The best produced and the best training instruction for snooker i have ever seen . There is a lot of incoherent snooker advice on the net good players but they can not instruct . You are a born teacher and your style is slow and calm the way snooker should be played . Please give us lots more loving it and the game of snooker.
Many thanks, its always nice to receive compliments. I suppose I do have something of an advantage in that my camera man (Phil) is a professional and I have 35 years experience as a PE Teacher. I believe that teaching or learning any sport, its various skills should be isolated from the total package, practised, hopefully perfected, then placed back into the total package.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach yes I agree. It is all very well spoken. I play 8/9 ball and I routinely come to your videos for advice. After taking billiards seriously, I tend to over practice with impractical shots and don't do the little things to perfection. You seem to subtly remind your viewers that in a way. Great videos and hope you continue.
Spent a couple of hours on this practise today and cannot believe the improvement . i think it is the feedback of hitting or missing the balls . great drill thanks a million.
Who is giving these videos the thumbs down????? Barry's video lessons are excellent. He is my coach and he doesn't know it. Ive learnt so much in just two weeks of watching and practicing 5 hrs a day !!!
Greg. Thanks for your support. Like I have said in the past, you can please some of the people all the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.
Thank you Mr Barry Stark.You are more of a superhero than Tony Stark will ever be! I've watched tutorials from the likes of Ronnie and Shaun Murphy but your videos have proved FAR more useful to me. All your lessons are excellently explained and demonstrated.
I saw the video and tried this last night. Harder than it looks, but I was able to do it, with persistence. Very educational. My biggest problem wasn't judging the amount of spin but executing the screw successfully at all. And I was cuing too hard. I bet there's a video on just that... Thanks Barry!
Hello Tony . I must say I had my share of moments (as most players did) of frustration and disbelief as I tried to play a screw shot, only to witness the cue ball trickle back an inch. In my frustration I and my mind got easily tricked in to thinking that you have to hit it harder to get the spin. When in fact as would Barry say (I suppose) "Its not about how hard you hit its about how well you hit it.". After a long time of internet inspections and nagging the good people of snooker forums I decided I have to take it few steps back. Actualy I went all the way back, to the beginning. I examined three things about the way I play that particular shot: 1. At which height do I adress the cue ball before,during and after the shot. Keeping in mind that the cue must stay almost parallel to the table all the time during the shot which leads to my next point. 2. Keeping the bridge hand low as possible helped me to adress the cue ball low while maintaining the cue close to parallel to the table. Also i was focusing on keeping my bridge solid and rigid all the way trough the shoot. Watch out for that thumb, dont let it drop. 3. Cue action and delivery. Smooth and accelerating cue action was the most important thing in my mind looking from retrospective. Keeping my hand relaxed and not to tight was a game changer (dont exaggerate so you dont loss the control over the cue ). Keeping my body still but relaxed ,also a worthwhile point to make. Reading this, some people might ask them self " How does this guy keep track of all this things ? " Bearing in mind all the things i have to watch out for i asked myself the same question. Keeping an eye on all of the above while trying to pot the object ball and screwing the cue ball back is at least very taxing if not a torment for the mind. So in regards to all of the above i took even more steps backward (I would even call it trying to learn how to walk again by crawling LoLs ). I simply removed the object ball and the cue ball all together. Even though I made this decision with resentment (What in the world am I doing at this table if I aint potting balls) it was the best decision I have ever made in my snooker training. This decision ushered me to the way I play screwback today, effortlessly and with control. So after this prolonged word dribble let's get to the brass tacks and go trough the routines that helped me develop a screwback shot that im proud of today. 1. Bridge hand push ups. Laying only my bridge hand on the table and raising and lowering my bridge hand by use of knuckles and only the knuckles of your fingers. Helped me in strengthening my bridge hand. You can test yourself by trying to pull out a peace of paper or money bill underneath you bridge. If you cant or you are having a hard time pulling it out then you can consider that a success. 2. Slow and controled cueing without the use off balls. I just went to the table only with the cue. I would get in adressed position (made sure that im relaxed and stable) and started cueing slowly and in straight line while keeping in mind all the mentioned things before (Rigid and low bridge, paralel cue and relaxed grip on the cue). I would really do this routine as slow as possible so i have time to witness any inperfections. Sometimes i would use few props for help like a ball standing by the side of my cue so I can be sure i keep my cue low and level as much as possible all the way trough the shot. Another props are few ( around ten ) sheets of paper that i would put under the cue so I could try to keep the tip of the cue as close as possible to the nap without having to worry if im gonna inflict any damage to the nap. 3. Back again to the table with the same set up (no balls). This time I would focus on my acceleration and again take it slow as possible. I would start my cueing slowly and gradualy build up speed and end it fast. Again keeping in mind all the mentioned things before (Rigid and low bridge, paralel cue and relaxed grip on the cue). I would put one ball the side of the cue so i could at least have some reference where the cue ball is so i could hone my timing better. 4 Now I would finnaly put the cue ball in to play but would not yet strike it. I would get down to the adressed position bearing in mind that im adressing it low below center, and i would it just cue up to the ball as close as possible (say it again, as close as possible), even so close I would slightly nudge the cue ball. This way I could get the right feal for when my cue needs to have the maximum acceleration for that all much needed timming. I would always emphasise that im close to the cue ball even at the entrence and adress position (this would mean that i did a lot of entries hehe.) 5. Finaly to some pots. I would set up the balls the same as in this video maybe whit a slighter angle. So slight angle on the blue for the middle pocket (Dont try to play a straight blue whit a goal to screw the white in the middle pocket cause this will force you to move the cue away from the line ending maybe with a bad habit of not following trough entirely ). I would get down on the shoot, maybe go trough all of the cheks to be sure once again. Be sure of the potting angle, relax and just let the cue do its work. Follow trough until your hand hits the chest. I hope this helps cause it sure did help me. There are nowdays videos about everything but it all comes down to hard work, patience and determination. Practice and practice and then more again !! P.S. Sorry for bad English and a long comment. Cheers i good luck !!
