how can i get higher breaks?

[dav1d]

hi guys, im looking for a bit of advice.

I've been playing snooker on a casual basis for about 10 years now, and started playing seriously for the last 18-24 months. Highest break in a frame was 67, about 5 years ago, and it was very rare would i get a 30+ break.

I was at a pretty standard club level, able to pot most types of shot, use side and spin on the cueball, and able to judge the weight of safety shots etc.etc. , without being able to score heavily or consistently keep the cueball under control.

As i was looking to improve, particularly my breakbuilding, it was suggested to me earlier this year by a work colleague who is a very high standard player that i should spend some time doing line-ups, obviously to help my break-building and confidence, so i would get used to scoring heavily and would not get nervous in a frame if i was on a break.

This has worked in practice as in the last 5 months i have had about 6-8 centuries from line-ups, and dozens of 70+ breaks. It has also improved my confidence as now when i play frames against ppl i expect to score more heavily, and i am very comfortable in and around pink and black when they are spotted, even with the more difficult shots when applying reverse side etc.

...HOWEVER, i have not transferred this ability in actual frames and have a high break in the last 5 months of just 48! I cannot work out why. One of my current practice partners cannot get anywhere near a century in line-ups, yet in a 10 frame practice session he will get as many 30+ breaks as me, if not more!!!

I am a bit confused about it and wondered if anyone has any words of wisdom???

It would be greatly appreciated.

[nevets]

I've had exactly the same problem, and still do to some extent. It's extremely frustrating when you can't produce what you know you're capable of in a match.

I think you will get there with perseverance. The fact is it's much more difficult to get a good break in a match than it is in practice, so it will take longer to get there. This doesn't necessarily mean that the practice and line-ups are not improving you.

You need a nice balance of practice/line-ups, practice with a partner, and competitive games. Also read all the coaching advice on this forum.

If you feel that nerves are your problem there is a thread on here dedicated to how to best deal with them.

You are certainly not alone!

[saddler79]

IMHO people tend to get far too caught up with the line up drill. As nevets has said you need to mix up the line up with general practice and there are numerous other drills you can try. Ive watched several players consistently knock in 80+ breaks in line up but can barely beat 30 in a match scenario.

The line up is good for small screw, stun and run shots i.e close control. It will not particularly test deep screw, top or your ability to spot angles if you position the ball reasonably well. It crucially does nothing to help your safety game which is also vital.

When I practice and want to work on nothing other than scoring i'll play frame after frame of hitting the pack from behind with pace and side from the normal breaking off position. Sounds crude but it spreads all the reds nicely around the pink and black and creates a far more realistic frame scenario than the line up.

You also need to read around the forum for advice on all aspects of technique. Something fundamentally wrong with your technique could be hidden by the relative simplicity of the line up. I used to be addicted to the line up but since I have played it less and less in place of 'open practice' ive become a better player. I'm certainly not a world beater but it worked for me.

[nevets]

I probably practice the line-up too much because I enjoy it. Once you get good at it you can clear the table and you feel like you're Ronnie! Good for your confidence, but then you play a real frame and remember how hard the game really is - not so good for your confidence!

Now I try to make it a bit more challenging and real. Nicely on the pink? How about that tricky long blue instead? Nicely on the blue? How about that green and off the bottom cushion etc.

Mix it up with other practice routines as it's only developing one part of your game - break-building - although an important part obviously.

[snookerpoolman]

Hi David,

On the all too rare occasion that I have a solo practice, I do an hours routine as follows:-

1. Reds all over the table (at least 2 above blue spot) making sure pink is available to at least 3 pockets and start with ball in hand somewhere in the business end. This is a great warm up to get your cueing arm going and gives you a range of shots. Sometimes make a small cluster below the pink to have a target to develop.

2. Line Up - usually with 1 red below the black. 5 below the pink, 5 below the blue and 4 above.

3. Proper frame against myself - playing safety shots and then attempting return safetys or a long pot that I'd realistically take in a game.

I find this a useful routine for my amateur level and struggle to practice solo for more than an hour (this is due both to time pressure and lack of motivation for solo practice).


My one session with a regular practice partner of a similar standard is Sat. pm. and most weeks I knock in 40 - 50 breaks, but recently had a nice 81 clearance.

My old coach helped me a lot with break-building when I used to struggle to get much over 30 odd.. he told me to literally turn my back on the table when I got to 30 and then start again, as though it were a whole new visit/break. This helped build my confidence and now my highest is 132. Good luck with your quest. It's such an artful and skillfull game. When it clicks, there aint much else that feels better...

