i want to improve as a player

[aceyj2007]

hi there all u lovers of the cue sports

im a player who wants to improve i put in all the practice i can manage on a very low budget, and dont seem to be getting anywhere fast, i only have one problem im obsessed with getting a good cue action, as i have no clue on cue acceleration please help.

ps. i love snooker because its the greatest game i have ever player, and the hardest

[Miss_S]

Hi there and welcome to TSF.
As far as I know there are a few coaches and good players on this forum, so I'm sure they'll give you some good advice.
Enjoy yourself here!

[snookerdad]

Whereabouts do you live? We can then direct you to the best club.

Tim Dunkley

[aceyj2007]

i live in newcastle upon tyne

[aceyj2007]

can u tell me who a few of the coaches are please and then il see if they want to talk, and help me

[snookerdad]

Unfortunately, Newcastle is more than a quick bus ride from Chandler's Ford.

But as one of the country's top juniors Stephen Craigie is based at Whitley Lodge, Wallsend, I would try them first and I'm sure they will guide you in the right direction.

Tim Dunkley

[Blondie]

hi there all u lovers of the cue sports

im a player who wants to improve i put in all the practice i can manage on a very low budget, and dont seem to be getting anywhere fast, i only have one problem im obsessed with getting a good cue action, as i have no clue on cue acceleration please help.

ps. i love snooker because its the greatest game i have ever player, and the hardest

Hi Acey,

.......and great to see that you're enjoying playing, although it's not easy, but worth persevering with.

The old cue action is an interesting one, and none of us can play consisently without having a really good one. You probably already have your own practice drills to help your cueing, but one of my favourites is to place the cue-ball over the spots. Just place the cue-ball on the centre spot of the 'D' on the table and play it over the blue, pink and black spots to strike the top cushion. It's a good one to practice, and helps your potting become more accurate and precise. [If you strike the cue-ball without side it will easily return over those spots to your cue.] Although I must admit it's alot easier to do at a slow pace, once you play it with power, it can be more difficult.

And I always think, to an extent, that cue acceleration is a natural progression from understanding how to control the cue ball itself, if that makes sense. Ok you have to make the pot, and plan ahead, but you also need to manoeuvre the cue-ball accurately as well.

And your coach will no doubt teach you about side and top spin. I always find side a little more difficult to judge, ok with left centre of the cue-ball, but with right centre, everything just goes all over the shop. You'll probably find that you'll be good at both though, and I only really use this shot when playing to change the angle the cue-ball bounces off the cushion after hitting the colour. Top spin is a bit easier, for me anyway, but everyone has their own favourites. When I first tried top spin though I always used to strike the centre of the cue ball, and it took a while to hit the upper part, which allows the cue-ball to travel further after impact with the colour. Thinking back now, I think it was the fact that I didn't have my bridge hand raised high enough, which helps with alignment and accuracy when striking the ball. I also like to use top spin when opening up a game, but everyone has their own preference.

And not sure if you've tried the screw and stun shots yet, great fun, and they'll certainly help with cue acceleration, and still trying to get the hang of these ones.., but no doubt your coach, or the guys here will have some advice for you. Again, I think it's because I find it easier to strike the top half of the cue-ball, than the lower half. And don't know if you've tried this yet either, but you can also stop the cue-ball dead by hitting just below centre, which I've still yet to do, but to me that's the great fun of it, as you can keep practising. And if you're after a bit more backspin, just hit the cue-ball even lower. I always strike the ball too low though, and the cue-ball jumps, but at least I haven't ripped the cloth yet, again, keep practising. And as for direction, screw back in a straight line by hitting the bottom centre of the ball, and depending on whether you want to send the ball left or right after impact, just strike the lower sides of the cue-ball.

And hope this helps a bit Acey, as I'm not the best at explaining, and good luck with the coaching...

Lol...xx

[missneworleans]

Hi and welcome to TSF!