Tried this routine today, as someone who learned to play billiards before snooker, I thought I would find this routine fairly easy. How wrong I was! A definite routine to practice. Brilliant as always Barry.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Definitely one to practice on a regular basis. If I can master this routine I feel I can be on my way to making 50 breaks again.
Love these videos. I play American 8 ball mostly. I use a Snooker cue. The drills in all of your videos have helped me out tremendously. I only suck now, but getting better. Thanks
do you know that you are a great teacher and you helped me to play better every time i watch a video in your chanel i lern more and more. in my country its hard to see professionals and have experience from them and you did by telling us important informations and points to be better and better. thank you from all iraq. allways looking for time to see all your videos.
brian. Lapses in concentration are often the cause for missing easy shots, its almost like taking it for granted that you will pot the ball. Take it from me there are very few shots on a snooker table that cannot be missed. Try to establish a pre- shot routine, this will aid your technique and your concentration. Take a good look at Mark Selby, world champion and world number one, every shot is the same which also adds to mental strength. He points the cue and performs two feathers before finally delivering the cue. I'm not suggesting yours should be the same only that establish a routine that works for you.
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, I will try to treat every shot with respect from now on. Do you have a video on making shots with the cueball tight against the rail?Brian
excellent video , really good info , to do that shot , I was always trying to use side , and then missing the pot , looking forward to getting down to my local club , and trying this out . Thanks Barry , your a Gentleman .
Interesting - I'm a pool player, so almost all of the skills are transferable - I practice stun and screw-back by placing the black mid-way between the centre pockets, then use a ball at various angles to pot, stun/screw back to just lightly hit the black. Your method has the advantage, of course, of developing stun-run through and run through - I'll give it a go, thanks! ;)
Great lesson... I am gonna subscribe to your videos. I am on the level when I can compete almost professional players (pool, not snooker), but often, I struggle with lack of basics. In other words - I wasted in my life too much time by playing "random", without real thinking. But since I watch many TH-cam videos with pro matches, and also snooker matches, I improved very much (in terms of thinking 3 shots in advance, cue positioning etc..) But your videos now give me great ideas to practice... :) I use to "practice", since I am pianist myself. But same as in piano playing, it is ALWAYS way much easier when somebody gives you a good advices and great guidience... Thanks for doing this..!!
Dusan. I know absolutely nothing about playing the piano but I would be prepared to wager that it is just like learning other skills, you start with the basics, learn simple yet progressive routines before moving on. Then as you say listen to advice and guidance from your tutor. If you don't do that you are invalidating all the years that the skills have been developed and passed down. I am pleased that you like the channel to the extent that you have become a subscriber.
Hello sir I don’t know you reply on old videos but i want to say thing that I have interested in snooker since my childhood but I couldn’t play it very well But believe me sir after watching this video I don’t miss even a hard potshot🤗 Love you sir
As usual, Barry, excellent teaching! However did you ever do or consider doing a 'Primer' 'Aside' 'Introduction' on the different cuing sports\table sizes where 'side' or "English' is\might be critical? I just wish we had a snooker table in our town. :(
Mr Stark, an excellent set of videos. Clear, concise, with defined and achievable objectives (with practice!). Superb :-) If I may, just a quick question, what is the most respectful way (to the table and other users) of marking the table to ensure that the cue ball is returned to the same position
another amazing tutorial.thank you sir.i have two questions,in one of the episode of ronnie o'sullivan show ronnie mentioned that the speed of cue is similar in all shots and the only thing that changes is the pressure of the grip.that amazed me actually, i though the only thing that creates more power is the speed of the cue when you hit the cue ball.and another thing is does the amount of back swing change in different shots? when i practice i realize if i increase the back swing distance no matter how hard or slow i wanna play the shot i'm able to deliver my cue in a straight line more accurately.even in very slow shots with min amount of power.sorry for the long comment.:)
I think the main part of the answer to this question is the length of the back swing, the longer the back swing the more a player can allow the cue to do the work rather than a players muscles. Remember, a muscle is working when it is contracting, if it is contracted forcibly it is not really under the control needed. That does not mean the back swing cannot be too long, of course it can and I like to work on a principal of three, short, medium and long. Long is for the power shots, progressively getting shorter for the medium and delicate shots.Notice the word SIMILAR in Ronnie's explanation, it is inevitable that there will be some slight extra speed on the power shots.
Sir Thanks a lot for teaching videos on snooker they are really helpful. I am a beginner and struggling with my technique. I am unable to get the screw shot basically the backspin is wat m not able to get on the cueball. Can u create a separate video detailing the different screw shot techniques that involve screwback,drag,softscrew Thank you
swaril. Beginners often struggle to screw the ball back but really there is no need. Just keep that cue parallel to the table, strike the cue ball low, get through the ball and relax. Please have a look at a video I have done on the subject, I will also try to cover this aspect of the game in video form again.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach ...can u tell which video?....i ve all ur videos saved to my device..i watch them on regular basis.. And yes the detail video only on screw ...coz i think its one of the most crucial element for breakbuilding... Usually in 70-80% cases...cue ball jumps or stuns. Just like ur video stun for control... A detailed screw technique... Thanks a lot sir.... I ve improved this game a lot and its all because of ur lessons
I appreciate the concept that you have to learn touch of these things for yourself. However I would be very interested to see some slow motion footage of cue impact for various stun and screw shots being played presented with the normal video of the resulting shot.
