Practice vs Match Play

[Belloz22]

Hey all - when you do solo practice and when you do match play how do you organise yourself - let me explain.....

In practice, say your doing a match routine, do you attempt to achieve your best score, or do you just concentrate all your attention on drilling in your technique. So when you play ever shot, you play ever shot with your full concentration your technique......???

Then in match play do you just focus on thinking about the shot and forget about trying to remember your technique, do you just trust that the solo practice on your tecnique will come through too your match play?

The reason i ask is, is i find it hard to think about so many things during a match, the pace, angle, whether technique is right. Then i find i get very fustrated and overwhelmed by having to think about too much.....

Should i just concentrate my solo practice on drilling my technique?

[trevs1]

Hi Belloz,

Maybe you should be thinking a little less in technical terms, especially when you are playing against an opponent. The technical stuff can be important yes, especially if there are glaring faults in the basics of what you're doing, but these things can be worked on in solo sessions. For my money, I'd say the single most important aspect of being a tough match player for the level you play at, is the effort and application you put into what you are doing. That is not the time to be contemplating your technique, but is the time to be thinking "get the ball in the hole and try to get the white there"

Far too much emphasis can be placed on technical matters, when in reality, snooker is a game of feel, habit and instinct. There is much to be gained from simplifying the game and far less to be gained from complicating it. Getting too embroiled with technique can be just as damaging as it can ever be constructive.

[poolqjunkie]

When I practised drills to reinforce or improve my technique, then I will focus on these aspects. When I am practising on my aiming angles, then I focuis on memorizing and sighting the porper angles. When I am practising on running the balls with various positioning drills, then I will focus on controlling my cue ball. I think this is also a good time to practise holding one's concentration for a long time during a break, much like in a match.
When I play, I will try to let my subconscious mind take over so I can play with a flow and fluency that is important for break building for me.
I want to hear what others have to say about this subject as well. Nice thread.

[RonnieJunior]

If I'm practicing solo I use this sequence many a time:

10 straight reds off the black spot Full Ball, centre striking picking out my finishing point with a chalk mark.
10 reds off the black spot full ball with topspin white goes into same pocket as red.
10 straight reds from the black spot full ball with stun.
10 straight reds from the black spot full ball with stun run through, picking out my finishing point with a chalk mark.
10 straight reds from the black spot full ball with screw finishing on side cushion each time
10 reds off the black spot 3/4 ball withlong follow through off top and side cushion back toward 'pack' stopping in same area each time
10 reds off the black spot 1/2 ball with top spin bouncing off top cushion toward 'pack' stopping in same area each time

10 reds off the black spot 3/4 ball with stun bouncing white off top cushion and between 'pack' and side cushion, finishing in same area
10 reds off the black spot 1/2 ball with stun bouncing white white off top and side cush finishing in same area
10 reds off the black spot 3/4 ball and stun out towards pink, picking my finishing point with a chalk mark
10 reds off the black spot 1/2 ball and stun out towards pink, and pick my finishing area
10 reds off the black spot 1/2 ball and follow though bounching white off side cushion stopping between pack and side cush.
10 straight reds off the pink spot Full Ball, centre striking, picking out my
finishing point with a chalk mark.
10 straight reds of the pink spot full ball, topspin, getting white near pocket, marked by chalk mark.
10 straight reds off the pink spot full ball, with stun.
10 straight reds off the pink spot full ball, stun run through, picking out my finishing point with a chalk mark.
Repeat this exercise but with 3/4 ball, then 1/2

(Couldn't be bother c n pasting the rest )

RJ

[Blondie]

....interesting thread guys, and for me practice is about trying to improve my best score, improving fluency of technique, plus testing out any potential improvement.

Solo practice is good for 'drilling your technique' and building concentration and focus, but I also think it helps sometimes to have a regular practice partner with you as well, preferably someone who is better than you as they can see things that maybe sometimes we miss.

I tend to practice 2-3 times a week, more often than not it's 3, between 3-4 hours, beginning with solo practice, and ending the practice session with a match, which I try to use as a way of seeing and testing out any areas which I need to concentrate on more, and any which I've improved upon.

For solo practice it can vary, and tend to split into 3 areas, sometimes just tend to focus on general potting drills: long reds; long blues; black off its spot; line-up; reds across the middle. Other times on positional play: the clock; screw; side; stun; cueing over a pocket; cueing off the cushion; canons off the blue; and lastly angles, safety play. I always try to mix the practice drills up though, so it doesn't become boring and too repetitive, and having a practice partner with you also makes it more fun as I find if you're enjoying something you will be able to concentrate more, and feel positive in yourself, as opposed to it all becoming a bit too intense, and ending up being a bit of an 'uphill struggle'.

I've also found 'balancing' solo practice with match play in my practice sessions has helped me with my consistency more as well, becoming more 'fluent', and helping to keep a rhythm going. So in practice, I prefer to have a mix of the two, whereas if I do one without the other, it's ok, but I do notice play tends to become a bit more disjointed and inconsistent.

And I also like having regular practice partners too, in my case it's my brother, and one of my best friends, who are both much better than me, but I think this is good as it always gives me something else to aim for as well, and test myself against too.

