So with snooker, when you break especially, you don't want to open the pack (the group of reds) as you can't really predict where the balls will go, so the game plan is to hit on of the back corners of the red to reduce how open the reds are. That way your opponent has less chance of getting a free shot. Snooker is very much about playing safety shots, very tactical indeed!
Yeah, if you're playing competitively, you want to keep the red balls bunched together, unless you're playing for fun, then you can open the balls up on the break to speed up the game. Also yeah, to what he said about the balls rolling a lot more, that's accurate to a real table, the balls roll a lot more on snooker compared to pool, and I would say mastering the pace and setting up is among the more difficult things to learn with snooker, master those two and the game becomes much easier.
@@tikkabrno Yes thats right. However getting that cue ball in to a position for the next good shot is harder than it looks for those just starting out. When I break the reds they are still bunched together for the most part. After the 5th red is down, breaking the reds is better, but not to the point they go all over the table, try keep them as far down the table as you can, as this opens up the black ball after each shot.
@@paul1979uk2000 I definately agree with you on if playing for fun, then yes you can break the reds up quite well, and to make a Competative break, which isn't always that easy, you just barely touch the furthest out red on either side, so the cue ball hits it, bounces off the sides and returns back up, preferably behind a yellow or so.
@@paul1979uk2000 Yeah, I was going to say, but you already said it. If you're playing seriously and professionally, then you want to gradually open the pack bit by bit. But when you're playing with your mates in the pub then, screw it, whack the cue ball into the reds to split 'em! Because it's more fun, and if no-one there is a serious professional player, they're not going to be precise enough, most likely, to take advantage of it anyway.
Q/ How addictive is snooker? Me/ I just watched an American guy who has never played snooker before, play a computer simulated game THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH and was I totally in to the game.
@@IWrocker Real world, though.... You can't make perfect movements, no aiding arrows of where balls will go, and an opponent that tries to make your shot as hard as possible. Good Luck finding a IRL game, you will both enjoy it and get frustrated about it.
@@IWrockerYou think this is fun to watch? As a child my family used to watch a snooker show on TV in black and white. When the family saw it on a relative's recently purchased colour (color) television for the first time it really was the most magical experience. Within a few months my father had arranged for the first colour TV to be installed in the house. This was about 1972. Watching grown men hit a white ball into balls of various shades of grey was fairly tedious. Watching all the colours whizz around on green baize was a fantasy world. I'm pretty sure that the snooker show at the time, "Pot Black", being on air at the time a lot of families switched over to colour TV cemented an affection for the sport in the collective psyche of the British nation for the next fifty years and counting!
@@chloewilliams1112 ..ah yes. The late, great 'Whispering' Ted Lowe and his famous line: "and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green."
The BBC series Pot Black is credited with producing one of the most memorable British sports quotes. Commentator Ted Lowe, aware that not all viewers had colour televisions at the time, said "Steve is going for the pink ball - and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green.
In context, not at all odd, because the colours are usually on their spots and always replaced there after potting, so if there was a ball on the green spot it was 99.9% likely to be the green.
@@top40researcher31 There were no purples, it was Black and White, they were all shades of grey. Also for the other guy, the balls weren't on their spots, the clue should be that the pink was behind the green on a small black and white screen you didn't know which was which, this shouldn't and does not need debate, its a thing that happened.
The one thing you can do to improve your game massively is to think about where you want to leave the cue ball for your next shot. Top players are thinking 5-6 shots ahead!
💯% . If after potting a Red Ball, if there is No Colour possible, you want to leave the cue ball in a position of safety that makes it difficult for your opponent to pot his next shot. As you rightly said, these top players are thinking several shots ahead. It's like playing Chess, only with Balls 👍
No one think 5-6 shots ahead. 2/3 max. You might be thinking about a particular ball you have to move in 5/6 shots but you won't start positioning for it until 2/3 shots beforehand
@@101RadioheadCovers I plan about 2 shots ahead at the most, but try my best to position the ball to where I need it for a colour. 90% Of the time it works out.
Exactly what I was gonna say, positioning of and control of the white (cue ball) is crucial. Essentially it's a lot of stun and screw shots. Also, if the object ball touches the cushion (rail) as it rolls toward the pocket it won't go in. Which is not the case on an American pool table where the pockets are like buckets in comparison. Snooker requires extreme accuracy. Definitely try and find a real table to have a go on, you'll be even more shocked by the size of table and how difficult the game actually is.
One good thing about playing snooker is after a few frames you can go to the pub and smoke everybody on the pool tables because it feels like your playing on a postage stamp👍
@jsim5475 And positioning the cue ball for the next shot suddenly becomes optional. Because everything is only a few inches from a pocket. (Ok; not entirely true. And with only a few balls left, you sometimes have to be a bit careful. But it's _comparatively_ optional.) The major problem in switching from snooker to pool is that the physics on a pool table rarely 'work' like they should. It's far, far harder to find a straight, level, even, flat pool table with predictable cushions.
Also the pockets will seem like buckets. Occasionally I have a few sessions on a championship snooker table and when I play back at my club the pockets also seem like buckets.
Unlike Pool where you try to pot a ball when you break, with snooker you must try to barely touch the outside red and get the cue ball back down to the other end of the table. It’s best to leave the red balls in the triangle shape as much as possible as a loose red is easier for your opponent to pot.
“That Mitchell and Webb Sound - Complete Series 1-5” is on Audible for a single credit. Well worth grabbing. 14 hours of their hilarity. I listen to it a couple of times a year and it always makes me laugh.
Did anyone here grow up watching the Big Break hosted by Jim Davidson. There’s quite a few episodes on YT and it’s very nostalgic. As a kid I always enjoyed the trick shot segment.
Funnily enough, after watching IWrocker's other snooker videos, this blooper tape from Big Break was suggested. Haven't laughed so hard in ages 😆 th-cam.com/video/0Z2Cb-P-wNk/w-d-xo.html
You were correct, your opponent was awarded a free shot because you fouled and left him without a clear shot on his next ball. In which case the referee awards a "free ball" and the other player can nominate any ball to take instead of their normal ball. The free ball awards points as if it was the normal ball (not its own value), and is replaced if potted. In this case, the ball on was the yellow, which you failed to hit (a foul), and left your opponent without a clear shot on the yellow. He was awarded a free ball, and nominated the brown. He potted the brown, and was awarded 2 points (the value of the yellow ball). The brown was replaced, and the yellow became the ball on again.
@@IWrockerBy the way - the pink went onto the blue spot just before this. That’s because there’s a rule where if the coloured ball spot is blocked by another ball it goes to the next highest available spot, so because the pink = 6 and the blue = 5, when the cue ball was blocking the pink from being respotted it went down to the blue. If there’s a situation where no spots are available the ball goes as close to its own spot as possible in line with the middle of the table. It’s a good one to know if you’re going to get into watching the sport. Also, in professional matches a free ball counts as a red. So when he potted the brown it would’ve been 1 point and then when he potted the yellow that would’ve counted and his colour - the yellow would’ve then been respotted and then you go yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black. Not sure what this games ruleset is. And about the cloth thing - no irl table I’ve ever played on is as ‘slidey’ as the one in game. The cloths are fast but the balls don’t roll forever like there 😂
Mate, as a Brit who loves both snooker and pool a great deal, I adore the open-minded way you've approached all this! If you're ever in the UK I'll buy you a pint at my local and play you a game! ❤️
Dude snooker is so tactical, please do a video on 'best snookers', ie where the player makes a shot and it is extremely difficult for the opponent to make the next move, eg hitting a red 'safe' and then spinning a cue ball tight near to a colour. It is magical to watch and the escapes are often even better!