Andrew. At this moment in time we do not have the correct equipment to record in slow motion, we are aware of the value of slow motion filming and we are saving our pennies in the hope that we will be able to purchase what is needed, the patreon contributions help with this.
Barry once again many thanks for the tutorials. Barry i have reached on this video after going through all the previous videos one by one. I have heard you saying on more than one occasion that we should not get too much obsessed with the side. I have heard you saying that use 'side' only when it is necessary and also use it carefully. Now, i have a big question in my mind here that when i see "pool" tutorials here on TH-cam, they make too much use of the side, in fact they would use side on almost every second shot and they tell you where to hit on the cue ball with how much left or right side to pot the object ball in desired pocket. Even when i see guys playing at my pool club where i play pool with them, i notice that they also make a lot of use of spin. Ironically, these guys are better than i am in the sport. I try my best to avoid using 'side'. So, i was thinking if the playing strategy of pool or 8 ball billiards is a bit different than the snooker. I was thinking if this golden lesson of not getting too much obsessed with the side only applies to the snooker and not the pool or billiards because the size of the table is relatively half as compared to the snooker . I know that is one hell of a long question but it would be so nice of you if you please take some time to answer it. THANKS..........
Multi. Lets start by saying that you are right in many respects when pool players are compared with snooker players. Without trying to denigrate the game of pool in any way pool players do not have to be so accurate when trying to pot a ball but possibly have to have more variables in their armoury when positioning the cue ball so side is used more frequently. Snooker players using excessive amounts of side will soon break down by missing a pot. Pool players will more likely break down, not by missing a pot but by losing position. I also believe that a good snooker player will adapt quicker to the game of pool than a good pool player adapting to snooker simply because his cue action will be better. I am aware that there are some contentious statements in those words but it is what I believe.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach - Barry, pool player here in the States. I know your comment here is two years old, but I just wanted to tell you that your were "spot on" with your observation about side - or, 'English' - in pool vs snooker. When I watch your lessons or snooker matches, all I can think is "wow... there's a LOT of open space on a snooker table!". In contrast, it's really crowded on a typical pool table, and getting the cue ball to weave through all the traffic is a trick. It does indeed call for introducing side, which at times may cause a player to err and miss.
JAMES. It is my intention to do another video on snooker glasses as soon as time allows. I have just changed the prescription of my glasses and bought a new pair, they were supplied by Chris Cheshire of www.snookerspex.com. This guy is a highly qualified optician who actually plays snooker, he understands all the problems that a snooker player has with glasses and I can certainly recommend him.
A comment on your comment about using side - the GREAT Joe Davis advised in his books, and other commentary, that the last thing he considered using in snooker was side, and only after he rejected all other options. However both he and his brother agreed on using side on most of their billiards shots. Perhaps because of the more delicate nature of that game?
Side is used more often in billiards because it can alter the throw of the cue ball after contact with the object ball, it can also be advantageous to use it when playing a losing hazard, helping the cue ball to slide in off the pocket opening.
Hi,I am a regular follower of your videos. I am an amateur player.i never crossed barrier of 35 in a break. i really wish to improve my game for break building. i practise 2 hours everyday potting the balls,following different practise routines. Can you tell me some more efficient workout routine which could help me in building breaks as the balls line up thing is very difficult for me.I find it hard to clear all balls in a line up.So where should i start from in order to increase my breaks so that i can also clear complete ball lineup.
Try an open table. By that I mean with the colours on their spots, spread the reds around the table, away from cushions and in pottable positions. Try to keep the cue ball in open play as well so that when it stops your can adopt a comfortable position. You can also try leaving the colours off the table, spread the reds around and see if you can pot all fifteen. Incidentally, if you are having problems with the line up please examine your cueing, please refer to the video's on cueing and record yourself on video from all angles. Remember, what you do and what you think you do are often two different things.
Could you explain what you mean by someone hitting the ball better than someone else? Do you mean the physical act of hitting it or the cueing action as a whole?
Hitting the ball better than someone else simply means timing the ball better. The cueing action as a whole helps to achieve better timing, relaxing the grip, speed of cue tip as it strikes and goes through the cue ball, feeling the cue ball as you hit through it rather than hitting at it. I know this is impossible but if you could make the object ball travel forward one Inch while getting the cue ball to screw back six inches your timing would have been perfect, in other words you would have hit the ball better.
Hi berry sir I tried so hard for screw shot. But I never found it easy. May I send you video to find out my mistake?
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Go to your local pool place and watch some "local hero"... He might not be the world no.1 but he/she will definitely show you how to screw the ball. Not that difficult.
Sir, I ve learnt natural angles rule; 30 degree n 90 degree rule n 15 degree rule. Is there any other rules to determine the path of the cue ball after striking the object ball? And using these rules could u pls demonstrate how to snooker ur opponent? The great thing about ur channel is it feels like we r getting one on one contact with u as u adress our issues in the comments. Thanks a lot.
There are no more hard and fast rules regarding the path of the cue ball after hitting the object ball. My advice is don't get bogged down too much with the deflection angles of the cue ball. Experiment and commit to memory what is happening, please remember you are getting one round object to hit another round object, the contact point is very small and any variation here will vary the angle of deflection. Practise will tell what you can and cannot do.
