Towards Perfect Cue Ball Control - The D Test

[barrywhite]

You argue that the brown to the middle will help in potting the pink to the middle? No it won't, it's a different angle, practise pinks to middles to get good at pinks to middles, u need to train your mind on that potting angle so as it don't matter if your straight on it or a 5 degree cut as u described, u know the point of the pink u need to hit to make it go in. As for having to cue straight to pot these balls? Are u having a laugh? Watch trumps action from the face on angle the camera shows on tv, he ain't cueing at the potting angle then on his delivery he cuts across the white to send it on the right line, it's perfect timing with his adjustment, not perfect cueing

Yeah, maybe that's why he isn't world champion yet. When he played Robbo in the semi it all went wrong, maybe faulty get technique got found out under pressure? But he's got enough potting skills to be a millionaire and ranking event winner. He can pot enough amazing long an short uns to keep breaks going to win enough frames and stay top 8.

As I've said in my last post (!) I'll be posting a middle bag routine for reds and pinks. Hold the fort! If you've got better middle bag routines, please be my guest and post a thread, I'd like to see and have a go at them. Don't just criticise, come back with something that's better for the members.

@GG he made it though didn't he and he made it because he can make it in practice. The tables at SWSA are tighter than WS tables so he knows the difficulty if less due to the huge pockets as SD called them. It doesn't matter if it's low risk or not, he made it under pressure, give the guy a break. He did that because of the quality of snooker he practices.

[frazz]

I've listed some practise routines so am not criticising without giving better options, am trying to help people out to become better. The swsa tables ain't tighter than ws ones, they r cut to same template funnily enough, I've played swsa, qualifiers at barnsley, qualifiers at Wigan, tempodrom in Berlin, TV table at UK, back room tables at UK, wuxi, Mumbai, snooker shootout and they are all the same size bags, TV ones seem to play slightly easier, whether it's the additional heating, lighting, crowd, atmosphere I don't know but they play different the TV tables to any others

[barrywhite]

I've listed some practise routines so am not criticising without giving better options, am trying to help people out to become better. The swsa tables ain't tighter than ws ones, they r cut to same template funnily enough, I've played swsa, qualifiers at barnsley, qualifiers at Wigan, tempodrom in Berlin, TV table at UK, back room tables at UK, wuxi, Mumbai, snooker shootout and they are all the same size bags, TV ones seem to play slightly easier, whether it's the additional heating, lighting, crowd, atmosphere I don't know but they play different the TV tables to any others

Ok, we've got Geoff Large on here, former Riley's fitter who has stated on another thread that WS tables are cut to 3.5'' compared to Star's standard 3.25''. I play on a 3.25'' table and the difference when I play on a 3.5'' (see pic below) is huge. Breaks go up maybe 30. We also know from mgt at SWSA that there are four tables cut to 3.5''m and the rest are cut to 3.25''. The pros use the 3.5'' pockets. They did this so that folk like the Hawk can practice on tables similar to TV. The TV tables are also cut eliptical on the knuckles, not round, to help the balls down. Steve Davis complained on air on Monday that the black bags are huge, his words not mine. We've already seen reds contact the black cushion half way up and go down. There is no way that would happen on my billiards table even dead weight. I don't mind this, I just wish all tables were cut to a standard size so that we can compare standards and breaks. Problem is, WS won't release the template, like they've got something to hide? They've been asked by lots of fitters for it and they won't release it. It's pretty obvious that the template is different from the standard Star because if it wasn't they'd simply be able to say, same as Star. But they won't even say that.

Anyway, cheers for Vale, I had fun with that today. The tendency is to choose some reds to the black pocket, though it's also good for the middle pockets in some cases. It's a nice way to develop position around the pink and black, and blue if you wanna go up the table a bit and practice coming back down. Forgot about it but I've added it to my routine, once each session from now on.

[barrywhite]

Middle Bag Test

For those people who've done the D-test, I have a new test for you. Folk are getting stuck on 30s and 40s and some folk who've played 5+ years still haven't had a 50. This is partly to do with cue ball control, partly shot selection and I guess also technique and set-up. I'm not going to go into grip, stance, bridge, walk-in, sighting eye, etc, those are topics for other threads. Frazzle has given you the Vale to improve your breakbuilding. Here is another test or routine you can do to improve your middle pocket potting. Often, you're on 30 but the juicy reds have run out and you have to take one to the middle. This often happens after going into the pack but it can happen before or later in the frame. Some folk appear to have a dislike and fear of middle bags. Get over this fear and improve your middle bag potting by adopting a routine if you're having problems. Upload a video once you've done it if you like.