Lol.....xx

[archalf1471]

there is no substitute for playing an opponent in practise, however that person should ideally be of simular standard or marginally better in order to give yourself a realistic "target" possibly in order to improve your game. It's pointless playing someone hugley better than yourself and find all you do is pick balls out for a couple of hours

I like to practise with only a couple of local players, who share the same principles as me IE you practise exactly the same as you would play in a match. total concentration and play all the shots required rather than just breaking the balls from the back and trying to make break after break...The time for doing that in my opinion is when you do practise on your own, which can be more benificial than playing an inferior partner who just wants to hit the balls around the place

[RonnieJunior]

If I'm practicing solo I use this sequence many a time:

10 straight reds off the black spot Full Ball, centre striking picking out my finishing point with a chalk mark.
10 reds off the black spot full ball with topspin white goes into same pocket as red.
10 straight reds from the black spot full ball with stun.
10 straight reds from the black spot full ball with stun run through, picking out my finishing point with a chalk mark.
10 straight reds from the black spot full ball with screw finishing on side cushion each time
10 reds off the black spot 3/4 ball withlong follow through off top and side cushion back toward 'pack' stopping in same area each time
10 reds off the black spot 1/2 ball with top spin bouncing off top cushion toward 'pack' stopping in same area each time

10 reds off the black spot 3/4 ball with stun bouncing white off top cushion and between 'pack' and side cushion, finishing in same area
10 reds off the black spot 1/2 ball with stun bouncing white white off top and side cush finishing in same area
10 reds off the black spot 3/4 ball and stun out towards pink, picking my finishing point with a chalk mark
10 reds off the black spot 1/2 ball and stun out towards pink, and pick my finishing area
10 reds off the black spot 1/2 ball and follow though bounching white off side cushion stopping between pack and side cush.
10 straight reds off the pink spot Full Ball, centre striking, picking out my
finishing point with a chalk mark.
10 straight reds of the pink spot full ball, topspin, getting white near pocket, marked by chalk mark.
10 straight reds off the pink spot full ball, with stun.
10 straight reds off the pink spot full ball, stun run through, picking out my finishing point with a chalk mark.
Repeat this exercise but with 3/4 ball, then 1/2

(Couldn't be bother c n pasting the rest )

RJ

10 reds off the blue spot 3/4 ball, stun/low striking holding for pink in top pocket, picking out my finishing area.
10 reds off the blue spot 1/2 ball, screw/low striking right hand side bouncing white off top and side cushion and hold for pink in top pocket, picking out my finishing area.
10 reds off the blue spot 1/2 ball but on opposite side, striking low/screw with left hand side, bouncing white off top and side cushion and hold for pink in top pocket, picking out my finishing area.
10 reds into top pocket with each red placed approx. between pink and side cushion, level with pink. White to be 3/4 behind the red. Object is to pot each red into same top pocket screwing white back into/near the opposite baulk pocket. Any decent player will manage this shot.

Line up - 5 reds between pink and black spot being SPECIFIC on what type of shot you will play with each red and colour, only after you've finished the above sequence, potting at least 8 out of 10 reds of each type o shot.

RJ

[ADR147]

i only ever play against somebody these days otherwise my concentration only lasts about 10 minutes!

[Son of Cliff]

10 reds off the blue spot 3/4 ball, stun/low striking holding for pink in top pocket, picking out my finishing area.
10 reds off the blue spot 1/2 ball, screw/low striking right hand side bouncing white off top and side cushion and hold for pink in top pocket, picking out my finishing area.
10 reds off the blue spot 1/2 ball but on opposite side, striking low/screw with left hand side, bouncing white off top and side cushion and hold for pink in top pocket, picking out my finishing area.
10 reds into top pocket with each red placed approx. between pink and side cushion, level with pink. White to be 3/4 behind the red. Object is to pot each red into same top pocket screwing white back into/near the opposite baulk pocket. Any decent player will manage this shot.

Line up - 5 reds between pink and black spot being SPECIFIC on what type of shot you will play with each red and colour, only after you've finished the above sequence, potting at least 8 out of 10 reds of each type o shot.

RJ

Sounds pretty boring to me must have the patience of a saint :snooker: thing is there is no pressure as there is nobody playing you, cannot beat playing somebody better than yourself if you ask me.

[ADR147]

Sounds pretty boring to me must have the patience of a saint :snooker: thing is there is no pressure as there is nobody playing you, cannot beat playing somebody better than yourself if you ask me.

i agreee but its tricky to find somebody better than myself without joining the main tour

[Son of Cliff]

i agreee but its tricky to find somebody better than myself without joining the main tour

Nice one ADR147 I will give you a game if you want :snooker: I used to pick the balls up for the old man he once made 39 100's against me in a week, helped my game when I played lesser players :snooker:

[ADR147]

lol - in theory it does not matter who you play because you play the table but when you play against somebody who you know can pot anything from anywhere it puts extra preassure on every shot and you miss more!

[CueAntW147]

I find it difficult to practise playing alone...seem to need an incentive thses days i tend to play my best stuff when theres a few quid a frame on it and the later at night the better against strong opposition and with a few people watching....it must bring out the showman in me.
But it has helped improved my game as snooker players i thought we are all tortured souls of the night, a few frames a drink & a gamble...no other better way to learn is there ?

[Belloz22]

too be honest i find it hard too keep my concentration there when im practcing, especially when it is so hot outside

[ADR147]

moving to scotland would fix that!