Magical 100

[itsnoteasy]

Thanks for your info, i will have to try some stuff when i am next in the snooker hall, it is just so annoying at times this game, as some of my friends get 100 plus breaks all the time, and make it look so easy.

Watch them very closely, see how they do it, you are getting free coaching playing them.

[j6uk]

but don't pull your hair out in the matrix les your misses might not recognize you

[alabadi]

Creating a plan is very very important in break building. so the only way is to build up from 3 reds. With 3 reds, the path is clear: "OK, take this red, high on black, one cushion to here, stun that red, hold for pink, run it through, make the last red, take a blue, run the colors, etc".

I think this is very interesting, something I may have to look at. I usually plan my next ball but don't look too much beyond that. I will if say on a red plan to get high or low on the colour so I can play towards another red/reds but not specifically high or low on the second red

This 3-ball pattern should really be followed for EVERY shot. If you are on a red, look for the next red you plan to take. If you are on a color, look for the next color you are planning to take. Plan it out advance like you are going to build a house.

I don't see patterns yet, its a very interesting concept and I can see how it can work. its like playing the colours which I practice a lot getting the correct angle for the next shot helps making a clearance.

I may have to start looking at this and start playing with 2-3 reds and start building it up.

great post Longbomber really appreciate your input and time in explaining a lot of this.

Alabbadi

[lesedwards]

I will try this tonight with 3 balls and stick to it. I really think my Son hit the nail on the head. Funny how he would notice this when he plays very little but yet knows my game and listens to me after every tournament. He also mentioned how I would run balls playing 9 ball on my first table which was a 4-1/2 x 9 pool table. You had to think a head. Anyone ever throw your boston balls on the table and try and run them in order for positional practice?

[thelongbomber]

I will try this tonight with 3 balls and stick to it. I really think my Son hit the nail on the head. Funny how he would notice this when he plays very little but yet knows my game and listens to me after every tournament. He also mentioned how I would run balls playing 9 ball on my first table which was a 4-1/2 x 9 pool table. You had to think a head. Anyone ever throw your boston balls on the table and try and run them in order for positional practice?

Exactly, so in 9-ball you know the balls and the order, and so you know the angles in advance, half ball here, quarter ball there, etc. Breakbuilding is the same. The patterns, however, are all to do with the reds around black/pink as that is where the game is either won or lost. The long ball gets you in, the touch keeps you in. When you see reds on cushions, you automatically know to ignore them unless they come up as options or cannons. When you see reds blocking the black, you automatically know these are top priority. When you see any colors way off spots or right over a pocket, you know these are priority also.

As a simple test, try running 3 reds. One between pink and black in line, and one blocking the black for each pocket half way between black spot and corner. I actually did this and was shocked at how difficult the break suddenly became.

I did the above blocking discovery for other situations also like reds half way between blue/pink/black and cushion. I experimented with typical match scenarios and then came up with the game plan I suggested earlier.

Regarding the 3-ball the key concept is, plan for the ball you are going to play next, plus one more. So if you are on a red, look for the next, and if you are on a color, look for the next. So you are always 2 steps ahead. It will be painful at first, but will become automatic soon after. Trust it.

[mythman69]

To answer the first question, will you ever make a tonne. The answer of course, depends on how badly you want it. The fact that you seek to refine and develop your mechanics indicates to me that you are open to change. That's crucial as without change, you won't grow and improve. Admitting that something needs to be worked on is crucial. I see too many players believing that a goal is out of reach and so never develop the courage and will to fight through their own limiting beliefs.

Mechanics plays a huge role but while working on it, I suggest that you look at your break building knowledge and ball selection as that will often be the determining factor. You can take an average potter with great ball selection, and they will make tonnes vs a superb potter with poor ball selection and positioning. Murphy and White are good examples of great potting ability but poor break building skill, vs Yu Delu who is a great break builder, but an average (average compared to the other two) potter.

I recently achieved my first tonne on a 5x10 which I posted here on the forum. I was always told by many that I was great potter, but I often fail to see positional patterns and choose the wrong balls to develop the break further.

