Eyes Wide Shut

[throtts]

@ DandyA,

Riley's of Staines is still open. I played there 15 year back. Use to be a good club with decent tables. I thought it closed down.

[DandyA]

@ DandyA,

Riley's of Staines is still open. I played there 15 year back. Use to be a good club with decent tables. I thought it closed down.

yes it's still open although very run down ... no air-conditioning, no central heating, the lift hasn't worked for years and all the tables could do with reclothing ... I was chatting to the manager a couple of weeks ago (he's a nice chap) and he thinks they do well enough to avoid the chop in the latest round of Riley's closures ...

we would try the conservative club instead but the problem is Sunday is the best evening for everyone - and the con club isn't open on a Sunday evening ...

[vmax4steve]

I'll assume these comments are about a general player with a 31 break rather than me personally

Yes it is as all I have to go on is the fact that you have played the game for ten years and have a high break of thirty one and this generalisation is based on players that play in my own league that I have been playing against for the last twenty eight years.
And I don't see them practise or play snooker socially, just serious one frame league snooker and pairs and singles competitions. I was secretary of my league for five years and dealt with players records, and before that was secretary of the local 8 ball pool league as well.

And don't for a moment think that all the hundred break players are giggling to themselves, they and I know just how difficult this game is, especially for those that don't do the basics and have no idea that they are not doing the basics.
Almost every week I see players in our league that have earned themselves a 50+ handicap through years of losing moving their heads/bodies on the shot, throwing their shoulder into the shot, chucking out that chicken wing on game ball, lining up pots while the balls are still moving, all sorts of things.

The fact that you have been on this site for four years now and have asked many questions on technique tells me that you wish to improve as a player, good for you, but at least take on board the very basics of snooker technique and beware getting sidetracked by all those 'out there' theories which includes cue ball sighting.

Have you noticed that no one on this site has backed you up, not one person has come forward stating that they too use cue ball sighting and are making 50+ or 100 breaks by that method.
What does that tell you.

[DandyA]

Yes it is as all I have to go on is the fact that you have played the game for ten years and have a high break of thirty one and this generalisation is based on players that play in my own league that I have been playing against for the last twenty eight years.
And I don't see them practise or play snooker socially, just serious one frame league snooker and pairs and singles competitions. I was secretary of my league for five years and dealt with players records, and before that was secretary of the local 8 ball pool league as well.

And don't for a moment think that all the hundred break players are giggling to themselves, they and I know just how difficult this game is, especially for those that don't do the basics and have no idea that they are not doing the basics.
Almost every week I see players in our league that have earned themselves a 50+ handicap through years of losing moving their heads/bodies on the shot, throwing their shoulder into the shot, chucking out that chicken wing on game ball, lining up pots while the balls are still moving, all sorts of things.

The fact that you have been on this site for four years now and have asked many questions on technique tells me that you wish to improve as a player, good for you, but at least take on board the very basics of snooker technique and beware getting sidetracked by all those 'out there' theories which includes cue ball sighting.

Have you noticed that no one on this site has backed you up, not one person has come forward stating that they too use cue ball sighting and are making 50+ or 100 breaks by that method.
What does that tell you.

yep that's all good vmax - thank you taking the time to explain your experience and offering your advice, I appreciate it and will certainly bear it in mind ...

[damienlch]

...I know what a players 31 high break at snooker is all about. It's not like they make a 30 break every time they go to the table yet just can't get past that 31, it means that they go to the table and miss, or pot a red and a colour and miss, or pot a red, a colour and then another red and miss and once in a blue moon will string a twenty together and once in 10 years make a 31...

Ouch... but true...

I have hit a couple of 50s before (ok, only twice and lucky at that) but I'd say that I'm having a good run indeed if I managed to score a couple of 20s or odd 30s in an afternoon of play.

Funny thing is, although I have a much better understanding of the game now than when I hit my high break donkey years ago, I am finding it tough to better it. But I know it's there and expect that breakthrough soon. It's often my composure; I get frustrated easily, especially with the more deliberate players and I start to lose interest/focus... careless too. Got to find a way to overcome that and just enjoy playing.

This game is so mental...

[RGCirencester]

Wow you go away for 3 days and have 3 pages to read of pretty much the same thing.

I'm not saying cue ball sighting works for me, it doesn't. But I still think it could work for some people. I would really like to try terry's piece of paper over the object ball trick on a player that claims cue ball sighting works for them.

Vmax, you say nobody has backed dandy up yet coach gavin has drawn parallels to golf, numerous people have quoted Hendry saying he felt it helped his long game, and I myself have spoken to Chris Henry who both agreed that it* *could* work for some people and agreed that he thought Higgins did it.

If I can be Frank you seem a little jaded toward the lower break players, probably due to your personal experience I am of those players with breaks as you previously described (though ten years is a little harsh). Now I have many videos I took to analyse my technique, put in quite a few hours at uni solo practice (nothing compared to some people), and have been told I'm on the right track by a professional coach (no chicken wing etc). On the few occasions I have been on snooker holidays, by the end of the week I have felt I was a much better player than I started. I simply don't play enough for the game to click for me.

All that being said, I completely get where you and Terry are coming from with the rhythm and concentration on the contract point, when everything becomes automatic and your focus is totally just on where you are sending the white it all seems to click

I still don't believe that no one in the world could make a century object ball sighting though.

[pottr]

I had a 128 total clearance once when I tried CB sighting.

Led me to stick with it for a while. The effort of it is exhausting though and a decent standard can't be maintained.

I am resolute in my opinion that OB sighting is the way to go.

