Im seriously losing my sanity with this game !!!! HELP !!!!

[Belloz22]

Hey all again,

As most of you know i post on this forum alot seeking advice etc, and normally to vent my fustration etc...... and once again this is one of those times.

Anyway, few weeks ago i posted on here telling of my fustration with the game and how i felt i was playing the worst i have ever played in my life, and was on the verge of punching children because of it - anyway, after some advice etc, i went back to the practice table, work on things such as keeping shoulder and head still, really loosening the grip hand, and making sure my left foot was on the line of aim as is my nose.

This worked wonders, i was making consistent 30 and 40 breaks, regularly making 20s in the balls and rarely losing frames. I thought i had to all sussed.

As per usual, over the last few days, my game has deterioated to a standard worse than i've played before, back to missing easy pots 10-15 times a frame, going in off all time etc. During the frames, im still making sure my grip is loose, shoulder still etc, all the things i worked on before, yet now it feels like something is not working. Im still consistently missing shots etc, even though im making sure my nose is on line of aim and still when im getting down. It is if my body/cue wont get down on the line i know is the shot or something - even thought im putting my foot and nose on the line i believe.

It does feel nothing works for more than 5 minutes with me, and then im back playing like ive never played the game before. I feel like im cueing straight, playing shots up and down the table confirm this, and when playing longs straight blues, more often than not im following the shot in with the white.

It is getting to that stage im refusing to play people because im so embarassed about my standard of play

[nrage]

Channeling j6uk.. before practice get down on the baulk line and cue without any balls, start slow and build up to full power.

Channeling vmax.. are you making sure your eyes are on the BOB as you get down and again as you stroke the ball.

For my part, are you getting worked up when things start to go wrong? Try to clear your mind and breathe slowly and deeply before you start. Notice if you start to get worked up and repeat this.

How's your confidence? Try to control those negative thoughts, think positively. If you miss try to forget it immediately and give the next shot full concentration.

[horriefic]

Belloz22,

I am not expert, but I suspect the problem has to do with your sighting. You are sighting differently now, and that is causing the difference. If you know which is your dominant eye, try focussing on that eye right at the start i.e. from the walk in all the way to making the shot. Both eyes are open, but just 'focus' in your mind on that dominant eye as you line up, aim and cue. See whether that helps.

Hope you solve the problem, and let us know what worked.

[Belloz22]

Channeling j6uk.. before practice get down on the baulk line and cue without any balls, start slow and build up to full power.

Channeling vmax.. are you making sure your eyes are on the BOB as you get down and again as you stroke the ball.

For my part, are you getting worked up when things start to go wrong? Try to clear your mind and breathe slowly and deeply before you start. Notice if you start to get worked up and repeat this.

How's your confidence? Try to control those negative thoughts, think positively. If you miss try to forget it immediately and give the next shot full concentration.

Well my confidence is def shot....... how can you be confident when your frightened of missing a shot or knowing your embarassing yourself thing is whem I get on the shot im always looking at BOB before and after the shot. Im pausing before my final stroke to adjust my eyes etc. I feel cannot suss why ive never had any consistency...... I have a couple of days playing well interspursed with months of rubbish. Even coaching got me no where lol.

[nrage]

Well my confidence is def shot....... how can you be confident when your frightened of missing a shot or knowing your embarassing yourself

Lack of confidence can destroy your game completely. So, I reckon concentrate on building some of that first. What you need is someone to practice with, with whom you don't feel embarrassed, so you can build your confidence. In solo practice, try to play without any fear. Just quietly play a simple line up of reds and try to build some confidence in your ability.

The ability is there, you just need to foster some confidence in it.

[matt926_uk]

this probably isn't the problem but try changing your tip, if your using a spongy tip or the wrong glue it can affect your game. Use a scalpel to trim them and evo stick glue which doesnt go off or soak into the tip, and is impact resistant.

If i'm sure that i'm doing everything else right and i'm still playing poorly then the first thing i look at is my tip.