Winchester. Yes some players can find this practise difficult but we all need to come out of our comfort zone occasionally and test our ability. If you are struggling with it just count how many shots it takes for you to complete the practise. Now you have a new target the next time you attempt that same practise.
Bradley. If you chalk the cue tip regularly as a player should there is no need to scrub it on. Just lightly brush the tip with it ensuring you rotate the cue as you do it. Doing it this way will make the tip last longer and only minimal amounts of chalk will be deposited on the table and balls.
Sir, could you please tell me what sort of bridge or technique should I adopt for to play a long short when the cueball is stuck tight to the cushion? thanks .
Please have a look at my video (Adapting the Bridge) this should tell you all you need to know. The essence of the bridge is comfort and stability, just find the bridge that meets these objectives, it is on that video.
+Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you.. thanks alot sir.. I've been watching your videos past few days and practising along with your instructions and tips and I have to say I've really developed my skills. Thanks a ton.. 😇
that's a good question and mine also! as far as i know when you apply side to cue ball the delivery line of cue ball will slightly change to opposite! sure barry can explain that completely
As Barry said in the video, it's difficult shot even for the Rocket and its just the matter of personal experience after putting 100s of hrs in the game. This is the most difficult shot of all. As ur learning better to learn other techniques first n not to worry about side unless the object ball is close to the pocket or ur playing safety using the cushion. So just try to learn the use of side in cyshion first in this level. I replied u coz Barry replied me the similar in previous videos. So don't worry, coz it is the hardest shot anyway.
Dinesh is right I cannot answer the question any better than he has. I will only add please don't get bogged down with side, as your game improves you will learn its intricacies. In the mean time have a good look at the video.
jonnapalli. Consistency is what we are all striving to achieve, its remarkable how easy the game becomes when we know we have won the frame. Developing this attitude through out the game is the ultimate target, keep working on your technique, placing yourself in pressure situations and learning to cope with the losses. Please approach every loss and every miss as a learning situation and be determined to make marginal improvements each time you play.
Alex. I suppose the easiest way to explain this is that with stun the cue ball does not rotate it skids along the cloth. With even slight screw there is some backward rotation. When there is distance between the two balls screw will tend to dissipate and become stun. I hope that helps.
tnx for ur reply one more question. before playing a shot do we have to visualize which part of the cueball we are going to hit? i mean lets say we wanna play stun with abit of screw like around 2 tips above 6 oclock on cueball. however once we are down on the shot, we feel to readjust the height on cueball is it ok? or we shouldnt change it once we are down ? here is what i am abit confused" nic barrows video " th-cam.com/video/jvitu7adib8/w-d-xo.html plays above centre twice and get different results, is it becaz of punching the ball in first time, and decrease the speed 2nd time? tnx
ART. I have said many times that a player can hit the ball in exactly the same place as a professional but get an entirely different result simply because the professional hits the ball differently (better). Nic is trying to help you by giving you a measurement or at least an insight into where to hit the cue ball to get the desired result. Experience and purposeful practise will add to it.
The videos are deliberately short so that one task can be tackled and improved upon before moving on to the next. Experience has taught me that students generally try to absorb too much information too soon and end up being confused.
All we need is where to hit.. the point where the que should touch the white ball.. instead of telling that.. wasted all the time.. if seen many other videos.. talk irrespective trash .. instead of telling it to the point... show how and where to hit . Where your que is touching the white ball and how it's going visually not by your words
fnck. You are entitled to your opinion but if you just want to see somebody do it may I suggest you watch Ronnie O'Sullivan he does it a lot better than I do.
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The best produced and the best training instruction for snooker i have ever seen . There is a lot of incoherent snooker advice on the net good players but they can not instruct . You are a born teacher and your style is slow and calm the way snooker should be played . Please give us lots more loving it and the game of snooker.
Many thanks, its always nice to receive compliments. I suppose I do have something of an advantage in that my camera man (Phil) is a professional and I have 35 years experience as a PE Teacher. I believe that teaching or learning any sport, its various skills should be isolated from the total package, practised, hopefully perfected, then placed back into the total package.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach yes I agree. It is all very well spoken. I play 8/9 ball and I routinely come to your videos for advice. After taking billiards seriously, I tend to over practice with impractical shots and don't do the little things to perfection. You seem to subtly remind your viewers that in a way. Great videos and hope you continue.
Thanks Barry; you are a great teacher!
Basics, fundamentals and just loving what you do.
Vineeth, Great that you like the videos, hope they help.
Spent a couple of hours on this practise today and cannot believe the improvement . i think it is the feedback of hitting or missing the balls . great drill thanks a million.
Who is giving these videos the thumbs down?????
Barry's video lessons are excellent.
He is my coach and he doesn't know it. Ive learnt so much in just two weeks of watching and practicing 5 hrs a day !!!
Greg. Thanks for your support. Like I have said in the past, you can please some of the people all the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can never please all of the people all of the time.
Thank you Mr Barry Stark.You are more of a superhero than Tony Stark will ever be! I've watched tutorials from the likes of Ronnie and Shaun Murphy but your videos have proved FAR more useful to me. All your lessons are excellently explained and demonstrated.
Thanks for such high quality snooker lessons for free. . Easy to follow along very clear instructions. Really nice calm & relaxing too I find.
You're very welcome!
I saw the video and tried this last night. Harder than it looks, but I was able to do it, with persistence. Very educational.
My biggest problem wasn't judging the amount of spin but executing the screw successfully at all. And I was cuing too hard. I bet there's a video on just that...
