What do people think of Roy Chisholm's Snooker Secrets?

[DeanH]

Post 907 Dean, just advice to ask other players their best shot and how to play it, not really a snooker secret just common sense really. Learn from better players. Apologies, I hadn't refreshed the browser before replying lol.

no worries, I was hoping that the best tip would not be on a 900th post of a thread

[markz]

I have had some email contact with Roy, what I would say about his coaching methods is, he's a lovely old chap.

Got to say that out of 900 plus posts the above is my favourite. Does anyone know itsnoteasy? He was a regular poster and always made good contributions. Hope he's ok.

[jonny66]

Got to say that out of 900 plus posts the above is my favourite. Does anyone know itsnoteasy? He was a regular poster and always made good contributions. Hope he's ok.

I was also wondering where he went to. The last I remember him posting was on that side induced throw thread that got pretty nasty, maybe he decided that was enough?

[markz]

I was also wondering where he went to. The last I remember him posting was on that side induced throw thread that got pretty nasty, maybe he decided that was enough?

He wouldn't be the first or last to give the place a break. Some of the stuff that's posted defies all logic of snooker lol. Just a shame as it's usually the good guys that disappear.

[OmaMiesta]

He wouldn't be the first or last to give the place a break. Some of the stuff that's posted defies all logic of snooker lol. Just a shame as it's usually the good guys that disappear.

What ever happened to Byrom? Another fallen soldier...

[markz]

What ever happened to Byrom? Another fallen soldier...

He wanted a break from forum so asked the mods to ban his account.

[chrisg]

Won a match yesterday 3 - 0 and played some awesome stuff. Yes, left leg was just near the line of shot, and won 3 - 0. potted an awesome black to middle Mark Selby style from an acute angle, plus, laid a great snooker in second frame and after him giving 20 points away in fouls, he conceded frame because the snooker was too tough to get out of....

Onwards and upwards...

[pottr]

Look, no one on here is saying for a second that you can't still pot balls and play to a high standard with technique that's deemed incorrect against the norm.

The whole idea of the cue action is to deliver the cue through straight along the line of the shot... It IS an exact science... The game has been and will always be, EXACTLY THAT... It is no secret.

If you practice long enough and well enough, you can learn to throw darts with your feet... But no one would teach that as the most efficient way to throw a dart.

Mechanically, the most efficient standing position to deliver the cue along the line of aim is to have your cueing side foot, placed on the line of aim...
Whether or not you can play to a decent standard doing something different is entirely irrelevant when you're trying to optimise.

It is a really really simple game... The technique isn't that tricky to learn and understand what makes up the game.

Stance, Grip, Bridge, potting... Basics
Rest play, position, rules and etiquette... Intermediate
Break building and safety play... Advanced

Simple game... Where is the secret to it?

There's about 500 people on this forum who could deconstruct a cue action and tell you what's needed... and about 50 who can do it as well as talk about it.

I've read this whole thread... All the point on here that are deemed as 'secret' are pretty much basics... At the top level, the game is about psychology and attitude, nothing more.

[chrisg]

Look, no one on here is saying for a second that you can't still pot balls and play to a high standard with technique that's deemed incorrect against the norm.

The whole idea of the cue action is to deliver the cue through straight along the line of the shot... It IS an exact science... The game has been and will always be, EXACTLY THAT... It is no secret.

If you practice long enough and well enough, you can learn to throw darts with your feet... But no one would teach that as the most efficient way to throw a dart.

Mechanically, the most efficient standing position to deliver the cue along the line of aim is to have your cueing side foot, placed on the line of aim...
Whether or not you can play to a decent standard doing something different is entirely irrelevant when you're trying to optimise.

It is a really really simple game... The technique isn't that tricky to learn and understand what makes up the game.

Stance, Grip, Bridge, potting... Basics
Rest play, position, rules and etiquette... Intermediate
Break building and safety play... Advanced

Simple game... Where is the secret to it?

There's about 500 people on this forum who could deconstruct a cue action and tell you what's needed... and about 50 who can do it as well as talk about it.

I've read this whole thread... All the point on here that are deemed as 'secret' are pretty much basics... At the top level, the game is about psychology and attitude, nothing more.

I'm afraid I disagree with you. The un exact science is the fact that everyone sees the shot differently. Some see it central, others see it to the left, others to the right. I think Mark Williams made a point on Eurosport in the German Masters that he lines up central now rather than with his right leg on line.

I'm not saying the textbook is wrong. What I am saying is the textbooks don't take into account people's vision lines or as Nic Barrow calls it, "vision centres." Hence, why I actually see a shot more from left to right rather than right to left....

If it was a really simple game as you say, then there would be more people playing as pros! Or, amateurs making 100s....

I do agree with you though, that at the top flight of the game it's more about psychology, temperament and bottle to dish up on the day under pressure on cash ball!

[pottr]

I'm afraid I disagree with you. The un exact science is the fact that everyone sees the shot differently. Some see it central, others see it to the left, others to the right. I think Mark Williams made a point on Eurosport in the German Masters that he lines up central now rather than with his right leg on line.

You've missed the point I made. All you need to do is work out how to deliver the cue straight... There is a 'textbook' way to do that. Not all will conform, watch clips of Efren Reyes... Awful technique from the 'textbook' but undoubtedly one of the greatest cueists of all time.
and Mark Williams can make whatever point he wants... When he was at the peak of his form and the most feared player in the game he wasn't doing it that way, that's for sure.

but hey, if Mark Williams said it, that's it.. Gospel...