Pot all the reds to the R middle except the one above the black, that's your starter ball. Red, colour, red, colour, etc. The red next to the yellow I like to approach with a soft screw off the brown into the yellow so that I can roll that red into the middle but there will be lots of other approaches. If you wish to clear the colours afterwards, bonus points! I have placed the reds on the R of the table because this is the side I have most trouble with, please do the same, place the reds on the 'weakest side' of the table. Make sure the pink passes the reds into the same middle bag. This is a 3.5'' pocket table. If you want to do it on a harder table, be my guest. The first ball to the middle is level with the pink and and all the reds are on the magic 3/4 line.

[frazz]

I never mentioned star template, as far as I am concerned ws template is all the matters, which is why I bought a star table and had it set up to template which is the world snooker templates, I practise on it day in day out but the balls seen potted on the TV tables won't go in on my table, as I said the TV tables play slightly different from the tables at the qualifiers or anywhere else for whatever reason. Last thing u said my routines were pointless cause your never gonna have the balls lined up like that? When have u ever seen a straight line of 7 reds up one side of the table like yours? U like contradicting yourself mate

[Catch 22]

Not to start a row here , but are we seriously trying to tell a professional snooker player he doesn't know how to practice ?

[jrc750]

Not to start a row here , but are we seriously trying to tell a professional snooker player he doesn't know how to practice ?

No WE are not, but bleeding blaster is !!

[markz]

Frazz is a top bloke, helped me with my game and always happy to give a few tips. I certainly hold his advice above anything I've seen on these coaching threads. Down to earth guy that talks plenty of sense.

[mikeyd100]

Not to start a row here , but are we seriously trying to tell a professional snooker player he doesn't know how to practice ?

Forgive my slackness - who is the Pro player in this thread ?
Frazz = Fraser Patrick ?

[markz]

Forgive my slackness - who is the Pro player in this thread ?
Frazz = Fraser Patrick ?

Yeah, Fraser Patrick.

[mikeyd100]

Thank you Mark

( Good luck for the future and in your career too Fraser )

[frazz]

Thanks mate. Mark just told me u beat your high break? Had 83? Good stuff, no far off the ton! Keep it up

[mikeyd100]

Haha yes, ton may come one day

Thanks for the encouragement

[LucLex3119]

I don't think anyone is trying to start an argument here. It's just that you will always find different opinions on what people perceive as good practice. Surely whatever routines we do on the table will help our game out in some way. Does it matter if the routine is NOT done by a pro? Does it mean we shouldn't do it because a pro doesn't do it? Of course Fraser knows what he is talking about and I don't think Barry is trying to say other wise but it looks like Fraser is trying to rubbish him on this thread. After all Barry did say the D test is a bit of fun and will help with cue ball control etc. Just because the pros don't practice it doesn't mean it won't help your game.
Take a look at the line up, of course the balls will never end up like that in a game but we still practice it because it has a purpose. To me any routine you practice will help your game.
I gave Les Edwards some advice on practice routines on another thread only to be shot down by people saying it was ridiculous and wouldn't help him. he was down and couldn't pot a thing and was talking about giving the game up. He contacted me privately and we spoke about the routines I posted for him.
Within one week his posts went from 'I'm giving up snooker because I hate the game' to 'I'm potting better than ever and stringing pots together'. Ok they might not be his exact words but you see my point.
Les was on a high and my routines gave his confidence a boost because they were basic and easy.

the D routine incorporated a bit of fun to what can sometimes be a boring practice session. Even more so if you record it and post it on here.

[DeanH]

Within one week his posts went from 'I'm giving up snooker because I hate the game' to 'I'm potting better than ever and stringing pots together'. Ok they might not be his exact words but you see my point.

anyway, to start an argument.... only kidding :wink:
was it not at the same time Les had the pockets on his table opened up a bit more that he started potting more balls :biggrin: