand why it would receive negative comments..thanks for your efforts, now need to get some more conscious practice in.