Thanks Barry!
Hello Tony . I must say I had my share of moments (as most players did) of frustration and disbelief as I tried to play a screw shot, only to witness the cue ball trickle back an inch. In my frustration I and my mind got easily tricked in to thinking that you have to hit it harder to get the spin. When in fact as would Barry say (I suppose) "Its not about how hard you hit its about how well you hit it.".
After a long time of internet inspections and nagging the good people of snooker forums I decided I have to take it few steps back.
Actualy I went all the way back, to the beginning.
I examined three things about the way I play that particular shot:
1. At which height do I adress the cue ball before,during and after the shot.
Keeping in mind that the cue must stay almost parallel to the table all the time during the shot which leads to my next point.
2. Keeping the bridge hand low as possible helped me to adress the cue ball low while maintaining the cue close to parallel to the table.
Also i was focusing on keeping my bridge solid and rigid all the way trough the shoot. Watch out for that thumb, dont let it drop.
3. Cue action and delivery. Smooth and accelerating cue action was the most important thing in my mind looking from retrospective.
Keeping my hand relaxed and not to tight was a game changer (dont exaggerate so you dont loss the control over the cue ).
Keeping my body still but relaxed ,also a worthwhile point to make.
Reading this, some people might ask them self " How does this guy keep track of all this things ? "
Bearing in mind all the things i have to watch out for i asked myself the same question.
Keeping an eye on all of the above while trying to pot the object ball and screwing the cue ball back is at least very taxing if not a torment for the mind.
So in regards to all of the above i took even more steps backward (I would even call it trying to learn how to walk again by crawling LoLs ).
I simply removed the object ball and the cue ball all together.
Even though I made this decision with resentment (What in the world am I doing at this table if I aint potting balls) it was the best decision I have ever made in my snooker training. This decision ushered me to the way I play screwback today, effortlessly and with control.
So after this prolonged word dribble let's get to the brass tacks and go trough the routines that helped me develop a screwback shot that im proud of today.
1. Bridge hand push ups. Laying only my bridge hand on the table and raising and lowering my bridge hand by use of knuckles and only the knuckles of your fingers.
Helped me in strengthening my bridge hand. You can test yourself by trying to pull out a peace of paper or money bill underneath you bridge. If you cant or you are having a hard time pulling it out then you can consider that a success.
2. Slow and controled cueing without the use off balls. I just went to the table only with the cue. I would get in adressed position (made sure that im relaxed and stable) and started cueing slowly and in straight line while keeping in mind all the mentioned things before (Rigid and low bridge, paralel cue and relaxed grip on the cue).
I would really do this routine as slow as possible so i have time to witness any inperfections.
Sometimes i would use few props for help like a ball standing by the side of my cue so I can be sure i keep my cue low and level as much as possible all the way trough the shot.
Another props are few ( around ten ) sheets of paper that i would put under the cue so I could try to keep the tip of the cue as close as possible to the nap without having to worry if im gonna inflict any damage to the nap.
3. Back again to the table with the same set up (no balls). This time I would focus on my acceleration and again take it slow as possible. I would start my cueing slowly and gradualy build up speed and end it fast. Again keeping in mind all the mentioned things before (Rigid and low bridge, paralel cue and relaxed grip on the cue).
I would put one ball the side of the cue so i could at least have some reference where the cue ball is so i could hone my timing better.
4 Now I would finnaly put the cue ball in to play but would not yet strike it. I would get down to the adressed position bearing in mind that im adressing it low below center, and i would it just cue up to the ball as close as possible (say it again, as close as possible), even so close I would slightly nudge the cue ball. This way I could get the right feal for when my cue needs to have the maximum acceleration for that all much needed timming.
I would always emphasise that im close to the cue ball even at the entrence and adress position (this would mean that i did a lot of entries hehe.)
5. Finaly to some pots. I would set up the balls the same as in this video maybe whit a slighter angle. So slight angle on the blue for the middle pocket (Dont try to play a straight blue whit a goal to screw the white in the middle pocket cause this will force you to move the cue away from the line ending maybe with a bad habit of not following trough entirely ).
I would get down on the shoot, maybe go trough all of the cheks to be sure once again. Be sure of the potting angle, relax and just let the cue do its work.
Follow trough until your hand hits the chest.
I hope this helps cause it sure did help me. There are nowdays videos about everything but it all comes down to hard work, patience and determination. Practice and practice and then more again !!
P.S. Sorry for bad English and a long comment. Cheers i good luck !!
What I like about this coach, he is very precise, well illustrating, full of experience, calm and easy practicing exercises!
Maher, Thanks for the compliment, I try.
Tried this routine today, as someone who learned to play billiards before snooker, I thought I would find this routine fairly easy. How wrong I was! A definite routine to practice. Brilliant as always Barry.
Barry. Yes the pot tends to distract from making a successful cannon, needs practise to get both.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Definitely one to practice on a regular basis. If I can master this routine I feel I can be on my way to making 50 breaks again.
Love these videos. I play American 8 ball mostly. I use a Snooker cue. The drills in all of your videos have helped me out tremendously. I only suck now, but getting better. Thanks
do you know that you are a great teacher and you helped me to play better every time i watch a video in your chanel i lern more and more.
in my country its hard to see professionals and have experience from them and you did by telling us important informations and points to be better and better.
thank you from all iraq.
allways looking for time to see all your videos.
Great video, always find your videos useful and enjoy looking at your older content too.
Creative. Thanks for that. pleased you enjoy them.
This will become my routine practice.Thank you so mush Mr.Barry.
