vmax was right!

[j6uk]

If your serious about improving, then you really need to be practicing the black routine.

i would say this is the most difficult part of the line-up. i managed a few 50s on the line up but this is just simple pots mainly to the middle using the blue and pink.

area around black is more difficult to master, position has to be more precise and its more relevent for match play in my experience.

[armstm]

i had a practice session yesterday, where i had a couple of objectives.

1) find the line of aim standing up - and then observe (as much as possible) whether i managed to keep eyes on this line on the way down and that i kept looking at this line of aim, whilst down

2) loose grip hand holding cue even before the shot - ie when holding the cue getting down.

i can't overemphasise vmax's point about looking at line and really focusing on it. you can cue badly and still pot balls if you follow this.

there's certain shots where i missed by e.g. a foot - and i simply don't think these are movement on the shot type errors. I think its when you don't focus on the line of aim (and i mean all the way down to the shot and when you flick your eyes back to the object ball, try to identify where on the object ball you want to hit.

i think this is especially the case on finer cuts...

if you're inconsistent, it's worth experimenting with this.

one final point is when you watch ronnie's eyes as he's getting down to the shot, i'm pretty sure they're glued to the point where he wants to hit.

[Sidd]

Very interesting thread. Just read it now.

I am personally of the same opinion now after all these months of trial and error that the foremost thing is to develop a sound technique that you can rely upon. Once that is done the rest in terms of playing snooker STARTS from keeping your eye on the potting spot on the object ball or BOB as I call it and ENDS with your eyes on the BOB. Rest is all judgement and experience. No matter how much we talk about it this factor can never be over-emphasized because it is indeed that important !

The problem with us amateurs is that we are quick in areas that need time and slow in areas that do not. I personally think standing behind the shot and selecting the line and getting down having eyes fixed on BOB is something that requires care and we normally take it for granted; most club players do so.

I do normally tinker a lot in terms of technique and that has been my greatest enemy. But when I do not and only focus on BOB trust me my potting safety snookers and escaping snookers all improve suddenly. Why or How? its simple and I have understood this for a good reason. When one plays keeping BOB in mind all the times, his natural technique comes to play subconsciously and he does everything right which he has practiced and mastered. When he does not do so, his mind flickers to something like the elbow grip stance etc, as you said, and he gets caught up in thoughts and takes his eyes and through eyes mind off the pot.

[alabadi]

I practice line ups every solo session, they can be so frustrating. they are in effect easy shots unless you get out of position which I find I do, either too close to the next pot or on the rail.

I have gone from making 50s and 60s to struggling with 30s. I have even cut back on the line up routine using just 4-5 reds and black - pink only.

I can on occasions get 5 reds however its becoming rare now, I usually get 3 reds and colours on average, it seems the more I mess up the worse I get. you lose focus and concentration and begin not to trust your judgement.

I am now going back to basics and re learning cue action, loosening the grip and trying to feel the shot.

Alabbadi

[armstm]

i know the feeling well alabadi. having had a great practice, i am now used to playing badly in the initial states of a match following this session. it's partly having raised expectations. i am now so used to this happening that i just laugh about this effect and usually once u laugh at urself then you start playing better.

the loose grip hand is a big reason for cueing better. in a match i tighten up if i'm not focused on staying relaxed. i even start to just tap the fingers on the cue before the shot, just to loosen everything up!

i also have a tendency to raise the cue on the backswing, i caught myself doing this a couple of times when my brdge hand was on the cushion. so relaxed grip hand and nice slow backswing with good follow thru are what i try to remember in matches, but it's not easy!

[alabadi]

I agree armstm, high expectations cause frustrations and from that tension and stress. I think sometimes we forget that the good players have spent 12-15 years practicing and playing 8 hours a day to get to that level.

so my 8 -12 hours a week will take years and years to get anywhere good enough, this is the hard part for me, I want to see progress all the time to be able to enjoy it more, but I also think I forget where my game was a few years ago compared to what it is today, I am a much better player, however its the consistency that's bugging me 1 day great then a week or two playing like I have never picked up a cue.

I really need to learn how to relax and accept that I will not play my best every game, hard to do especially when you are as competitive as I am, its just part of my nature. so I will just have to practice relaxation techniques.

Alabadi

[vmax4steve]

I personally think standing behind the shot and selecting the line and getting down having eyes fixed on BOB is something that requires care and we normally take it for granted; most club players do so.

Taking ones time when standing behind the shot to search for BOB is ok but it can and does slow your pace down and could hinder your timing.
When I am in the zone, which is quite rare these days, I seem to find that looking for BOB on the object ball I'm about to play happens when I am actually walking around the table and approaching it rather than waiting until I am standing behind the shot. I find by the time I have reached the line of aim BOB is already focussed on and all I have to do is drop down into my stance.
Thinking about the next shot doesn't happen, it is simply seen instinctively as one is walking around the table and of course one can then walk straight into the shot without any delay.