Improving positional play

[Huggy75]

Hi All,

I'm new to this forum and wondered if anyone had any advice or tips on strengthening positional play.

I have played on and off from a young age, so I'm familiar with cue ball control, but would like to improve my accuracy, particularly when coming off the black cushion. I find that on occasion, I tend to misjudge the angle and trajectory that the white will take.

I have watched various coaching videos from Barry Stark, Nic Barrow etc, and they talk about playing into areas, but sometimes I don't see where the best areas are.

I'm currently playing much more than I ever did (about 3-4 times a week), and have seen my game improve in the last month, so maybe it's a matter of being patient and trusting that experience will provide me with a stronger sense of trajectory awareness.

FYI - My highest break is 78 in match play and 87 in the line up. I've only been doing the line up for about 8 weeks, so am hoping that I will break that 100 mark before xmas (not that the line up counts as a century, but it will give me confidence).

Lee.

:snooker:

[dan_ormerod]

The white will come off at 90 degrees to where the object ball is travelling when stunning it.
Top spin will go roughly 30 degrees to where the cue ball is travelling and you can work out backspin using this as a guide.
Play into the line of the shot instead of across to reduce the margin for error.
Play 3 shots ahead.
Make the cue ball move the shortest distance possible within reason.

Dan

[Huggy75]

Thanks Dan.

My problem isn't so much knowing the CB's trajectory when striking the OB, it's more in relation to knowing the path when coming off the top cushion (usually after playing the black) or when running around two cushions.

I guess this can be trial and error, especially when using stun or side.

Lee

[DeanH]

a coach gave me this exercise, make a chalk mark for the white so you are in the same position each shot, and work through the line attempting to hit them and as you get better go through the gaps, and work from both sides of the black as well.
You can move the white to another spot as you get better, making a new chalk mark for that sequence.
This helped me work out how to play the white to get the position I wanted off the black and cushion

[JimMalone]

a coach gave me this exercise, make a chalk mark for the white so you are in the same position each shot, and work through the line attempting to hit them and as you get better go through the gaps, and work from both sides of the black as well.
You can move the white to another spot as you get better, making a new chalk mark for that sequence.
This helped me work out how to play the white to get the position I wanted off the black and cushion

That's a highly interesting idea. Just to be sure I understand it correctly:
I pot the black always from the same point and try to hit one ball after another with the cueball when coming of the cushion. So for example: First the pink, then the blue, then the brown and so on?

[Huggy75]

a coach gave me this exercise, make a chalk mark for the white so you are in the same position each shot, and work through the line attempting to hit them and as you get better go through the gaps, and work from both sides of the black as well.
You can move the white to another spot as you get better, making a new chalk mark for that sequence.
This helped me work out how to play the white to get the position I wanted off the black and cushion

This is very helpful. Thanks Dean.

[DeanH]

That's a highly interesting idea. Just to be sure I understand it correctly:
I pot the black always from the same point and try to hit one ball after another with the cueball when coming of the cushion. So for example: First the pink, then the blue, then the brown and so on?

yep, black must pot to count
follow that routine, either multiple pinks before multiple blues, etc.
or I used to have my wife call out any colour and I would go for that, and she would change the call each shot

Then once done a sequence, try the other side of the black and repeat; then maybe another position for the cue ball (make a mark) and repeat.

As has been said many times on many threads, nothing beats practise to engrain muscle memory and "unconscious" knowledge of the shot

[dan_ormerod]

Thanks Dan.

My problem isn't so much knowing the CB's trajectory when striking the OB, it's more in relation to knowing the path when coming off the top cushion (usually after playing the black) or when running around two cushions.

I guess this can be trial and error, especially when using stun or side.

Lee

Thought it was a bit strange having a 78 break and not knowing where the white is going

Here is a video from nic barrow. It's the routine DeanH suggested but also shows which height to hit the cueball if it helps.

[JimMalone]

yep, black must pot to count
follow that routine, either multiple pinks before multiple blues, etc.
or I used to have my wife call out any colour and I would go for that, and she would change the call each shot

Then once done a sequence, try the other side of the black and repeat; then maybe another position for the cue ball (make a mark) and repeat.

As has been said many times on many threads, nothing beats practise to engrain muscle memory and "unconscious" knowledge of the shot

Thank you very much. I will definitely try this one.

[Huggy75]

Thought it was a bit strange having a 78 break and not knowing where the white is going

Here is a video from nic barrow. It's the routine DeanH suggested but also shows which height to hit the cueball if it helps.

Lol, yes, I don't think that anyone would get that lucky.

As I mentioned, it's not all the time. 80% of the time, I'm ok, but occasionally I get caught out and the white comes off at a completely unexpected angle. It could be unwanted/unintentional side or more likely that I'm slightly ill-educated with certain angles that need improving.

Thanks Dan. I will give that a watch on the train.

[DeanH]

hi Dan, I dont see any video or link

[j6uk]

setting yourself goals is key at this stage and the lineup is a must imo, and dont stop until youve cleared it.
this black routine is also a top workout for concentration timing and getting to know the top/black cushion, and if youve not got much time its perfect. again set yourself goals of 10/20/50/100.

[Huggy75]

[QUOTE=j6uk;941527]setting yourself goals is key at this stage and the lineup is a must imo, and dont stop until youve cleared it.
this black routine is also a top workout for concentration timing and getting to know the top/black cushion, and if youve not got much time its perfect. again set yourself goals of 10/20/50/100.

Thanks. I plan on continuing with the line up. I tried the black routine last week and whilst I realise that it holds great importance, I must say that I did find myself getting rather bored about about 15 blacks.

I assume I'm not alone in this?.. lol.

[dan_ormerod]

hi Dan, I dont see any video or link

Forgot to include it
Here it is:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvitu7adib8

[j6uk]

Thanks. I plan on continuing with the line up. I tried the black routine last week and whilst I realise that it holds great importance, I must say that I did find myself getting rather bored about about 15 blacks.

I assume I'm not alone in this?.. lol.

yeah and thats how practice gets, its part of the job.. but if your popping in the club and youve only got 40mins its the one to do. there is no other routine that ticks all the boxes that has you potting so many balls in the least amount of time.
then there is the accuracy with potting and finding/dropping onto your line, plus your playing pretty much all the shots moving up and down the white. oh and you may never miss another black again so, could be a fast track to max.
couldnt recommend it more.