Need some advice before i lose my sanity and punch a small child (joke)

[nrage]

I can understand the reasoning are staying still etc...... but its the fact its practice I play well and dont miss the easy shots as often. Yet..... like again today, in a frame, I have so many reasonable chances and screw them up after or before the first shot.

Ok, so the reason you're having trouble has something to do with a difference between practice and matches.

So.. to rule out a physical difference like playing faster, slower, not staying down, moving on the shot, etc. Film your practice and film your match then compare the two. Look at the differences in your behaviour. Are you rushing your shots in the match? Are you jumping up too soon, etc.

To examine whether there is a mental difference you're going to have to try and examine your thinking at practice as you play and in a match. Are you more nervous in a match. Are you more excited? Are you worried? What do you think when you take on a pot in practice, and what do you think in a match?

There will be some one or more differences that are causing the problems you're having.

[Belloz22]

Ok, so the reason you're having trouble has something to do with a difference between practice and matches.

So.. to rule out a physical difference like playing faster, slower, not staying down, moving on the shot, etc. Film your practice and film your match then compare the two. Look at the differences in your behaviour. Are you rushing your shots in the match? Are you jumping up too soon, etc.

To examine whether there is a mental difference you're going to have to try and examine your thinking at practice as you play and in a match. Are you more nervous in a match. Are you more excited? Are you worried? What do you think when you take on a pot in practice, and what do you think in a match?

There will be some one or more differences that are causing the problems you're having.

I can completely understand where you coming from, its just unfortuante i cant really film much - unless its on my phone - il give it a shot though. See i used to bring this issue up with my coaches, the whole, cant transfer my game from practice to match, and they could never explain why. I even resorted to saying that my coach really needed to see me in a match scenario to see what i was really like. Its funny really cause when i practice i can tell the differences, i do seem more relaxed and play quicker, but one big thing is, i feel i stroke the shot in practice and not in frames. The thing is though, i cant understand such a drastic change - i can understand making more mistakes due to errors etc, but not making mistakes every other shot. It truely feels like i cant remember how i play in practice to even attempt to translate to match play.

[nrage]

I can completely understand where you coming from, its just unfortuante i cant really film much - unless its on my phone - il give it a shot though.

A phone is better than nothing. You're looking for any differences at all, no matter how small. Anything you do differently in a match, from what you do in practice is either going to be an obviously physical thing or a minor behavioural thing, the latter might suggest differences in how you're thinking about shots, thinking you may not consciously be aware of.

Becoming aware of what you're thinking will help, a lot. Most people cruise through life looking outward the whole time, and as such don't 'see' the thoughts which control most of their actions. Becoming a little more self aware is helpful in every aspect of life, not just snooker.

but one big thing is, i feel i stroke the shot in practice and not in frames. The thing is though, i cant understand such a drastic change

hmm.. I wonder if there is some tension (due to nerves or worries or fear of this problem) in the grip or cue arm causing you to "stop" on the shot. When you stop on the shot the tip /always/ wobbles around, if you put the brakes on before the tip strikes the white.. you get the idea.

[vmax4steve]

You say you tend to miss pots on the thick side.

Cueing across the cue ball results in missing pots on the thin side as unwanted side is put on the cue ball which has not been allowed for. When playing with side 90% of shots need to be aimed thicker than a plain ball shot as the cue ball will deflect and then arc across the cloth away from the aiming point to strike the object ball thinner than aimed.

Missing pots on the thick side could be that you are a pocket watcher, either when lining up the shot or at the moment of the strike or even both.
When lining up a 3/4 ball pot if you see the target as the pocket you will get down aiming thicker because you are looking at the pocket.
If you line up a 3/4 pot looking at the contact point of the object ball but then switch your eyes to the pocket on the strike you will make your hand move to the pocket which will also make the cue ball hit the object ball too thick.

Or you simply could be getting a kick every other shot, which is unlikely even with phenolic resin balls.

Taking your eyes off the object ball will make you miss, both when lining up the shot and at the moment of the strike. Taking your eyes off the object ball is the main reason why people move their heads and upper body on the shot.

Your anxiety in matches is causing the problem and you have to find a way to lose that anxiety, after all your life isn't on the line, it's only a game of snooker. Approach your next frame with a "don't give a sh*t" attitude to whether you win or lose and concentrate only on where you should be looking, both when lining up the pot and playing it, and nothing else.
And when you miss tell yourself that you took your eye off the object ball, no matter what anyone else tells you because that's what you did.

[Terry Davidson]

In order to film yourself as I recommended and not spend a lot of money see if you can find a camera shop or something similar which will RENT you a video camera, tripod and perhaps a light too. Rent it for one day and it shouldn't cost too much.

