The Les Edwards Snooker Challenge Thread

[DeanH]

After reading the latest posts on this thread, yesterday I tried a little experiment; during the day whenever I thought about it, I told myself "I will win"; then when it came to it last night, I continued the positive mental attitude.
Over the last year I have been playing a colleague nearly every Tuesday night, always closes frames and close match scores (and always great fun), but last night I whitewashed him 5-0!
Three frames were close as usual, nearly a respot black in one, he played a shot a tad heavy, leaving a long black just off the side rail for me to snick 2ft into the yellow pocket
The other two frames (first and last) I left him needed snookers with one/two reds on the table

Les, I am glad you have found a groove that works for you and keep the PMA going as well, it worked for me :biggrin:

[alabadi]

I don't consider these little changes starting over I consider them just fine little tweaks. Something like when your putting goes and you tweek your alignment a touch or you go with a touch longer back swing. Anyways we played tonight and I came into the night the underdog but I came with a positive attitude and with the first few safety's I ran a long red and continued with two blues and a brown. Then a little later I ran a 30 with three blacks and a blue. Won the first game easy but then I found old habits die hard as I started to think negatively which out doubt in my stroke and I don't recall running anymore then a couple balls at one time and lost. So we played a rubber match and I talked myself back on track with my Trigger "I am good" I then continued to run three blacks starting with a great long pot then a 18 and a 16 and won easy.

Les, i am glad you played well, its not a criticism i'm still learning to be consistent in my game too. however through this thread if we look back to earlier ones you have had these moments before where you've tweaked something and it's worked instantly only for you to come back a few weeks later saying your game has gone to pot.

i think for you just enjoy the game , try and concentrate on the basics get them right and build slowly from there. we all know this game is very difficult and takes years and many many hours to improve and at our age we feel we haven't time and want instant success, but it's hard.

i'm afraid that's not going to happen, i have accepted that and i just try and enjoy it as is, improvement is there all be it slowly. all we can do is keep trying and hopefully eventually we will play better and have those moments where we feel on top of the world, even if it is only for one frame.

Good luck Les....keep it going

[Leo]

Gets quite boring constantly hearing about people losing confidence, it's a lack of concentration not confidence that's making you miss, the 2 should come hand in hand and without concentration you ain't going to gain confidence.

[lesedwards]

After reading the latest posts on this thread, yesterday I tried a little experiment; during the day whenever I thought about it, I told myself "I will win"; then when it came to it last night, I continued the positive mental attitude.
Over the last year I have been playing a colleague nearly every Tuesday night, always closes frames and close match scores (and always great fun), but last night I whitewashed him 5-0!
Three frames were close as usual, nearly a respot black in one, he played a shot a tad heavy, leaving a long black just off the side rail for me to snick 2ft into the yellow pocket
The other two frames (first and last) I left him needed snookers with one/two reds on the table

Les, I am glad you have found a groove that works for you and keep the PMA going as well, it worked for me :biggrin:

That's great Dean, it feels good when you move around the table making great shots not to mention just banging them in when I am so use to rolling the ball and missing. Floyd is coming today for a visit and we will play a few games and yes I know someone mentioned I should not be playing with Floyd but one thing he does is really boost my confidence as he really compliments good shots. I still say playing with better players makes you better.

Gets quite boring constantly hearing about people losing confidence, it's a lack of concentration not confidence that's making you miss, the 2 should come hand in hand and without concentration you ain't going to gain confidence.

I agree completely with you Leo. That was something else I did last night. I watched the table at all times looking and planing my way around the table. My first run was not that high but some well played and planned shots. Total concentration.

[DeanH]

That's great Dean, it feels good when you move around the table making great shots not to mention just banging them in when I am so use to rolling the ball and missing. Floyd is coming today for a visit and we will play a few games and yes I know someone mentioned I should not be playing with Floyd but one thing he does is really boost my confidence as he really compliments good shots. I still say playing with better players makes you better.

I agree completely with you Leo. That was something else I did last night. I watched the table at all times looking and planing my way around the table. My first run was not that high but some well played and planned shots. Total concentration.

start thinking "I will win" now before Floyd turns up :biggrin:

"I know someone mentioned I should not be playing with Floyd..." how many times do we see people saying "to improve. find people better than you to play against" ?

[lesedwards]

Les, i am glad you played well, its not a criticism i'm still learning to be consistent in my game too. however through this thread if we look back to earlier ones you have had these moments before where you've tweaked something and it's worked instantly only for you to come back a few weeks later saying your game has gone to pot.

i think for you just enjoy the game , try and concentrate on the basics get them right and build slowly from there. we all know this game is very difficult and takes years and many many hours to improve and at our age we feel we haven't time and want instant success, but it's hard.

i'm afraid that's not going to happen, i have accepted that and i just try and enjoy it as is, improvement is there all be it slowly. all we can do is keep trying and hopefully eventually we will play better and have those moments where we feel on top of the world, even if it is only for one frame.

