The run of the balls is caused by the striker of the CB !

[j6uk]

Or put more simply he isn't as lucky as some despite having the neccessary skill to take advantage of it. I do agree though that he takes it to heart more than most but that is mainly down to the consistancy of the bad run he usually gets. Ali carter is another one, bad run and bad luck seem to follow him and not just in snooker. I really feel for the lad.

yeah i really feel for Ali off the table, its an all too familiar story for me and many of us..
regarding his approach on the table in the heat of battle, again his energy when things get tough is in the back of the negative pocket bit like stephen. the way i try to put things i think is reasonably easy to understand and anyone with a creative spirit would get it. out on the table you get what you deserve would simply sum it up a little better, though it sounds a bit too throw away for my liking

[j6uk]

Or put more simply he isn't as lucky as some despite having the neccessary skill to take advantage of it. I do agree though that he takes it to heart more than most but that is mainly down to the consistancy of the bad run he usually gets. .

but back to stephen, yes he's got the game and some and no its not about luck, putting his lack of winning down to luck would not be well thought out. i think if he stepped away from the practice table and went for a walkabout to changed a few things that was to do with him personally as the man, he'd be rewarded off and on the table

[vmax4steve]

out on the table you get what you deserve would simply sum it up a little better, though it sounds a bit too throw away for my liking.

I think that maybe you tend to get what you expect and I understand this attitude to snooker and to life itself. Good things just don't happen to some people and that isn't simply down to attitude as it also comes from experience.

[j6uk]

Good things just don't happen to some people and that isn't simply down to attitude as it also comes from experience.

if we're still talking about what goes on out there in competitive snooker i simply don't believe that and barring the league, anyone whos played competitive snooker would know what comes with it. what does happens through experience is the understanding of what it takes and the risks that come with it

[magicman]

Some interesting responses here. It certainly seems true to me that I get better run when I'm playing well. Emotional players like Ali and Stephen Maguire huff and puff over bad run or their opponents good run but dismiss in a second their own good fortune. I'm sure we all know friends who also follow this pattern of behaviour? I've done it myself too over the years. I've found that if you play the game in the right spirit, you accept a bad split as a shot that could have been played better. The same result while in the wrong frame of mind is bad luck, the God's not smiling on you, and 'what have I done to deserve this?'

[Rane]

One thing I´ve noticed about Stephen Maguire is, that he often forgets to rely on his B-game when things are not going his way. He continues to go for shots that require that he´s on his A-game and then gets annoyed when he doesn´t have succes. I really think that a mental coach would be able to help him.

[Ramon]

Some interesting responses here. It certainly seems true to me that I get better run when I'm playing well. Emotional players like Ali and Stephen Maguire huff and puff over bad run or their opponents good run but dismiss in a second their own good fortune. I'm sure we all know friends who also follow this pattern of behaviour? I've done it myself too over the years. I've found that if you play the game in the right spirit, you accept a bad split as a shot that could have been played better. The same result while in the wrong frame of mind is bad luck, the God's not smiling on you, and 'what have I done to deserve this?'

Nice comment, I read somewhere that Michael Holt, broke his cue once, because he was not happy with run of The balls.

[vmax4steve]

Some interesting responses here. It certainly seems true to me that I get better run when I'm playing well.

Or it could be that you play well because you're getting good running rather than vice versa. I accept a bad split as a shot that could have turned out better as it's quite true that any split can be played right but still not turn out well and also be played badly but turn out well.

That my friend is what the run of the balls is, something that's not entirely in your own hands as nothing on a snooker table can be geometrically worked out with slide rule accuracy. If it goes your way then you play well, if it doesn't you can't.

You can sink back into a B game if it doesn't go your way or you can keep on trying. That's down to the individual and what emphasis they put on the glory of victory rather than simply doing only what's neccessary to win.

[j6uk]

are we presuming that if we don't get some so called run then that means our opponent is? because thats not the case at all

[Ramon]

Or it could be that you play well because you're getting good running rather than vice versa. I accept a bad split as a shot that could have turned out better as it's quite true that any split can be played right but still not turn out well and also be played badly but turn out well.

That my friend is what the run of the balls is, something that's not entirely in your own hands as nothing on a snooker table can be geometrically worked out with slide rule accuracy. If it goes your way then you play well, if it doesn't you can't.

You can sink back into a B game if it doesn't go your way or you can keep on trying. That's down to the individual and what emphasis they put on the glory of victory rather than simply doing only what's neccessary to win.

you have more experience, so I hope you do'nt mind me saying this. I am 100 percent agree with you. as S Devis said, no matter how good you are, you always need luck (for a good split) when you go in to the pack from blue.!!!! but what I have personally seen more often, players who remain positive / / less swearing or cursing / / remain calm during the game, get a better cooperation of the balls!! Sometimes I feel that the balls never forgive you, if you do'nt treat them with respect. (Just my opinion). it sounds really crazy btw !!!!!!!!!!!!

[davestevies]

i trust to luck every time i strike the cb