Plain ball all the time - nonsense

[Byrom]

I don't claim to be good or a master coach or anything mate I have never had multiple 147's like you say you have - my high break is only 130 -

But no pro I know just hits centre on the white - a lot of them do cue all over the white and use helping side or cue the ball to the left or right of centre -

Willie thorns one title is one more than you and I and Nick Barrow too - I cant speak for Nick but does he advocate just hitting plain ball?

[Byrom]

134, but highest break doesn't mean anything in the context of this post. If you are courageous, give centre ball a chance. It really is worth spending some quality time with.

You will always find a few pros that use side a lot more than others to pot balls. Using side to spin balls in/out can be executed at a very high standard - as I'm guessing you are doing - but I also know it has severe limitations for most trying to learn the game. It's very reliable until you change cues or play on a different cloth.

was 134 on a full size table or that 3 quarter you play on long bomber?

[tedisbill]

134, but highest break doesn't mean anything in the context of this post. If you are courageous, give centre ball a chance. It really is worth spending some quality time with.

134? I remember a few months ago you had your first ever century, 101 maybe, and that was on a 10 foot table. Since then you've had a 134 on a full sized table? Just wondering that's all because that's a great improvement.

[thelongbomber]

I don't claim to be good or a master coach or anything mate I have never had multiple 147's like you say you have - my high break is only 130 -

But no pro I know just hits centre on the white - a lot of them do cue all over the white and use helping side or cue the ball to the left or right of centre -

Willie thorns one title is one more than you and I and Nick Barrow too - I cant speak for Nick but does he advocate just hitting plain ball?

If you are potting a ball and centre ball (screw, centre, or top) can gain the position you need, then use centre ball. If you are potting a ball and centre ball (screw, centre, top) will NOT get you the position you need, then use side (and likely a cushion). Calculate and predict the use of side before you get down on the shot. So, to answer this again, NO the pros do not use centre exclusively because sometimes, they need to re-adjust cue ball position. The probably use it a lot more in the black/red and off the blue, but much less so in general. If you have to put numbers on it, those that don't have cue ball pace control, probably use side more to regain position, whereas those that DO have better cue ball pace control are using side less. It's not black/white, it's very grey and each pro is different. Murphy and many others use side more than Ronnie/Hendry/Higgins/Selby.

[thelongbomber]

134? I remember a few months ago you had your first ever century, 101 maybe, and that was on a 10 foot table. Since then you've had a 134 on a full sized table? Just wondering that's all because that's a great improvement.

A few months back on a full size with a standard rack and break in a best of 3 against a regular. The 101 was the first personal in a match, but I have had tonnes in practice before (again, not the lineup). Several tonnes in practice now over the past few years (all less than that), but it's very iffy at the moment. I'm stubbornly still using snooker glasses, and I know that if I have contacts, I would be knocking in more big breaks. Problem is the tables at the club are tighter than standard, so the breaks don't come as often as they should. I'm also now just settling down with my cue as well which has been stubbornly bothering me for many months (I jointed it and threw the weight off). I hit the club maybe once every few weeks. If I had the financial freedom, I would be in UK practicing daily and working on things, but then I might start hating the game.

[Byrom]

Kept that one quiet -going by your posts - you never mentioned this lifetime achievement - you are modest on this then - I like that

[tedisbill]

A few months back on a full size with a standard rack and break in a best of 3 against a regular. The 101 was the first personal in a match, but I have had tonnes in practice before (again, not the lineup). Several tonnes in practice now over the past few years (all less than that), but it's very iffy at the moment.

I don't quite understand. You had a 134 a few months back in a best of 3 against somebody? But the 101 was the first personal in a match?? That's the same thing isn't it?

[thelongbomber]

I don't quite understand. You had a 134 a few months back in a best of 3 against somebody? But the 101 was the first personal in a match?? That's the same thing isn't it?

The 101 was 11 months back. Prior to that I had tonnes in practice but didn't count them cause there is no pressure and opponent. The 134 was a few months back, but it's not that important to me any more. I'm more interested now in pure striking and cleaning imperfections and researching how to get into the zone. The 134 was ugly - doubles, reds all over the place, rescue shots off the cushion, colors out of place. As I get deeper into the intricacies of the game, I rely more on centre striking for high consistency in getting big breaks as that, to me at least, is a more pure snooker game and is a challenge to perform. It also pushes me to create more delicate cue ball control and develop hand/eye and touch even further than it already is. I didn't get the nickname LB by mistake. I was a power long ball potter throwing balls over the place with side for the longest time, so I have been working hard on delicate, touch, and control more for the past few years and with that comes a great deal of respect for centre.

