The Les Edwards Snooker Challenge Thread

[Leo]

I should have kept practising and not up loaded my videos till Saturday night then Sunday I would be waiting for my next challenge.

That's fair enough Les. I think because you've got half the forum behind you many of us are excited and chuffed for you and can't wait for you to achieve the next task hence we are all routing for the next challenge.

[Byrom]

Yes I understand. I will be onto that tomorrow. Hard to believe I am thinking on clearing the colours twice in a row when last week I spent a 1/2 hour and never got by the Brown....LOL

Remember I mention targets Les? This is focused practice what Ted is setting you here week on week - stick with it and by the end of this year you will be very much improved - its only been a week yeah and already you are loving it and have improved beyond all measure. Reason you know this is because now you are measuring that improvement.

This is a good thread for everyone not just Les - When you turning pro coach Tedismrmotivator?

[timcunnell]

I don't want to over-complicate things, but just a question for more advanced players - as there has been some talk of doing the colours in a loop I was just interested it getting from black back up to yellow.
As I understand it, the procedure is to pot yellow to pink - get position on the black, then re-spot all the colours. Then pot the black and get back up for the yellow, and go again.
When I try this I usually try and finish high on the black (on the green side) and play off the bottom cushion and side cushion - but struggle to get near the yellow. Or alternatively finish a little low on the black on the yellow side and pot it with a bit of left hand side to kick it up to the yellow off the side cushion. I have more success this way, but I've found there isn't much margin for error in getting position on the black this way.
How do you guys play it?

[RogiBear]

I don't want to over-complicate things, but just a question for more advanced players - as there has been some talk of doing the colours in a loop I was just interested it getting from black back up to yellow.
As I understand it, the procedure is to pot yellow to pink - get position on the black, then re-spot all the colours. Then pot the black and get back up for the yellow, and go again.
When I try this I usually try and finish high on the black (on the green side) and play off the bottom cushion and side cushion - but struggle to get near the yellow. Or alternatively finish a little low on the black on the yellow side and pot it with a bit of left hand side to kick it up to the yellow off the side cushion. I have more success this way, but I've found there isn't much margin for error in getting position on the black this way.
How do you guys play it?

Well it all depends on what position you actually have on the black and which side of the table. Options are direct stun/screw up, off the side cushion just before the middle pocket, black cushion, stun 2 cushions or even top through 2/3 cushions. Basically anything that isn't straight is fairly achievable to get up for yellow.

[timcunnell]

Thanks - I will need to go and practice I think!
Its just that generally I find I finish slightly high on the pink quite consistently - which means I find myself with the decision of either running through for the black in the opposite corner (good for finishing low) or forcing it a bit for the black in the same pocket. I'm just never sure which is the better way to play it
Would you guys agree that being high on the black, on the yellow side of the table, is pretty tough to get to the yellow from? Or am I missing a trick?
I guess practice is the key!!

[Leo]

Thanks - I will need to go and practice I think!
Its just that generally I find I finish slightly high on the pink quite consistently - which means I find myself with the decision of either running through for the black in the opposite corner (good for finishing low) or forcing it a bit for the black in the same pocket. I'm just never sure which is the better way to play it
Would you guys agree that being high on the black, on the yellow side of the table, is pretty tough to get to the yellow from? Or am I missing a trick?
I guess practice is the key!!

you don't need to make it hard for yourself, just get slightly low on the black and roll or stun off the cushion for the yellow.

[Byrom]

there are a few ways - like you say you can stun off two cushions from your position which is my preferred line as you get on the yellow more consistently and - really depends on your angle but you widen the angle off the bottom and side cushions by cueing lower on the white then it comes off two cushions or stun higher up oh the centre white to come straight back up off the back cushion - I would do this say if there was another ball on the rail preventing me from using the side - here when taking this shot I am imagining the path of the white visualising not only potting the black but also the point I want the white to hit on the bottom and side rails on the cushion. I have a habit of playing this shot with a touch of bottom left to help the pot on the black and make the side rail point I want to hit but that's just me you can play it plain ball too.

the other shot to play for is fishing low on the black and playing it off the opposite side cush or just stunning up - again various shots are available - some more adventurous than others - although you might experiment with a few flash shots with side n stuff in practice the real key to success is to try and keep all your shot selections in your play as simple as you can really.

Practice this way get all balls out of pocket place yellow on spot keep placing balls on black spot play for an area for yellow - until you get the feel of the shot and understanding of the line you need either low or high to play the shot in question - I don't worry about missing the black for the black to yellow shot in practice as much as missing the position of the white - this is more important to get right and get a feel for if that makes sense?

[timcunnell]

there are a few ways - like you say you can stun off two cushions from your position which is my preferred line as you get on the yellow more consistently and - really depends on your angle but you widen the angle off the bottom and side cushions by cueing lower on the white then it comes off two cushions or stun higher up oh the centre white to come straight back up off the back cushion - I would do this say if there was another ball on the rail preventing me from using the side cushion.

the other shot to play for is fishing low on the black and playing it off the opposite side cush right - again various shots are available - some more adventurous than others - although you might experiment with a few flas shots with side n stuff in practice the real key to success is to try and keep all your shot selections in your play as simple as you can really.

Practice this way get all balls out of pocket place yellow on spot keep placing balls on black spot play for an area for yellow - until you get the feel of the shot and understanding of the line you need either low or high to play the shot in question.

Thanks mate this is really helpful. Will practice a few ways and hopefully get the hang of it.

A problem I often have is that the stuff I really should practice is not the stuff I especially WANT to practice!

[Byrom]

Thanks mate this is really helpful. Will practice a few ways and hopefully get the hang of it.

A problem I often have is that the stuff I really should practice is not the stuff I especially WANT to practice!

Yes lot of people have this issue which is the whole point of this thread in essence - This guy Les has been randomly potting balls not focusing on position for a year or two and he did not get anywhere - one or two nights focused practice setting targets and goals to beat and suddenly it clicks.

Lazy practice makes a lazy player and focused practice makes a ? :snooker:

[alabadi]

I don't worry about missing the black for the black to yellow shot in practice as much as missing the position of the white - this is more important to get right and get a feel for if that makes sense?

I understand the position here is important, however if you miss the pot and get position , won't that position be false, because had you made the pot the cueball path would be different, and therefore your position would be different too.

I practice this all the time, my preference is low on the black yellow side of table and stun off side cushion with a hint of left hand side. but as I said if the pot is missed I find the position completely different especially if using side.

[Byrom]

I understand the position here is important, however if you miss the pot and get position , won't that position be false, because had you made the pot the cueball path would be different, and therefore your position would be different too.

I practice this all the time, my preference is low on the black yellow side of table and stun off side cushion with a hint of left hand side. but as I said if the pot is missed I find the position completely different especially if using side.

Yes that's true and obvious you can also get the pot go in off the angle and not centre pocket and miss position too though but my point is the practice routine is more about focusing on the positional play - not to beat yourself up on missing a pot.

People get the pot and place less emphasis on getting position sometimes - I think position is everything and pot secondary in practice - obviously good when you get both but I don't get hung up on missing a pot - as this practice routine I mentioned is more about learning position play with the white for the yellow not just potting blacks. Learning to stun up and down centre white to widen or narrow the angle of reflection off a cush or two - learning to play for a line above or below the line for the black and understanding what shots will follow - Learning to play for an area for the yellow and experimenting with shots for position - not all about the pot - the exercise is a positional one.

Anyway - going off topic this is ted n les's thread I was just offering my advice to a off topic question

[lesedwards]

Remember I mention targets Les? This is focused practice what Ted is setting you here week on week - stick with it and by the end of this year you will be very much improved - its only been a week yeah and already you are loving it and have improved beyond all measure. Reason you know this is because now you are measuring that improvement.

This is a good thread for everyone not just Les - When you turning pro coach Tedismrmotivator?

By the end of the year I should be ready. Ted and I are going on tour..... I wish... At 51 I just want to become a good player. I am really excited about these targets.

[Byrom]

By the end of the year I should be ready. Ted and I are going on tour..... I wish... At 51 I just want to become a good player. I am really excited about these targets.

You doing well Les - confidence comes from practice and matchplay results and improvement will come from this stuff you are doing with Ted- onwards and upwards Edwards

[guernseygooner]

Haven't numerous people told Les to do more structured practice for the last 18 months?

Just my opinion but isn't practising to clear the colours a bit of a waste if you haven't scored enough in the frame to win with a clearance? Would have thought trying to pot 10 blacks off the spot would be a good indication of his thought process.

[Leo]

Haven't numerous people told Les to do more structured practice for the last 18 months?

Just my opinion but isn't practising to clear the colours a bit of a waste if you haven't scored enough in the frame to win with a clearance? Would have thought trying to pot 10 blacks off the spot would be a good indication of his thought process.

Valid point but I think it started off as a bit of fun and now looks like it's going to turn into regular routines. I'm sure tedisbill will use the black routine in another challenge later on. At the moment the colours for Les has worked as its bought his confidence back which he lacks and hopefully the black routine will be a walk in the park when he comes to it.