The videos we get off of cellphones just isn't good enough to do an analysis correctly.

Terry

[alabadi]

I can understand the reasoning are staying still etc...... but its the fact its practice I play well and dont miss the easy shots as often. Yet..... like again today, in a frame, I have so many reasonable chances and screw them up after or before the first shot. I cant count how many chances I missed in the 3 frames today, and then gone on to lose coz the missed chances have left them in to pick up 16s etc. Surely your technique cannot change that drastically in terms of cueing offline or moving head etc. It really does feel like when I play match snooker I feel I dont know how to play anymore. Why would my technique be changing that drastically ?? From making 40 pluses to not even put 2 balls together in a frame....... and its nearly every frame

believe me its different in a match than practice, even practicing with friends, when practicing no pressure heart beat normal no worries, shots are not that important when missed. don't get me wrong i still want to win when playing with my mate but its not that dramatic if i lose.

however when i first played in a league match i was physically shaking, i kept saying to myself calm down its only a game, easier said that done. now that i have played a dozen or so games i'm a lot better , however i am still slightly nervous my heart is pumping faster, so breathing is heavier, all these things will cause slight errors in the game which they do.

so i think that with you something similar is happening, even breathing can move the tip a few mm and cause misses. some of the other suggestions from Nrage and Terry too are worth noting too, as i feel in solo practice i do things that when coming to a match i don't, i have to keep reminding myself to do them.
i think a lot more practice is needed until they become second nature.

i was watching some qualifiers for the crucible last week and i was paying a lot of attention to the players techniques, it was amazing how they do the same thing on every shot no matter how hard or easy they follow the same routine from chalking the tip how they line up the shot they way they walk in and get down on the shot. even when they are not happy they get up and do the same thing, to be honest i thought it was like watching robots, but if that is what makes them good its the right way to do it. this is something i definitely don't do on every shot and maybe i should

[Belloz22]

You say you tend to miss pots on the thick side.

Cueing across the cue ball results in missing pots on the thin side as unwanted side is put on the cue ball which has not been allowed for. When playing with side 90% of shots need to be aimed thicker than a plain ball shot as the cue ball will deflect and then arc across the cloth away from the aiming point to strike the object ball thinner than aimed.

Missing pots on the thick side could be that you are a pocket watcher, either when lining up the shot or at the moment of the strike or even both.
When lining up a 3/4 ball pot if you see the target as the pocket you will get down aiming thicker because you are looking at the pocket.
If you line up a 3/4 pot looking at the contact point of the object ball but then switch your eyes to the pocket on the strike you will make your hand move to the pocket which will also make the cue ball hit the object ball too thick.

Or you simply could be getting a kick every other shot, which is unlikely even with phenolic resin balls.

Taking your eyes off the object ball will make you miss, both when lining up the shot and at the moment of the strike. Taking your eyes off the object ball is the main reason why people move their heads and upper body on the shot.

Your anxiety in matches is causing the problem and you have to find a way to lose that anxiety, after all your life isn't on the line, it's only a game of snooker. Approach your next frame with a "don't give a sh*t" attitude to whether you win or lose and concentrate only on where you should be looking, both when lining up the pot and playing it, and nothing else.
And when you miss tell yourself that you took your eye off the object ball, no matter what anyone else tells you because that's what you did.

This is what I think the issue is....... im finding it ridiculously hard to stop my eyes moving from the object ball........ and I think your right, it does often feel like it does move to the pocket. Ive resorted to aimming to the far jaw sometimes, especially in line ups. Im not saying my technique is not at fault sometimes, but more often than not, the tension of a frame is making my eyes move more, or so it feels

[vmax4steve]

This is what I think the issue is....... im finding it ridiculously hard to stop my eyes moving from the object ball........ and I think your right, it does often feel like it does move to the pocket.

Join the club mate, went through this myself for about three months just after xmas and have only just got out of it.
This may sound a bit strange, but the way I got out of it was after seeing a wildlife documentary about lions on the Serengeti. I watched a lioness stalking her prey, checking out a herd of Zebra and picking one out, her eyes then focussed intently on her prey, everything else in her periphery vision, head absolutely still while her legs and body moved over the ground, never stumbling, never taking her eyes off her prey.

I decided to stalk the object ball in the same way, to look at the way the balls were spread around the table, let the layout consign itself to my short term memory, see the shot I needed to play, see the object ball as my prey and to keep my eyes on it as I walked around the table, everything else in my periphery vision consigned to my short term memory so no need to take my eyes off the object ball, focus on the contact point of the object ball with a menacing intent when I was right on the line of the shot and then step into the shot as I normally do.

