What makes an elegant cue action?

[tomperty]

I'm just asking for peoples opinions here

For me, some players have particularly pretty cue actions such as Lee and Ronnie. I think the pause and the ability to create really effortless power looks very classy.

What properties of a cue action do you believe makes it 'easy on the eye'?

[ghost121]

Fluid smoothness and consistency, particularly under pressure.

[Big Splash!]

0, Yin, Yin, Yin, 0, Yang in perfect form.

[itsnoteasy]

Smooth and long, with a nice tempo to it always looks nice to me. I can't watch short jabby quick actions they make me cringe even if they are very good players, I think I'm worried their actions may rub off on me lol.

[Big Splash!]

Smooth and long, with a nice tempo to it always looks nice to me. I can't watch short jabby quick actions they make me cringe even if they are very good players, I think I'm worried their actions may rub off on me lol.

Nearly as bad as the snatch rotaters. Know a guy like that, always misses key balls and that's on a pool table. Won't ever change. Then another guy plays county pool and he's jabbing and stabbing and jabs it on the final stroke. Again, won't change. Neither play snooker anymore, you can guess why! lol

[itsnoteasy]

Nearly as bad as the snatch rotaters. Know a guy like that, always misses key balls and that's on a pool table. Won't ever change. Then another guy plays county pool and he's jabbing and stabbing and jabs it on the final stroke. Again, won't change. Neither play snooker anymore, you can guess why! lol

Just shows how your technique doesn't have to be very good to be half decent at pool, if he's playing county.
Although Denis Taylor had all those faults we have mentioned and he was WC lol.

[jonny66]

Alex Higgins was pretty good at snooker too.

[itsnoteasy]

Alex Higgins was pretty good at snooker too.

Come to think of it I really didn't like Cliff Thorburns action at all, although I liked watching him , even though he plays snooker the exact opposite of what I like , don't know why that was but I always liked Cliff ,maybe because he said snuker and came across as a nice guy.

[Shockerz]

Come to think of it I really didn't like Cliff Thorburns action at all, although I liked watching him , even though he plays snooker the exact opposite of what I like , don't know why that was but I always liked Cliff ,maybe because he said snuker and came across as a nice guy.

I must admit I liked him because I never really thought he was quite good enough to win matches but he always managed to make sure he found a way by hook or by crook!

[Big Splash!]

Just shows how your technique doesn't have to be very good to be half decent at pool, if he's playing county.
Although Denis Taylor had all those faults we have mentioned and he was WC lol.

Yeah, as long as the faults are consistent, you can kinda work with em I guess. lol

Another chap I know switched to pool after not making it at snooker. He's hit a few maxis and played county snooker. Now he's playing England pool and big money matches. So I guess that's the contrast between good technique and snatchy, one is county, the other England and making big dough. Bad technique can only get you so far fortunately. Snatchy was lower half in snooker league and found out. I think a lot of English pool is about knowing when to place balls and when to play the DF and how you play it. It's quite tactical. Pot 7 but miss the 8 ball and you can get screwed by your opponent. It's fun down the pub but tedious after a while. I can play hours of snooker and not get bored in contrast. But that's because I've spent time developing the skills to make snooker interesting and enjoyable. Ya pool snatchers would pack up after one frame if they played at all.

[Shockerz]

Yeah, as long as the faults are consistent, you can kinda work with em I guess. lol

Another chap I know switched to pool after not making it at snooker. He's hit a few maxis and played county snooker. Now he's playing England pool and big money matches. So I guess that's the contrast between good technique and snatchy, one is county, the other England and making big dough. Bad technique can only get you so far fortunately. Snatchy was lower half in snooker league and found out. I think a lot of English pool is about knowing when to place balls and when to play the DF and how you play it. It's quite tactical. Pot 7 but miss the 8 ball and you can get screwed by your opponent. It's fun down the pub but tedious after a while. I can play hours of snooker and not get bored in contrast. But that's because I've spent time developing the skills to make snooker interesting and enjoyable. Ya pool snatchers would pack up after one frame if they played at all.

I remember switching from pool to snooker and looking at the table for the first time I couldn't believe the size of it, like a football pitch. The distance between the two finds out cueing floors easier, the smaller the table the more you can get away with.

Still like the very occasional game though for fun.

[jonny66]

I remember switching from pool to snooker and looking at the table for the first time I couldn't believe the size of it, like a football pitch. The distance between the two finds out cueing floors easier, the smaller the table the more you can get away with.

Still like the very occasional game though for fun.

I remember that feeling, that and a big bump in my interest and respect for professional snooker. I enjoy watching really good pool players maneuver the ball around a table though, as long as they aren't playing against me at the time

[Shockerz]

I remember that feeling, that and a big bump in my interest and respect for professional snooker. I enjoy watching really good pool players maneuver the ball around a table though, as long as they aren't playing against me at the time

I've never really seen really good players up close, only on the box. Thing is, if the tables are small and people can pot most shots (pots) on there then the top class players must be brilliant to beat all the rest so they must have something special or they wouldn't remain at the top.

Have to get along and watch some one day so I can see in the flesh what they do different.

[jonny66]

I played a lot of American pool when I lived in Germany, these guys have cue actions that look ****, but are incredibly effective on a pool table, much more sidespin as well. Pool cue actions don't really transfer over to snooker though.

I think I can feel an argument brewing.

[ace man]

Elegant cue action? Nice to look at, I suppose? The player doesn't necessarily have to be all that good. In my club there at at least two or three younger guys who have gone over 50 maybe only once in their lives, but look totally professional on the table. Proper walk in, aligned straight, nice 4 point contact, front pause, back pause, slow backswing, nice sound upon delivery, follow through, staying down...etc. Some years ago I didn't know such people existed, but some players play incredibly badly for the amount of technique they have. I think their problem is mindset and approach to the game, as well as complete lack of snooker brain.