Clearing the colours -Beginner Guide

[tedisbill]

Hi all!

A little video here with a few tips for beginners when clearing the colours.



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Also please like the video if you enjoy it. That just helps me get noticed and get snooker on the map!

Thanks everyone!

[travisbickle]

It’s crazy how many poor club players you see that have been playing the game for decades yet have never managed to clear the colours from their spots!

[vmax]

It’s crazy how many poor club players you see that have been playing the game for decades yet have never managed to clear the colours from their spots!

To be honest the colours are very rarely on their spots in average league/match play, that happens when the standard gets higher.

[ace man]

One of my favourite drills.
When I practise these clearances, I do get them at least one third of a time, but some of them are quite ugly with lucky recovery shots to be honest. Very difficult to play all 6 shots EXACTLY as you intended, but if you do, it's very rewarding.

[tedisbill]

One of my favourite drills.
When I practise these clearances, I do get them at least one third of a time, but some of them are quite ugly with lucky recovery shots to be honest. Very difficult to play all 6 shots EXACTLY as you intended, but if you do, it's very rewarding.

It's good fun to be honest clearing the colours. Nothing wrong with using this as practice. It uses lots of shots that will crop up in real frames so it can't hurt.

[inevermissblue]

Great video. I've noticed the same as the others. Most club players can't clear the colours. Some have never even tried, yet they continue to set up all 21 balls to play a full frame. It's mental.
I've made a sheet for our club. Which challenges members to test their ability with the colours. Starting with the 6 colours. Then moving on to repeat it. Always counting their values in a break scenario, so that they can set and break their own personal best. Finally it asks those players and indeed the more skillful, to try to make 4 consecutive colour clearances. Which is a totall break value of 108.
One night at the club I notice two chaps attempting to play a full frame. Yet neither one knew what the colours were worth. The poster I put up now has the colours value.

[tedisbill]

Great video. I've noticed the same as the others. Most club players can't clear the colours. Some have never even tried, yet they continue to set up all 21 balls to play a full frame. It's mental.
I've made a sheet for our club. Which challenges members to test their ability with the colours. Starting with the 6 colours. Then moving on to repeat it. Always counting their values in a break scenario, so that they can set and break their own personal best. Finally it asks those players and indeed the more skillful, to try to make 4 consecutive colour clearances. Which is a totall break value of 108.
One night at the club I notice two chaps attempting to play a full frame. Yet neither one knew what the colours were worth. The poster I put up now has the colours value.

That's a great idea inevermiss. Gives people some proper structure and goals to work towards.

[TooDark]

Great video....enough said:applause::applause:

[tedisbill]

Great video....enough said:applause::applause:

Thank you!

[JimMalone]

Last year at the tournament at my home town I had the chance to talk to a few of the professionals and also asked them for their tips what would be the best training exercises for beginners as this was about the time, when I started to train solo from time to time. They immediately said the line-up, but cleaning the colours was the next exercise they mentioned. I told them, that when I was playing a friend, there was almost no frame in which any of the colours was still on its spot at the end of the frame, but they stated it was a good exercise nevertheless. They also told me that then I should start with a set-up of one last red with the colours (pot the red, then a colour, then clean the colours) and maybe go on to do this with two reds as well.

Recently I cleaned the colours for the first time, at my next training I did it again. I know this is nothing for most on here, but it was at least a tiny step for me ;-)

[DeanH]

Recently I cleaned the colours for the first time, at my next training I did it again. I know this is nothing for most on here, but it was at least a tiny step for me ;-)

small step for snooker-pro-kind; giant leap for Malone-kind :biggrin:

[vmax]

Last year at the tournament at my home town I had the chance to talk to a few of the professionals and also asked them for their tips what would be the best training exercises for beginners as this was about the time, when I started to train solo from time to time. They immediately said the line-up, but cleaning the colours was the next exercise they mentioned. I told them, that when I was playing a friend, there was almost no frame in which any of the colours was still on its spot at the end of the frame, but they stated it was a good exercise nevertheless. They also told me that then I should start with a set-up of one last red with the colours (pot the red, then a colour, then clean the colours) and maybe go on to do this with two reds as well.

Recently I cleaned the colours for the first time, at my next training I did it again. I know this is nothing for most on here, but it was at least a tiny step for me ;-)

I practise clearing the colours down to the black and play position for the yellow from the black, respot the colours and do it again from where the cue ball comes to rest. Best I've done is three in a row and didn't get back on the yellow from a very difficult black.

[MrRottweiler]

Very nice video with good advice. Nice pot on the green btw! I always end a practice session with trying to clear the colours and over the years of trial and error mostly error I've learnt to play them exactly like you suggest. A touch of side and trusting the cushions to play with top spin is key. Your tip on considering what side of the table you want the cueball on when potting the blue is probably the most important because of how people will pot it with backspin without even thinking about it and then possibly leave themselves so high they need the rest and miss. You should extend the video with other ways of playing it such as tips on starting higher than the yellow and having to pot it in the middle and when you're too high or too low on the pink to black. Or when you end up straight on the blue. It's a practice routine that shouldn't be overlooked. If you can't take on the colours how are you going to get that 147?

[Nifty50]

Like this video. Really like clearing the colours. Great feeling of satisfaction when you do it properly. Afraid I'm a "stun up from brown" player and invariably end up wrong on blue. Don't know why I find the "off the cushion" shot more difficult. Must make a point of practicing it more.

[tedisbill]

Like this video. Really like clearing the colours. Great feeling of satisfaction when you do it properly. Afraid I'm a "stun up from brown" player and invariably end up wrong on blue. Don't know why I find the "off the cushion" shot more difficult. Must make a point of practicing it more.

Just try and practice that shot! You'll soon get the hang of it.

There is also a new video on my channel to help people score better with the pink and black.