[Belloz22]

Lack of confidence can destroy your game completely. So, I reckon concentrate on building some of that first. What you need is someone to practice with, with whom you don't feel embarrassed, so you can build your confidence. In solo practice, try to play without any fear. Just quietly play a simple line up of reds and try to build some confidence in your ability.

The ability is there, you just need to foster some confidence in it.

The problem i find with this though is i have the confidence to begin with, but because i play so terribley, it does evapourate. The thing is i am playing players of a poorer standard than myself, yet im struggling to beat these players. I make that many mistakes that these players are always picking up points against me. People mention how good i should be, yet i've never been able to maintain it. I worked for ages on making sure i have my grip loose, shoulder still etc, and i thought it was all working, playing best i played in ages. I just can't understand how it can go. So what i did then was start playing on my own for 30 mins etc before playing a frame, yet my game would not transfer over from practice to play.

Why cant these moments of good play stay ??

[Predator314/2]

I can only say that I hear you there pal, the game can get frustrating.

I find having a bit of ego helps and really being able to take ownership of any mistakes, even if you know you missed due to a bad roll or a kick or literally anything else always blame it on yourself, take control and move on because you will be empowered.

I'm not talking about ego by being big headed and horrible to people, but just know your ability and how you CAN play. People are too modest and wont allow themselves to believe that they can be better than they are...

Every persons psyche is different and that is the beauty of the human mind. None of what I said may work for you, but it has for me at pool and to a certain extent at snooker although I haven't played a proper match against anyone yet as nobody will play me :-(

[Belloz22]

Just have to see how things go - went back down for practice on my own today and concentrated on keeping eyes on BOB and keeping grip very loose etc - and i potted brilliantly - no doubt tomorrow be back to rubbish though lol

[alabadi]

Belloz22 i've said this to you in previous posts, you sound like me, a lot of what you are going through we all go through.

i have a problem with blacks off the spot when i am .high its got to the stage i could bet you i'd miss the shot before i take it. it doesn't matter if its 3/4 , 1/2 or 1/4 ball its the same i seem to always hit it too thick.

you may know this or been told snooker is in the mind most of the time, if you are worried you gonna miss you will because your brain is not focused on the matter in hand. now i am no expert and have many faults in my game, which mirrors yours, however i can say from experience when you stop worrying you are gonna miss or leave a ball on you actually play better, and if you miss just shrug it off, that shot has gone and there is nothing you can do about it.

just try to stay in a positive state of mind and take each shot as it comes. don't think too far ahead, and never under estimate any one because anyone can beat you on the day.

just think of the reason you are playing the game in the first place, which is a game you love and enjoy so try and have fun, win or loose. eventually you will start playing better and winning games again

[DandyA]

i can say from experience when you stop worrying you are gonna miss or leave a ball on you actually play better, and if you miss just shrug it off, that shot has gone and there is nothing you can do about it.

just try to stay in a positive state of mind and take each shot as it comes. don't think too far ahead, and never under estimate any one because anyone can beat you on the day.

wise words alabadi ... very wise words ...

[kadobau]

OMG !!!! What you are mentioning is actually ~~~~ ME !!!!!
Sometimes I can even pot a red + a colour !!!!!!!!!!!!! My average score is A RED !

[lesedwards]

Yes and me too. This game is driving me nuts. I have a tournament this weekend and I have been putting in at least 1 to 2 hours in every night practicing. I start with up and down cue balls to the tip until I hit 10/10 then long blues minimum 7/10 then pinks off the spot minimum of 10 in a row and then the black off its spot. This is where everything goes wrong, I am lucky if I can run 5 and most times 3 then my confidence goes and then I cannot make anything. Played a best of 3 against my son that is not a good player and he takes 2 to 1. What are the chances of making a black when you have the ability to see it missing before I make my shot. The black ball is slowly bringing my entire game to the point of no return. I really have no one to play against and all my practice is on my 5x10 which I sometimes wonder if this is where the problem lies. Look at me venting my frustration. This game is very addicting and very frustrating at the same time. HELP

[Sidd]

Channeling j6uk.. before practice get down on the baulk line and cue without any balls, start slow and build up to full power.

Channeling vmax.. are you making sure your eyes are on the BOB as you get down and again as you stroke the ball.

For my part, are you getting worked up when things start to go wrong? Try to clear your mind and breathe slowly and deeply before you start. Notice if you start to get worked up and repeat this.

How's your confidence? Try to control those negative thoughts, think positively. If you miss try to forget it immediately and give the next shot full concentration.

Excellent advice this Nrage

[Sidd]

Dear Belloz,

I can relate to this thread the most given that I have been where you are right now. The only difference is that I have been there so many times that I dont care to remember now. So you are better than me as you have not experienced this as much as I have ... thats number one motivational point right.

Now, the thing is that you can get as much advice as you like but it will always come down to YOU. What do you want and how do you plan to achieve it. Snooker, as I always say, is a girlfriend who would only go to the lover who wants her the most... How much do you want her what is the level of your desire... She is not that easy to get to in the first place.

OK when i was playing without any advice, i used to play well and trust me I made two 50 breaks in matches due to my own sheer talent if you like without any coaching so it was all guts or whatever you call it but above everything else there was this PASSION that made me do so.

Then I fell a victim of incONsisteNCY the most feared rival or arch-enemy for any snooker player right. You have made 40 odds and now you cant see em falling down the pockets. So I came to this forum and learnt for the first time about technique and all aspects. My problem was impatience and no discipline which caused me greater agony for two years (I am not kidding and I did that after 10 years of play and two years of going on a break) .... Terry and others kept saying one thing at a time one thing at a time but I was greedy so I took more than one on mind and traveled on and as a result I was ruined my game gone my confidence shattered my fun element nah could not find it in fact as if I had completely lost my inner peace. I would blame my grip then stance then other things and there are so many things we know that. I learnt with mistakes trial and error and went through the stony path ... but you can learn from my example and concentrate on the following:

1. You are a fine player dude. You have the ability. If not, 40 odds in matches can not just simply can not come your way. So you are one hell of a player. Keep that in mind always.

2. One technique aspect at a time i beg you... Give targets like grip hand two weeks or three or whatever till you get comfortable then something else.

3. Always remember technique in solo and not in matches. Now I can say this cuz I have been a obsessive prisoner of technique. Even though my technique was great I would miss and blame it on technique.. we need ot put the blame on something just to assure ourselves that we are classic heroes and cant do it wrong but its the grip or this and that yeah... ! technique element may not leave you alone in matches and haunt you like it did to me but let it go dude just let it go all right.

4. Eyes locked on BOB at the time of delivery ... nothing like it ... only concentrating on this and FORGETTING everything else during a shot gives enormous results TRUST me on this.

5. confidence is key to any sport and in snooker its importance quadruples. When I play fearing I will leave a red playable while attempting safety trust me I do that. As if the brain takes my command and executes it for me and hence my fears too. When I take a pot and think oh its missable pretty hard i miss it .... Be confident while taking a shot and take the shot completely .... as Nic Barrow puts it ... it should not be a half hearted strike but a confident positive stroke.

Very Importantly my dear friend:

A. Eyes on BOB at the time of strike, eyes on BOB eyes on BOB ... ingrain this in your head. You would love it afterwards.

B. Clear head no thoughts of form or missing etc just a clear relax mind... you love this game all right so dont ever be ruthless to your lover calm her tame her down it will take time but she will come to you naturally. Realise what she wants she is gentle and like a gentle touch ok so pot em with a gentle touch no force required you dont need ot bang em about ... the slower the better !

C. While going to the club, listen to some soothing music believe me it helps. Put a smile on your face for every time you miss... nothing else ... keep negative thoughts away... bad comment by a mate ... smile at it ... nothing else.

I can go on and on and even write a book for all I have gone through.... just remember this is a rough patch it will go away but how well with PATIENCE DISCIPLINE RELAXATION CONCENTRATION.... thats it...!!! Dont just let her slip away.... devote to her and you will win her YOU ARE A GOOD PLAYER and YOU WILL CARRY ON !!!

Hope all of the bollocks above helps in some way !