Surprisingly entertaining. I think it is greatly aided, by you being the commentator as well. You really have an excellent voice for it. A chill and mindful experience.
Points value for context and needs to be taken in order. Yellow 2 Green 3 Brown 4 Blue 5 Pink 6 Black 7 Once the table is cleared up you clear the balls in this order. Even though you would think since the brown is between the yellow and green you would do them like 1 2 3, but you do the 2 outside balls then the middle. Also it’s not all about smashing the pack open like pool, it’s best to keep the pack in relative order so you can play it neat and tidy and when it comes a time you play off the red or the black into the pack to open the balls up once there is less on the table. Very tactical and hard game, thanks for your coverage. New sub earned!
Not sure how much those setting will change things but those pockets were very accommodating. On a real table and a lot of those shots you made are just bouncing out. Beyond being narrow, the cushions are rounded so the ball doesn't funnel in like on a pool table, so if you make any significant contact with the cushion the ball's not going in... To give a sense of difficulty, pool you can generally play okay-ish while drunk but I've seen drunk novice people in pubs take over an hour to finish a frame of snooker. (the old guys who play drink small glasses of beer)
Love this! Thanks for not editing - went to see Jimmy White play an exhibition match back in the 80's - still loving snooker all these years later. So glad you've discovered this great game. Maybe you might like to look at a video showing how the tables are built - I think you'd like that too.
How much do I love snooker? Your first snooker video popped up on my feed because of the amount of snooker I watch on TH-cam and I've just laid in bed for an hour watching all your snooker videos and now I've subscribed to watch any future snooker videos you do. How much do I love snooker? I will watch literally anything to do with snooker!
That’s awesome, I had no idea about the sport a couple weeks ago but now I’m really loving it. I can’t promise a snooker video every day, but a couple times a week would be great as I learn about it 🎉 Thanks by the way, welcome aboard 😎👍
For your break, aim at the edge of the pack, Allowing for drift with spin, to hit about half ball on the outer red with running side. Probably about 60-70% power. Not sure about the game mechanics,. But that's the shot to play.
The ability to position the cue ball (after your shot) in order to set up the next shot (or even the next series of shots) is the true indicator of a good player.
A couple of tips for the future. 1. The break you made, I feel, was too hard. It made all the reds spread widely across the table. This inhibits your next shot on a colour as there are more reds in the way. 2. Learn how to control the white ball with various levels of spin. & don't be afraid to use less power when hitting the ball. If you control the white, you control the game. 3. If you can't see a pot, don't be afraid to use your shot to mess up your opponents next shot. As with #2, if you control where the white ends up, you control the table. & getting your opponent snookered can even lead to you getting more points from their fouls. But as a brand new player you did brilliantly.
So, as someone who plays snooker in real life and on video games. When you break the idea is to hit the edge of the red and get the cueball back to where the yellow, green and brown are. It isn't just about potting balls you need to be tactical too. And the colours, black is 7, pink 6, blue 5, brown 4, green 3, and yellow 2. Each red is 1 and when the final red is potted you can pot any colour you like. But after that colour it's yellow, green, brown blue pink and then black in that order. Hope that helps :)
Pretty good for 1st go, the secret of course is to be thinking 3 or 4 shots ahead, and playing for position as well as pots. :) enjoying your snooker journey
It really feels like I'm playing myself. I used to play 8 ball every weekend. Snooker, I sometimes watch it after work. On Euro sports. Nice game. Greetings from Spakenburg, Netherlands.
As the others said, you wanna hit the red thinly on a breakoff shot and get the cue ball back up into baulk (behind the line with the yellow green and brown) so your opponent either can't pot any available reds, or able to hit one without leaving you a viable shot. It's coop to see someone new to the sport get so deep into it, but I'd definitely recommend watching some full frames, maybe a full short match, just to get the idea of the strategy that's at play. I hope you become a big snooker fan like us, it's one of the most elegant, respectful sports, and relaxing to watch. It's the only sport I really care for. You can have a nice long strategic safety battle, or a solid run making century breaks, they're equally entertaining
Couple of interesting things, I grew up playing pool occasionally, but when I saw a snooker table for the first time in person, the size blew my mind. And as you mentioned, despite the size, the pockets are far narrower that the classic American 8 Ball. It puts into perspective how incredibly skillful you have to be to make pots from the opposite end of the table, such a small target and very far away. You might be just in time getting into the sport actually, as the World Championships are scheduled to begin on April 20th at the famous Crucible. Definitely worth following that, I'm looking forward to it
Well there’s something I never thought would happen, I’ve just watched an American play a frame of snooker….. and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great effort. Just remember you don’t always have to pot a ball on your go. The best players make it super hard for their opponent when it’s their turn. Also bear in mind where the cue ball will end up after you’ve played your shot. Going to subscribe. This’ll make a great livestream.
This was so fun to watch. I'm a big Ronnie fan and have been to watch the Masters at Ally Pally as it's not far from where I live. One tip: Think about your positioning of the cue ball for your second shot before playing a red. If you don't have a good second shot it's better to play a safety shot. Please make more of these, I'd watch it for hours 👍🏾
Well done on your win👍👍 If you get a streak it's called a 'break' not a 'rally'. You should listen carefully to any commentary on a match when watching, as they often explain how and why a particular shot is made.
I had already noticed this, but you remarked on it yourself at 25:45 That's an unrealistically fast cloth, like ice! Fast cloth meaning low rolling resistance to the balls. But this looks like every shot has a tail wind! Another thing I noticed is when the balls go in the pockets, like they lower on a cushion of air, rather than gravity-drop!
It's good to see you followed the suggestion to try out Cue Club 2. I would like to offer a few remarks about the game itself: 1. Your remark about the computer being not too good at snooker is true. Even on the highest difficulty level it tends to make highly questionable shots quite often. Exception: if the computer is snookered, that is they don't have a direct shot towards a ball on, their cue ball seems to have sat nav, even on the lowest difficulty. The computer's significantly better at playing pool though. 2. In the game settings, there's an option to show the value of the ball you're pointing at with the aiming circle. To explain the situation when you accidentally hit the green instead of the yellow: normally that would've been a "foul and a miss", for not hitting the yellow first and the ref judging that you didn't make a good enough effort to hit the yellow. This means that the opposing player has 3 options instead of 2: play from where the balls are, make you play again from where the balls are, and make you play again from where the balls were (the extra option). In this case, a "free ball" was awarded as well. This means that the opposing player can nominate a different colour to pot, and it gets the points value of the ball on for this shot. The "free ball" was awarded because it was not possible to direct hit both edges of the ball on from the position of the balls on the table. Also, two small bits of final advice: 1. Learn to play around with spin on the cue ball, especially back spin, it helps a lot. Once you have more of a feeling for that, you'll be able to run up half centuries (break of 50) and centuries (break of 100). 2. Chalk your cue tip at least every 3 shots. It affects cue ball behaviour in the game.
There is an ex-World Champion, Stephen Hendry, who has a great snooker YT channel where he not only gives snooker tips but also plays frames with various celebrities, sportsmen and other Snooker legends. Well worth checking out as not only are the interviews/games fun, his advice is top notch. He even does some videos with pool. It's called "Stephen Hendry's Cue Tips" and maybe check out the videos he's done with Ronnie O'Sullivan (the guy you watched doing that fastest 147 break) - I highly recommend reacting to the video "Can Ronnie O'Sullivan Defeat the Tough Table Challenge?" it's only 6min but really cool, not so much because of the performance but more the conversation. There's also a good, short compilation video worth checking out called "Stephen Asks the Greatest Players for their Ultimate Snooker Tips", but there's loads of great ones to check out on there. Good videos and they'll give you some background in the game and introduce you to more of the players too.
