35. Cue Ball Control - A popular practice routine
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ต.ค. 2024
- Making the next shot as easy as possible by controlling the cue ball is the essence of good snooker play. In this Barry Stark Snooker Coach tutorial, Barry shows a practice routine using a line of reds.
/ barrystarksnookercoach
i want to say thank you for all the effort you put in these videos they are really helpfull
My pleasure Ali, glad you find them helpful.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Barry sir you are great.. (y) love your online coaching..
Ali Kavousi
Ali Kavouthanks for your time and effort's I find your videos to be among the best you're in your descriptions and instructions are clear and straightforward
Ali Kavousi the
Hi Barry, this is excellent, i tried it last week and took me 9 attempts to pot 5 balls in a row. I have learned to slow it down and not hit too hard. Thanks mate.
Trying this drill on a pool table today, I was rubbish, watching you made me feel more so. Great skills sir.
"Don't try to achieve failure try to achieve success" the best thing I've heard in those pool lessons I'm watching. He said that because many people trying to make things harder at first (like myself), but the only thing they should do is to take it step by step. Thank you mr Barry for those lessons!! I'm playing 8-ball and 9-ball, because we don't have so much snooker in my country (Greece), but I love watching snooker, and maybe some day I'll start playing
Alexandros. In my opinion trying to achieve success one step at a time is a philosophy that should be adopted in all sports.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach That is true, Thank you!
That's the best way I've seen that practice routine explained. An not only that you can set yourself targets within the routine which I've never been shown before. Thanks Barry
I'd like to say that you have probably crushed the hopes of any person who thinks that they play good snooker and should start a channel to share their knowledge with the world.. . Because no matter how much they try, they can't build a resource as extensive and intricately planned as this channel. Fantastic effort!
Saurabh. That is quite an accolade, many thanks.
"Don't try to achieve failure, try to achieve success" quote of the century and the vein of my life! I always end up trying to do something more advanced than my own ability because It's "what Ronnie would do". Great advice and I will TRY to listen to it!
Matt. Well done, its important to set yourself realistic targets but also with an element of challenge. You will quickly become bored with something that is too easy but will also become frustrated with something beyond your ability.
Good job coach,am learning a lot.
what if we miss one ,should we continue or just start over ,i sometimes have some sort angle on color that im gonna hit the line of reds after potting the color.and thank you so much for these videos .they are amazingly helpful.
It depends upon your standard of play as to whether you start again or carry on regardless of the miss. A good option for some players is to complete the practise and record the amount of misses you incur, try to beat your best performance each time, that way you are trying to achieve realistic targets or goals. If you fear hitting a red because of the angle on the colour perhaps you should place the reds a little further apart giving you more room to manoeuvre the cue ball.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you so much sir.its a huge privilage to learn from you.there are a lot of guys teaching snooker on youtube ,you and your well made videos are by far the best.
Thanks again teacher for that, very appreciated 😃👍👋👋
wow, I am so impressed by your skills and motivation too. thank you sir.
fantastic closing comment there Barry . .
now i know cue ball control thank you barry stark
Thanks for the video Barry!
Good video Barry 👍🏼
nobody saw that cut around 4.30 :D... never the less a great video, as always :-)
You are quite right there was a cut but it had nothing to do with the shot. We were having slight problems with the camera. You may notice that the picture quality is not up to our usual standard and tends to fade slightly at various points. We apologise for this and will make every effort to rectify it for any future videos.
Mr. Stark,
It looks as though the problem with the picture quality is due to the camera's auto white balance function. I don't know if you use the same camera every time, but in order to get rid of the change in fading, simply disable the future. It's probably automatically on given the camera.
Thank you so much for your videos. With your help I've been able to cue straighter than ever and am getting a better handle on english.
I'm currently looking into buying a cue. I've heard that it's not a good idea to change cues while you are learning or intend to play for a long time. I wonder if you had any advice on what to do. I know the differences between ash and maple. I also understand tip size and length etc. but it seems everyone has a different cue maker they prefer. Have you always used a particular cue maker or brand? If so, I would very much like to hear about it.
Hope you keep making videos sir. You're a hero.
