Some pointers?

[j6uk]

Further to my case in point, if you look at Nic Barrow, he seems to love the lineup a lot. In his break building videos, you will see that he eventually gives up on the cluster routine and goes to the lineup instead. Of course, he is training so the focus isn't there, but nevertheless, cluster routines need to be done over and over until they become second nature.

Video 3, at the 3 minute mark he goes to the lineup instead.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpVT...AqSL8z2wdS97xU

Are cluster setups harder? Of course they are. At least as difficult as a match scenario.

okay so ive just got around to watching this video and what nic did was not give up on the 'so called cluster training' but he moved his students on, if you care to watch again from 3.40, and what he says as he sets up that classic 5 red lineup up until 4.30 is bag on, so much so it should be a mantra before every time you play

my 10 month old is now sleeping so here's that text by nic from your vid:

what the thinking process of the pro's is on this simple little exercise here, and then you can see the thought that goes into very simple shots. which I think if you can master the art of thinking properly about the very simple shots, what to do in the more difficult situations would be easier. People ignore simple shots far to much, there's far to much going on in simple shots to ignore it, there's far to much richness in what variables there are, what the possibilities and probabilities and variables in simple situations.

[j6uk]

while getting to grips with the lineup you should be feeling more in control of the cue ball, maneuvering it where you wish, finding the core of the white and seeing and feeling the sweetspots.
its always good to have a stable diet out there on the practice table as far as routines go so i really think this worth repetition on this 'some pointers' thread, and what stephen is working on here with his students is worth getting your head down to.

[golferson123]

tend to agree with you j6uk I stopped counting tons after four hundred or so and that was many years ago, so in depth advice or criticism on how people should go about break building should be left to coaches, and good ones at that .

[j6uk]

tend to agree with you j6uk I stopped counting tons after four hundred or so and that was many years ago, so in depth advice or criticism on how people should go about break building should be left to coaches, and good ones at that .

having grown up in and around snooker clubs for most of my youth, trying to write about my experience playing this game has now become quite a challenge, but one that i'm just starting to enjoy and find a little voice.
if you have the time golferson, it would be good to hear some of your own battles with the game

[golferson123]

having grown up in and around snooker clubs for most of my youth, trying to write about my experience playing snooker is now becoming quite a challenge, but one that i'm just starting to enjoy and find a little voice.
if you have the time golferson, it would be good to hear some of your own battles with the game

oh god, where to begin. started playing in 71 in local working mens club, they were tough times, name on board one frame then name on board again, lucky to get three frames a night!. found a snooker hall to play in and it opened my eyes, really tough cookies.my game didn't take off till mike Watterson opened west st snooker centre and then practiced reg with mike and big bill + dave martin and all the Canadians were there too.if there was less than ten reds on the table it was rack em!.played in every pontins spring and autumn .saw Ronnie as a tot playing there.in those days you could only turn pro through the English amateur or if the big boys liked you.as for troubles ,married young and fathered young too,had to work to keep my family and sold many a cue just to pay the latest bill to drop through the letterbox but the worst problem was the minces they went before I touched forty and its game over and so because I had always tinkered and made my own bats I started doing that, played golf a lot too and wished I had started that at sixteen instead of snooker

[j6uk]

your story makes a good little read and a very familiar one to me from the older crew in a lot of the clubs i played. what a great time frame to of played snooker in, and getting a gang of good quality players to play day in day out. you mentioned the canadian crew so you must of come across terry in those days, did you ever play him? and to have been around watterson enough said
in the late 80s i played in and around london and tottenham being one of the center points, but i was too a regular at the very memorable pontins spring and autumn events but that was mid 00's. great place to be with all the players from around the country in one place and playing on the very best conditions, of course you had no chance to make a name for yourself because it was like walking straight onto an ice rink but still, very enjoyable.
it would be good to hear more from you in regards to some pointers, what was your training like back in the day in terms of like good routines, sparing and the overall mental approach you took to it all?

[golferson123]

ye great times indeed,saw terry at pontins I think, in fact I think he played in the home internationals not sure if he's a Canadian national but could be wrong,he never came to west st or I never saw him,at one point we had bill, kirk,marrio,jim Wyche,frank jonik
Bernie ,paul thornley all playing at the same time and all staying at mikes house.as for practice routines just set em up and play.the first year I went to pontins 76 I think, the sheets on the wall went on forever and the last year I went it looked as sad as hell, it was a crime that it was allowed to die,of course all those players that benefited from it did not grace it when they made it!.the London pro ams were great events esp the kings cross ones,you were lucky having such good pro ams, big travel from my neck of the woods though.London was awash with top amateurs in them days and only the leeds area and wales could put them in their place (only kidding) I've been very lucky as an amateur player to have played so much snooker against such top flight pros but the games and matches I cherish the most are those against fellow amateurs because I knew how difficult it was to lead a normal working life and still try to play and compete

[j6uk]

i remember i joined my first club fife rd kingston when i was 14, this was after a few years of getting bashed then bashing up a lad a few streets away on his dads 6' slate bed in his garage. it was 1984 i walked through the doors after pushing the buzzer and i was met in the foyer by tony hitchens wearing three piece and a pocket watch, in a crowded bar he showed me where to put my name up and behind the jump was herny west all smiles saying we'll look after ya and show you a few moves on the table. and they did.. but the funny thing was, after a few months of getting to know the wired and the wonderful every other odd ball claimed to be a top amature player and they could hardly string four balls together lol. but i can still see, smell and taste that hall and their sunken chicken and mushroom pies today

im sure the lineup was alive and well in your day, would be good to hear how you went about improving and what you trained on, as well of some coaching and break building tips

[Stupree]

Some pointers?

A very enjoyable string of posts there chaps - thanks for sharing

[golferson123]

yes I practiced the line up but found it boring after a while,every ball goes in every pocket and all down the middle of the table.a more realistic routine was spread a few balls round the pink and black and one on the side rail either above the pink to break out with the pink or below the pink to break out with the black and never leave it while last,also I joined a private club with my own key and the tables had tram lines from the black to the pocket I would imagine that line going back to the rail and try and never land on it so I had a angle on the black.On pack splitting mike always wanted to split while a red was still open under the pack because there is a certain amount of luck involved in going into them. On technique and cuing I found that when you drop in stroke you tend to go a bit wild and try and pot everything (which you cant and soon fall out of stroke)so when I thought I was cuing well I would reign it in a bit.another point on tips my preference is I hated new tips so when I bedded one in I would pop it off and put it in a little tin in my case,also ken the manager let me retip all the rack cues I would find the good played in ones and keep them.been watching the streams for the aussie open and am surprised how wooden and manufactured some of the players are they don't seem to win any cheap frames and it looks an awful grind.short format I know but surely a bit of flow would help.we used to come up for the kings cross opens in the 80s and I think there was a good one at Ilford do they still happen?

[j6uk]

I think there was a good one at Ilford do they still happen?

gary fullness and billy king were doing some good ones about 10 years ago, ilford was one of the last comps i went too, don't know whatrs happening in london these days, all i know is you can't afford to live there anymore

[golferson123]

ye worked in haringhay last year, real eye opener

[magicman]

Your technique looks sound, and it's a real surprise your highest break is only 59. You look much better than that! I would suggest your bridge hand is a little far away, as with the long draw back you favour, you're likely to decelerate which you do several times in this clip, hence Byrom's advice to 'drive through' and j6uk's 'dynamic follow through'.


golferson123

On technique and cuing I found that when you drop in stroke you tend to go a bit wild and try and pot everything (which you cant and soon fall out of stroke)so when I thought I was cuing well I would reign it in a bit

A pro gave me this very same advice 15/20 years ago!

[coomsey76]

gary fullness and billy king were doing some good ones about 10 years ago, ilford was one of the last comps i went too, don't know whatrs happening in london these days, all i know is you can't afford to live there anymore

Do you mean Gary Filtness by any chance?? If so he stills plays in the Upton Park Sunday comps.

I know a few lads who play in it..... They still get plenty of runners each week.

[j6uk]

Do you mean Gary Filtness by any chance?? If so he stills plays in the Upton Park Sunday comps.
I know a few lads who play in it..... They still get plenty of runners each week.

yeah sorry was juggling kids, computer and cooking.. good to hear hes still at it, i'm under it still so wouldn't interest me at the moment