Long rest use

[Billy]

This is one I've often wondered, as has my dad funnily enough, but why do players use the long rest the way they do?

I'm going to find this difficult to illustrate in words, but with the normal rest they're usually stretching to a certain extent and have no real option but to hold the cue like a dart and play it as we all know, but with the long rest (and at certain times with the standard rest) they could hold the cue / extension as they would normally, and play the shot as though the rest is an extension of their bridge arm. In other words they hold the cue with the normal grip and play it from under their chest as normal.

As I thought I don't think I'm painting the picture very well, but just imagine the stance and position when playing a normal shot, and then imagine the rest is their bridge arm.

I've tried playing rest shots like this and can honestly say it's very comfortable.

[jrc750]

I have never ever seen anyone use the long rest like that ??
Not sure if your suggestion would work really, maybe i'll try tonight lol

[Billy]

I have never ever seen anyone use the long rest like that ??

No, neither have I. That's my whole point.

[DeanH]

I think I know what you mean, with elbow vertical as in normal play instead of parallel with the bed.
I have seen one player (Asian?) (maybe a wildcard/am) do this, with the normal rest, looked different and had thought of giving this a go.

[Billy]

I think I know what you mean, with elbow vertical as in normal play instead of parallel with the bed.

Yes, or the upper arm vertical to be more precise. Basically a normal shot but with the rest as an extended bridge arm.

[arctine]

For me because if you're that far away, I want the advantageous view of the potting angle that comes from being higher on the shot. I see no advantage however from of being down on the shot at that distance, you can't trust what you see like a normal shot.

[jonny66]

For me because if you're that far away, I want the advantageous view of the potting angle that comes from being higher on the shot. I see no advantage however from of being down on the shot at that distance, you can't trust what you see like a normal shot.

You can still stay high on the shot, a bit like an old American pool player, but you have the advantage of your elbow not naturally wanting to put the cue across the ball.

[ace man]

Rest shots come up often, but long rest shots not so much. But when they do, you want to keep consistency of using the same type of technique.

[arctine]

You can still stay high on the shot, a bit like an old American pool player, but you have the advantage of your elbow not naturally wanting to put the cue across the ball.

But then surely you will be high and the cue will be low so you lose the advantage of being able to look down the cue. I really can't see any advantage, it's far better to play the way we all do and remain compact.

[jonny66]

You can't see down an 8 foot cue from a little higher up? I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that then.

[arctine]

The further you are from the cue, the worse your view of the length is and therefore a worse judgement of how straight it is being cued.

[DeanH]

Long rest use

I play all rest shots with forearm parallel as my dad said when I was a youngster that the longer length you can see of the cue the more accurate you will be on the shot
it has held me in good stead all these many years and my friends are amazed if I miss a rest shot

When I get home (in Cardiff at the moment if anyone didn't know :wink I will try to find a video of the Asian player playing the rest and long rest with normal cue action.

I guess it is (as most thing snooker related) what you started out playing and do what works for you

[Shockerz]

I'm struggling with the words a little but do you mean just forget conventional rest position and just use the cue and rest as normal (put the cue to your chin and chest) and play it like a normal snooker shot as you do every other shot.

If that is the case then I have always done this with lots of raised eyebrows from people but have always potted quite consistently with it.

You can hear people muttering in the background when I do it but lots of club players have tried it as they have seen me consistently pot doing it this way.

I first saw Jimmy White do it in the 1980's and copied it and it stuck; I certainly haven't seen him or anyone else do it since so they are more consistent using the convention method.

We have decent tips on our long rests and around the black putting side and screw isn't a problem even though it's a fair distance away.

The big thing for me is the white doesn't bounce but in slow motion on some standard rest shots, the white can have a tendency to bounce when the cue is raised more.

I always find it amusing when I use the long stuff and screw it back for the pink!

[jonny66]

If you can be bothered putting an extension on for every rest shot you can use this method on normal ones too.

[Shockerz]

You can't see down an 8 foot cue from a little higher up? I think we'll just have to agree to disagree on that then.

That's right. I carry a telescopic one so I can use it up to the longer rest distance.

I can reach just over half way with a mini butt.