Hi there,
I tend to make very difficult shots and then miss an easy shot. Any advice?
Thanks
brian. Lapses in concentration are often the cause for missing easy shots, its almost like taking it for granted that you will pot the ball. Take it from me there are very few shots on a snooker table that cannot be missed. Try to establish a pre- shot routine, this will aid your technique and your concentration. Take a good look at Mark Selby, world champion and world number one, every shot is the same which also adds to mental strength. He points the cue and performs two feathers before finally delivering the cue. I'm not suggesting yours should be the same only that establish a routine that works for you.
Thanks for getting back to me so quickly, I will try to treat every shot with respect from now on. Do you have a video on making shots with the cueball tight against the rail?Brian
excellent video , really good info , to do that shot , I was always trying to use side , and then missing the pot , looking forward to getting down to my local club , and trying this out . Thanks Barry , your a Gentleman .
Interesting - I'm a pool player, so almost all of the skills are transferable - I practice stun and screw-back by placing the black mid-way between the centre pockets, then use a ball at various angles to pot, stun/screw back to just lightly hit the black. Your method has the advantage, of course, of developing stun-run through and run through - I'll give it a go, thanks! ;)
You, sir, are national treasure
Verono. Thank you, nice to be appreciated.
Great lesson... I am gonna subscribe to your videos. I am on the level when I can compete almost professional players (pool, not snooker), but often, I struggle with lack of basics. In other words - I wasted in my life too much time by playing "random", without real thinking. But since I watch many TH-cam videos with pro matches, and also snooker matches, I improved very much (in terms of thinking 3 shots in advance, cue positioning etc..)
But your videos now give me great ideas to practice... :) I use to "practice", since I am pianist myself. But same as in piano playing, it is ALWAYS way much easier when somebody gives you a good advices and great guidience...
Thanks for doing this..!!
Dusan. I know absolutely nothing about playing the piano but I would be prepared to wager that it is just like learning other skills, you start with the basics, learn simple yet progressive routines before moving on. Then as you say listen to advice and guidance from your tutor. If you don't do that you are invalidating all the years that the skills have been developed and passed down. I am pleased that you like the channel to the extent that you have become a subscriber.
Hello sir I don’t know you reply on old videos but i want to say thing that I have interested in snooker since my childhood but I couldn’t play it very well
But believe me sir after watching this video I don’t miss even a hard potshot🤗
Love you sir
Yash. Great that you like and learn from the channel, good luck with your snooker.
Mate im at the cannon of the yellow :D , great idea. Great cumenship sir.
Your videos are very helpful. Thanks!
William. My pleasure.
Thank you , very helpful indeed
what a great teacher! Thank you very much.
HELMITON. Always nice to know someone appreciates what you are doing. Thanks.
Thank you for your great videos sir.
awesome video.
As usual, Barry, excellent teaching! However did you ever do or consider doing a 'Primer' 'Aside' 'Introduction' on the different cuing sports\table sizes where 'side' or "English' is\might be critical?
I just wish we had a snooker table in our town. :(
Fabulous tutorial. Thank you. Would love to know your age, your brain seems as sharp as a pin.
David. Don't you know when a person is over 21 you never ask his/her age. ha ha, lets just say that later this year I get my free TV license.
Mr Stark, an excellent set of videos. Clear, concise, with defined and achievable objectives (with practice!). Superb :-)
If I may, just a quick question, what is the most respectful way (to the table and other users) of marking the table to ensure that the cue ball is returned to the same position
Good point. I sometimes place a small piece of paper or card at the side of the cue ball to help me replace it when practising a particular shot.
Thanks Barry. :-)
Thanks Barry
Very welcome
another amazing tutorial.thank you sir.i have two questions,in one of the episode of ronnie o'sullivan show ronnie mentioned that the speed of cue is similar in all shots and the only thing that changes is the pressure of the grip.that amazed me actually, i though the only thing that creates more power is the speed of the cue when you hit the cue ball.and another thing is does the amount of back swing change in different shots? when i practice i realize if i increase the back swing distance no matter how hard or slow i wanna play the shot i'm able to deliver my cue in a straight line more accurately.even in very slow shots with min amount of power.sorry for the long comment.:)
I think the main part of the answer to this question is the length of the back swing, the longer the back swing the more a player can allow the cue to do the work rather than a players muscles. Remember, a muscle is working when it is contracting, if it is contracted forcibly it is not really under the control needed. That does not mean the back swing cannot be too long, of course it can and I like to work on a principal of three, short, medium and long. Long is for the power shots, progressively getting shorter for the medium and delicate shots.Notice the word SIMILAR in Ronnie's explanation, it is inevitable that there will be some slight extra speed on the power shots.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you so much sir for your time,it means alot.
Sir Thanks a lot for teaching videos on snooker they are really helpful. I am a beginner and struggling with my technique. I am unable to get the screw shot basically the backspin is wat m not able to get on the cueball.
Can u create a separate video detailing the different screw shot techniques that involve screwback,drag,softscrew
Thank you
swaril. Beginners often struggle to screw the ball back but really there is no need. Just keep that cue parallel to the table, strike the cue ball low, get through the ball and relax. Please have a look at a video I have done on the subject, I will also try to cover this aspect of the game in video form again.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach ...can u tell which video?....i ve all ur videos saved to my device..i watch them on regular basis..
And yes the detail video only on screw ...coz i think its one of the most crucial element for breakbuilding...
Usually in 70-80% cases...cue ball jumps or stuns.
Just like ur video stun for control...
A detailed screw technique...
