Somone please help me!

[mmirza16993]

Basically, ive been playing for about six months now and i have a pretty good grasp of the game. The problem is that i cannot seem to spin the ball in many directions. i dont know if this is because of my cue, my tip, my technique etc. i need help on spins, screws, positioning and how to improve my game generally. thanks alot

[RocketRoy1983]

hey mmirza16993

What is your understanding of the game? Talk me through your knowledge of top and bottom cue ball striking, stun etc..

[mmirza16993]

hey rocket roy

i know how to basically apply forwards however i cant really do screw backs. i make my breaks in the teens. i can stun the ball and my striking of the ball is pretty good thanks to steve davis coaching on youtube thats about it lol
my understanding of the game is pretty good

thanks alot

[CTquick147]

Try reading some books about snooker, like Joe Davis' How I play snooker is a good one to start off with. The Steve Davis videos on youtube are ok, but very basic and won't get you past the "teens" stage you're at now. Watch as much high level snooker as you can. If you can't afford a coach, start hanging out with some class players, and ask as many questions as you can.

[RocketRoy1983]

i know how to basically apply forwards however i cant really do screw backs. i make my breaks in the teens. i can stun the ball and my striking of the ball is pretty good thanks to steve davis coaching on youtube thats about it lol
my understanding of the game is pretty good

thanks alot

Hello again mmirza16993

Your knowledge of the game seems very basic but thats ok. As recommended Joe Davis' how i play snooker is a good read although once again I would recommend going on youtube and typing in UNDESTANDING MODERN SNOOKER WITH JACK KARNEHM. Ive said it so many times on here but it really is a great set of videos (19 parts in total each around 10 minutes long) for beginners and even intermediates to watch.

Have a look at those first. You will only get better by playing better players on a regular basis and putting in good solid practice time.

In regards to your inability to screw back look in the coaching thread for various threads on screwing back but I will also PM you some basic do's and dont's.

Regards Roy

[Jonny]

Basically, ive been playing for about six months now and i have a pretty good grasp of the game. The problem is that i cannot seem to spin the ball in many directions. i dont know if this is because of my cue, my tip, my technique etc. i need help on spins, screws, positioning and how to improve my game generally. thanks alot

for screwing back lower your bridge, have your cue parallel to the table, aim below centre, hit through the spot and you should screw back

[mmirza16993]

lol

thanks alot guys for the help. about the screws, the advice i have been given ive tried so many times on the blue spot lol and it never works. i run the cue through, i hit below the centre and my cue is 99.9% parallel to the table so i really dont know what to do. im in the middle of watching the kernhem videos on youtube and am finding them very useful.

[RocketRoy1983]

mmirza16993

if you are applying bottom and the cueball is going forward then you are apllying "drag" to the ball.

[mmirza16993]

oh right rocketroy

that had me confused for a long time because i had no idea why the ball was moving forward

can you please tell me how to screw the ball back PROPERLY and are there any uses of the drag?

[bongo]

Firstly the drag shot is used usually over a long distance when you need not very much pace in the cue ball but still want to strike the ball firmly, the drag slows the cue ball down to the speed it would be if you were playing lightly, though the same shot over a smaller distance you would screw back.

Watch the Karnehm videos as they can teach you more than we can with words, but accelerate THROUGH the cue ball, don't give up on the stroke as you go through.

[mmirza16993]

Make sure enough of your cue goes through the white...aim at the bottom of the white and push through it....rather than jab it or under hit it....Imagine the white is an egg and your cue is going through it...:snooker:

Dont be afriad of fouling or the white coming back and hitting you...its just a white...it wont hurt ...practice makes perfect.....there is a good exercice on steve Davis champions way on you tube that highlights the screw shot

Yea that is the usual procedure i go through but for some reason, it just dont work i cant seem to get my head around it

[RocketRoy1983]

oh right rocketroy

that had me confused for a long time because i had no idea why the ball was moving forward

can you please tell me how to screw the ball back PROPERLY and are there any uses of the drag?

I use drag to hold the white ball. For example the white is on the brown spot(ish) and there is a red over one of the black pockets I would apply drag to the cueball to pot the red and hold for the black. The idea is simply to slow the cueball down.

As for screw simply lower your bridge slightly, strike below centre, follow through with your cue and dont jab at the cueball. Simple!

[mmirza16993]

thanks rocketroy that pretty much clears up the drag mystery ill get back to you next time i try out the screwing methods

thanks all

[CTquick147]

mmirza,

I had the same issue with screw shots when I took up the game, very frustrating indeed, more so if, like me, you're playing someone who can scew the white ball back 10 feet from an object ball ten feet away(Alex Higgins style). No one on this thread (myself included) has mentioned to you a crucial aspect of the screw shot: cocking your wrist while keeping it loose, and spreading your fingers on your back-swing. I'm guessing from what you've said on this thread, since it sounds like you're doing everything else, you might be leaving this part out. Watch Neil Robertson clips on Youtube, and notice how he spreads his fingers on his back swing before he pulls of one of his wicked screw-backs. It takes some messing about with, but once you get a feel for it you're screws will improve dramatically.

[mmirza16993]

mmirza,

I had the same issue with screw shots when I took up the game, very frustrating indeed, more so if, like me, you're playing someone who can scew the white ball back 10 feet from an object ball ten feet away(Alex Higgins style). No one on this thread (myself included) has mentioned to you a crucial aspect of the screw shot: cocking your wrist while keeping it loose, and spreading your fingers on your back-swing. I'm guessing from what you've said on this thread, since it sounds like you're doing everything else, you might be leaving this part out. Watch Neil Robertson clips on Youtube, and notice how he spreads his fingers on his back swing before he pulls of one of his wicked screw-backs. It takes some messing about with, but once you get a feel for it you're screws will improve dramatically.

ok mate thanks for the advice. i havent gotten around to playing yet but i will definately let you know what happens when i do