[Gary Barlow]

Anyone into it?
Seems to have become my solitary pursuit while being at Uni, can't get enough of it. Been playing properly for around 3 months now, although i used to dabble on the table at my golf club. My highest break is somewhere in the 30s and i'm looking to improve. Anyone care to share tips or discuss the game.

World Championship kicks of saturday as well, Judd Trump is favorite with the bookies but i'm liking the look of Neil Robertson myself. Thoughts?

[Guru Jason]

Can't play to save my live but i do play as much as I can when I'm back home from Uni. I love watching it on TV when I get the chance but sometimes can only watch highlights because the rest of the house really isn't in to it.

[Matthew_Lowson]

http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/show...0#post37217050

[shezshez]

I play when I can, nearest snooker hall is 15 miles away though, can't wait to go to uni where there's one on the doorstep. I've got a 30 break once or twice.

[Gary Barlow]

147 from Steven Hendry today, top class. Even after his trip to China.

[Aky786UK]

Great knock, he seemed out of position at times but managed to pull through, 8-1 up, should win. He did a 147 few years back and lost so hopefully he'll add the victory to the maximum. Caught the end of Higgins vs. Liang, latter made an error taking the double with the red but potential he sure has.

[chickenonsteroids]

I used to watch a lot of snooker... I can't play it to save my life but it's fun nonetheless

I might start watching it again

[shyamshah]

Snooker is a great game, very hard to play and can be boring at times but can also be very exciting. Well done to Stephen Hendry on 147.

[lollington-mccoy]

I hope Ronnie is on a come back here.... but it should be interesting as there are a lot of unfamiliar faces in this tournament (but no steve davis- damn)

[Kidioteque]

(Original post by Gary Barlow)
Anyone into it?
Seems to have become my solitary pursuit while being at Uni, can't get enough of it. Been playing properly for around 3 months now, although i used to dabble on the table at my golf club. My highest break is somewhere in the 30s and i'm looking to improve. Anyone care to share tips or discuss the game.

World Championship kicks of saturday as well, Judd Trump is favorite with the bookies but i'm liking the look of Neil Robertson myself. Thoughts?

Used to play quite a lot prior to GCSEs - high break of 82 and a 140 on the lineup. Fell out of the habit, but I'm gonna factor in (albeit only slightly) proximity to snooker halls when I decide which universities to apply to I'd really like to pick it back up again. But yeah, if you need any specific tips for playing I'd be happy to pass on bits of advice I was given when I played - although I'm far from an expert!

Judd Trump's my favourite player, followed by Robbo and Selby. Luca Brecel is an incredible prospect, too. Think Robbo's a good shout for this year, though Higgins can never be ruled out! Will be an interesting two weeks.

[Kallisto]

Hello!

I like snooker even if I only watch it in TV by word championships. It's interesting due to the tactical moments in there. Furthermore I'm impressed time and time again how to play a cue ball to place one to a red ball or coloured one. I think it must be difficult to be concentrate by that. And the table is very long!

It's so interesting to read that you are playing and practice snooker yourself. What a feeling is it? By the way when will start the world championship in this year?

[shyamshah]

(Original post by Kallisto)
Hello!

I like snooker even if I only watch it in TV by word championships. It's interesting due to the tactical moments in there. Furthermore I'm impressed time and time again how to play a cue ball to place one to a red ball or coloured one. I think it must be difficult to be concentrate by that. And the table is very long!

It's so interesting to read that you are playing and practice snooker yourself. What a feeling is it? By the way when will start the world championship in this year?

The world championship started today with Stephen Hendry scoring a brilliant 147

[SarahM94]

I hope Ding gets off to a good start. also can't wait to see what Brecel will bring to the tournament.
Didn't Rory Mcleod qualify? Thought he's been good.

[Kallisto]

(Original post by shyamshah)
The world championship started today with Stephen Hendry scoring a brilliant 147

Thanks for answer. That is a great beginning in my opinion. As far as I know there was not a maximum break by the last world championship. Am I right? It must be his eleventh one in his career. He has caught up Ronnie O'Sullivan. Is that right?

