The Les Edwards Snooker Challenge Thread

[Byrom]

I don't know about that. I have spent the last week running different routines and really potting well. Had some 40's and 50's in the line up and also playing tough six red matches against myself getting ready for the six red tournament this weekend. Went down today and had a visit with Cliff and we played for about four hours and I potted very well. Stopped in at another club and played in a six red qualifier and lost three straight with a high break of 8. My Hcp was 20 and the guy I played was 22 so I spotted him 2 and he had over 20 points going into the colours all three games. I look good on paper and I look good on the practice table but I look like I have never played before when the match starts. I am not the least bit nervous as it is all in fun but it really is getting frustrating. I know it doesn't help that the only match play I get is when I go to a tournament other then that I play by myself. Sorry for the long post just trying to make sense of it.

Ok something technically wrong I think - why not try working on your technique as well as just potting balls.

Do you cue and feather the same way on every shot, do you vary it or do you cue differently for harder shots?

J6uk has a toca thing - its a training device and you can make your own like cueing through a matchbox or on a table in front of a mirror or practice on the baulk line.
There is practice on the table and there is technique practice.

To get consistent you need to have a consistent action a consistent pre shot routine and it helps to do the same things so its second nature. This can take some a few years to get perfect and would have saved you time had you listened to Terry and stuck to what he told you at the start because I remember he mentioned it but it seems under pressure or faced with awkward shots perhaps you may be switching back to old habits. If you don't understand what's going wrong and you cant correct it now you will always be stuck in this inconsistent rut.

My advice is do some regular work on technique get a consistent natural cue action you like that helps you get through the ball straight rather than jabbing at the front face of the white and then stick with it until its a natural part of your muscle memory and timing.

This thread been going on too long with not much progress either you either don't listen, you listen to too many different people or you don't put the hours in on the important stuff.

[tedisbill]

or you don't put the hours in on the important stuff.

I suspect it's this one. Les comes and goes, plays a bit of snooker and then gets distracted by golf.

[vmax4steve]

Stop practising straight ball potting, stop taking the straighter ones in the line up, in other words stop doing the easy stuff, learn your angles and keep your eye on the object ball.
It ain't all straight when your playing matches, subconscious fear of missing is making you leave yourself too straight all the time so all you can do position wise is go forward or backwards.
With your cue action you're not going to be playing too many good shots using power, so it's essential that you kearn your angles so that you can use the cue balls natural trajectory for positional play, old school technique that is, and it works very well.

[tedisbill]

Got to agree with Vmax there, very good point.

[Byrom]

Well that is all very well potting balls but if your technique ain't consistent it does not matter what the shot is he will remain inconsistent and you are very likely to have things in your head other than just picking out the shot you need looking at where you are aiming and going through your pre shot routine correctly and naturally as you should.

If you service the car it runs smoother - Les just skipped the basics of driving school and wanted to be Lewis Hamilton right away I think.

[alabadi]

Well, Les. It basically comes down to the fact that you're just playing at your level. Matches are totally, totally different to playing in practice in the line-up or even playing against your mate.

Everybody will drop down a level and not play their best snooker in a match. The guys on TV are not playing right a top of their game in a match (though occasionally they will).

So it basically just comes down to realistically knowing where you are with your game. If you can make 40 in the line-up on your own, then for real match play you can halve that straight away. Then halve it again because the balls are never that easy in a real frame. So now we've got your realistic average break, which is 10.

I mean, take a guy with a high break of 56 against his mate in the club. He's gonna get nowhere near 50 breaks in tournament play. He'll be more like a 20 break player at best in competition.

That's just snooker. Nobody plays at 100% of their game. It's just that for the better players, 65-75% will be just fine in matches. Then occasionally you play almost to the top of your game. But I've probably played about 2 or 3 matches in the last 2 years where I felt like I was flying.

BOOM!

Got in one Ted, well put

[lesedwards]

BOOM!

Got in one Ted, well put

Yea I am getting it. Not that I want to hear it...LOL when I put it into the golf picture I understand. All I can do is keep working at my game. Build confidence and get rid of the doubt on every shot.

[ghost121]

Well, Les. It basically comes down to the fact that you're just playing at your level. Matches are totally, totally different to playing in practice in the line-up or even playing against your mate.

Everybody will drop down a level and not play their best snooker in a match. The guys on TV are not playing right a top of their game in a match (though occasionally they will).

So it basically just comes down to realistically knowing where you are with your game. If you can make 40 in the line-up on your own, then for real match play you can halve that straight away. Then halve it again because the balls are never that easy in a real frame. So now we've got your realistic average break, which is 10.

I mean, take a guy with a high break of 56 against his mate in the club. He's gonna get nowhere near 50 breaks in tournament play. He'll be more like a 20 break player at best in competition.

That's just snooker. Nobody plays at 100% of their game. It's just that for the better players, 65-75% will be just fine in matches. Then occasionally you play almost to the top of your game. But I've probably played about 2 or 3 matches in the last 2 years where I felt like I was flying.

+1

This is one of the best posts of the year.

[GeordieDS]

+1

This is one of the best posts of the year.

In terms of explaining something it is the best

[Byrom]

Well in a match you encounter different situation and different shots but if you approach every one using the same technique and cueing you deploy in practice you gain more consistency. If you fail a lot its because your technique is not right.

Les is too hesitant getting into the shot he jabs at the front face of the white he does not get through the ball and his technique varies from shot to shot. Most am players have inconsistencies thro never ironing out their cueing glitches and technique properly. Potting balls is not complete practice that's potting balls practice - a golfer practices his swing.... a snooker player should.

example on one player I love to watch more than most - see how this technique is the same on each shot here?

[Byrom]

Now to me watching that cue action is akin to watching an Aston Martin drive down the street - I wish I owned it.

[Leo]

Some people just have to accept their level, you can teach people to dance but they have to hear the music.

[Byrom]

Some people just have to accept their level, you can teach people to dance but they have to hear the music.

Very profound that Leo I like it.

Anyway had my say - I tried my best now with advice to Les on this thread - but get to feel he has the volume turned down on it - so maybe just let everyone get on with it now.

Good luck Les for what its worth B over n out.

[lesedwards]

Thanks once again for all your input. I have not ignored any of your replies and I definitely don't have my volume turned down. Just taking it all in, a lot of real good reading. I spent four hours with Cliff yesterday and his first comment was how well I was cueing and how consistent I was. I was making pots and playing shape on the ball he suggested. No fear of missing not even a thought. Then I drive a half hour up the road play a qualifier and have the fear, doubt what ever you want to call it about missing until all my concentration is on that single pot. Cliff text me from the airport this morning and this is what he said.
Les We'll talk and get to the bottom of this!

[tedisbill]

So what was your highest break against Cliff then? Or more to the point, in most frames, what was your highest break?