[Renegade_56]

I'm pretty new to snooker, but have played a ton of 14-1 american straight pool, which is a game of high break possibilities similar to snooker. Reading your post what stood out to me was when you said that even though your offensive skills are better than that of your practise partner, while in practice, your practice partner was consistently getting higher breaks than you in games. That to me is an indication that maybe his defensive skills are maybe better than yours. Many players want so badly to have high runs/breaks that they tend to try and extend their run 1 ball too far, and end up leaving the table open on a near missed pot, when the correct play was to look for a high quality safety shot. Try this, shoot high percentage shots to score when they are available, but look for equally high percentage safety shots at the first sign of trouble. I'll bet as your safety play improves, his breaks will decrease, and you will start seeing easier potting opportunities to begin your break as his frustrations build and patience starts to wain, which in turn will likely increase your own breaks.

Renegade

[cantpotforshíte]

That's a good point from renegade 56 about safety shots ... if you are practising frames with somebody, then top quality safety is a great way to give yourself more good chances. Especially if you become adept at developing the reds, pink and black, and leaving your opponent in trouble.

Back to the point about the line-up excercise, almost every coach in the world will till you it's a great break building exercise, but I'd disagree with all of them. It could be a good excercise to get your cue arm going, and a good exercise to help you get used to scoring heavily, but in my opinion it could actually be harmful to break building.

Break building has nothing to do with potting, and everything to do with positional play. The trouble that I see with the line-up is that you don't need the white to finish on an exact spot to continue the break. In the line-up, you are always playing for areas, it often doesn't matter if you under/over screw by a foot or more, and this is not readily applicable to frame play.
In frame play, the most important thing to break building is to pick an exact spot for the white ball to finish on so that you can pot the next ball with an angle to get on the next.

When you pause at the rear, put a little more thought into position and trust yourself to pot the ball.

[hotpot]

I dont like or ever play line ups as they give you far too many choices and new opportunities when you lose position . My favourite drills for practicing touch and is six reds from black to pink spot and a few behind black depending on what your level is and how well your cueing , i usually use four .

The other drill is blacks off the spot this is invaluable in and around the black spot especially when you have to use the cushions .

Once you feel you can pot and play position quite well and feel you should be making 30-40 breaks regularly , then pheraps your shot selection is not right , and i,ve seen some really good players get frustrated when they break down by taking the wrong choice of shot .

O r pheraps your positonal play is,nt quite precise enough , if so i just dont think the line ups will improve it precisely enough as theres too much margin for error .

you need to try the reds above the black and blacks off the spot ,( and i,m sure there are plenty of other good drills for improving positional play )concentrating on pinpoint position .

There are many good drills on the Fergal O, brien website for cueball control but some are for advanced players and need to be gradually buit up to .

Getting the cueball in precise position takes time , good basics and dedication . When you can achieve this consistently then theres no reason why you should,nt be hitting regular breaks .

Another thing to remember regarding shot selection is that good players will always look for areas of the table to play position rather than playing for a specific ball .
Always look to play in an area of the table which will give you several option should you overhit , underhit etc .

[dav1d]

hi guys, thanks for the advice so far. The advice about my safety is good advice, but i do already have a reasonably good safety game. I play in a league on a friday night and i put this into practice.

Its just that in the last month or two when i have gone for a 10 frame practice session with someone, i will play far more aggressively - maybe i am trying too hard to get a high break.

Also i like the point about line-ups being about playing for areas, instead of precise positions, i think that i need to get used to playing precise position again.

Thanks for the advice so far guys!!! keep it coming.

[magicman]

You need to practise with players that are better than you.

Secondly, try placing all the reds in a X shape with the pink bang in the middle on its spot. This is a far more challenging routine than a line-up.

Lastly, remember that the better your safety play the more chances you'll get for those breaks.

[dav1d]

does anyone think i should get a few coaching lessons or would there not be any point? Should i be able to achieve what i want to without coaching?!?!

[hotpot]

A coach can help you iron out any flaws in your game and help you get the basics right . they would probably help you with shot selection . Its certainly worth it especially if you think youre technicue is not sound .

A good technicue alone wont get you the pinpoint position you require but it certainly gives you a lot more chance .

Once you get youre technique sorted its practice , practice and more practice until that white feels like putty in the hand .

[finabb]

does anyone think i should get a few coaching lessons or would there not be any point? Should i be able to achieve what i want to without coaching?!?!

Hi
I get coaching about every 2 weeks, it helps iron out problems and gives you new idea's
When you practice and miss a type of shot (one you should get); put the balls back and play it again untill you pot it 4 out of 5.
Its amazing but you might miss it say the first 5 times then it just clicks and you will pot it 4 out of 5.
Its all about the brain remembering the shot, so many people practice potting but when they miss they just carry on to the next shot.

[Woolf147]

It is all about cue action and hitting the cue ball in the middle and cueing in the straight line. do not use side at all unless you are 100 break player. This is why you missing shots and loosing cue ball control. This game about little stun shots and not scrue shots. The less scrue shots you use the more easy game comes. Remember hitting the cue ball in the middle and in the straight line.
Up and down spots will help you get better in terms of finding the golden middle.Also practice little roll shots it will improve your cue ball control.
Hope it helps.