[shyamshah]

(Original post by Kallisto)
Thanks for answer. That is a great beginning in my opinion. As far as I know there was not a maximum break by the last world championship. Am I right? It must be his eleventh one in his career. He has caught up Ronnie O'Sullivan. Is that right?

I think you are right, that there was no maximum last year and yeah Hendry has caught up with Ronnie now.

[Kallisto]

Steven Hendry's maximum break was the 88th in the history of snooker. twenty-two of them was marked by Ronnie and Steve - that are one out of four in snooker. Both of them are legends.

[Gary Barlow]

(Original post by Kidioteque)
Used to play quite a lot prior to GCSEs - high break of 82 and a 140 on the lineup. Fell out of the habit, but I'm gonna factor in (albeit only slightly) proximity to snooker halls when I decide which universities to apply to I'd really like to pick it back up again. But yeah, if you need any specific tips for playing I'd be happy to pass on bits of advice I was given when I played - although I'm far from an expert!

Judd Trump's my favourite player, followed by Robbo and Selby. Luca Brecel is an incredible prospect, too. Think Robbo's a good shout for this year, though Higgins can never be ruled out! Will be an interesting two weeks.

82 is quality. Did you have lessons?
There any particular piece of advice that improved your game the most?

Higgins is top class but i struggle to like him after the whole match fixing fiasco a few years ago. Looking forward to Ronnie v Ebdon, would love to see O'Sullivan back to world beating form but he's been drawn into the deep end early on.

[Kidioteque]

(Original post by Gary Barlow)
82 is quality. Did you have lessons?
There any particular piece of advice that improved your game the most?

Higgins is top class but i struggle to like him after the whole match fixing fiasco a few years ago. Looking forward to Ronnie v Ebdon, would love to see O'Sullivan back to world beating form but he's been drawn into the deep end early on.

Not lessons as such, but the owner of the club I played at was quality (made centuries often) and whenever we played frames he'd give me advice and highlighted things I might've been doing wrong.

Three things come to mind as being particularly useful in helping me improve:

1) Stance - for the first month or so of playing I was standing the way which was natural to me, sort of dismissing the importance of utilising a 'proper' stance. As soon as I was told how bad mine was and encouraged to fix it I noticed a huge improvement in my cueing. Try this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSK4w_9S_x0

2) Cue action - finding a rhythm which suited me and replicating it on every shot. Something I did at first was to count upwards from 1 in time with each forward/backward swing...it should get to a point where it feels "just right" and that is when you deliver the cue through the ball. Don't ever feel the need to rush - take your time with it at first and as you improve you'll naturally speed up.

3) Vision - make sure that you're looking at the object ball rather than the cue ball when you hit the shot. It's fine to flick your eyes back and forth from the object ball to cue ball whilst feathering before a shot (I believe Hendry/Davis are even known to look at the pocket sometimes) but when you deliver the cue through the ball you should be looking at the object ball. A good analogy is darts: when you throw one, you are looking at a point on the board, not the dart itself. It'll feel really peculiar at first and if you find yourself putting unintentional side on the ball you simply need to work a bit on delivering the cue in a straight line.


Most of all, have fun with it. Improving your technique will make you a better player (and there's nothing more enjoyable than knocking in some big breaks) but, as with anything, make sure you get the balance right

If there are any problems you're having/tips you want let me know, I'll be happy to see if I can help

[shyamshah]

Where do you guys play? I play at the local Rileys, and i also have a pool table at home so i practice pool and snooker on there although snooker is obviously much easier on a pool table.

[Kidioteque]

(Original post by shyamshah)
Where do you guys play? I play at the local Rileys, and i also have a pool table at home so i practice pool and snooker on there although snooker is obviously much easier on a pool table.

Started at Riley's but moved to a more specialist club when I started playing more often/properly. Riley's is okay for the social and beginner side of it but the tables aren't great and the service at my local was shocking!