Any success you might attribute to CB sighting is likely down to a coincidental technical change that CB sighting may exentuate?

[DandyA]

Wow you go away for 3 days and have 3 pages to read of pretty much the same thing.

I'm not saying cue ball sighting works for me, it doesn't. But I still think it could work for some people. I would really like to try terry's piece of paper over the object ball trick on a player that claims cue ball sighting works for them.

Vmax, you say nobody has backed dandy up yet coach gavin has drawn parallels to golf, numerous people have quoted Hendry saying he felt it helped his long game, and I myself have spoken to Chris Henry who both agreed that it* *could* work for some people and agreed that he thought Higgins did it.

If I can be Frank you seem a little jaded toward the lower break players, probably due to your personal experience I am of those players with breaks as you previously described (though ten years is a little harsh). Now I have many videos I took to analyse my technique, put in quite a few hours at uni solo practice (nothing compared to some people), and have been told I'm on the right track by a professional coach (no chicken wing etc). On the few occasions I have been on snooker holidays, by the end of the week I have felt I was a much better player than I started. I simply don't play enough for the game to click for me.

All that being said, I completely get where you and Terry are coming from with the rhythm and concentration on the contract point, when everything becomes automatic and your focus is totally just on where you are sending the white it all seems to click

I still don't believe that no one in the world could make a century object ball sighting though.

RGC ... another typo? in the last paragraph, I think you you meant to say no-one could make a century with cue ball sighting ... which is a good point vmax also made earlier ...

I think I've been clear that I may not stick with CB sighting forever ... however, what I am saying is that, at my current snooker skill (high break 31), I feel CB sighting offers more pros than cons ... the biggest of which is you actually get to see how well you've hit the cue ball ... totally irrelevant to pros or top amateurs since they know their cueing action is good ... heck, if they miss the pot, they'll probably blame a kick or something ...

However, I wish to be clear ... if you're happy with OB sighting, carry on, it is the "ideal" way to do it ...

[DandyA]

I had a 128 total clearance once when I tried CB sighting.

Led me to stick with it for a while. The effort of it is exhausting though and a decent standard can't be maintained.

I am resolute in my opinion that OB sighting is the way to go.

Any success you might attribute to CB sighting is likely down to a coincidental technical change that CB sighting may exentuate?

thanks for your posting pottr ... if we take personalities out of it, I think this is a very interesting discussion ...

you say coincidental technical change ... absolutely ... and not just coincidental for the simple reason is I see my cue ... let's try the discussion this way ...

if you can deliver the cue perfectly straight, level and smooth and accelerating, then object ball sighting is the way to go ... however, if you only play occasionally and you struggle to deliver the cue well, then there are benefits to using cue ball sighting ... the biggest of which is that you actually see how straight, level and smooth and accelerating you deliver the cue so you can learn from it ...

that's a big plus to me ... I'm not trying to be World Champion, I'm just trying to enjoy the game - played snooks last night, my high breaks were 21 and 16 ... played UK 8ball pool tonight (competitive pub league) and won 2-0 against two different players ...

it's not going to set the world alight, and it's not up to your and vmax's standard, but nevetheless I was well pleased ...

[pottr]

I think with you might be better served by improving your stance.

You make a good point by sayin you feel it helps the cue to go through straight. That's all you really need to achieve to improve.

I know my cue goes through straight because I have a solid and consistent 'walk in and drop the cue on line'. That's how I know I'm aligned

Then I keep still and push the cue with ny grip along the chest, chin and bridge with decent timing. That's how I know I'm cueing straight.

If it deviates, I can feel it on one of my contact points. My eyes really do not play a significant part in my action after I have chosen what shot to play.

It's certainly not personal. I've put a lot of effort in to cuesports and as a result I've tried most things, including CB aiming.

The only reason I posted was to pass along my findings, not to discourage you.

You say it helps you keep the cue on line. That is the only thing that matters.

My advice would be that you could achieve this with less effort by emulating what I do?

All the best
Jack

[DandyA]

Wow you go away for 3 days and have 3 pages to read of pretty much the same thing.

who gave you permission to leave for 3 days or 3 years? RGC - please pay more attention, don't just sit at the back of the class staring at the girlies in front of you or out of the window ...

I simply don't play enough for the game to click for me.

yes, I believe that too which leads to a question ... name a player (using CB or OB sighting) that has achieved a 100 break playing just 1 hour (table time) a week ... I don't know but it's certainly not Steve Davis, Stephen Maguire, Neil Robertson, Ronnie O'Sullivan or Stephen Maguire who all had "pushy" parents ...

All that being said, I completely get where you and Terry are coming from with the rhythm and concentration on the contract point, when everything becomes automatic and your focus is totally just on where you are sending the white it all seems to click

amen to that RGC ... as per Terry's good advice, I try to do all my "grey matter" thinking whilst standing up then switch to completely automatic (ie subconscious) on the shot ... that's fairly new to me but it works very well ...

and rhythm is important too ... it took me the best part of a month until CB sighting felt natural to me and it will I guess take the same amount of time to switch back to OB sighting if I ever wish too ... there's certainly (imo) no point in changing from OB/CB sighting for a few shots - it'll just mess up your straight delivery, rhythm is a big part to help ensure you deliver the cue straight and well ...

[sn00kerfan]

to update this thread, the staines club is now closed. Anyone know of another club nearby?

[DandyA]

to update this thread, the staines club is now closed. Anyone know of another club nearby?

see http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...as-closed-down

[sn00kerfan]

see http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...as-closed-down

thanks matey.