The Les Edwards Snooker Challenge Thread

[tedisbill]

why have we not had a video of folk doing both of the exercises one after the other, or two or three colour clearances in a row,,not in a loop just in a row, and the four reds a couple of times round, has anyone even thought about doing this?just to show they have some type of mastery of them. Is it maybe because it takes them so many times to do it they can't be bothered or they just cant do it, if any of them are the case they have learned nothing really have they.

Yes, it's because they can't do it. Because it's been two weeks since the first exercise! If you're trying the exercises because you're a novice player, then completing them is good. If you're already capable of posting a video of you clearing the colours 3 times in a row, then you don't need to read this thread.

[Catch 22]

I played very well, need to run more balls when I get a chance. My long potting was exceptional and safety play was very good.

Sounds like you are improving nicely mate. Well done

[itsnoteasy]

Not trying to have a go at anyone , what I'm saying is if you can't do it, do it till you can do it, moving on to something else and leaving that behind , is what I'm worried about, it's not so much giving new exercises to do, it's that none of them really get learned, and it's all about completing them, and not really learning how you have done it, if that makes sense, sorry if that post came across wrong, it wasn't meant like that.

[alabadi]

I don't want to seem like I'm getting on folks backs but I feel there is a completely wrong attitude to these exercises. It shouldn't be phew I've done it, that's not the point at all, it's about mastering them. Everyone seems to be over the moon because they have completed it, and that's fair enough,but how many goes? Is it once an hour, or every twenty goes, that's about as good as not doing it ,as at best you have a five percent chance of doing it, put that in a match situation and that goes down to nearly zero, they have to be done until you are upset with yourself if you don't clear them, then in a pressure situation because you have done them hundreds if not thousands of times you have a high chance of doing it, not great I've done it what's next , to me that's pointless.
I kind of knew this would happen, no one has mentioned doing the colours since the first week, and I bet you no one does last weeks either now there is a new challenge, you have to do them all, all the time, it's called practicing, and putting some work in.
There again if the point is just to do them just ignore all that nonsense

yes i agree, i can complete the colours once every 3 attempts and the 4 reds and blacks once every 4-5 attempts however i'm not satisfied. i should be completing them once in every 2 attempts to be confident that i can do them.

i still do the colour clearance after every solo practice session, iv'e done this for the last year or so. when i started i couldn't clear them 1 in 20 and as time went by i use to get exited when i could complete it 1 in 10. now i am down to 1 in 3 but still feel there is room for improvement.

its the same with the 4 reds and blacks i'm still improving but there is more to come.

i'm using these challenges to keep pushing myself and to revisit routines that i may have not done in a while.

[lesedwards]

Yes, it's because they can't do it. Because it's been two weeks since the first exercise! If you're trying the exercises because you're a novice player, then completing them is good. If you're already capable of posting a video of you clearing the colours 3 times in a row, then you don't need to read this thread.

Okay I understand what Itsnoteasy is saying and I agree to a point as I said in a few posts I want to keep working on previous challenges until I master them and that for me would be able to make all previous challenges within five attempts. Yes I did the challenge today but no video but I will get one up this week. I am not happy because I made it because it took me a half hour and I just feel lucky I did it. I have no confidence at all.

I was down brushing, blocking and ironing my table trying to figure out when my game went south as my game was in much better shape a little over a year ago.
I played my first tournament a year ago last September lost 4-2 to a very good player had a high break of 43 which included two blacks and all the colours. I have not run 20 since. Here we go I bought my Burroughs n Watts the day after that match and my game went down hill so I have always blamed it on that table. Yes it is part of the problem my oldest son was living with us and we use to have best of 3 every night and I would spot him 25 but when I sold the table and put in the Burroughs he quit playing so our matches finished. Last week I had Floyd over for a few games then that night I cleared the 4 reds like nothing and also missed a pink on my way to a total clearance with just pinks. A week before I spent the day with Floyd came home and run the colours through to the pink on my second time around. I thrive on playing not practicing as I did with golf. Play 36 holes a day and never practice. If it was not for Floyd I would go one month to the next before my next match. Sorry I am so long winded. Just trying to figure out what is going on.