[aceyj2007]

thanks for that advice, im at a little standard the screw shot i find amazing when it comes off, and u mentioned the stun shot, that just look great as well but the thing is my previous cue allowed me to do all them shots not totally accurate but i was capable, and now with my new cue, a 3 piece york, 18 oz, i havent been able to do them is my cue heavy enough to be able to them special shots, i has a 10mm tip

[Blondie]

thanks for that advice, im at a little standard the screw shot i find amazing when it comes off, and u mentioned the stun shot, that just look great as well but the thing is my previous cue allowed me to do all them shots not totally accurate but i was capable, and now with my new cue, a 3 piece york, 18 oz, i havent been able to do them is my cue heavy enough to be able to them special shots, i has a 10mm tip

Hi Acey,

.....that's ok, and hope it made some sense.

Cue choice is another interesting one, and interesting that you've changed yours as well, and you feel you can't play the screw and stun shots as well.

I use a 17.5oz cue, 9mm tip, which is actually quite basic, but I've had it for a while and it works well for me.

There are quite a few cue specialists on tsf that can give you more specialist advice though, although personally I think it maybe a case of the new cue doesn't feel as comfortable yet, and to me, as well, the tip is very important too. From the sounds of it you have been playing for a while, well done, as it's not easy, but I think generally the bigger tip is for beginners, say, 11mm, and quite a few players like the 9mm, and some feel more comfortable with say 10mm.

I actually quite like a thin tip as well, even though it's a bit more 'springy', if you see what I mean, and it takes a bit more effort to do good cueing, and control of the cue-ball. Also with tips, I find the hardness varies too, although they do last longer, in the past I've found a hard tip doesn't grip so well, a bit lethargic, if you see what I mean. But having said that, I've used soft tips too, which tend to push the cue-ball in a different direction, a bit off course, so probably best to try and find a tip in between the two.

It's also sometimes said with ash cues that the grain is sometimes heavier, and can help with the sighting of your shot as well.

There may not be a right or wrong answer to what cue weight and tip size is best for stun/screw, it's more of a personal choice, and what suits you too. I think also that it's a bit more than just the actual weight of the cue too, but also about the balance of the weight, if that makes sense. Some cues can be well balanced, while others are heavier at the butt of the cue. And probably best to experiment a bit with different weights to find out what you feel happy with.

For me, playing tables are so fast now [trying to keep up with the match tables I think.], that I prefer to opt for a lighter cue as you don't need to hit the balls so hard.

Don't give up on the screw or stun shots though, and sounds as if you're already there, . We spoke about screw and stun before too, and you can stop the cue-ball dead by hitting just below centre, [can be a bit tricky, but practice helps], but if you'd like a bit more backspin as well, just try hitting the ball a bit lower. Although too low, as I've found out, and the old cue-ball has a bit of a jump.. As for keeping control of the cue-ball when playing with screw and side, I think this is probably much more about your technique than your cue, although the thinner the cue you play with, the more screw/side you can get out of the ball. The problem with that though is that it's easier for the ball to pick up accidental side.

Keep going though Acey, I had a good practice last night, really enjoyed it, and keep smiling, hope this helps, and no doubt the cue sprecialist guys here will give you some more advice on cue weights/tips etc.

Lol.......xx

[Watford]

I agree this spin issue has nothing to do with your cue.
It can take a while to get used to a new cue!
Not meaning to repeat blondie too much:
Generally small tips make getting reaction easier but make potting a little more difficult and increase chances of putting on accidental side.
I play with a really light cue 16oz with a 9.3 tip but I can still rip the cue ball back so you don't need to have a very heavy cue.
Weight and tip size are very personal but I would say that 18oz and 10mm was just about right for a beginner!
If your still not happy with your cue and are thinking about getting a new one let me know and I'll give you more advice (I'm sure the other cue geeks will have something to say too!).