[Byrom]

Byrom:

FFS....is this a religion to you or something? Make an argument that makes sense first. How many titles have you won.

Names of pros who do not advocate the use of helping side - Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry the 2 most successful players in the modern era. I don't know ROS but I believe he does not use your 'helping side' to pot balls but does use side all the time when a cushion is involved and he needs the side for position.

A pro who actually ADVOCATED the use of 'helping side' is Willie Thorne who won a very large number amounts of titles (1 I believe).

I teach students not to use side when there is no cushion involved with the cueball on a shot. I teach students to use side when a cushion is involved and it's required for better position, like on the break shot for instance. Using helping side just complicates the shot, especially long pots on a strange table.

Well Cliff the greatest ever Canadian player has won a bit more than you in the game Tel - is he wrong?

Next time you come to the UK - if you get over for the worlds I would have you a friendly game first to ten if you want pal no worries - you hit your plain ball stuff and I will mix it up and we see who comes out on top eh?

My argument is that I don't know of ANY current pro in the top 32 that does just hit plain centre ball striking all the time - the game has moved on what is your response?

[thelongbomber]

Kept that one quiet -going by your posts - you never mentioned this lifetime achievement - you are modest on this then - I like that

Staying away from the forum until this month. Some of the posts several months ago are tiring to reply to and mostly are trolls with no life. Life does not consist of just TSF.

[tedisbill]

Love the fact that you had a 101 on a 10 foot table and wrote this:

"Well after nearly 14 years of playing this game, I finally had my first century! OK, it's not on a 6x12 table, but it's just as meaningful! My previous breaks have included dozens of 50's, a few 60's, 72, 85, and then this one, a 101! I have had a few century breaks in practice as well.

Relieved that it's FINALLY happened."

Then you have a 134 and don't even bother mentioning it. Brilliant. Fair play.

[thelongbomber]

Love the fact that you had a 101 on a 10 foot table and wrote this:

"Well after nearly 14 years of playing this game, I finally had my first century! OK, it's not on a 6x12 table, but it's just as meaningful! My previous breaks have included dozens of 50's, a few 60's, 72, 85, and then this one, a 101! I have had a few century breaks in practice as well.

Relieved that it's FINALLY happened."

Then you have a 134 and don't even bother mentioning it. Brilliant. Fair play.

I wouldn't announce my new high break as that seems a bit self-absorbed to me. I thought it was nice to share my first tonne in match play - especially since it was on video which is much more sweet. My game has improved in several ways since that 101, but I don't record any more as I'm not playing 5x10 much any more and don't have access to that kind of recording at the club. However, I was at my m8's last weekend on that 5x10, and knocked a 70 in, leaving 2 reds, lost position. Was uneventful. The camera was on and recording, but I'm not bothered. When I'm able, I drive 30 mins to the club and get some practice time in and the occasional matchup but it's few and far between. It's actually a real shame the club doesn't install cameras on some of the match tables and just recording on a 10 hour loop or something. I'm sure some of the regulars would love to have their first tonne recorded for posterity. Under the pressures of a match, tonnes are meaningful because you are doing them under the circumstance of being grinded out and safeties so that means something to me if you can hold your timing under those conditions. The practice ones are just for show.

[tedisbill]

When you say "practice" I think you mean playing by yourself. When you say "match", do you just mean playing against an opponent?

I'd say:
Practice - playing by myself
Practice with a friend - just having a friendly game with a friend
Match - I've entered a proper tournament

Most people on here won't count "practice" breaks, but they will count "practice with friend" breaks. When you ask someone what their highest break is, they'll tell you the "practice with friend" break.

[thelongbomber]

When you say "practice" I think you mean playing by yourself. When you say "match", do you just mean playing against an opponent?

I'd say:
Practice - playing by myself
Practice with a friend - just having a friendly game with a friend
Match - I've entered a proper tournament

Most people on here won't count "practice" breaks, but they will count "practice with friend" breaks. When you ask someone what their highest break is, they'll tell you the "practice with friend" break.

We have tournaments here maybe 2 times a year if we are lucky. They are often poorly managed, no refs, poor gamesmanship, and half the time I don't even hear about them because the local organization can't seem to get organized. So nearly all my tonnes past and future will be with friends or m8s at the club. If you want to break down tonnes into categories, then we should also have categories for balls used (heavy and light), pocket sizes (small, medium, large), cloth type (carpet, or ice rink), ref or no ref, money gambled (lunch, car, or house).

You go first.

Anyways, the semantics don't matter and I shouldn't have even responded and you shouldn't care. What matters is what I'm having for breakfast.

[jrc750]

So was your 134 break a total clearance LB.?