I'm not saying the textbook is wrong. What I am saying is the textbooks don't take into account people's vision lines or as Nic Barrow calls it, "vision centres." Hence, why I actually see a shot more from left to right rather than right to left....

Quite right. It is 100% impossible to take everything into account which is why I am happy to freely slag off anyone who claims to have a shotgun know all approach to teaching snooker... Vision Centres? What a load of old bollocks... you mean your eyes?/ Still great term to sell a few snookergym videos... Not slagging Nick off by the way, he's contributed more to snooker than I could if I lived a thousand life times... But when ever you hear a new term coined for a game that's been around for 100 years, it's just good marketing and the sheep queue up for it (top pun)

If it was a really simple game as you say, then there would be more people playing as pros! Or, amateurs making 100s....

So the tens of thousands of people around the world making tons isn't enough to tell you it's an easy game if you make the desired effort? This is where I lose a bit of patience with half the forum...
100 break is not that high a standard when you compare it to the top standard... When you get good enough, you don't remember what breaks you make... you remember how many mistakes you make.

I do agree with you though, that at the top flight of the game it's more about psychology, temperament and bottle to dish up on the day under pressure on cash ball!

Yep. 100% And experience tells me that those with solid fundamentals in the basics hold up a lot better than most when the pressure hits.

[chrisg]

You've missed the point I made. All you need to do is work out how to deliver the cue straight... There is a 'textbook' way to do that. Not all will conform, watch clips of Efren Reyes... Awful technique from the 'textbook' but undoubtedly one of the greatest cueists of all time.
and Mark Williams can make whatever point he wants... When he was at the peak of his form and the most feared player in the game he wasn't doing it that way, that's for sure.

but hey, if Mark Williams said it, that's it.. Gospel...


Quite right. It is 100% impossible to take everything into account which is why I am happy to freely slag off anyone who claims to have a shotgun know all approach to teaching snooker... Vision Centres? What a load of old bollocks... you mean your eyes?/ Still great term to sell a few snookergym videos... Not slagging Nick off by the way, he's contributed more to snooker than I could if I lived a thousand life times... But when ever you hear a new term coined for a game that's been around for 100 years, it's just good marketing and the sheep queue up for it (top pun)


So the tens of thousands of people around the world making tons isn't enough to tell you it's an easy game if you make the desired effort? This is where I lose a bit of patience with half the forum...
100 break is not that high a standard when you compare it to the top standard... When you get good enough, you don't remember what breaks you make... you remember how many mistakes you make.


Yep. 100% And experience tells me that those with solid fundamentals in the basics hold up a lot better than most when the pressure hits.

Solid fundamentals like keeping your body still on the shot and delivering the cue straight on the line of aim. I agree. But you can still have solid fundamentals with an unorthodox technique etc....Or should I say a technique that doesn't conform to the textbook!

[pottr]

100% agree, you can... As long as you can get the cue through straight, that's all that matters.

But you can't tell me that standing with your hips open is correct when trying to achieve this. Mathematically, with the stance open you have a greater range of movement available for the elbow to come off the line of the shot that you do with a square on stance.

There's a reason we put nuts and washers on the end of bolts is there not?

Anyway, I've said enough on the matter... I wish you all the best in your snooker journey...

My final advice to you and all is this...

Put down the books, forget the lessons and online tutorials and practice with better players... Practice and learn from what doesn't work... it is the only way to improve to a decent standard. Sink or swim.

[bolton-cueman]

Put down the books, forget the lessons and online tutorials and practice with better players... Practice and learn from what doesn't work... it is the only way to improve to a decent standard. Sink or swim.

Class dismissed. Here endeth this thread.

[alrocco]

Look, no one on here is saying for a second that you can't still pot balls and play to a high standard with technique that's deemed incorrect against the norm.

The whole idea of the cue action is to deliver the cue through straight along the line of the shot... It IS an exact science... The game has been and will always be, EXACTLY THAT... It is no secret.

If you practice long enough and well enough, you can learn to throw darts with your feet... But no one would teach that as the most efficient way to throw a dart.

Mechanically, the most efficient standing position to deliver the cue along the line of aim is to have your cueing side foot, placed on the line of aim...
Whether or not you can play to a decent standard doing something different is entirely irrelevant when you're trying to optimise.

It is a really really simple game... The technique isn't that tricky to learn and understand what makes up the game.

Stance, Grip, Bridge, potting... Basics
Rest play, position, rules and etiquette... Intermediate
Break building and safety play... Advanced

Simple game... Where is the secret to it?

There's about 500 people on this forum who could deconstruct a cue action and tell you what's needed... and about 50 who can do it as well as talk about it.

I've read this whole thread... All the point on here that are deemed as 'secret' are pretty much basics... At the top level, the game is about psychology and attitude, nothing more.

Now you have let it all out there are no more secrets to the game. So as long as the players who are trying to play this game do as you say they will have mastered it. Good Luck to you all. Roy of Snooker Secrets

[alrocco]

Class dismissed. Here endeth this thread.

Have been told that it takes about ten years and 10,000 hrs of doing this and you might be a player. I would think getting someone who could teach you 1 to 1 would be a better option. Cheers Roy of Snooker Secrets.