Do I strike the ball well?

[thelongbomber]

What size table is that LB .?

5x10 Brunswick Gold Crown with 6811 Hainsworth. Pockets are cut a little tight. Recently ran an 80+ on another 5x10 table which had much sloppier pockets.

[thelongbomber]

It looks like snooker on a large pool table

I would say you cue through the ball quite well and look natural - so things will be hard to change.

If you ask me to be critical your shot selection is quite poor and you do not give enough attention to the finishing line of the shot for position and you seem to rush a few shots and play a little too quick - It can often seem this way with players that only have a front pause. You seem particularly fast in the pull back which at times is as quick as your delivery - this has an effect on the timing of the shot which in turn effects your positional sense. Not bad but could be better if you developed a more consistent action and pre shot routine around the table - It all seems a bit rushed and I would work on developing a bit of a pause at the back before you delivered your cue forward. I would try and do this by slowing down your pull back and pausing as you transfer your eyes before you accelerate forward through the cue ball. But if you stick with this front pause only malarky just try to be more consistent in your action and in your manner around the table - Possibly try taking a little more time to consider your options on occasion and cut out walking around and casually approching each shot side on - stand back and step in rather than just walking around and getting down - you can get away with this on a little table but you would have alignment issues on a big table were these faults would compound more. I notice you don't get down flat on the shot too and don't have your chin locked on to the on the cue either which makes it look more of a pool action than a snooker one. Lazy habits creeping in perhaps?

I have enjoyed reading your posts previously and think you have some good out the box ideas on your web site and on this forum particularly when it comes to the sighting aspects of the shot - if you ever manage to mingle a more consistent and solid techqnique with a more considered pre-shot routine yourself I think you would no doubt become an even better player.

That's wonderful feedback Byron. Thank you. And thank you for reading my articles on my blog as well! Very much appreciated!

You are correct, I'm a little rushed. The environment I play in isn't ideal to be honest. The room is a touch small, and in that particular instance, it was noisy with my friends talking in the background.

I will definitely take your ideas to heart about walking in more, taking a bit more time. I'm sure that will help and I have talked about that on my blog to some degree as well.

Regarding getting down flat on the cue, the table is about 1 inch lower than standard height so getting down is definitely more difficult then it should be. I have a theory which I'm currently working on in regards to aiming and getting down flat on the cue. It's something I have been experimenting with in regards to my cue action. I'm nearly at the point where I'm about ready to discuss and reveal it on my next blog article. In that particular recording session, I ran two other 50+ breaks which I will put up on the forum soon to get some feedback on as well.

[thelongbomber]

Looks like a 10 x 5 to me with pool balls?

It's just the camera angle maybe. They are definitely standard size snooker balls.

[thelongbomber]

Aww, I was hoping it was full size and LB was eight foot six.

:encouragement:

[thelongbomber]

bomber:

Didn't notice a whole lot wrong however in the few shots where we can see your body I notice you have your right elbow flying out to the right (or 'chicken wing' as it's sometimes called). This is always an indication you are turning the wrist joint and also gripping the cue too early on the delivery. Keep the grip loose through and beyond the cueball strike.

As an aside I also noted you use the rest high side.

Terry

Hmm.. I will have to work on that. At one point, I didn't have the chicken wing years back but I have somehow developed it. I think maybe carrying around too much weight may play a role. I'm at my biggest right now. For gripping, yes, that's something I have been working on loosening up. For me, it's all about having faith that my aim is correct, and then just letting the cue do the work and not trying to grip in order to hold it back or to redirect the cue in mid flight.

I will do another recording with my contact lenses to see how that affects my results. I predict it will help as I know that using contacts gives me another 20-30% improvement in my game overall.

[tedisbill]

Ha ha I was thinking the same thing

So was I! Hahaha

[thelongbomber]

Here is a second break of 68 that same evening.

[Byrom]

I dont want long bomber to get too down about what I say - There are positives - you can post balls and are quite a natural player and that half ball cannon you played after postting the black split the reds perfectly - that was your best shot and well judged.

I understand that the room is small and sometimes you did get behind the shot before attacking it - other times you adjusted the line as you where getting down and sometimes just went into the shot side on - lazy habits creeping in from playing on an easy table in a cramped environment perhaps.

My thoughts about finding the line taking a bit more care and attention and thinking ahead in the break might help you most. Some people might think quite natually that because it is a smaller table the shots are easier which is true but this can make you lazy and the opposite is true for positioning on a small table as you have less of an area to play into so have to give it better concentration in this regard.

The last pink to red was terrible as you just got down and played it - Fatal on an easy shot because at these points in a game you know you are not going to miss so you can take more time to think ahead and get the right line for the positioning on next shot. However you had not assessed the angle properly - I would have known right away that to get on the next red because the angle was going away from the next ball it needed to be played with right hand (running side - my bad) side - or English as you call it to make it react off the cushion to finish lower on the bottom rail for the next red avoiding the snooker on the black - so you had a good angle to play for the black or up for the blue off that red near the pocket. I would therefore have been thinking three or four shots in front at this point thinking what angle I would need on the black after the next red to disturb or get on that red on the side rail to make the clearance and would at this point have be judging the line for position a little better than you did. You just hit it with top plain ball and you where giving yourself less chance of being on the next red as the natural angle was sending you into the black.

In a game of snooker inches make all the difference and when you just hit a simple shot like the brown you potted earlier you again gave not enough thought to the position and as a result got into the ball too much. You still potted it because you have a good eye but you again needed to rely on good fortune to get on a colour - if you had took more time and thought a few shots ahead at that point you could have made your positioning pin point from that simple brown and avoided this.

Hope this better explains what I mean by finding the right positional line and thinking ahead and I will look forward to reading more from your blog site - its a good read as it is and I have picked up a few tips for my own game from you too actually.

[itsnoteasy]

Do you play in the Canadian championships LB ?, sounds like you could do ok if you can make the odd century on a full sized table, you must be a very decent player.

[thelongbomber]

Do you play in the Canadian championships LB ?, sounds like you could do ok if you can make the odd century on a full sized table, you must be a very decent player.

I have won a local tournament a few years back playing less well that I have recently. I haven't played in the Canadian's no. The system here is messed up and many players have been left out of the game here. The last time the Canadian's were competed for, only a few players showed up and many were excluded and not informed. I plan to compete in the Canadian's some time soon. Just looking for a good 6x12 to practice on at the moment.

[thelongbomber]

I dont want long bomber to get too down about what I say - There are positives - you can post balls and are quite a natural player and that half ball cannon you played after postting the black split the reds perfectly - that was your best shot and well judged.

I understand that the room is small and sometimes you did get behind the shot before attacking it - other times you adjusted the line as you where getting down and sometimes just went into the shot side on - lazy habits creeping in from playing on an easy table in a cramped environment perhaps.

My thoughts about finding the line taking a bit more care and attention and thinking ahead in the break might help you most. Some people might think quite natually that because it is a smaller table the shots are easier which is true but this can make you lazy and the opposite is true for positioning on a small table as you have less of an area to play into so have to give it better concentration in this regard.

The last pink to red was terrible as you just got down and played it - Fatal on an easy shot because at these points in a game you know you are not going to miss so you can take more time to think ahead and get the right line for the positioning on next shot. However you had not assessed the angle properly - I would have known right away that to get on the next red because the angle was going away from the next ball it needed to be played with right hand (check) side - or English as you call it to make it react off the cushion to finish lower on the bottom rail for the next red avoiding the snooker on the black - so you had a good angle to play for the black or up for the blue off that red near the pocket. I would therefore have been thinking three or four shots in front at this point thinking what angle I would need on the black after the next red to disturb or get on that red on the side rail to make the clearance and would at this point have be judging the line for position a little better than you did. You just hit it with top plain ball and you where giving yourself less chance of being on the next red as the natural angle was sending you into the black.

In a game of snooker inches make all the difference and when you just hit a simple shot like the brown you potted earlier you again gave not enough thought to the position and as a result got into the ball too much. You still potted it because you have a good eye but you again needed to rely on good fortune to get on a colour - if you had took more time and thought a few shots ahead at that point you could have made your positioning pin point from that simple brown and avoided this.

Hope this better explains what I mean by finding the right positional line and thinking ahead and I will look forward to reading more from your blog site - its a good read as it is and I have picked up a few tips for my own game from you too actually.

Absolutely not offended whatsoever m8. I appreciate the honest feedback and will take it into account. You are right in that I'm too careless in planning and positioning. Being a "natural potter", I always had an issue with cue ball control in the past. One of those old habits, was to not carefully plan and strategize my next shot and position.

That half ball cannon was something I wasn't able to do 6 months ago. Recently I have changed how I'm striking the ball. Mostly it has to do with where my energy, concentration, and visual focus is - much more on the cue ball now. In the past, and from old habits, I would "pot the object ball" and not consider the cue ball much, but now I'm much more precise in how I "pot the cue ball" - if that makes any sense.

That last dozen or so sessions, I have used a system recommended by one of my m8's. Essentially, when feathering, I'm mostly looking at the white ball and only seeing the object ball and pocket "through" the white. I'm trying to find that balance now and am close to perfecting it and will write about it soon. I have also noticed that Ronnie, quite often, will look mostly at the white ball and will only casually look at the object ball. I believe with this method, you can rely on "feel" for whether you will pot the ball and that your instinct for this is often overlooked with a more mechanical approach.

Anyways, more to learn and consider from all of your opinions. Very much appreciated. Thanks in particular, byrom, for the lengthy responses.

[Byrom]

Are there not many proper snooker clubs left over there?

If I was you I would get back on this table at this club -

I note at this point on this proper table you do actually get behind the shot better before you get down as there is more room around it - so fact is that little table is making you lazy I would say and it is making you develop bad habits-

Again I still think your shot selection could do with a little more care and you should start thinking a few more shots ahead and take more care on the line of the shot for position - some good pots but you are a punchy player and a little too fast - made me laugh when you where on 42 after making a lovely blue in the middle and getting perfect position you then took the wrong red as had you had took the other red and made a a soft stun canon on the red below it would have freed the black into both pockets and you would have been on for red black red black red black and might have gone on to make a ton - if you had took a little time out earlier in the break had a little walk around and checked your options here or earlier on in the break you would have noticed the black went in the oposite pocket and would have been thinking about freeing the line to the left corner pocket fron that top red earlier on in the break.

[throtts]

Byrom, Yes, the last pink should have been played with top and right hand side, but that running side not check side. Also could have been played softer with and as long you have a good follow through.

Bomber, you have a solid game and should get on a tight pocket table on a regular basis. Tight tables really do test every flaw we might have, a slight twitch or cue cross will catch any of us out.

[thelongbomber]

Byrom, Yes, the last pink should have been played with top and right hand side, but that running side not check side. Also could have been played softer with and as long you have a good follow through.

Bomber, you have a solid game and should get on a tight pocket table on a regular basis. Tight tables really do test every flaw we might have, a slight twitch or cue cross will catch any of us out.

I'm working on putting a 6x12 in the house. Only have to break a few walls, and ask my mother to sleep in the garage. I don't like my chances

[Byrom]

I'm working on putting a 6x12 in the house. Only have to break a few walls, and ask my mother to sleep in the garage. I don't like my chances

Been done before - go for it