One more thing i want to ask Sir. I try to do various pre shot routine and when i likes it then i changes that, i know that is a wrong habit but iam not satisfying easily. I had tried various like :-
1) tip to the cue ball along with the angle of the object for 2-3 seconds, then starts cueing like 3-4 times then gives a pause in the back and finish the shot
2) Straight starts feathering straight then gives a silient pause in the back and finish the shot just like ronnie o sullivan my hero
3) yesterday i started doing like marco fu and stuart bingham
4) Earlier as my natural when i started playing i just picks up the angle and finish the shot with the feathering without pause in fron or back
Over all number 1 and number 3 gives me more focus like tip to the ball for like 3-4 seconds and pause back and finish the shot
and i made a break of 30 and 42 but i missed some easy close shots and potted some hard and difficult cushion shots.
But my main problem is the only thing why on the last swing to play the shot my eyes switch towards the pocket along the angle of the object ball ? As result sometimes i pott difficult shots easily but miss easy one's on the break.( cue swings automatically towards the pocket when my eyes swings ).
I just want to stop doing this. But aint finding the way of it.
That's why iam asking a help from you Sir
I hope you will give me the best advice.
Thanking You
Harpreet Singh
Harpreet. I believe that for most players (there are exceptions) they should develop a pre-shot routine that includes a few practise feathers (or waggles) the purpose of these is to practise and prepare for the shot you are about to play. The method you describe at 1) would be my preference. On the other matter of moving your eyes please see below.
Hello Sir,
Good morning, Sir i need to ask one question please.
My question is if we are cueing on the top or middle or bottom of the cue ball or any other then do we have to do the same thing on the object ball also along the line of the shot ?
Very good, but what about showing where the cue ball is struck to get to the next position?
Barry I'm new to snooker are you playing screw back on these shots ?
Super. Its a fine balance between screw and stun on most shots.
If you miss a shot, what do you do? Put the red and white back into place and try that shot until you get it? Move on to the next red?
thats what i usually do, to keep the routine the same
you cry ._.)
cue ball control, is the reason why Ronnie is still the best player in the world. lack of it, is also the reason why jimmy White can no longer compete at the top...
Without doubt.
If you are always leaving yourself easy pots then you are going to score a lot of points.
I know a guy that plays pool and his cue ball control is so good that I've actually yet to find out if he's any good at potting, because he always leaves himself an easy pot.
Ronnie also very good at potting very difficult pots as well. That makes him even greater
Soo true, cueball control is so important in Snooker.
Hi Barry, I know this is probably a million $$$ question but I have been really practicing hard the last 4 months and watched many of your videos which have really helped. Doing this routine I can regularly get up into the 50's. Problem is when in a game it all goes to "POT", is that just pressure or worrying about what you will leave if you miss. Any words of wisdom would be gratefully received.
Kevyb. The line up and most other routines are obviously beneficial but at the end of the day the balls are generally placed in potable positions, that is not always the case in a game and control of the cue ball, playing the right shot etc. are more crucial. May I suggest a good practise is to set the balls up as if to play a frame, break off, play a few safety shots until the pack is reasonably disturbed, then place the white in such a position that you have a fairly easy starter and then try to build a break. Keep a journal listing your breaks in this manner and give yourself a big pat on the back every time there is improvement.
Bravo. Bravo. Bravo. Peccato essere tropo vecchio per imparare ( 80 anni)
Hi Barry,
Recently i’ve started playing snooker after years of admiring the sport on tv. I have played pool, though, I’m (of course) having a lot of trouble potting balls on such a large table due to numerous factors as not cueing 100% straight. The main problem is not seeing the potting angle.
What’s the best approach to improve my potting skills? Do this line-up without going for colors or a more static practice like potting the black from different angles?
Thanks in advance! Great videos.
William. I have often said that on a straight shot most normal, well coordinated people will aim correctly but when they play the shot, they miss. This is because they do not deliver the cue where they are aiming and that comes down to technique. Keep examining your technique and gradually introduce more advanced drills. Start with an open table, colours on their spots and reds spread all over in potable positions, when you can clear the table its time to move on.
Hi Barry, always wonderful to watch these video's. I wanted to enquire about getting a 1 to 1 lessons from you. I am free in evenings do you give lessons around this time? If so how can i go about booking with you? Also where abouts are you based? I live in south east london.
navos. I am sorry but for a variety of reasons I no longer do private lessons. I did however wish to put something back into a game I have enjoyed for many years and and as a result was convinced to record these videos.