Thanks a lot sir....
I ve improved this game a lot and its all because of ur lessons
I appreciate the concept that you have to learn touch of these things for yourself. However I would be very interested to see some slow motion footage of cue impact for various stun and screw shots being played presented with the normal video of the resulting shot.
Andrew. At this moment in time we do not have the correct equipment to record in slow motion, we are aware of the value of slow motion filming and we are saving our pennies in the hope that we will be able to purchase what is needed, the patreon contributions help with this.
www.patreon.com/barrystarksnookercoach
Excellent!
vanderszpak. Glad you like it.
Barry once again many thanks for the tutorials. Barry i have reached on this video after going through all the previous videos one by one. I have heard you saying on more than one occasion that we should not get too much obsessed with the side. I have heard you saying that use 'side' only when it is necessary and also use it carefully. Now, i have a big question in my mind here that when i see "pool" tutorials here on TH-cam, they make too much use of the side, in fact they would use side on almost every second shot and they tell you where to hit on the cue ball with how much left or right side to pot the object ball in desired pocket. Even when i see guys playing at my pool club where i play pool with them, i notice that they also make a lot of use of spin. Ironically, these guys are better than i am in the sport. I try my best to avoid using 'side'. So, i was thinking if the playing strategy of pool or 8 ball billiards is a bit different than the snooker. I was thinking if this golden lesson of not getting too much obsessed with the side only applies to the snooker and not the pool or billiards because the size of the table is relatively half as compared to the snooker .
I know that is one hell of a long question but it would be so nice of you if you please take some time to answer it. THANKS..........
Multi. Lets start by saying that you are right in many respects when pool players are compared with snooker players. Without trying to denigrate the game of pool in any way pool players do not have to be so accurate when trying to pot a ball but possibly have to have more variables in their armoury when positioning the cue ball so side is used more frequently. Snooker players using excessive amounts of side will soon break down by missing a pot. Pool players will more likely break down, not by missing a pot but by losing position. I also believe that a good snooker player will adapt quicker to the game of pool than a good pool player adapting to snooker simply because his cue action will be better. I am aware that there are some contentious statements in those words but it is what I believe.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach - Barry, pool player here in the States. I know your comment here is two years old, but I just wanted to tell you that your were "spot on" with your observation about side - or, 'English' - in pool vs snooker. When I watch your lessons or snooker matches, all I can think is "wow... there's a LOT of open space on a snooker table!". In contrast, it's really crowded on a typical pool table, and getting the cue ball to weave through all the traffic is a trick. It does indeed call for introducing side, which at times may cause a player to err and miss.
good concept
appreciate that =)
Thank you sir
really enjoyed lessons is there anythink on pool glasses like karen core or you wear thank you jim from the us
JAMES. It is my intention to do another video on snooker glasses as soon as time allows. I have just changed the prescription of my glasses and bought a new pair, they were supplied by Chris Cheshire of www.snookerspex.com. This guy is a highly qualified optician who actually plays snooker, he understands all the problems that a snooker player has with glasses and I can certainly recommend him.
sir can you please make a vedio on topspin specially please sir
A comment on your comment about using side - the GREAT Joe Davis advised in his books, and other commentary, that the last thing he considered using in snooker was side, and only after he rejected all other options. However both he and his brother agreed on using side on most of their billiards shots. Perhaps because of the more delicate nature of that game?
Side is used more often in billiards because it can alter the throw of the cue ball after contact with the object ball, it can also be advantageous to use it when playing a losing hazard, helping the cue ball to slide in off the pocket opening.
Yes, agreed. Thanks for noting my comment.
Hi,I am a regular follower of your videos.
I am an amateur player.i never crossed barrier of 35 in a break.
i really wish to improve my game for break building.
i practise 2 hours everyday potting the balls,following different practise routines.
Can you tell me some more efficient workout routine which could help me in building breaks as the balls line up thing is very difficult for me.I find it hard to clear all balls in a line up.So where should i start from in order to increase my breaks so that i can also clear complete ball lineup.
Try an open table. By that I mean with the colours on their spots, spread the reds around the table, away from cushions and in pottable positions. Try to keep the cue ball in open play as well so that when it stops your can adopt a comfortable position. You can also try leaving the colours off the table, spread the reds around and see if you can pot all fifteen. Incidentally, if you are having problems with the line up please examine your cueing, please refer to the video's on cueing and record yourself on video from all angles. Remember, what you do and what you think you do are often two different things.
Could you explain what you mean by someone hitting the ball better than someone else? Do you mean the physical act of hitting it or the cueing action as a whole?
Hitting the ball better than someone else simply means timing the ball better. The cueing action as a whole helps to achieve better timing, relaxing the grip, speed of cue tip as it strikes and goes through the cue ball, feeling the cue ball as you hit through it rather than hitting at it. I know this is impossible but if you could make the object ball travel forward one Inch while getting the cue ball to screw back six inches your timing would have been perfect, in other words you would have hit the ball better.
Hi berry sir I tried so hard for screw shot. But I never found it easy. May I send you video to find out my mistake?
Go to your local pool place and watch some "local hero"... He might not be the world no.1 but he/she will definitely show you how to screw the ball. Not that difficult.
thank your sir
Sir, I ve learnt natural angles rule; 30 degree n 90 degree rule n 15 degree rule. Is there any other rules to determine the path of the cue ball after striking the object ball? And using these rules could u pls demonstrate how to snooker ur opponent?
The great thing about ur channel is it feels like we r getting one on one contact with u as u adress our issues in the comments. Thanks a lot.