@IWrocker Quite right and a highly recommended watch, undoubtedly the best snooker related YT channel. FYI Stephen Hendry is a seven times world champion who dominated the 1990s. Regarded by most as the greatest player of all time before Ronnie O'Sullivan. In the sim you played the physics seemed a bit off, the way the balls just kept rolling at the end wasn't right.
Well played. You hit some cool shots there. Remember, it's super important where the cue balls end up with regards to the next shot. I used to play snooker all the time, but my eyes simply aren't up to it anymore. Keep playing man, you seemed to get a great kick out of it. Besides, as names go, 'Wrocker' sounds like it belongs on a snooker table!
Brilliant frame mate! A little thing that could be worked on in ya ball placement after shots. You wanna have the cue ball end up a good lined up shot with the next ball you wanna pot. This all comes down to where on the cue ball you’re hitting and the power you put behind the shot but at the same time you also wanna make it harder for your opponent to land a shot too. Either by snookering them or just simply getting the cue ball at the opposite end of the table far from those reds. All in all though you did really well. Fantastic 👌🏻
Well played, hope you can manage to play as well in reality, great commentary and understanding, BTW, the free ball wasn't a correct decision by the computer, but a good simulation overall 👍
Playing a video game is a great way to get familiar with the rules and concept of snooker. Definitely try get yourself on a real table with a buddy though. That's when it really hits home what a difficult game it is.. and also when your jaw hits the floor watching people like Ronnie.
I'm not even a particularly active snooker fan these days but this video has made me realise just how deeply the sequence red-yellow-green-brown-blue-pink-black is scorched into my psyche.
In snooker, you don't aim to pot off the break. The idea is hit the outside red ball with running side spin to throw the white around 3-4 cushions to leave it safe on the baulk cushion.
I agree with you about the ball speed. Even before you mentioned it there were a few occasions when it seemed to me that the cue ball was running a lot further after impact than was natural...
14:19 ideally you would be potting the red but also focusing on getting the cue ball back out for the black. Not just in a position to pot the black but in a position to also get on the next red etc etc. Always try and think at least 2 shots ahead of your current one when building a break.
Controlling the white ball and getting it to finish in the correct position for the next shot is vital in snooker. Potting a ball without having to worry about the next shot is a world away from having to connect with the white ball at the top /side/ bottom in order to perfectly control it's movement after the shot. It is also far more difficult to pot a ball when not connecting with the white cue ball dead centre when you are you cueing.
I think it would be interesting to watch you learn how to play this simulation game. How to think 2 or three shots ahead. How to position the cue ball for the next shot, how to use top and bottom spin.....
I've been watching Snooker casually for decades. Last summer I finally tried it with my wife. Took us 2h to finish the game and a lot of gymnastics but I loved it !
Wow nice job on that first black ball Ian! I don’t mind a longer video personally, I prefer videos more than 10mins long, and probably no more than an hour depending on the topic.
Well played, glad you enjoyed. As you said, play it like chess, table awareness for position on your next few shots in advance whilst nullifying your opponents options should you miss. Something important to look into is the safety aspect/plays of snooker which can be decisive in winning a frame.
I visited the Llechwedd quarry in Blanaufestiniog, Wales where the slate mines supplied the slate for Snooker Tables. This was the early seventies so they were only just turning into a tourist attraction from being an active mine. They're called quarries but it's really a mine. I was shown his to split slate by a guy in his late fifties at a guess who'd worked there all his life. Fascinating place.
Good game, not bad for 1st time. I know you're in the learning stage but one thing I would say to you is, look around the table especially after pocketing a red. You took a long Blue (which you missed) to the top of the table when the Pink was to your right near the bottom pocket. Try to remember the value of the coloured balls, it will improve your scoring. Keep at it, and show us how much you improved in a few weeks.
Cool to watch you figure this out. Check out the game you're playing settings, see if you can switch between views. A straight above the table one can help you line up your shots and judge cue ball spin . You can always switch back to the 'action' camera when you take your shot (to keep that dynamic feel). Edit: actually you did it quickly when you were on the yellow. That view can help a lot.
That break was hilarious 😂... Sorry I know your new to it. Definitely worth watching a real match to get the feel of how tactical it is. It's night and day compered with pool
I'm a Brit and was brought up on the game because of my father. It's ridiculously difficult even if you're a haft decent pool player. I liken it to golf in that if your tee shot is slightly off line, by the time the ball lands you're way off where you want to be. If you get a long pot slightly off, you can miss by miles when it reaches the pocket. Great game to play with a good friend.
I'm always fascinated at the skill of the pros in knowing exactly where the white (cue ball) will be after they have hit another ball. O'Sullivan's 147 was a master class in doing it.
24:00 If a ball cannot be placed back on its own spot, it goes on the next highest available spot...that's why after the last red, and then pink, the pink got put back on the table on the blue spot. If all spots are occupied, it is placed as close to its own spot as possible in a direct line between that spot and the top cushion (the end the black is at), without touching another ball.
Tip for next time Ian, think a lot more about where you leave thee cue ball. Backspin, sidespin, you want the cue ball either good for you, or terrible for the villain. And always take the easy reds out, unless you're planning to take it next on the run. You need to think one shot ahead at least. Glad you like it, billiards next?
The break-off in snooker is a safety shot. Professionals usually aim to clip off either side of the bottom of the pack of reds with running side. The cue ball then strikes the top cushion near a corner pocket, the side cushion, then runs underneath the blue to the opposite side cushion. The purpose is to make the cue ball come to rest somewhere on the bottom cushion, hopefully obscuring the reds with one of the three baulk colours. Smashing into the reds is not something you will see often, as if you fail to pot a red, then your opponent will more than likely clear up.
The physics in that game looked spot on, you could really feel the weight and momentum of the balls. The ball dropping into the pocket looked a bit slow but nothing I could pick in game play looked at all uncanny valley like.
Really enjoyed your video. I'm English so I've played a lot of snooker. You should just make a table of the colour points to help. I wish the Americans joined in to this game as mostly it's just the British, Irish and Chinese. Keep at it. Cheers.
On snooker when you open, you avoid opening all the balls, it's a very tactical game. If you open the balls, your opponent will just wreck you 😂 basically you open, touch a red and try to make Q ball come to where it started
True, especially a skilful player, they can clear up and keep you seated, but if playing for fun and who you are playing against isn't too good, it's fine to open the reds up just to speed up the game.
That was fun! It gives you a chance to learn the game, the way it's played anyway. Gaining the skills in real life will be trickier, and nerves play a big part, but yes, this was a great start! As you know the red ball is one point, and the black is seven. Below the black is the pink, 6, and blue is 5. Then the three in a row, green, brown, yellow. Yellow 2, green 3, brown 5.
Ok a tip on break off aim for the 2 bottom reds left or right but you need to hit them full ball with top spin. You will pot a red and hopefully end up behind the blue and if not behind the yellow.
Funny thing, i literally said the same "snooker is an arcade chess game played with cueballs", when i first watched it at Eurosport channel. Player have to came up with the right move, but than he must perform it on the table. By my experience at the snooker table, playing it is like playing two different pool games at once. First you sinking only 8-ball alternately with one pointers, than you can play regular 8-ball game. Margin of error is very slim, due to the sizes of table, cueballs and pockets. And you constantly struggling to position white cueball where you want it to be, by performing easy, mild or even advanced trick shots. I highly recommend to play this game on a real table. It's challenging, it's hard, but man... it's fun.
