Tournament tips/advices , new cue

[burgerunderwear]

Hello everybody. As you can probably tell from the title, I'm here to look for some advice(s) for playing in tournaments. I might be participating in a local club tournament next month, and it would be my first tournament ever. Please provide me some tips, advices, things to look out for to go through the tournament comfortably and confidently.

My next question is about purchasing a new, better cue. I am currently using a cheap, 40£ CM1 cue. I have gotten used to it but that doesn't necessarily mean it is very comfortable to use. Many people who have tried my cue say that the distribution of the weight is unusual. I have been contemplating about purchasing a new cue, with a budget of around 90-100£. After playing for almost a year, I have a better idea and knowledge of what kind of cue I like and what feels good for me. But my main question is, would it be worth it to purchase a new cue? Would it improve my gameplay? Or is it more worth it to stick with the cue that I have been using all this while? Please share all your opinions!

[the lone wolf]

First tournament advise...
Enjoy the tournament and yourself!

[Byrom]

First tournament advise...
Enjoy the tournament and yourself!

Enjoy the tounament and yourself?? I mean yeah go and gee yourself up in the toilet during a mid session interval but thats taking it to a whole new level

[ADR147]

Where you live your budget would be mostly spent on delivery so it would not be worth changing the cue.

[jonny66]

Just see how you feel at the tournament and learn from it, don't expect to play too well. Those with low expectations are seldom disappointed.

[burgerunderwear]

Where you live your budget would be mostly spent on delivery so it would not be worth changing the cue.

There is actually a billiards store that sells snooker & pool cues. They have a wide range of cues, even the ROS ones! So would it be worth it?

[burgerunderwear]

Should I get a new cue???

[Smeeagain]

Mate give folk time to reply! Your last two posts are less than an hour apart and you are in a different time zone ...

[DeanH]

Tournament tips/advices , new cue

if you are going to your first tournament you want everything you have control over to be all just right, and that includes your cue
if you play well and are comfortable with your current cue then that would be better than going to your first tournament with a new cue you probably won't be "gelled" with.
Of course if you hate your current cue then get a new one
There is no hard and fast rule with all things cues... it is always down to your preferences and how it feels and plays to you.
Can you try out the cues at that local store? Always best to try out a cue before buying if you can

[jrc750]

There is actually a billiards store that sells snooker & pool cues. They have a wide range of cues, even the ROS ones! So would it be worth it?

What does this mean ? they are probably some cheap nastily made sticks

[burgerunderwear]

Mate give folk time to reply! Your last two posts are less than an hour apart and you are in a different time zone ...

Please forgive me for my impatience

[burgerunderwear]

if you are going to your first tournament you want everything you have control over to be all just right, and that includes your cue
if you play well and are comfortable with your current cue then that would be better than going to your first tournament with a new cue you probably won't be "gelled" with.
Of course if you hate your current cue then get a new one
There is no hard and fast rule with all things cues... it is always down to your preferences and how it feels and plays to you.
Can you try out the cues at that local store? Always best to try out a cue before buying if you can

Thanks for the great reply! Yes they allow testing and thats where I bought my first cue as well.

[Smeeagain]

Thanks for the great reply! Yes they allow testing and thats where I bought my first cue as well.

So if they allow testing and you bought the first one there why did you buy it if you say it is uncomfortable?
Smee

[Smeeagain]

Hello everybody. As you can probably tell from the title, I'm here to look for some advice(s) for playing in tournaments. I might be participating in a local club tournament next month, and it would be my first tournament ever. Please provide me some tips, advices, things to look out for to go through the tournament comfortably and confidently.

My next question is about purchasing a new, better cue. I am currently using a cheap, 40£ CM1 cue. I have gotten used to it but that doesn't necessarily mean it is very comfortable to use. Many people who have tried my cue say that the distribution of the weight is unusual. I have been contemplating about purchasing a new cue, with a budget of around 90-100£. After playing for almost a year, I have a better idea and knowledge of what kind of cue I like and what feels good for me. But my main question is, would it be worth it to purchase a new cue? Would it improve my gameplay? Or is it more worth it to stick with the cue that I have been using all this while? Please share all your opinions!

Right Im going to say a few things you might not like, but please take it in the spirit in which it is intended. I am no snooker expert but I have competed and coached at a high level in another sport and a lot of the approach is the same.

You say you are 19 and that you have been playing for a year. So you started at 18. In another post you say you want to play professionally. You've probably started way too late - there are always exceptions to the rule, but you've been playing for a year, you don't say how often you play, but form the other post, fi I recall correctly you can make breaks of around 30. That suggests that, after a year, you aren't exhibiting any outstanding prodigy type natural talent. So you'll have to work at it. nothing wrong with that, but starting at your age I'd say you were a long way off becoming a pro if ever at all. You say you are entering your first tournament and ask for advice about going through the tournament comfortably. What on earth makes you think with no competition experience and 30 odd breaks that you will even get past the first round let alone go through the tournament? That could be seen as somewhat insulting or disrespectful to your opposition to even think that.

Depends on the standard of the tournament to be honest.

But now you say the wight of your cue is unusual - but in the other post about turning professional you say it is very evenly balanced - so it either is or it isn't. Make your mind up or correct whichever post is wrong.
A more expensive cue does not necessarily, if at all, make a better player, certainly not at your level, so do not assume that you will be better by spending more money. and don't think that because a cue has the ROS name on it that it will be a good cue. He doesn't play with the cues that have his name on as I recall (he plays with a Jhn parries cue I believe).

I would suggest you do a Google search on the four levels of competence - it starts with unconscious incompetent (one who does not know who bad they are at something, or rather how far away they are form the required standard), to conscious incompetent (someone who does know how bad or far away from the required standard that they are like me with snooker and singing), moving up to conscious competent (someone who is good at something when they focus and think about it) through to unconscious competent - someone who is god at it without having to think about it. Selby ROS etc all have to think about it but to a certain degree have an amount of unconscious competent about them. You are very much the first level i.e. unconscious incompetent. You want to play pro but have never played a tournament. Sure, everyone has to start somewhere and have aims, dream and ambitions, and I admire you for that, but I would say step back for a moment - do you truly believe, 100%, deep down, being totally honest with yourself, that it is viable fro you to be a professional snooker player. Maybe it is.

Good luck.

Smee

[Byrom]

apologies for posting twice. I was trying to edit the spot to add the good luck bit at the end but it posted twice somehow.

well you stuck the knife in - might as well twist it