The Les Edwards Snooker Challenge Thread

[lesedwards]

Les we all have good days and bad days, maybe more bad than good. just remember the good days as they are the ones that keeps us going.

i have been spending a lot of time analysing my game , where i go wrong and over the last few weeks have discovered a purple patch , i changed one little thing in my setup and so far my potting has improved at lease by 20-30%.

i am enjoying practice a lot more now because of this. i'm hoping once this change becomes ingrained i will improve rapidly.

i'll keep you posted

Sounds good, I made the same mistake I made a couple weeks ago when I went off the deep end. I kept pushing the latest challenge over and over again until I blew up. I said then that I had to minimize my attempts on challenges to five and then move on. I was back at the table tonight but this time no challenge just played two tough matches against myself. Right off the bat I hammer in a long red with perfect shape on the black and ran 41. I also ran a 35 by making the last red with a black and ran out.

[GeordieDS]

As you improve so will your expectations and that's when the real demons arrive, you should get a live 24hr link to the snooker room like J6 says but also put a punchbag there as well so when things get a bit stressful you can unload all your fury, put a microphone in as well please.

[j6uk]

what did you change?

Les we all have good days and bad days, maybe more bad than good. just remember the good days as they are the ones that keeps us going.

i have been spending a lot of time analysing my game , where i go wrong and over the last few weeks have discovered a purple patch , i changed one little thing in my setup and so far my potting has improved at lease by 20-30%.

i am enjoying practice a lot more now because of this. i'm hoping once this change becomes ingrained i will improve rapidly.

i'll keep you posted

[fractivsammy]

Haven't checked in here for a while, been pretty busy with work and haven't been practicing so much. Only just saw the week 7 challenge which I'm looking forward to trying.

I did recently change something about my stroke which seems to be working. I now add a very slight "arc" in my stroke (so the cue butt is raised very slightly in the air at the end of the backswing, rather than keeping the cue as flat to the table as possible). I don't know why, but this seems to help me get the cue going straighter through the cue ball, and the action I get on the cue ball is much better. I've noticed Selby, Robertson, Ronnie all seem to do this too, even though most snooker coaches will tell you not to, from what I understand.

[Leo]

Sounds good, I made the same mistake I made a couple weeks ago when I went off the deep end. I kept pushing the latest challenge over and over again until I blew up. I said then that I had to minimize my attempts on challenges to five and then move on. I was back at the table tonight but this time no challenge just played two tough matches against myself. Right off the bat I hammer in a long red with perfect shape on the black and ran 41. I also ran a 35 by making the last red with a black and ran out.

If you're minimising your challenges to just 5 attempts which is around say 10 mins it sounds you've thrown the towel in Mr Edwards. If I had that attitude When I started I would've been at home watching repeats of renta-ghost.

[alabadi]

what did you change?

The way I approach. I found the I was hitting shots to the right thicker than usual, and to the left thinner. Not all the time , but often. So when I analysed this I noticed my right foot was a bit too far to the right of the line of aim.

So I adjusted my step a bit further left and this has made a huge difference . I've been potting balls I usually miss. Now I'm not saying this is the solution to all my problems but so far it's a change in the right direction.
I'll have to see over the next few weeks if it's made any significant change in my fortunes

[lesedwards]

If you're minimising your challenges to just 5 attempts which is around say 10 mins it sounds you've thrown the towel in Mr Edwards. If I had that attitude When I started I would've been at home watching repeats of renta-ghost.

Okay Leo I get your point. Maybe I should set the first half hour for the new challenge but I get carried away and then after an a hour or more I just get very frustrated until I cannot make anything.

[j6uk]

you have been sounding like a whining old bag for a while now lesley, but don't worry as long as you keep slapping your nuts this thread aint going anywhere

Okay Leo I get your point. Maybe I should set the first half hour for the new challenge but I get carried away and then after an a hour or more I just get very frustrated until I cannot make anything.

[j6uk]

so you've shuffled your alignment and widened your stance? do you find potting balls easier from one side of the table than the other?

The way I approach. I found the I was hitting shots to the right thicker than usual, and to the left thinner. Not all the time , but often. So when I analysed this I noticed my right foot was a bit too far to the right of the line of aim.

So I adjusted my step a bit further left and this has made a huge difference . I've been potting balls I usually miss. Now I'm not saying this is the solution to all my problems but so far it's a change in the right direction.
I'll have to see over the next few weeks if it's made any significant change in my fortunes

[alabadi]

in a way yes. maybe over time my stance changed and i didn't notice. so the change has made a difference.

with regards to preferring one side over the other, obviously being right handed i am more comfortable playing from the green side of the table. but overall i wouldn't say that i have noticed i play better from one side over the other.

[Ricky2112]

The way I approach. I found the I was hitting shots to the right thicker than usual, and to the left thinner. Not all the time , but often. So when I analysed this I noticed my right foot was a bit too far to the right of the line of aim.

So I adjusted my step a bit further left and this has made a huge difference . I've been potting balls I usually miss. Now I'm not saying this is the solution to all my problems but so far it's a change in the right direction.
I'll have to see over the next few weeks if it's made any significant change in my fortunes

Did the same thing also one time. Just moving that foot to get you right behind the ball make a huge difference. I see post about people not being able to pot and blame it on sighting and the advice on here is stick with it, practice and practice the brain will work it out, I have to laugh at that advice because it's probably down to the problem of foot position and it's amazing how this changes your sighting.

Cheers Ricky

[markz]

Okay Leo I get your point. Maybe I should set the first half hour for the new challenge but I get carried away and then after an a hour or more I just get very frustrated until I cannot make anything.

Les, the main thing with snooker is to start with basics and build a good base you can rely on, routines can only do so much if you have limited technique. The above two posters Ricky and Alabadi are both still working on their techniques trying to improve so they can move forward. It's hard work but we have all been there, like Terry says, don't run before you can walk.

[cyberheater]

So I've got a nice little routine going now. I've only got a hour to practise at a time due to work commits so I have to make it value add.
I've decided just to concentrate on my weaknesses.

20 mins. Straight blues.
20 mins. Blacks.
20 mins. 6 red in triangle formation below the pink. Give them a nudge. Replace the white and go for it.
I managed to get to the final pink on that tonight.

[lesedwards]

Les, the main thing with snooker is to start with basics and build a good base you can rely on, routines can only do so much if you have limited technique. The above two posters Ricky and Alabadi are both still working on their techniques trying to improve so they can move forward. It's hard work but we have all been there, like Terry says, don't run before you can walk.

I just get to worked up along with the video cam on off on off so tonight I saus 1/2 hour. Second attempt I just ran 50 rattled a Long blue with perfect shape to clear pink and black for 68

[tedisbill]

Good going Cyber, well done.