As a kid who had grown up playing pool in pubs, trying to play on the much bigger snooker table in my local social club was a massive step up. All the angles changed, the cloth played differently as did the balls, but most of all it was just being able to get to the cue ball because of the size.
You've got to set up for the next shot or two, position the cue ball. If you can't make a shot, you can "snooker" the opponent so he can't sink a ball - or even hit a ball. Congrats on your win!
If you want the order of the balls, here goes: Red - 1 point, Yellow - 2 points, Green - 3 points, Brown - 4 points, Blue - 5 points, Pink - 6 points, and Black - 7 points. So 15 Reds plus every color you manage to pot. Good luck. BTW, after the Reds are done, the points, in order, must be potted. Great job, man.
Once you get the basics down the key is then to think 3-4 shots ahead and plan accordingly where you want to aim the cueball and that's how you build breaks
In the 1980s there were a few players from Canada - Cliff Thorburn was a world champion and scored the first 147 at the World Championships and there were others like Bill Werbinuik (who used to drink several pints during a game for his nerves 😂). Recently though there haven't been any notable players from North America (to my knowledge). There has however been a huge surge in players from China and now there are many Chinese players near the top of the sport.
You need to think about where you need the cue ball to go after each shot, to be in a good position for the following shot. That's what the cross on the cue ball is for, to put backspin, side or forward roll on it. You can also use it to make the cue ball swerve around other balls that are in the way of the object ball.
Really fun watching your reaction to your first game of snooker, and I love that you pronounce "snooker" correctly! Kudos! The next thing you should look at is how to apply spin to the cue ball during shots to affect where it lands after the shot. This can make a huge difference to break building by keeping position on a colour after a red and vice versa. It also unlocks a new dimension of the sport in addition to angles and power. Stephen Hendry (2nd best player in history behind Ronnie) has a really good TH-cam channel where he goes into detail on all sort of snooker techniques so look out for that. It'll be really interesting to see how you react to your first 12 foot real-life snooker table experience because it is much much harder in real life than in a game/simulation. I play on 12 foot tables maybe 5 or 6 times a year and used to have an 8 foot table when I was a teenager, and I find computer games pretty easy because I know the rules, strategy and techniques. But when you try to apply these in real life you find that tables are not quite level, your cue isn't entirely straight, your eyesight isn't perfect and there are a number of other variables which affect the outcomes fundamentally (eg. how many beers have you consumed! 😂). Speaking of Ronnie, have you seen the TV series where Ronnie came to the USA with a friend of his and they went round various pool halls and tried their hand at hustling etc? Here's the IMDB link: www.imdb.com/title/tt6356668/ It's really fun to watch. :)
Take a look at Carom (also called French billiards), another table game like pool/snooker but with a twist: No pockets. Usually only three balls, depending on the number of players. Concept is easy, very difficult to master.
if you have a hard time remembering the value of the colors you can have this in mind: You already know that black is the highest value (7) so from there they start to lose value as you go up the table: pink is right above and is 6 points then is blue in the middle worth 5 and the 3 lowest values are at the top of the table Yellow (2) Green (3) and Brown (4). The idea is to stay at the bottom of the table (where the red usually are) and score with the high value colors. High values are spread apart at the bottom half while low values are grouped together at the top half. Another way to look at it is if you go from Brown (4) which is at the top middle they increase by one as you go down.
When you get the absolute basics, you move on to positioning the cue ball for the following shot. When you don't really have a shot, you have to start thinking about safety play, so you don't leave a wide open table to your opponent to clean up.
snooker tables use a thinner felt then pool and snooker balls are smaller and lighter so they glide more on the table if you rewatch the 147 video and just look how little force is used in snooker
@@tikkabrno american pool balls are 2 1⁄4 inch. rest of the world use 2 inch to 2 1⁄8 inch 12ft snooker tables use 2 1⁄8 inch 9ft snooker tables use 2 inch balls but americans can be used to 2 inch balls if they play kelly pool not sure how common it is in America i know its illegal in some parts of the US and canada or at least used to be
Snooker terminology..... 1. Scratch = In Off (i.e white went IN the pocket OFF another ball) 2. Rally = Break (the number of points scored in one visit to the table) i.e You had a Break of 16 for potting 2 x red and 2 x black... 3. When you are blocked on the ball you want to hit you are "snookered". 4. Rails are cussions in snooker 5. To "sink" a ball is to "pot" a ball in snooker. 6. A 147 is often called a "maximum" I'm sure there are others you need to learn 😉....... Nice to see you enjoying the game though.
Snooker is a great game "a game for gentleman" as they say, this simulator was pretty cool but I'm pumped to see how you go on a full sized table, i really hope you can find a Snooker hall in your area, for us guys in England it's a great way to get out of the house meet with friends get away from the stress and unwind and have a few beers of course lol, keep us informed.
To break u just want to clip the edge.. if you open the pack up like this then your opposition has many more options available to him! U want to just clip 1 ball off the pack and get the white ball hidden behind the green/brown etc!
So with snooker, when you break especially, you don't want to open the pack (the group of reds) as you can't really predict where the balls will go, so the game plan is to hit on of the back corners of the red to reduce how open the reds are. That way your opponent has less chance of getting a free shot. Snooker is very much about playing safety shots, very tactical indeed!
Yeah, if you're playing competitively, you want to keep the red balls bunched together, unless you're playing for fun, then you can open the balls up on the break to speed up the game.
Also yeah, to what he said about the balls rolling a lot more, that's accurate to a real table, the balls roll a lot more on snooker compared to pool, and I would say mastering the pace and setting up is among the more difficult things to learn with snooker, master those two and the game becomes much easier.
So about 10% power snicking red not belting it like 9 ball 😂
@@tikkabrno Yes thats right. However getting that cue ball in to a position for the next good shot is harder than it looks for those just starting out. When I break the reds they are still bunched together for the most part. After the 5th red is down, breaking the reds is better, but not to the point they go all over the table, try keep them as far down the table as you can, as this opens up the black ball after each shot.
@@paul1979uk2000 I definately agree with you on if playing for fun, then yes you can break the reds up quite well, and to make a Competative break, which isn't always that easy, you just barely touch the furthest out red on either side, so the cue ball hits it, bounces off the sides and returns back up, preferably behind a yellow or so.
@@paul1979uk2000 Yeah, I was going to say, but you already said it.
If you're playing seriously and professionally, then you want to gradually open the pack bit by bit.
But when you're playing with your mates in the pub then, screw it, whack the cue ball into the reds to split 'em!
Because it's more fun, and if no-one there is a serious professional player, they're not going to be precise enough, most likely, to take advantage of it anyway.
Q/ How addictive is snooker?
Me/ I just watched an American guy who has never played snooker before, play a computer simulated game THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH and was I totally in to the game.
Love it, that’s how I’m already feeling about it… it’s oddly satisfying to play and especially watch as well 🎉😎
@@IWrocker Real world, though.... You can't make perfect movements, no aiding arrows of where balls will go, and an opponent that tries to make your shot as hard as possible. Good Luck finding a IRL game, you will both enjoy it and get frustrated about it.
@@IWrockerYou think this is fun to watch? As a child my family used to watch a snooker show on TV in black and white. When the family saw it on a relative's recently purchased colour (color) television for the first time it really was the most magical experience. Within a few months my father had arranged for the first colour TV to be installed in the house. This was about 1972. Watching grown men hit a white ball into balls of various shades of grey was fairly tedious. Watching all the colours whizz around on green baize was a fantasy world. I'm pretty sure that the snooker show at the time, "Pot Black", being on air at the time a lot of families switched over to colour TV cemented an affection for the sport in the collective psyche of the British nation for the next fifty years and counting!
