Struggling to break through 30s.

[JLiang91]

Hi coaches,

Would like to ask about these two questions.

1) When feathering to executing the shot, do we focus on the ghost ball or the object ball?
2) During training after execution of the shot do we look at how and where the cue ball travel to or do we look at the object ball path?

Been on snooker for about about 3 years but started training about 1-2months back and i havent get to break my highest run so far.. wondering if im training it right or wrong. ?.?

[DandyA]

there's a good discussion going on about this right now on this thread ...
http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...d-when-to-look

[ace man]

Check http://www.147academy.com/ - hands down the most comprehensive snooker coaching site you can read without paying anything.

I'll tell you something about my club mates who play often and do work on technique but don't score many 30+, if ever. Put them in a situation where there is a simple layout with say 3 reds around the black spot, easy starting red...most of the time they will lose position after the second or 3rd pot. They fail to recognize what is the correct shot and what is a silly shot, have only a vague idea of where the cue ball will end up, don't think 3 balls ahead, don't recognize traps, trouble spots...etc...all of this is due to lack of proper solo practice. In fact, they are more likely to pot a cracking long super difficult red than to score a routine 16 break. And let's not forget going for pots where there's no hope of obtaining position onto the next ball. I cringe every time I see guys making such crazy attempts. It's like they have never seen snooker played on TV, but I know all of us watch it all the time.

On those occasions when the do practice alone, they setup drills that are far too difficult. In fact, one guy was wondering why I give myself such easy drills as anyone could finish them "and situations like this never arise in an actual game". I said, really? You go ahead mate and show me how it's done. Sure enough he consistently bottled position on 3rd or 4th pot. Point is, if you want to be a 30 breaker, you must be able to score 16 in your sleep. Want to have a high break of 60, then 30 must be a formality...the list goes on...

[alabadi]

Check http://www.147academy.com/ - hands down the most comprehensive snooker coaching site you can read without paying anything.

I'll tell you something about my club mates who play often and do work on technique but don't score many 30+, if ever. Put them in a situation where there is a simple layout with say 3 reds around the black spot, easy starting red...most of the time they will lose position after the second or 3rd pot. They fail to recognize what is the correct shot and what is a silly shot, have only a vague idea of where the cue ball will end up, don't think 3 balls ahead, don't recognize traps, trouble spots...etc......

this is so true, i myself have a high break of 28, i have had some coaching and my last two coaches say that they cannot believe that i havent made a much higher break yet, because of my technique they say is sound.

my problem isn't going for silly shots that have no outcome but not getting the position right when i am amongst the balls, i will either over screw or run through too much making my next shot harder than it should have been.

now after my last coaching session just before Christams i have started to focus my solo practice on positional play, because without getting good position my breaks are ending prematurely.

if you want to be a 30 breaker, you must be able to score 16 in your sleep. Want to have a high break of 60, then 30 must be a formality...the list goes on...

Excellent post Ace Man, brutal but true, we all watch snooker on the telly and think that their shots are easy, which we can pot ourselves, and that is true we probably could, however most pros position the cueball to have a 3/4 to 1/2 ball pot on the next ball making their job easy.

The hard part is the positional side they have worked so hard on it that it makes the rest of their game easy.

Alabbadi

[Mellow Yellow]

Check http://www.147academy.com/ - hands down the most comprehensive snooker coaching site you can read without paying anything.

I'll tell you something about my club mates who play often and do work on technique but don't score many 30+, if ever. Put them in a situation where there is a simple layout with say 3 reds around the black spot, easy starting red...most of the time they will lose position after the second or 3rd pot. They fail to recognize what is the correct shot and what is a silly shot, have only a vague idea of where the cue ball will end up, don't think 3 balls ahead, don't recognize traps, trouble spots...etc...all of this is due to lack of proper solo practice. In fact, they are more likely to pot a cracking long super difficult red than to score a routine 16 break. And let's not forget going for pots where there's no hope of obtaining position onto the next ball. I cringe every time I see guys making such crazy attempts. It's like they have never seen snooker played on TV, but I know all of us watch it all the time.

On those occasions when the do practice alone, they setup drills that are far too difficult. In fact, one guy was wondering why I give myself such easy drills as anyone could finish them "and situations like this never arise in an actual game". I said, really? You go ahead mate and show me how it's done. Sure enough he consistently bottled position on 3rd or 4th pot. Point is, if you want to be a 30 breaker, you must be able to score 16 in your sleep. Want to have a high break of 60, then 30 must be a formality...the list goes on...

great post and made me realise this is me!

[Terry Davidson]

I think most of you must have missed my string on positional play so do a search here on 'perfect stun angle' as in there I give a very short and dirty method of determining how high to hit the cueball for position. I did not do any explanation of the power required as that would be a matter of the player learning that through experience.