Good luck Les....keep it going

Thanks, I needed that last night. I am trying my hardest to just enjoy the game. But I am very competitive and still feel I can learn to play this game at a very good level. You need to have a goal and that's mine. 30 to 50 breaks will win a lot of games in our area. Won't beat Floyd but will give a lot of guys a run for their money.
More important I am glad to hear you are jumping into a tournament. I can't wait for all the details.

[lesedwards]

start thinking "I will win" now before Floyd turns up :biggrin:

"I know someone mentioned I should not be playing with Floyd..." how many times do we see people saying "to improve. find people better than you to play against" ?

LMAO, I am in full concentration mode....LOL I text him last night and told him he better bring his "A" game because I am potting balls like a champion.

[Terry Davidson]

LMAO, I am in full concentration mode....LOL I text him last night and told him he better bring his "A" game because I am potting balls like a champion.

I'm pretty sure Floyd is worrying about that Les

[lesedwards]

I'm pretty sure Floyd is worrying about that Les

LOL this is my new attitude. Remember Trigger Word "I am good"

[markz]

Les, I was the one that said playing Floyd isn't going to help improve your game any quicker. He is so much better than you that unless frames are scrappy you will be fetching balls out. I agree if you have a good grasp on the game and can take advice on and learn quickly playing a better player is really useful.

I'm just going on what you have posted on here since the thread started in January and it seems you have had help from lots of good players yet you haven't progressed from doing teds few challenges. Some people learn the game quicker than others but your progress seems to be slower. That could be down to you trying to be competitive, more worried about scores and winning than learning the game inside out.

Great to be positive about your game but nobody gets better by saying I'm a good player, you got to put the time on the table with good practice, improving your skills and working on weaknesses. Hundreds of routines out there, don't just do the few easy ones ted set for you.

[LucLex3119]

Hi Les,
I was invited to share some info on this thread from Markz.

First off I would like to share what helped me through a sticky patch or plateau with my game and I feel it could help you also.

Firstly I need to know if you have an iPhone and that you can download the Ding Junhui snooker app. If so, brilliant. If not try out these routines. I have to point out that these will work perfectly as long as your basics are down, I'm guessing by some of the posts I have read (although admittedly I haven't read this whole thread so I apologise if this has already been said) that you know the basics.

One of the easiest, if not the easiest ways of getting better cue ball control is by doing the basic line up.

Put the blue on the spot and the cue ball behind it so you are dead straight in line with both middle pockets. Pot the blue in to the middle and follow through with top spin 5 times in to the same pocket. You do not have to hit this shot hard.
Then do the same shot but with screw back in to the opposite pocket to the blue.

Once you are confidant with those routines do them again but try to land as close to the pocket with the cue ball without potting it.

Those two routines will give you great practice with top spin and screw back, plus cue ball control.

Then move on to the stun shots. Same as before with the blue lines up to the middle but stun it leaving the cue ball on the blue spot.

Once you are happy with this move on to the next routine. You will be amazed at how quick your cueing and cue ball control gets better.

Put all 21 balls in any order between black and brown spots and pot as many as you can in any order and any pockets. This is a beginner routine and works very well. You will not be able to pot them all straight off but in time you will.
This routine works great for cue ball control because there is a lot of room for error. If you look at how much space you will have around the table this routine will help you with screw back, top spin, stun shots. The pure basics. Don't worry about side just yet. Cue ball control is paramount here.

I would love to hear how you get on and I can help you with slightly more difficult routines once you know the basics.
I have some freak break building routines. I will only give you routines that have worked for me as they are tried and tested.

All the best and good luck

[markz]

Cheers Luclex, learning to play the correct pace is key on most shots and understanding how much reaction from the cue ball. I always try and hit just the pace that's needed, so much more margin for error on potting then, obviously you need power sometimes but you can get better reaction timing the shot nicely.

[LucLex3119]

That's definitely the way to go Markz.

Also try this.

When down on the shot if you don't feel comfortable, stand up off the shot and reset. It sounds simple but is in fact quite hard because once you are down on the shot you always feel like just hitting it anyway.
How many time I have done that and missed the pot then said to myself 'why didn't you just stand up and reset'

[golferson123]

Les, can i ask you a question? As a keen and good golfer would you accept swing tips from a 24 handicap golfer?.i dont think so yet you are listening to advice from the equivalent of high handicap snooker players! Its screwing with your game and your mind.

[LucLex3119]

I'm not a 24 handicap snooker player, far from it. Im just giving him advice on what worked for me. Doing those routines for the last 6 months along with some more advanced ones I have gone from a 20,S and 30's break player to a competent 40's and occasional 50's.