@@chloewilliams1112 ..ah yes. The late, great 'Whispering' Ted Lowe and his famous line: "and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green."
@@chloewilliams1112the classic quote of for those watching In black and white, the pink is next to the green
The BBC series Pot Black is credited with producing one of the most memorable British sports quotes. Commentator Ted Lowe, aware that not all viewers had colour televisions at the time, said "Steve is going for the pink ball - and for those of you who are watching in black and white, the pink is next to the green.
😂😂😂
In context, not at all odd, because the colours are usually on their spots and always replaced there after potting, so if there was a ball on the green spot it was 99.9% likely to be the green.
If the green was on its spot it would be a rational explanation.
I remember that years ago 😂😂😂
@@top40researcher31 There were no purples, it was Black and White, they were all shades of grey. Also for the other guy, the balls weren't on their spots, the clue should be that the pink was behind the green on a small black and white screen you didn't know which was which, this shouldn't and does not need debate, its a thing that happened.
The one thing you can do to improve your game massively is to think about where you want to leave the cue ball for your next shot. Top players are thinking 5-6 shots ahead!
💯% . If after potting a Red Ball, if there is No Colour possible, you want to leave the cue ball in a position of safety that makes it difficult for your opponent to pot his next shot. As you rightly said, these top players are thinking several shots ahead. It's like playing Chess, only with Balls 👍
I just wrote that, then read this! =)
No one think 5-6 shots ahead. 2/3 max. You might be thinking about a particular ball you have to move in 5/6 shots but you won't start positioning for it until 2/3 shots beforehand
@@101RadioheadCovers I plan about 2 shots ahead at the most, but try my best to position the ball to where I need it for a colour. 90% Of the time it works out.
Exactly what I was gonna say, positioning of and control of the white (cue ball) is crucial.
Essentially it's a lot of stun and screw shots.
Also, if the object ball touches the cushion (rail) as it rolls toward the pocket it won't go in. Which is not the case on an American pool table where the pockets are like buckets in comparison. Snooker requires extreme accuracy.
Definitely try and find a real table to have a go on, you'll be even more shocked by the size of table and how difficult the game actually is.
One good thing about playing snooker is after a few frames you can go to the pub and smoke everybody on the pool tables because it feels like your playing on a postage stamp👍
You're not allowed to smoke in pubs anymore. Sorry couldn't resist 😀
I love doing that ... few hours of snooker then hustle the teeny tiny midget tables and become a god
@jsim5475 And positioning the cue ball for the next shot suddenly becomes optional. Because everything is only a few inches from a pocket.
(Ok; not entirely true. And with only a few balls left, you sometimes have to be a bit careful. But it's _comparatively_ optional.)
The major problem in switching from snooker to pool is that the physics on a pool table rarely 'work' like they should. It's far, far harder to find a straight, level, even, flat pool table with predictable cushions.
@@GrumpyOldGit-zk1kwMy thoughts exactly.
You beat me to it. (And you're not allowed to beat up people in pubs, either.)
Also the pockets will seem like buckets. Occasionally I have a few sessions on a championship snooker table and when I play back at my club the pockets also seem like buckets.
Unlike Pool where you try to pot a ball when you break, with snooker you must try to barely touch the outside red and get the cue ball back down to the other end of the table. It’s best to leave the red balls in the triangle shape as much as possible as a loose red is easier for your opponent to pot.
"Ooh, and, that's a bad miss..." Anyone who use to watch that Mitchell and Webb look know.
Indeed, in turn, Ted Lowe!
“That Mitchell and Webb Sound - Complete Series 1-5” is on Audible for a single credit. Well worth grabbing. 14 hours of their hilarity. I listen to it a couple of times a year and it always makes me laugh.
Foe me, and I am probably much older than you the phrase is, "that's not so good" (usually compared the the last shot).
OMG - I was so invested! 🤣I'm sure the neighbours wondered why I was yelling out colours. Well done, Ian 👍
Thank you for not editing it down! Loved watching every second!
Glad to hear that 🎉
“Am I going to win my first snooker game” as he immediately snookers himself 😂
I love your enthusiasm, not just for this game, but your general willingness to try new stuff.
Did anyone here grow up watching the Big Break hosted by Jim Davidson.
There’s quite a few episodes on YT and it’s very nostalgic.
As a kid I always enjoyed the trick shot segment.
With the legend John Virgo, who would do impressions of other players.
Funnily enough, after watching IWrocker's other snooker videos, this blooper tape from Big Break was suggested.
Haven't laughed so hard in ages 😆 th-cam.com/video/0Z2Cb-P-wNk/w-d-xo.html
Never missed it.
You were correct, your opponent was awarded a free shot because you fouled and left him without a clear shot on his next ball. In which case the referee awards a "free ball" and the other player can nominate any ball to take instead of their normal ball. The free ball awards points as if it was the normal ball (not its own value), and is replaced if potted.
In this case, the ball on was the yellow, which you failed to hit (a foul), and left your opponent without a clear shot on the yellow. He was awarded a free ball, and nominated the brown. He potted the brown, and was awarded 2 points (the value of the yellow ball). The brown was replaced, and the yellow became the ball on again.
Thanks for confirming that 👍😎
@@IWrockerBy the way - the pink went onto the blue spot just before this. That’s because there’s a rule where if the coloured ball spot is blocked by another ball it goes to the next highest available spot, so because the pink = 6 and the blue = 5, when the cue ball was blocking the pink from being respotted it went down to the blue. If there’s a situation where no spots are available the ball goes as close to its own spot as possible in line with the middle of the table.
It’s a good one to know if you’re going to get into watching the sport.
Also, in professional matches a free ball counts as a red. So when he potted the brown it would’ve been 1 point and then when he potted the yellow that would’ve counted and his colour - the yellow would’ve then been respotted and then you go yellow, green, brown, blue, pink, black. Not sure what this games ruleset is.
And about the cloth thing - no irl table I’ve ever played on is as ‘slidey’ as the one in game. The cloths are fast but the balls don’t roll forever like there 😂
Mate, as a Brit who loves both snooker and pool a great deal, I adore the open-minded way you've approached all this! If you're ever in the UK I'll buy you a pint at my local and play you a game! ❤️
Love that, I hope to take your offer someday 🎉😎
Dude snooker is so tactical, please do a video on 'best snookers', ie where the player makes a shot and it is extremely difficult for the opponent to make the next move, eg hitting a red 'safe' and then spinning a cue ball tight near to a colour. It is magical to watch and the escapes are often even better!
Surprisingly entertaining. I think it is greatly aided, by you being the commentator as well. You really have an excellent voice for it. A chill and mindful experience.
Points value for context and needs to be taken in order.
Yellow 2
Green 3
Brown 4
Blue 5
Pink 6
Black 7
Once the table is cleared up you clear the balls in this order. Even though you would think since the brown is between the yellow and green you would do them like 1 2 3, but you do the 2 outside balls then the middle.
Also it’s not all about smashing the pack open like pool, it’s best to keep the pack in relative order so you can play it neat and tidy and when it comes a time you play off the red or the black into the pack to open the balls up once there is less on the table. Very tactical and hard game, thanks for your coverage. New sub earned!