Terru

[Terry Davidson]

I just realized I forgot to answer the original question by Jliang99. As to where you should look there are lot of strings on here and a lot of disagreement but most coaches will tell you to focus on BOB (Back-Of-Ball) which means either the spot on the back of the object ball directly opposite the widest part of the pocket or else the arc on the object ball you want to cover with the cueball.

You only use ghost ball to DETERMINE the line of aim and then you keep your nose on that line of aim as you get down into the shot. If you tried to focus on an imaginary ghost ball I think you would soon lose your mind.

For your second question...you either keep your eyes where the object ball WAS (Steve Davis method) or else you follow the object ball to the pocket or cushion WITH YOUR EYES ONLY (do not move the head). In either case the actual objective of the exercise is to keep the head down and still on the cue until the shot is finished so you should have the cue extended (where possible) with the grip hand against the chest for probably around 1 second or so before you get up off the shot

Terry

[JLiang91]

there's a good discussion going on about this right now on this thread ...
http://www.thesnookerforum.co.uk/boa...d-when-to-look

Thanks for the link will read thru them

Check http://www.147academy.com/ - hands down the most comprehensive snooker coaching site you can read without paying anything.

I'll tell you something about my club mates who play often and do work on technique but don't score many 30+, if ever. Put them in a situation where there is a simple layout with say 3 reds around the black spot, easy starting red...most of the time they will lose position after the second or 3rd pot. They fail to recognize what is the correct shot and what is a silly shot, have only a vague idea of where the cue ball will end up, don't think 3 balls ahead, don't recognize traps, trouble spots...etc...all of this is due to lack of proper solo practice. In fact, they are more likely to pot a cracking long super difficult red than to score a routine 16 break. And let's not forget going for pots where there's no hope of obtaining position onto the next ball. I cringe every time I see guys making such crazy attempts. It's like they have never seen snooker played on TV, but I know all of us watch it all the time.

On those occasions when the do practice alone, they setup drills that are far too difficult. In fact, one guy was wondering why I give myself such easy drills as anyone could finish them "and situations like this never arise in an actual game". I said, really? You go ahead mate and show me how it's done. Sure enough he consistently bottled position on 3rd or 4th pot. Point is, if you want to be a 30 breaker, you must be able to score 16 in your sleep. Want to have a high break of 60, then 30 must be a formality...the list goes on...

Yes I agree with you and thanks for the great post! Strength control on the the shot had been my greatest night mare, so I am trying to get an answer to my question so that i could best get control on the cue ball!

I think most of you must have missed my string on positional play so do a search here on 'perfect stun angle' as in there I give a very short and dirty method of determining how high to hit the cueball for position. I did not do any explanation of the power required as that would be a matter of the player learning that through experience.

Terru

I just realized I forgot to answer the original question by Jliang99. As to where you should look there are lot of strings on here and a lot of disagreement but most coaches will tell you to focus on BOB (Back-Of-Ball) which means either the spot on the back of the object ball directly opposite the widest part of the pocket or else the arc on the object ball you want to cover with the cueball.

You only use ghost ball to DETERMINE the line of aim and then you keep your nose on that line of aim as you get down into the shot. If you tried to focus on an imaginary ghost ball I think you would soon lose your mind.

For your second question...you either keep your eyes where the object ball WAS (Steve Davis method) or else you follow the object ball to the pocket or cushion WITH YOUR EYES ONLY (do not move the head). In either case the actual objective of the exercise is to keep the head down and still on the cue until the shot is finished so you should have the cue extended (where possible) with the grip hand against the chest for probably around 1 second or so before you get up off the shot

Terry

ALright thanks Terry. I will read through and give your advice a go and see how it goes!

Thanks everyone here! I will try and break through my goal as soon as possible !

[Terry Davidson]

I did make one minor error in my last post ^^ though. I meant to say 'keep the nose pointed at BOB as you get down on the shot' NOT on the line of aim (of the cue) as the two things will be different with any angled pot which your brain will soon learn with very little experience.

When getting down keep your eyes locked on BOB and do not look at the cueball until you are in the address position. Once down hold the cue in the address position and quickly look along the line of the cue, the tip against the cueball and then along to the object ball before starting to feather. Do this same thing at the end of the feathers and just before you start the final backswing (called the FRONT PAUSE).

Remember, at the time of strike on the delivery the eyes should be LOCKED on BOB. If you are fairly young you can do this somewhere around the rear pause (if you have one) but if you are over 35yrs or else don't use a rear pause then I recommend you lock your eyes on BOB at the front pause (give your eyes a good chanced to focus on BOB).

Terry