This really helps me to line up the shot correctly and the menacing intent of my focus on the contact point is like that of a sniper about to make an emotionless kill. It helps to keep negative thoughts out of my head.

[Byrom]

Join the club mate, went through this myself for about three months just after xmas and have only just got out of it.
This may sound a bit strange, but the way I got out of it was after seeing a wildlife documentary about lions on the Serengeti. I watched a lioness stalking her prey, checking out a herd of Zebra and picking one out, her eyes then focussed intently on her prey, everything else in her periphery vision, head absolutely still while her legs and body moved over the ground, never stumbling, never taking her eyes off her prey.

I decided to stalk the object ball in the same way, to look at the way the balls were spread around the table, let the layout consign itself to my short term memory, see the shot I needed to play, see the object ball as my prey and to keep my eyes on it as I walked around the table, everything else in my periphery vision consigned to my short term memory so no need to take my eyes off the object ball, focus on the contact point of the object ball with a menacing intent when I was right on the line of the shot and then step into the shot as I normally do.

This really helps me to line up the shot correctly and the menacing intent of my focus on the contact point is like that of a sniper about to make an emotionless kill. It helps to keep negative thoughts out of my head.

I really enjoyed reading this description especially the lion in the Serengeti bit. Just wondered what would happen if you met a cheetah?

[vmax4steve]

I really enjoyed reading this description especially the lion in the Serengeti bit. Just wondered what would happen if you met a cheetah?

Aa a fast player I guess that I am more Cheetah than Lion but the analogy remains, stalk your prey while keeping your eyes on it with your head still.

[lesedwards]

I am in the same boat. I use to play a lot when I was younger but never took it serious. I put a 5x10 Snooker Table in my basement last October and spend on the average of an hour a day. I bought Nic Barrows snooker Gym and I have been working my way through it. Now this is where it gets interesting I can stand at the bulk line and pot 8 out of 10 long blues I can play the cue ball up and down the table and hit my cue I can play high blacks and low blacks and make 90% of them but then I try running the black off its spot and I am lucky if I can run 4 before I am totally out of position. When I play matches I have no problem clearing off reds but with no colours. Sounds like a positional problem right? But once the reds are gone look out if they are sitting good I can run them. I am trying to get up to see Terry Davidson next week. Does anyone have any good positional drills for me?

[Belloz22]

I am in the same boat. I use to play a lot when I was younger but never took it serious. I put a 5x10 Snooker Table in my basement last October and spend on the average of an hour a day. I bought Nic Barrows snooker Gym and I have been working my way through it. Now this is where it gets interesting I can stand at the bulk line and pot 8 out of 10 long blues I can play the cue ball up and down the table and hit my cue I can play high blacks and low blacks and make 90% of them but then I try running the black off its spot and I am lucky if I can run 4 before I am totally out of position. When I play matches I have no problem clearing off reds but with no colours. Sounds like a positional problem right? But once the reds are gone look out if they are sitting good I can run them. I am trying to get up to see Terry Davidson next week. Does anyone have any good positional drills for me?

One of the best potional routines i ever used was to put the pink on its spot, and then 2 reds above it - maybe 6 inches inbetween pink, red, then next red. And then the same to the left, right, and below the pink. So you should have the pink with 8 reds around it. Basically you then play to pot red, then pink, red then pink etc. The pink will always go in all pockets....... and the reds should go in most pockets but not all, due to some reds blocking the others. Good routine i used to use. By the way - i have the snooker gym, did start using it but then stopped due to time restraints with work etc - how did you find it ??

[lesedwards]

The Snooker Gym is great. I got to the Brown level and can run all the drills but 15 blacks off its spot and you need a break of 40 before you move on. 31 is my best. The problem I have here is no one to play with. My oldest son plays and I spot him 30 but he is good for a couple games and then he is done, so it is real hard to get a rythem going. Nic suggest 3 matches of 19. I could play all night and day but there is no one else that I can find. Not very popular around here.

[Belloz22]

The Snooker Gym is great. I got to the Brown level and can run all the drills but 15 blacks off its spot and you need a break of 40 before you move on. 31 is my best. The problem I have here is no one to play with. My oldest son plays and I spot him 30 but he is good for a couple games and then he is done, so it is real hard to get a rythem going. Nic suggest 3 matches of 19. I could play all night and day but there is no one else that I can find. Not very popular around here.

I just wish I got more time to try these things..... wen I was in uni I never made use of all my free time to do the snooker gym book properly. Now I work and have gf etc, I dont have the time but wish I did

[Belloz22]

Well it's all going down hill...... played for last 3 days and consistently could not pass a break of 10. I actually counted in one from missing 7 shots with the object ball less than 6inches from the pocket. Its all gone to bits...... I wish I could just forget everything I know and re learn the game again