Not sure how much those setting will change things but those pockets were very accommodating. On a real table and a lot of those shots you made are just bouncing out. Beyond being narrow, the cushions are rounded so the ball doesn't funnel in like on a pool table, so if you make any significant contact with the cushion the ball's not going in... To give a sense of difficulty, pool you can generally play okay-ish while drunk but I've seen drunk novice people in pubs take over an hour to finish a frame of snooker. (the old guys who play drink small glasses of beer)
Love this! Thanks for not editing - went to see Jimmy White play an exhibition match back in the 80's - still loving snooker all these years later.
So glad you've discovered this great game. Maybe you might like to look at a video showing how the tables are built - I think you'd like that too.
Pot the red and screw back for the yellow, green brown, blue, pink and black.
We're all snooker nuts are we, we're all snooker loopy 😁
That’s was Saturday evening’s theme tune 😂👏
@@liamstrange4939 not the big break theme, but the chaz and dave song with the snooker players back in the day 😁
th-cam.com/video/NXcbyxFNCSc/w-d-xo.htmlsi=uy_XQhwB45_kCzuZ - Only way I used to be able to remember the order of the colours lol
Hit the cue ball low for backspin. Hit the ball high if you want it to roll on forward.
How much do I love snooker? Your first snooker video popped up on my feed because of the amount of snooker I watch on TH-cam and I've just laid in bed for an hour watching all your snooker videos and now I've subscribed to watch any future snooker videos you do. How much do I love snooker? I will watch literally anything to do with snooker!
That’s awesome, I had no idea about the sport a couple weeks ago but now I’m really loving it. I can’t promise a snooker video every day, but a couple times a week would be great as I learn about it 🎉
Thanks by the way, welcome aboard 😎👍
For your break, aim at the edge of the pack, Allowing for drift with spin, to hit about half ball on the outer red with running side. Probably about 60-70% power. Not sure about the game mechanics,. But that's the shot to play.
The ability to position the cue ball (after your shot) in order to set up the next shot (or even the next series of shots) is the true indicator of a good player.
A couple of tips for the future.
1. The break you made, I feel, was too hard. It made all the reds spread widely across the table. This inhibits your next shot on a colour as there are more reds in the way.
2. Learn how to control the white ball with various levels of spin. & don't be afraid to use less power when hitting the ball. If you control the white, you control the game.
3. If you can't see a pot, don't be afraid to use your shot to mess up your opponents next shot. As with #2, if you control where the white ends up, you control the table. & getting your opponent snookered can even lead to you getting more points from their fouls.
But as a brand new player you did brilliantly.
I enjoyed this a much! and watched it all through :)
The computer experience is way more forgiving than real balls on a real table.
So, as someone who plays snooker in real life and on video games. When you break the idea is to hit the edge of the red and get the cueball back to where the yellow, green and brown are. It isn't just about potting balls you need to be tactical too. And the colours, black is 7, pink 6, blue 5, brown 4, green 3, and yellow 2. Each red is 1 and when the final red is potted you can pot any colour you like. But after that colour it's yellow, green, brown blue pink and then black in that order. Hope that helps :)
I proper laughed out loud when you sank that first black 😂
Pretty good for 1st go, the secret of course is to be thinking 3 or 4 shots ahead, and playing for position as well as pots. :) enjoying your snooker journey
It really feels like I'm playing myself. I used to play 8 ball every weekend. Snooker, I sometimes watch it after work. On Euro sports. Nice game. Greetings from Spakenburg, Netherlands.
As the others said, you wanna hit the red thinly on a breakoff shot and get the cue ball back up into baulk (behind the line with the yellow green and brown) so your opponent either can't pot any available reds, or able to hit one without leaving you a viable shot.
It's coop to see someone new to the sport get so deep into it, but I'd definitely recommend watching some full frames, maybe a full short match, just to get the idea of the strategy that's at play.
I hope you become a big snooker fan like us, it's one of the most elegant, respectful sports, and relaxing to watch. It's the only sport I really care for.
You can have a nice long strategic safety battle, or a solid run making century breaks, they're equally entertaining
Couple of interesting things, I grew up playing pool occasionally, but when I saw a snooker table for the first time in person, the size blew my mind.
And as you mentioned, despite the size, the pockets are far narrower that the classic American 8 Ball. It puts into perspective how incredibly skillful you have to be to make pots from the opposite end of the table, such a small target and very far away.
You might be just in time getting into the sport actually, as the World Championships are scheduled to begin on April 20th at the famous Crucible. Definitely worth following that, I'm looking forward to it
Well played. I'm in the UK and really like Pool, but am completely addicted to snooker, so I'm really enjoying your enthusasm
Well there’s something I never thought would happen, I’ve just watched an American play a frame of snooker….. and thoroughly enjoyed it. Great effort.
Just remember you don’t always have to pot a ball on your go. The best players make it super hard for their opponent when it’s their turn. Also bear in mind where the cue ball will end up after you’ve played your shot.
Going to subscribe. This’ll make a great livestream.
Awesome to hear. Thank You 🎉
This was so fun to watch. I'm a big Ronnie fan and have been to watch the Masters at Ally Pally as it's not far from where I live. One tip: Think about your positioning of the cue ball for your second shot before playing a red. If you don't have a good second shot it's better to play a safety shot. Please make more of these, I'd watch it for hours 👍🏾
Well done on your win👍👍 If you get a streak it's called a 'break' not a 'rally'. You should listen carefully to any commentary on a match when watching, as they often explain how and why a particular shot is made.
I had already noticed this, but you remarked on it yourself at 25:45
That's an unrealistically fast cloth, like ice! Fast cloth meaning low rolling resistance to the balls. But this looks like every shot has a tail wind!
Another thing I noticed is when the balls go in the pockets, like they lower on a cushion of air, rather than gravity-drop!
The thing that makes Ronnie so good is not just his shot making but his cue ball control, putting the cue where its needed for the next shop.
It's good to see you followed the suggestion to try out Cue Club 2. I would like to offer a few remarks about the game itself:
1. Your remark about the computer being not too good at snooker is true. Even on the highest difficulty level it tends to make highly questionable shots quite often. Exception: if the computer is snookered, that is they don't have a direct shot towards a ball on, their cue ball seems to have sat nav, even on the lowest difficulty. The computer's significantly better at playing pool though.
2. In the game settings, there's an option to show the value of the ball you're pointing at with the aiming circle.
To explain the situation when you accidentally hit the green instead of the yellow: normally that would've been a "foul and a miss", for not hitting the yellow first and the ref judging that you didn't make a good enough effort to hit the yellow.
This means that the opposing player has 3 options instead of 2: play from where the balls are, make you play again from where the balls are, and make you play again from where the balls were (the extra option).
In this case, a "free ball" was awarded as well. This means that the opposing player can nominate a different colour to pot, and it gets the points value of the ball on for this shot. The "free ball" was awarded because it was not possible to direct hit both edges of the ball on from the position of the balls on the table.
Also, two small bits of final advice:
1. Learn to play around with spin on the cue ball, especially back spin, it helps a lot. Once you have more of a feeling for that, you'll be able to run up half centuries (break of 50) and centuries (break of 100).
2. Chalk your cue tip at least every 3 shots. It affects cue ball behaviour in the game.
Excellent information 🎉 Thank You so much
There is an ex-World Champion, Stephen Hendry, who has a great snooker YT channel where he not only gives snooker tips but also plays frames with various celebrities, sportsmen and other Snooker legends. Well worth checking out as not only are the interviews/games fun, his advice is top notch. He even does some videos with pool. It's called "Stephen Hendry's Cue Tips" and maybe check out the videos he's done with Ronnie O'Sullivan (the guy you watched doing that fastest 147 break) - I highly recommend reacting to the video "Can Ronnie O'Sullivan Defeat the Tough Table Challenge?" it's only 6min but really cool, not so much because of the performance but more the conversation. There's also a good, short compilation video worth checking out called "Stephen Asks the Greatest Players for their Ultimate Snooker Tips", but there's loads of great ones to check out on there. Good videos and they'll give you some background in the game and introduce you to more of the players too.