I can clear the table when doing the line up. No problem. But when I play a frame of snooker with someone I struggle to make a 30 break. I don't quite understand it.
When you practise the line up the balls are in the middle of the table, when you play a frame this is seldom the case. Not only do some find their way to the cushions but they seem to get in each others way, planning a break can get a little tricky. When you lose position practising the line up, or indeed miss, you can simply set them up again. This is not the case when you play an opponent and this can add pressure to the situation. Keep doing the right things and the breaks will come.
The biggest down side to practicing with a line up like this is that all the balls are in the middle of the table and potable in multiple pockets, this is rarely the case in a real frame, balls go over cushions or can be in positions where they are only available into one pocket.
So rather than practicing the line up start of by giving the reds a regular break off shot, but do so in a way that will break the balls up a bit more than normal.
After that allow yourself to have ball in hand for the first red then practice from their, this gives you some more real game scenarios to work with.
And remember always play to give yourself options.
Thanks Barry. It's fustrating to play so poorly in an actual frame of snooker. I think I have the basics down, it's just my break building is so poor. I'll keep practising and hope the breaks start to show.
Agree on giving yourself options. The point of the line-up is I always have options, whether I play for them or not. I may try and adapt the line-up and scatter some balls around the black spot end and go from there.
Maybe you should set the difficulty in how the conditions are set up, until your hitting about thirty.
Barry, these are great videos. Thank you! By the way, I'm right eye dominant and right handed like you are. Should I place my cue slightly to the right of my chin when I'm at the table? And since I'm right eye dominant, do you think I should stop switching hands? I sometimes do that out of convenience especially if the long cushion is to my left.
Where you place the cue in relation to your chin and eye sight tends to happen quite naturally and you should only move it if you have a tendency to cue across the ball. If you have the ability to change hands for certain shots it is a useful skill to have. Please do not stop doing it, far from it practise and develop it until you are just as proficient with either hand.
Hi Barry. I'm left eye dominant / right handed. I've been putting (accidental) rhs on the cue ball so after watching your vids have made concerted effort to move the cue a little to the left (5 - 10 mm max) so it's under my left eye. I seem to be hitting the cue ball more centrally but it feels completely unnatural and I have to remind myself to do it. I assume I should persevere until it does come naturally? Cheers.
Barry, say you got all 15 reds and blacks and ended up getting a 147. Would you count that as a time you got a maximum or would you only count them when the balls are set up correctly in the first place? Silly question, I know, but it would be good to know if I can count this routine as my highest break. Cheers
Stop That Man. Lots of good players will practise the line up or other routines and take all the reds with blacks followed by the colours. I'm afraid that does not count as a maximum.
Gee you are a sniper Barry 😃🤩ps:my i know what kind of tip you do you use? Brand and hardness please? Thanks in advance Barry 😃👍👋👋
Mario. I still use the Elk Master tips but I clamp them to make them a little harder.
Hi Barry, great videos as always thanks! Just wondering if there are any tips for getting through the cue ball better? Im not a bad player but struggle with the all important 'final push' I notice your grip hand seems to do a little practice push as your getting down to the shot. Is that a conscious thing you do? Thanks, matt
I personally like to see a player working the cue as he gets down to the shot, this encourages relaxation particularly in the grip. It will soon become part of the pre-shot routine with practise. Some coaches prefer to see a player aim with a static cue and then start their routine. Whatever WORKS for the individual is ultimately correct.
Thank you Barry!
Matt Hammond
Dear Barry Sir, i would like to ask how did you play the shot at 2:39 in your video? I do not seem to get that shot right. Seems like a stun shot but when i play it, it will not come off the cushion straight like yours, it will have a wide angle causing the cue ball to bounce to the cushion the player is standing. If you get what i mean. How could i play a consistent shot like you did in 2:39
Without seeing you play I believe you are applying side along with the stun and as a result you will be getting too much action on the cue ball when it leaves the cushion. It is quite common for a player to apply side without realising it when he is playing an angle shot. Please check that you are striking the cue ball centrally. If however you prefer to play the shot with a little side then strike the cue ball a little higher, reducing the amount of screw or stun.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you very much for you fast reply. After your feedback, i realised that i may have put on unintentional side spin. However correct me if im wrong, that shot in 2:39 was stroke at the centre of the cueball without side spin and not a stun shot below centre am i right? I will be extra cautious while striking the ball during my practice later. Thank you very much for the tip sir! :D
It was certainly played without side spin, where to precisely hit the ball will vary from player to player and it comes down to how well you hit the ball. As you get more experience and become more proficient you will learn this .
so.. it's been over two years now. no feedback¿ or how things went?