I'd say point at where you want to hit the white before feathering (remembering to look at object ball when striking the ball).
Make sure you hit low but also as level as possible (don't hit down on the ball) and follow through!

[Lee Vilenski]

You just have to get used to it, then you can react to it.

[aceyj2007]

thanks very much, you are very helpful and i can tell by your advice that u can play and can help others play, i have my coaching lessons on sat 02 june, and i have got a video to show that i can play the line-up to reasonable standard but seem to struggle in frames, what is your level of play

[Blondie]

thanks very much, you are very helpful and i can tell by your advice that u can play and can help others play, i have my coaching lessons on sat 02 june, and i have got a video to show that i can play the line-up to reasonable standard but seem to struggle in frames, what is your level of play

Hi Acey,

..........that's ok, and must have missed your reply last night as I was watching the Champions League match Liverpool v Milan.

Another interesting one, the old level of play, pretty average really for me, this year has been a bit of a disaster, last break for me 36, early this year bit better around late 50's, 58ish. Couple of years ago, played alot more then, couple of breaks in the 80's - 90's, if I remember...[not too good at this..], 86ish, but it's been a bit downhill lately, as I'm only beginning to practice more regularly now, which helps. [And I really need to practice alot.. ].

It's nice to make a resonable break, but to me it's more about the enjoyment, and practice, and learning about the theory too. And great that you've set up some coaching lessons as well, well done, and nice to have a vid too, to show. And don't worry about the frames, it's the first shot of any frame that sets the tone of the match, so to speak. Your coach will say this too, but to have a very good break off shot into the frame will give you an immediate advantage over your opponent. Lots of different outcomes here though, but a good one to try for is to leave the cue-ball quite tight on the baulk cushion near to or behind even, say, yellow, or green. [Doesn't always work that way, but something to aim for.] And depending who you're playing, coach, practise partner, they would need to play a pretty good safety to respond. , or other pots could be left available to you.

I always practice break off shots too, mine usually has a little bit of top spin as well, and it does give you a bit more of a confidence boost too knowing that you can open a frame, again, alot of practise helps.

Can't say too much really on the old break building itself, bit of a personal thing, although being a good potter helps, but this is the difficult bit, making the right shot selection, or at least choosing shots that will lead to bigger breaks. So many times I've made the mistake of choosing the easiest ball to pot, but it hasn't always been the right ball as it didn't really open up any other pots for the break to continue, if that makes sense.

I think where it's gets really difficult as well, is not only having to have good technical ability/potting of the shots, but also being able to think at a good strategic level, planning ahead during your breaks too. [I always think that anybody who plays snooker, fans, players, professionals must all have really sharp minds, juggling technical capability and planning ahead, not easy.]

You'll have great fun too when your coach teaches you about safety, and defensive play, it's a bit like having a second plan up your sleeve, in case the first one goes wrong..[in my case, always need to revert to plan b.. ].

Not easy though when your opponent tries to force you into giving them an opening, or just by making a general mistake, and sometimes knowing your angles well, helps to get you out of these situations. And I suppose it's all about seeing ahead too, if that makes sense, say, for eg, your having a go at playing safety off a cushion or ball, if you've already worked out in your mind where you think the cue-ball is going to end up, you should be ok, and be able to continue.

And hope this helps a bit Acey, [not the best at the old explaining], and keep going too, great to know how you get on as well at first lesson, 2/6/7.
I'm sure you'll be great.

Lol......xx

[aceyj2007]

u see i get a cou7ple of 40s and 50s but not that consistent my best break came in a frame where my opponent paul mcue knocked in a 43 break and i thought my head had gone down and then sudeenly out of know where i had found my self potting balls i could only dream of, like stunning in a quarter ball pink and going up for the yellow it ended on me missing the blue but it was my greatest ever break in a frame and it was only 57, what made it googd for me as it was in a pro-am at super snuka and i ended getting into the semi final, and then messed around like an idiot against ex-p[ro andy craig cos i thought he was just to good silly eh