Willie Thone - anyone can make a 50 break

[garythenab]

Play with someone better, it worked for me. I had been playing for 12 months managed to make a few 50's, then I starded playing with a few ex pro's, my game had to get better for me to have a chance of winning one frame out of 10. Within a month i made an 89. A year later my century came, im ademant that i wouldnt have had improved much if i didnt play against better players. Try it usually works, playing someone better takes pressure off as no one expects you to win

[davipp]

From all these post comes so much good info. I was a regular 20+ player when I first went to a coach 30 odd years ago. He said he could make me a 50 break player within 3 weeks, it happened. Shot selection was my problem. I agree play better players it does lift your game (watch & learn). Tight pockets do hamper your confidence. (want to open mine up) & of course the mental side of the game as you approach what is your highest break you start to think about the break you are on & thats when it falls apart (I hate that).
I get asked by lower grade players "What am I doing wrong? How can I improve my game?" I give them the answer to their problem & I get the reply "Yes I do that!" try convincing them they don't. The other answer I hate & hear often is "I can't do that". Or the other one is I'll practice what your saying and a week later they say I'm not improving & when I look at them I say but your still not doing what I told you & they reply "Yeh, well I tried that but it didn't feel right so I went back to the way I do it".
Some players don't understand the difference between playing & practicing so they will never improve.
The funniest answer I ever got was when I gave advice to a player regarding his bridge. He couldn't get the hang of cocking his thumb against the fore finger. I said practice doing it. He said I haven't got the time.

[Cue wizard]

my highest brake is like 36

but i get to 20+ then i mess up almost every time!

i just think its lazyness not commiting to every shot and trying

[thinsy]

Play with someone better, it worked for me. I had been playing for 12 months managed to make a few 50's, then I starded playing with a few ex pro's, my game had to get better for me to have a chance of winning one frame out of 10. Within a month i made an 89. A year later my century came, im ademant that i wouldnt have had improved much if i didnt play against better players. Try it usually works, playing someone better takes pressure off as no one expects you to win

I used to play a guy who was knocking in 10 centuries in about 20 frames. My best result was a 16-4 loss but i made 4 frame winning breaks (2x 70's and 2x 80's) I had a few 50 breaks but still lost frames! However, when i started practicing with him my highest break was 68, when i stopped playing him it was 93. Regular thrashings from him was the best thing that ever happened to my game!!!

[garythenab]

Thats exactly what happend to me, I think its down to more concentration and thought, playing the right shots etc.

[bongo]

In my opinion you can show any player how to make one, but if he could turn ANY player into a 50+ break player then he is some coach. I disagree, if he could do that then he would be the best snooker coach that ever lived. Some players, without meaning to sound negative, will never make a 50 break, that is living in reality. Of course, they COULD if they tried very, very hard. But what's the chances of that motivation coming from somewhere?

Is this making sense or am I having one of my 'deep thinking' days where I talk rubbish? .....

[Rane]

I agree Bongo. I have got a good example. I used to play with two guys and we were at the same level with max. breaks around 30. In general my defensive play was a little better, so I guess my winning procentage was 60 - 40. Then they got unemployed and started practising 30 - 40 hours a week, and within a half year one of them got to 96 and the other to the late seventies.

Basicly I´m like Dannydog sticked to 29 and have missed a lot of blacks off the spot during the years, when 30+ laid ahead (all nerves), but I´m sure I could rise my game a lot, if I started practising 30 - 40 hours a week, and then the use of advices from a coach would probably also be even more worth.

[brettski]

In my opinion you can show any player how to make one, but if he could turn ANY player into a 50+ break player then he is some coach. I disagree, if he could do that then he would be the best snooker coach that ever lived. Some players, without meaning to sound negative, will never make a 50 break, that is living in reality. Of course, they COULD if they tried very, very hard. But what's the chances of that motivation coming from somewhere?

Is this making sense or am I having one of my 'deep thinking' days where I talk rubbish? .....

This makes alot of sence, I see alot of players who have the raw talent to but not the commitment or drive to do so. This is why I've doubled the hours I play a week, I'll get that 50 if it kills me.

[trevs1]

I remember The Great WT saying a few years ago "give me any player and I can turn him into a 50 break player". That always seemed like such a bold statement to me, and i remember thinking, as a 30 break player, shame i'll probably never get the chance to meet you and see if you can do that for me !

To be fair to WT and to put it into context he was talking about club players, and saying any player without much talent can be taught how to make a 50, but teaching alone is not going to help anyone make a century unless they have real talent to go with it. I think thats what he was saying if i remember correctly.

Does anyone agree with him that virtually anyone could make a 50 given enough practice and the proper coaching ?

If that is the case then its pretty sad to think of all the millions of struggling club players who never get past twenties and thirties when all they need to do is get some pointers from WT.

I've also mentioned this in the 'TSF event' thread, but started this new one, so hopefully we can expand the discussion withoot taking the other thread off topic.

My opinion only on the words in bold above...

Completely and utterly disagree with it. It's a blanket statement of sheer ignorance and arrogance, sorry.

I'm sure there are many people who have played or been around snooker for many many years, the majority of whom could probably single out at least one person they've known, who would not make 50 if they lived to be 1,000 years old.

Some people just do not have the requisite understanding or the raw ability that is crucial to being able to achieve that, no matter who is teaching or instructing them.

[RGCirencester]

I've got to agree with trev above, there are just some people who don't have the neccesary skills, hand eye coordination or whatever to make a 50 break. This is the same with many other sports, the coach does not make the player, at the end of the day the coach merely shows the player how to reach the limits of thier natural ability.

[baldblindgit]

I'm sure there are many people who have played or been around snooker for many many years, the majority of whom could probably single out at least one person they've known, who would not make 50 if they lived to be 1,000 years old.
Some people just do not have the requisite understanding or the raw ability that is crucial to being able to achieve that, no matter who is teaching or instructing them.[/QUOTE]

I Could not agree more, a snooker buddy of mine used to say "theres some that can and some that cant"!

likewise with golf, regardless of how much they play many will never break 80 in a round of golf, there is something about the wiring of the brain and the body/eye coordination in snooker (and golf) that just seems to prevent some folks from having any significant ability.

Players who score 50 breaks and above regularly have some sort of inate ability, some 'fluency' and i think 'see' breakbuilding patterns, where others just see a load of balls!
compare for instance to John Spencer who made a 100 break only 6 months after first picking up a cue!!!
Cheers BBg

[poolqjunkie]

I guess "any person" is indeed a blanket statement. If for instance, the person is blind or has no leg or hand then it would indeed be impossible.

[Snookeraddict147]

Does he still (WT) coaches players??? If he did can you name me how to get coached by him??

[RocketRoy1983]

I guess "any person" is indeed a blanket statement. If for instance, the person is blind or has no leg or hand then it would indeed be impossible.

Great reply PQJ!! haha!


I too believe that some players could never make a 50 break in a million lifetimes. However, a good coach can improve a players game significantly so if you think one day you will get a 50 break then you probably will. Mental strength.