@IWrocker Quite right and a highly recommended watch, undoubtedly the best snooker related YT channel.
FYI Stephen Hendry is a seven times world champion who dominated the 1990s. Regarded by most as the greatest player of all time before Ronnie O'Sullivan.
In the sim you played the physics seemed a bit off, the way the balls just kept rolling at the end wasn't right.
Hendry was brilliant but he was the bane of my existence. I was a massive Jimmy White fan. Nuff said!
That was good to watch! Glad you're enjoying snooker!
Well played. You hit some cool shots there. Remember, it's super important where the cue balls end up with regards to the next shot. I used to play snooker all the time, but my eyes simply aren't up to it anymore. Keep playing man, you seemed to get a great kick out of it. Besides, as names go, 'Wrocker' sounds like it belongs on a snooker table!
Brilliant frame mate! A little thing that could be worked on in ya ball placement after shots. You wanna have the cue ball end up a good lined up shot with the next ball you wanna pot. This all comes down to where on the cue ball you’re hitting and the power you put behind the shot but at the same time you also wanna make it harder for your opponent to land a shot too. Either by snookering them or just simply getting the cue ball at the opposite end of the table far from those reds. All in all though you did really well. Fantastic 👌🏻
Well played, hope you can manage to play as well in reality, great commentary and understanding, BTW, the free ball wasn't a correct decision by the computer, but a good simulation overall 👍
Playing a video game is a great way to get familiar with the rules and concept of snooker. Definitely try get yourself on a real table with a buddy though. That's when it really hits home what a difficult game it is.. and also when your jaw hits the floor watching people like Ronnie.
That was a ton of fun to watch - 32 minutes were flying by!
I'm not even a particularly active snooker fan these days but this video has made me realise just how deeply the sequence red-yellow-green-brown-blue-pink-black is scorched into my psyche.
In snooker, you don't aim to pot off the break. The idea is hit the outside red ball with running side spin to throw the white around 3-4 cushions to leave it safe on the baulk cushion.
I agree with you about the ball speed. Even before you mentioned it there were a few occasions when it seemed to me that the cue ball was running a lot further after impact than was natural...
Yeah it was. Was wondering if was ever gonna stop at times lol.
14:19 ideally you would be potting the red but also focusing on getting the cue ball back out for the black. Not just in a position to pot the black but in a position to also get on the next red etc etc. Always try and think at least 2 shots ahead of your current one when building a break.
Controlling the white ball and getting it to finish in the correct position for the next shot is vital in snooker. Potting a ball without having to worry about the next shot is a world away from having to connect with the white ball at the top /side/ bottom in order to perfectly control it's movement after the shot. It is also far more difficult to pot a ball when not connecting with the white cue ball dead centre when you are you cueing.
I laughed so hard when you fluked that black. Good to see an American being so enthusiastic about snooker
I think it would be interesting to watch you learn how to play this simulation game. How to think 2 or three shots ahead. How to position the cue ball for the next shot, how to use top and bottom spin.....
I've been watching Snooker casually for decades. Last summer I finally tried it with my wife. Took us 2h to finish the game and a lot of gymnastics but I loved it !
Well done. Watch some classic snooker games and you learn more about strategy etc. 👍
Wow nice job on that first black ball Ian!
I don’t mind a longer video personally, I prefer videos more than 10mins long, and probably no more than an hour depending on the topic.
‘Where’s the cue ball going, WHERE’S THE CUE BALL GOING?!?’
LOL I skipped straight to 4:50 where he plants the black :D
youre a natural son
Snooker is like eating at a first class restaurant with a great chef. Pool billard is like eating at a diner's. Both have its merits. I enjoy both.
Great analogy 🎉
A diner's what?
I'm off to play snooker in my local club in an hour. Enjoyed watching you play this...do more!
Well played, glad you enjoyed.
As you said, play it like chess, table awareness for position on your next few shots in advance whilst nullifying your opponents options should you miss.
Something important to look into is the safety aspect/plays of snooker which can be decisive in winning a frame.
I visited the Llechwedd quarry in Blanaufestiniog, Wales where the slate mines supplied the slate for Snooker Tables. This was the early seventies so they were only just turning into a tourist attraction from being an active mine.
They're called quarries but it's really a mine.
I was shown his to split slate by a guy in his late fifties at a guess who'd worked there all his life.
Fascinating place.
Good game, not bad for 1st time. I know you're in the learning stage but one thing I would say to you is, look around the table especially after pocketing a red. You took a long Blue (which you missed) to the top of the table when the Pink was to your right near the bottom pocket. Try to remember the value of the coloured balls, it will improve your scoring. Keep at it, and show us how much you improved in a few weeks.
Cool to watch you figure this out. Check out the game you're playing settings, see if you can switch between views. A straight above the table one can help you line up your shots and judge cue ball spin . You can always switch back to the 'action' camera when you take your shot (to keep that dynamic feel). Edit: actually you did it quickly when you were on the yellow. That view can help a lot.
That break was hilarious 😂... Sorry I know your new to it. Definitely worth watching a real match to get the feel of how tactical it is.
It's night and day compered with pool
I'm a Brit and was brought up on the game because of my father. It's ridiculously difficult even if you're a haft decent pool player. I liken it to golf in that if your tee shot is slightly off line, by the time the ball lands you're way off where you want to be. If you get a long pot slightly off, you can miss by miles when it reaches the pocket. Great game to play with a good friend.
I'm always fascinated at the skill of the pros in knowing exactly where the white (cue ball) will be after they have hit another ball. O'Sullivan's 147 was a master class in doing it.
24:00 If a ball cannot be placed back on its own spot, it goes on the next highest available spot...that's why after the last red, and then pink, the pink got put back on the table on the blue spot. If all spots are occupied, it is placed as close to its own spot as possible in a direct line between that spot and the top cushion (the end the black is at), without touching another ball.
Tip for next time Ian, think a lot more about where you leave thee cue ball. Backspin, sidespin, you want the cue ball either good for you, or terrible for the villain. And always take the easy reds out, unless you're planning to take it next on the run. You need to think one shot ahead at least. Glad you like it, billiards next?
The break-off in snooker is a safety shot. Professionals usually aim to clip off either side of the bottom of the pack of reds with running side. The cue ball then strikes the top cushion near a corner pocket, the side cushion, then runs underneath the blue to the opposite side cushion. The purpose is to make the cue ball come to rest somewhere on the bottom cushion, hopefully obscuring the reds with one of the three baulk colours. Smashing into the reds is not something you will see often, as if you fail to pot a red, then your opponent will more than likely clear up.
The physics in that game looked spot on, you could really feel the weight and momentum of the balls.
The ball dropping into the pocket looked a bit slow but nothing I could pick in game play looked at all uncanny valley like.
Really enjoyed your video. I'm English so I've played a lot of snooker. You should just make a table of the colour points to help. I wish the Americans joined in to this game as mostly it's just the British, Irish and Chinese. Keep at it. Cheers.
On snooker when you open, you avoid opening all the balls, it's a very tactical game. If you open the balls, your opponent will just wreck you 😂 basically you open, touch a red and try to make Q ball come to where it started
and whathever you do , don't catch the blue
True, especially a skilful player, they can clear up and keep you seated, but if playing for fun and who you are playing against isn't too good, it's fine to open the reds up just to speed up the game.