One thing I did recently was to come up with my own game plan on break building whereby I would choose reds in a particular order:

1. Remove reds stopping black from potting into both pockets (unless they are on the cushion and hard to gain position from)
2. Remove reds preventing your hand from being down on the table when potting the black. These are the reds that are between the triangle and side cushion and in open play. Removing these and the ones in the black pockets allows you to achieve full cue action and so reduces misses on the black/pink.
3. Once the above are removed, work on the triangle and opening more reds.
4. While working on the above reds, play to knock a few more reds into play.

Of course the order above isn't set in stone as sometimes you have to play recovery or choose secondary reds to keep the break going. There is an art in break building whereby you are increasing your chances of potting colors but still maintaining position. The above isn't a rule book but a guide that highlights some important considerations.

A good 4-part video series to watch with some very important commentary is from Nic Barrow here:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...AqSL8z2wdS97xU

Also, my commentary on ROS here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnYYJcIHTas

Also, some additional videos I put up here: https://www.youtube.com/user/snookerdelight/videos

One thing my m8 always said was that you will likely make your first tonne after working your way up from a 50 break. You will make a few 60's, a few 70's, and then something close like a 90+. Depending on your ability to stay focused and not get unnerved, you may fail to pot the ball that gets you over the line because you know you are near the tonne (or someone tells you). Nerves will play a huge role.

To get over the nerves, what I highly recommend is to get to the practice table. Your nerves are like a muscle that needs to be built up over time. Setup up 3 reds (not the lineup) randomly placed between pink and black and clear the table for a 45+ break. Do that 3 times successfully. Then setup 4 reds for a 60+ break. Then 5 reds and so on and so on. When you get to about 7 reds, setup a 4 ball cluster below the pink that will require you to open them. Setup these routines like you would see in a typical match scenario. When you get to around 8 reds, you are on a 90+ break. If you can get through 8 reds several times on the practice table then add 2 more reds that will get you into century territory. All that experience working up from 3 to 10 reds will aid you in seeing patterns and getting the tonne in match. Personally, I made a few tonnes in practice before ever getting it in match play.

Hope that helps.

Great post !! Thanks !!

[thelongbomber]

Les, if you can afford, buy a set of 6 black balls so that you can replace the colors. This way in practice, you can clear yourself of "point bias" so that instead of trying to hold black, you will play blue/baulk spots whenever necessary to keep the break going. Even though black is preferred, have no bias for it. Play the natural, pure strike, centre ball whenever possible. If you end up off angle, use the colors for recovery. You need to know when its right to hold or not for a given shot, and that's not as easy to explain (has to do with not sacrificing the pot and timing the strike as top priority, everything else being secondary).

[thelongbomber]

I think this is very interesting, something I may have to look at. I usually plan my next ball but don't look too much beyond that. I will if say on a red plan to get high or low on the colour so I can play towards another red/reds but not specifically high or low on the second red

I don't mean angle of the 2nd red while I'm shooting the first. As long as you know that you need to be high/low on your NEXT shot, that's enough to indicate you are doing 2 balls ahead. What you DONT want to do is think angles for each and every shot and search around. This will be evident in your game if you are doing constant recovery shots and recovery strokes (spin, english, etc).

I don't see patterns yet, its a very interesting concept and I can see how it can work. its like playing the colours which I practice a lot getting the correct angle for the next shot helps making a clearance.

I may have to start looking at this and start playing with 2-3 reds and start building it up.

great post Longbomber really appreciate your input and time in explaining a lot of this.

Alabbadi

You will see patterns eventually. There are only so many scenarios around the black/pink that you can practice. The diamond typically opens up in a semi-predicable way and if you can get into scoring early with good safety, you can implement a break before things get messy with a dozen safety shots. In amateur level it's actually doubly hard to make a tonne because colors get moved so often. The pros know how to keep the colors in play and still get safe.

Simple setups or 3/4/5 reds will show you patterns.

[ace man]

Main reason why you won't make anywhere close to 100 in a match is because you play only 3 times a week and even then not that many hours. I don't care if you have smartest possible programme in those 3 days with the best coaches available on planet.
It cannot be done with the amount of time you plan to put in. It is just wrong to give anyone false hope.

[j6uk]

Main reason why you won't make anywhere close to 100 in a match is because you play only 3 times a week and even then not that many hours. I don't care if you have smartest possible programme in those 3 days with the best coaches available on planet.
It cannot be done with the amount of time you plan to put in. It is just wrong to give anyone false hope.

unless your tel or this dude..

[lesedwards]

I don't mean angle of the 2nd red while I'm shooting the first. As long as you know that you need to be high/low on your NEXT shot, that's enough to indicate you are doing 2 balls ahead. What you DONT want to do is think angles for each and every shot and search around. This will be evident in your game if you are doing constant recovery shots and recovery strokes (spin, english, etc).

You will see patterns eventually. There are only so many scenarios around the black/pink that you can practice. The diamond typically opens up in a semi-predicable way and if you can get into scoring early with good safety, you can implement a break before things get messy with a dozen safety shots. In amateur level it's actually doubly hard to make a tonne because colors get moved so often. The pros know how to keep the colors in play and still get safe.

Simple setups or 3/4/5 reds will show you patterns.

I finally had a couple hours to try what has been suggested to me to help with my positional play. Let's just say it looks so easy on paper. I found out very quickly that it is not easy, I decided to start with Two Reds. I would plan my next shot and decide the angle I wanted then not even come close. After an half hour I was able to start clearing off the two reds and get position on the yellow but I would screw something up before I ran all the colours. I guess I will notice if I am improving when I am able to get closer and closer to a total clearance and then I will be able to add another red once I make a few total clearances. I have the summer to work on this and be ready for our 1st qualifier in September.

[j6uk]

I finally had a couple hours to try what has been suggested to me to help with my positional play. Let's just say it looks so easy on paper. I found out very quickly that it is not easy, I decided to start with Two Reds. I would plan my next shot and decide the angle I wanted then not even come close. After an half hour I was able to start clearing off the two reds and get position on the yellow but I would screw something up before I ran all the colours. I guess I will notice if I am improving when I am able to get closer and closer to a total clearance and then I will be able to add another red once I make a few total clearances. I have the summer to work on this and be ready for our 1st qualifier in September.

what bomber has suggested just might be the break you need les to take you to that dreamy100. but listen if you keep getting hot under the collar and hammering your thumb this summer les, remember you can always go back and learn the basics later

[Inoffthered]

Try to make the break in 'chunks'. So.. when you begin your visit to the table, you might see 3 or 4 reds..
( with blacks? ), that's @ 24pts... then after those are gone, you might leave yourself an angle to go into
the pack of reds ( if you feel they need to be developed ), and with the next 4 reds or so that you break up from
the main pack.. take those.. You're now on @ 50 or so.. keep going with this mindset and before you know where
you are, you'll be hitting 70's and 80's reg. - this is the foundation on which you will become a reg. ton maker,
and not someone who just made a ton!

It does not matter whether you are on 30 or 90.. just plan your next shot BEFORE playing it and don't go looking
for the ton! The rest will follow naturally!

[j6uk]

Also, my commentary on ROS here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnYYJcIHTas
Hope that helps.

i didn't know how extensive this thread was. do you have any more of this kind of thing bomber? really interesting to hear how others see things

[thelongbomber]

I finally had a couple hours to try what has been suggested to me to help with my positional play. Let's just say it looks so easy on paper. I found out very quickly that it is not easy, I decided to start with Two Reds. I would plan my next shot and decide the angle I wanted then not even come close. After an half hour I was able to start clearing off the two reds and get position on the yellow but I would screw something up before I ran all the colours. I guess I will notice if I am improving when I am able to get closer and closer to a total clearance and then I will be able to add another red once I make a few total clearances. I have the summer to work on this and be ready for our 1st qualifier in September.

Exactly the kind of results I would expect. At first, you will have trouble and will start to see clear issues with cue ball control and potting. And then getting into position on yellow starts to elude you which you most definitely will overcome. It becomes easier each time. Once you get on the yellow, the patterns are more consistent and your shot selection becomes automatic because you have been there before.