Snooker players with personal interpretation of tecnique in the history

[Shotgun_25]

I've always been interested, since I started following snooker, in players that had a particular style in the interpretation of the game. This may be related to stance, bridge or use of the rest.
I'll start with a list of some I found, but I'd like to know if there other cases in the history of the game that I miss.
- Canadian Clare O'Donnell, famous for tremendous cue power, used to play with the chalk into his bridge hand (Clive Everton, History of Snooker and Billiards)
- English amateur Tommy Postlethwaite, due to an accident, used the loop bridge (Clive Everton, History of Snooker and Billiards - I'd like to know more if someone has more info about him or other players that used the loop bridge in snooker)
- Perrie Mans, Tony Meo, Mark Allen and Barry Hawkins - they all are left-handed players that used (or use) the rest with the right hand
- Eddie Charlton used to bring with him a personal rest (don't know if during all his career, but I've seen a footage where he did it)
- Thai Sunny Akani and American pool (but also snooker) player Corey Duel use the rest brushing their chin on the cue, using a particular extension while they play
- Graham Miles back in the days and Gary Wilson and Ashley Carty today used an awkward cue action, with the cue near their ear rathern than chin
- Joe Swail, known for his very unorthodox way of cueing up. Instead of keeping his cue-arm vertical as most players do, Swail cues up with his arm bent at least 45 degrees outwards, and his elbow towards his back. (Wikipedia)
- Joe Davis and George Chenier, due to problem with eyesight, were left-eye dominant, so their cue action was not the classic one described in textbooks (as Joe Davis remarked in his works)

There are probably quite a lot I'm missing, but I hope to learn something new here!

[DeanH]

Judd Trump: also left-handed but plays the rest with right-hand.
Sam Brookes - Northern Ireland amateur, after WW2 through to the 1960s, played high level amateur game with one hand.

[Shockerz]

In the 80's I saw Jimmy White get the half butt out and use it with a normal cue action with the long cue touching his chin. At the time I was struggling with the rest and adopted this, I have used it since.

To me it is more natural and as long as you play a flowing shot rather than trying to hit the hell out of it.

Generally I would say that if it comes out I would get 80 to 90% so you normally get the "What the hell is he doing?" in the background to hmm, I might give that a go.

Obviously Jimmy White doesn't use this now and hasn't for decades but I have seen it used once or twice and can't understand why it isn't used more often.

[DeanH]

In the 80's I saw Jimmy White get the half butt out and use it with a normal cue action with the long cue touching his chin. At the time I was struggling with the rest and adopted this, I have used it since.

To me it is more natural and as long as you play a flowing shot rather than trying to hit the hell out of it.

Generally I would say that if it comes out I would get 80 to 90% so you normally get the "What the hell is he doing?" in the background to hmm, I might give that a go.

Obviously Jimmy White doesn't use this now and hasn't for decades but I have seen it used once or twice and can't understand why it isn't used more often.

Is this a bit like Akani and the way he uses the rest and with extensions or half-butt?
I believe Akani puts this and his unorthodox lining up routine down to being "self-taught".

[also note, a left-handed player both with and without the rest ]


meals on wheels san antonio

[Cue crafty]

On the Graham Miles track, I think Reanne Evans cues under her dominant eye and even Neil Robertson is not cueing to the middle of his chin, sure there are more too.

[Shotgun_25]

In the 80's I saw Jimmy White get the half butt out and use it with a normal cue action with the long cue touching his chin. At the time I was struggling with the rest and adopted this, I have used it since.

To me it is more natural and as long as you play a flowing shot rather than trying to hit the hell out of it.

Generally I would say that if it comes out I would get 80 to 90% so you normally get the "What the hell is he doing?" in the background to hmm, I might give that a go.

Obviously Jimmy White doesn't use this now and hasn't for decades but I have seen it used once or twice and can't understand why it isn't used more often.

That's something really interesting, I didn't know that. It'll be really interesting also notice an evolution or a change in a player.
That's for example noticeable in Sunny Akani, that became less "robotic" during the last few years. If you notice it, he worked on how to position his bridge hand more naturally, while few years ago was way more rigid.

[DeanH]

On the Graham Miles track, I think Reanne Evans cues under her dominant eye and even Neil Robertson is not cueing to the middle of his chin, sure there are more too.

Gary Wilson is extreme under his left-eye, right-handed.

[Shockerz]

Is this a bit like Akani and the way he uses the rest and with extensions or half-butt?
I believe Akani puts this and his unorthodox lining up routine down to being "self-taught".

[also note, a left-handed player both with and without the rest ]


meals on wheels san antonio

yes, exactly like this; I've been doing it around 40 years this year.

[Shockerz]

That's something really interesting, I didn't know that. It'll be really interesting also notice an evolution or a change in a player.
That's for example noticeable in Sunny Akani, that became less "robotic" during the last few years. If you notice it, he worked on how to position his bridge hand more naturally, while few years ago was way more rigid.

I think lots of players evolve into something different when they're not overly happy with part of their routine. Sightright being a bit more modern day.

[Zelig]

When the cueball is tied to the cushion, kyren wilson drops his bridge hand's first finger down out of the table forming 90 degrees with the four other fingers lying on top of the cushion: the first finger "blocks" the bridge hand preventing it from sliding forward and adding extra stability / balance to the whole body. Simple and tremendously effective, i've picked it up - thanks kyren!

[Cyril]

Tony Knowles, when bridging from the cushion, usually didn’t use him thumb at all, just resting the cue against his first finger.

Ashley Carty is the nearest thing to Cliff Wilson or Graham Miles when it comes to one eyed sighting. Gary Wilson is also very similar. What was it Joe Davis once said of Miles? If he ever got a splinter in his cue he’d cut his throat!

[itsnoteasy]

Judd Trump: also left-handed but plays the rest with right-hand.
Sam Brookes - Northern Ireland amateur, after WW2 through to the 1960s, played high level amateur game with one hand.

Judd Trump actually right handed, plays left handed, so I don't know if he's using the rest with his proper or wrong hand.

[mikee]

Bit like Phil Mickelson then ,left handed at golf but he’s a righty ,that’s why they call him lefty

[Cue crafty]

Bit like Phil Mickelson then ,left handed at golf but he’s a righty ,that’s why they call him lefty

They have so much in common, loved the way Phil played and only wanted to win with his natural flair, I think both probably reigned it in to win big but I think still stayed true to their own games as well.

[mikee]

Yeah Phil had to reign in the crowd pleasing wedge shots that only he could play ,then He started winning majors ,very similar situation to Judd .