[tedisbill]

Did you just say you can't be bothered to do any practice, Les? lol

[tedisbill]

yes i agree, i can complete the colours once every 3 attempts and the 4 reds and blacks once every 4-5 attempts however i'm not satisfied. i should be completing them once in every 2 attempts to be confident that i can do them.

i still do the colour clearance after every solo practice session, iv'e done this for the last year or so. when i started i couldn't clear them 1 in 20 and as time went by i use to get exited when i could complete it 1 in 10. now i am down to 1 in 3 but still feel there is room for improvement.

its the same with the 4 reds and blacks i'm still improving but there is more to come.

i'm using these challenges to keep pushing myself and to revisit routines that i may have not done in a while.

You've certainly got the right attitude with practicing Alabadi.

[itsnoteasy]

Alabadi and Les, maybe it's just the way I'm made, and in a way it's not even about clearing things all the time, jeez we all muck up, me more than most, but it's more knowing why it went wrong, if Im trying to clear the colours and say I go in off in the middle from brown to blue, it's easily done, but I know I have hit to low on the White and stuned up to much, I know this because I have learned how the ball works , so in a way it can be better when you fail, so when I say do it twice or whatever it's to prove you understand how you have done it, not just got excited because you have done it, I'm not saying don't have pride in completing it, as that is an acheivement in itself, but once it's done ,then go and learn how it's done, instead of just being wrapped up in doing it, that's the best way I can explain how I try to learn things, but we are all different and learn things our own way. I'm sorry if I upset anyone and I do wish yous all the best, and I think it's a great thing for us all what Teds doing, I'm looking forward to see this develope.

[lesedwards]

Did you just say you can't be bothered to do any practice, Les? lol

No that's not what I am saying. I am saying I need to find more matches where I can get some consistenciency in my game and confidence. I love the challenges that you have given me but when I went back to clear the colours a couple days ago I was not susscesfull in an hour but the same night after playing with Floyd I was clearing them on almost every attempt. What's that say? I thrive on playing which feeds on my mind a seems to put me in the frame of mind where I can't miss. This game is all my head.

[Leo]

I thought this thread was about giving Les a few easy challenges to get his confidence up not trying to make him the next Cliff.

[mythman69]

I thought this thread was about giving Les a few easy challenges to get his confidence up not trying to make him the next Cliff.

Speaking of Cliff . . . have you seen Cliff Thorburn's Snooker Skills Book?

I just got one from ebay and it is a great read. 5 stars

Still, I would prefer to get a few lessons from the man himself.

[tedisbill]

I thought this thread was about giving Les a few easy challenges to get his confidence up not trying to make him the next Cliff.

Yeah, pretty much. It's been two weeks since the first challenge. I don't think we need to go too mad yet!

[lesedwards]

Yeah, pretty much. It's been two weeks since the first challenge. I don't think we need to go too mad yet!

Even though I don't sound like I am enjoying them at times I look forward to the challenge and keeping up with the other guys. I should get some time tomorrow as we are under blizzard conditions on our side of the pond.

[tedisbill]

Even though I don't sound like I am enjoying them at times I look forward to the challenge and keeping up with the other guys. I should get some time tomorrow as we are under blizzard conditions on our side of the pond.

Oh dear, but at least you get some nice table time tomorrow.

This practice is perfect for you, Les. Week 6 is break off and make a 130+ total clearance, so the more practice you get the better

[GeordieDS]

Even though I don't sound like I am enjoying them at times I look forward to the challenge and keeping up with the other guys. I should get some time tomorrow as we are under blizzard conditions on our side of the pond.

It's not to bad getting snowed in when you have a full size snooker table in the house!