Cue ball, please. We're trying to be educational here. 🙂
@@RichSmith77yep, and it's a break, not a ralleigh! give the man some time. i'm just happy he likes it
@@josvercaemer264 My comment wasn't aimed at IWrocker, but OP. ("Q ball")
That was fun! It gives you a chance to learn the game, the way it's played anyway. Gaining the skills in real life will be trickier, and nerves play a big part, but yes, this was a great start! As you know the red ball is one point, and the black is seven. Below the black is the pink, 6, and blue is 5. Then the three in a row, green, brown, yellow. Yellow 2, green 3, brown 5.
Ok a tip on break off aim for the 2 bottom reds left or right but you need to hit them full ball with top spin. You will pot a red and hopefully end up behind the blue and if not behind the yellow.
Funny thing, i literally said the same "snooker is an arcade chess game played with cueballs", when i first watched it at Eurosport channel. Player have to came up with the right move, but than he must perform it on the table.
By my experience at the snooker table, playing it is like playing two different pool games at once. First you sinking only 8-ball alternately with one pointers, than you can play regular 8-ball game. Margin of error is very slim, due to the sizes of table, cueballs and pockets. And you constantly struggling to position white cueball where you want it to be, by performing easy, mild or even advanced trick shots.
I highly recommend to play this game on a real table. It's challenging, it's hard, but man... it's fun.
As a kid who had grown up playing pool in pubs, trying to play on the much bigger snooker table in my local social club was a massive step up. All the angles changed, the cloth played differently as did the balls, but most of all it was just being able to get to the cue ball because of the size.
You've got to set up for the next shot or two, position the cue ball. If you can't make a shot, you can "snooker" the opponent so he can't sink a ball - or even hit a ball. Congrats on your win!
Just for info, the most famous snooker tournament takes place at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England.
If you want the order of the balls, here goes: Red - 1 point, Yellow - 2 points, Green - 3 points, Brown - 4 points, Blue - 5 points, Pink - 6 points, and Black - 7 points. So 15 Reds plus every color you manage to pot. Good luck. BTW, after the Reds are done, the points, in order, must be potted. Great job, man.
Once you get the basics down the key is then to think 3-4 shots ahead and plan accordingly where you want to aim the cueball and that's how you build breaks
In the 1980s there were a few players from Canada - Cliff Thorburn was a world champion and scored the first 147 at the World Championships and there were others like Bill Werbinuik (who used to drink several pints during a game for his nerves 😂). Recently though there haven't been any notable players from North America (to my knowledge). There has however been a huge surge in players from China and now there are many Chinese players near the top of the sport.
Kirk Stevens?
Always try for the pink when in doubt.
Play this every other day, love the game, its calming and so cool.
You need to think about where you need the cue ball to go after each shot, to be in a good position for the following shot. That's what the cross on the cue ball is for, to put backspin, side or forward roll on it. You can also use it to make the cue ball swerve around other balls that are in the way of the object ball.
"we can hit this one and hope for the best" - Ah, I see you've stumbled on my snooker strategy.
Really fun watching your reaction to your first game of snooker, and I love that you pronounce "snooker" correctly! Kudos!
The next thing you should look at is how to apply spin to the cue ball during shots to affect where it lands after the shot. This can make a huge difference to break building by keeping position on a colour after a red and vice versa. It also unlocks a new dimension of the sport in addition to angles and power. Stephen Hendry (2nd best player in history behind Ronnie) has a really good TH-cam channel where he goes into detail on all sort of snooker techniques so look out for that.
It'll be really interesting to see how you react to your first 12 foot real-life snooker table experience because it is much much harder in real life than in a game/simulation. I play on 12 foot tables maybe 5 or 6 times a year and used to have an 8 foot table when I was a teenager, and I find computer games pretty easy because I know the rules, strategy and techniques. But when you try to apply these in real life you find that tables are not quite level, your cue isn't entirely straight, your eyesight isn't perfect and there are a number of other variables which affect the outcomes fundamentally (eg. how many beers have you consumed! 😂).
Speaking of Ronnie, have you seen the TV series where Ronnie came to the USA with a friend of his and they went round various pool halls and tried their hand at hustling etc? Here's the IMDB link: www.imdb.com/title/tt6356668/
It's really fun to watch. :)
Take a look at Carom (also called French billiards), another table game like pool/snooker but with a twist: No pockets. Usually only three balls, depending on the number of players. Concept is easy, very difficult to master.
if you have a hard time remembering the value of the colors you can have this in mind: You already know that black is the highest value (7) so from there they start to lose value as you go up the table: pink is right above and is 6 points then is blue in the middle worth 5 and the 3 lowest values are at the top of the table Yellow (2) Green (3) and Brown (4). The idea is to stay at the bottom of the table (where the red usually are) and score with the high value colors. High values are spread apart at the bottom half while low values are grouped together at the top half. Another way to look at it is if you go from Brown (4) which is at the top middle they increase by one as you go down.
When placing the green, brown. yellow ball we remember the adage "God Bless You" to place them correctly left to right.
Thats one fast table.
Safety play and que ball control is paramount.
When you get the absolute basics, you move on to positioning the cue ball for the following shot. When you don't really have a shot, you have to start thinking about safety play, so you don't leave a wide open table to your opponent to clean up.
snooker tables use a thinner felt then pool and snooker balls are smaller and lighter so they glide more on the table if you rewatch the 147 video and just look how little force is used in snooker
Only compared to the large balls used in the USA in 9 ball etc. They aren't normal world wide. Snooker balls aren't smaller elsewhere
@@tikkabrno american pool balls are 2 1⁄4 inch. rest of the world use 2 inch to 2 1⁄8 inch
12ft snooker tables use 2 1⁄8 inch
9ft snooker tables use 2 inch balls
but americans can be used to 2 inch balls if they play kelly pool not sure how common it is in America i know its illegal in some parts of the US and canada or at least used to be
Fair play, shot on the black at the start of the game was played perfectly
I'm just back from playing snooker, and I love how easy it is on this virtual table. Try potting those on a real table, trust me you won't.
Snooker terminology.....
1. Scratch = In Off (i.e white went IN the pocket OFF another ball)
2. Rally = Break (the number of points scored in one visit to the table) i.e You had a Break of 16 for potting 2 x red and 2 x black...
3. When you are blocked on the ball you want to hit you are "snookered".
4. Rails are cussions in snooker
5. To "sink" a ball is to "pot" a ball in snooker.
6. A 147 is often called a "maximum"
I'm sure there are others you need to learn 😉....... Nice to see you enjoying the game though.
Dude!!! That first shot on the black!? 😅🎉👌🏼 Brilliant
Haha I was shocked 🤣🎉
@@IWrocker me too!! 🤣 I really hope that you get an opportunity to play a game or two in real life. It's such an awesome game 😎🤙🏼
Snooker is a great game "a game for gentleman" as they say, this simulator was pretty cool but I'm pumped to see how you go on a full sized table, i really hope you can find a Snooker hall in your area, for us guys in England it's a great way to get out of the house meet with friends get away from the stress and unwind and have a few beers of course lol, keep us informed.
That was hilarious Ian..
I'm not sure if you are a snooker shark or a tin arse....
Either/either, that made me laugh and brightened my day
Cheers mate
To break u just want to clip the edge.. if you open the pack up like this then your opposition has many more options available to him! U want to just clip 1 ball off the pack and get the white ball hidden behind the green/brown etc!
First few shots doing well 👏 snooker is tough