There are no more hard and fast rules regarding the path of the cue ball after hitting the object ball. My advice is don't get bogged down too much with the deflection angles of the cue ball. Experiment and commit to memory what is happening, please remember you are getting one round object to hit another round object, the contact point is very small and any variation here will vary the angle of deflection. Practise will tell what you can and cannot do.
the problem with that exercice is that you have to adjust the pace accordingly so I think this is an advanced difficulty exercice.
Thanks Barry!
Winchester. Yes some players can find this practise difficult but we all need to come out of our comfort zone occasionally and test our ability. If you are struggling with it just count how many shots it takes for you to complete the practise. Now you have a new target the next time you attempt that same practise.
Thanks a lot Barry appreciate it !
i see at around 4 minutes ish wen u chalk ur cue u put very little on the tip....is that due to not needing alot on the tip? Great video again Sir!
Bradley. If you chalk the cue tip regularly as a player should there is no need to scrub it on. Just lightly brush the tip with it ensuring you rotate the cue as you do it. Doing it this way will make the tip last longer and only minimal amounts of chalk will be deposited on the table and balls.
great pointers as usual Barry! I will take that into account and improve...Thanks again !
sir i am good with screw shots but not with stun shots. Is there any specific exercise to develop stun shots?
Thanks.
Avi. I will try to show some in video form as time permits.
thank so much sir .
Awesome
Sir, could you please tell me what sort of bridge or technique should I adopt for to play a long short when the cueball is stuck tight to the cushion? thanks .
Please have a look at my video (Adapting the Bridge) this should tell you all you need to know. The essence of the bridge is comfort and stability, just find the bridge that meets these objectives, it is on that video.
+Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you.. thanks alot sir.. I've been watching your videos past few days and practising along with your instructions and tips and I have to say I've really developed my skills. Thanks a ton.. 😇
when I play side on cue ball I missed the object ball please solve this problem how we can improve this shot
that's a good question and mine also! as far as i know when you apply side to cue ball the delivery line of cue ball will slightly change to opposite! sure barry can explain that completely
As Barry said in the video, it's difficult shot even for the Rocket and its just the matter of personal experience after putting 100s of hrs in the game. This is the most difficult shot of all. As ur learning better to learn other techniques first n not to worry about side unless the object ball is close to the pocket or ur playing safety using the cushion. So just try to learn the use of side in cyshion first in this level. I replied u coz Barry replied me the similar in previous videos. So don't worry, coz it is the hardest shot anyway.
Dinesh Adhikari
thanks dinesh
Dinesh is right I cannot answer the question any better than he has. I will only add please don't get bogged down with side, as your game improves you will learn its intricacies. In the mean time have a good look at the video.
hello sir i am unable to play consitantly and i felt better today as i tried your lesson no 43 but how to maintain my strenth mentally
jonnapalli. Consistency is what we are all striving to achieve, its remarkable how easy the game becomes when we know we have won the frame. Developing this attitude through out the game is the ultimate target, keep working on your technique, placing yourself in pressure situations and learning to cope with the losses. Please approach every loss and every miss as a learning situation and be determined to make marginal improvements each time you play.
thanks sir i am following the videos every day and playing almost 15 to 20 frames each day please make an video on using sides and saftey
What angle is the shot set up at? Looks to me something between full and 3/4?
Approximately 3/4 ball contact would be fine for this practise.
Exercises for straighter cueing?
Please study the videos on cueing , these show exercises that will show you ways to improve your cue action.
Ronnie god father of snooker
suraj. Nobody I know will argue with that.
How is stun different from using just a bit of screw?
Alex. I suppose the easiest way to explain this is that with stun the cue ball does not rotate it skids along the cloth. With even slight screw there is some backward rotation. When there is distance between the two balls screw will tend to dissipate and become stun. I hope that helps.
Thanks for the reply Barry, that's a good explanation.
almost same speed .. but where to hit the white ball ... I will practice on that , plz dont stop imazing us
fun. While there is an interest and I am able I will try to continue.
امکان داره برنامتون با ترجمه فارسی باشه ؟؟
tnx for ur reply
one more question. before playing a shot do we have to visualize which part of the cueball we are going to hit?
i mean lets say we wanna play stun with abit of screw like around 2 tips above 6 oclock on cueball. however once we are down on the shot, we feel to readjust the height on cueball is it ok? or we shouldnt change it once we are down ?
here is what i am abit confused" nic barrows video "
th-cam.com/video/jvitu7adib8/w-d-xo.html
plays above centre twice and get different results, is it becaz of punching the ball in first time, and decrease the speed 2nd time?
tnx
ART. I have said many times that a player can hit the ball in exactly the same place as a professional but get an entirely different result simply because the professional hits the ball differently (better). Nic is trying to help you by giving you a measurement or at least an insight into where to hit the cue ball to get the desired result. Experience and purposeful practise will add to it.
Your videos are good but too short to learn much from.
The videos are deliberately short so that one task can be tackled and improved upon before moving on to the next. Experience has taught me that students generally try to absorb too much information too soon and end up being confused.
i personally love them for being short and brief.this way i have more time for wrap my mind around every concept .this is my thou.
All we need is where to hit.. the point where the que should touch the white ball.. instead of telling that.. wasted all the time.. if seen many other videos.. talk irrespective trash .. instead of telling it to the point... show how and where to hit . Where your que is touching the white ball and how it's going visually not by your words
fnck. You are entitled to your opinion but if you just want to see somebody do it may I suggest you watch Ronnie O'Sullivan he does it a lot better than I do.