Good morning Sir,
We had a talk before when you said to make my own videos and analyze myself. When i had messaged you from my dad's mail account of youtube. I had seen all the things and iam practicing on every technique to find the right path which suits my strength. So Sir i need to ask something very important and i think only you can help me with it. I know every angle quarter ball, three quarter ball, half ball, full ball, thinner quarter and so on. I analyze one big problem with me and that is when i was cueing on the angle means doing practise swings on the object i do it correctly but certainly my eyes switch towards pocket to change the angle. Another problem is when i finish the shot on the last second then also my eyes switches towards pocket and i know this is not the correct way. When i knows about the angles then why my eyes switches in the last back swing ? I really want to avoid that habit but not finding the right way. I want that my eyes should move from one angle to another angle. Does i play with low confidence on my mind or i loose trust on my mind of judging the angles ? Sir kindly help me in this to be fixed on the spot which i choose or should i start finishing my cue forward on the angle of the object ball ? Lol sorry but iam a bit confused. Please help me :)
Thank you Sir
Harpreet Singh
Harpreet. This sounds as if you are trying to steer the ball into the pocket caused by a lack of confidence in your cue action or aim, or both. What I suggest is, start out with very simple straight shots with the two balls about a foot apart, perform your normal pre-shot routine and stop on the back swing, before playing the shot close your eyes and deliver the cue. Then do the same practise with slight angle shots gradually increasing the distance and the angle. This will help you to eliminate moving your eyes unnecessarily. Please remember though that a lot of players do aim correctly but deliver the cue incorrectly, so please ensure that you are cueing in a straight line by examining it on the baulk line.
Thank you Sir, I will try this from today :) One more thing i will start practise more is to play straight cue ball from the black, pink, blue and brown + stay there till the cue ball comes back. I think that will also help me.
Thank you Sir :)
Please stay in touch. I want to meet you as a professional player one day :)
Hi Barry,
Absolute beginner here. I play 2-3 times a week. I struggle with this routine I can't get past 2 reds 2 blacks (normally), I loose position or gain position and miss the pot. Is there any other routines that can help?. I do know I overthink things so I guess that doesn't help either. Highest break is 22 in a Match and practice 23. I been playing for about 3 months.
My main opponent has been playing for 14 years or so, experienced good player. I've won around 6 frames from over 100 Is this hindering me or will it make me a better
Player overall?.
Thanks in advance.
With a highest break of 23 I feel fairly certain that it is your technique at fault, but never fear everyone has to start somewhere. Please check out my earlier videos on technique concentrating on where and how to hold the cue. Just practise cueing along the baulk line long and smooth grooving the muscle action. No need to hit a ball doing this, in fact they will only compound any problems by taking your concentration away from straight cueing. Playing better players can be advantageous if you have a discerning eye and can learn from his good points but ignoring the bad. Put yourself on video and look for flaws in your action. Good luck.
+Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you!. I shall try this and I have your videos on playlist!. Practice makes perfect
+Barry Stark Snooker Coach
+Barry Stark Snooker Coach
hi Barry update here
so I made another 23, few 18s 15s etc in game. I've worked on technique so it's inproving
is it better to do the line up with more balls or fewer,
for example i always try clear with 3 reds and a black but I always nearly miss the last red because of position. should I carry on like this or place all 15 reds,blue, pink and black on the table?
thanks in advance
Dale. Glad you are making steady yet consistent progress. As something of a beginner I wouldn't frustrate yourself by concentrating on the black ball. When you practise the line up use all the reds but keep plenty of space between them, this will help with manoeuvring the cue ball. Vary your practise routines to increase you knowledge and of course your repertoire of shots.
+Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you for the advice I will try this , I often try the bulk colour routine with
The cue in between the middle pocket and bulk line,Then go for all 3
Colours, I also try the practice with the blue on its spot, stun the cue ball on the blue spot and hope for a cannon on the blue of the bottom cushion.
Love the videos by the way!.
Keep them coming.
Barry I would like to know how you are able to play with your glasses? I to wear glasses but have to strain to avoid looking over. many thanks!
Rohan. My glasses are designed for the job. There are generally two types. 1/ The Dennis Taylor type with the large lens. 2/ Glasses that have two sets of hinges, one set of hinges allow the arms to fold away as normal glasses do, and the other set of hinges allow the lens to be tilted to the correct angle. If you are just using everyday glasses the I'm afraid your game will suffer.
Ah I see thank you very much for your help I will try to find a solution.
I'm happy with most aspects of my game but the main problem is the amount of screw I can put on the ball - I can screw from the blue spot to the cushion and further at times, but very inconsistently, and often when I try to do this in a frame situation against another player all that happens is I stun the ball - I am convinced that this is to do with one of two things - my grip, or the timing of my cue action. Any tips for either of those that you could spare? Thanks for you help.
Jake. If you feel the grip is the problem please have a look at my video on it, timing is very important on these shots and where and how to hold the cue can influence this. It is however more likely that in an effort to screw the ball back you are not hitting the cue ball where you think you are. It is surprising the amount of players who aim at the bottom of the cue ball but actually create some minor movement and hit the ball slightly higher than intended and achieve stun rather than screw. Physical effort can cause this movement so concentrate on feeling the cue ball and getting through it rather than physical effort and power.
This week, I potted 8 in a row then 12 is my record. Still practising to try to get them all in a oner.
Hi Barry. When you do the line up if you miss a ball do you leave it and try recover or do you reset
brian. Its important that you learn from the miss, so its a good idea to set that one shot up again and try to determine why you missed and rectify it. I wouldn't go as far as setting the whole line up again but certainly that one shot.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thanks Barry. And would it be the same if you missed a colour just reset that one shot. Also what if you manage to move another ball off the line up would you just replace it
brian. Obviously the idea is not to move the other balls but if you do then replace them until your skill improves and you can avoid moving them.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thanks again for your help. It was just if I played a shot and ran out of position I might hit another ball unintentionally
At the beginning of this, you say 'once you can consistently pot balls' you are ready for the lineup; how long do you think it should take a player who has just started playing to reach this level? I have been playing a couple months and my cue action SEEMS to be straight but I find I miss a lot of shots very closely. Could you perhaps give a practice routine even more basic than this one, for the players who CAN'T consistently pot every easy shot, in order to speed up the process and get them to the level where they can pot them?
Jake. We all want the easy root to success but I am afraid it does not exist, Just keep putting the hours in, working on your cue action and the open table, it will come but I am afraid you will have to be patient, there is a lot to learn.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach sir i am learning alot from your videos the thing is i am aiming as you guided and result is awsome but some day i even cant aim the shot though lots of concentration is there can you guide why it is so
Thanks coach
Barry, I am pretty terrible at this beautiful game but trying hard to improve. I am slowly getting better ( S L o o o o o w w w l y ) when I play this routine (which is every time I play) I always re spot all the reds as I pot them. I do this because as mentioned, I am not very good so I feel that having the red put back means I have more options available after every colour for a more simple positional shot... would you advise I carry on like this until I improve further, or stop taking the easy routes and leave the reds in the pockets? Thankyou
Matt. Leave the reds in the pockets and challenge yourself but also read my comments below.
Don’t try to achieve failure, try to achieve success, words to live by.
Mohammed. So very true. Start easy (the known) to the difficult (the unknown)
Thanku very much sir for giving information i have one dout while iam playing my cue is hitting to chest it changing the cue plz give me answer to my problem
Shaik. This sounds as if you do not have enough room between your grip hand and the body, please check this by comparison between yourself and my video which covers where and how to hold the cue, also how the position of the bridge hand affects the distance between the grip and the body.
Hi Barry Sir,
I am playing since last 3 1/2 years. I started learning snooker at age of 65 years. In my club, I have one time or other, defeated all, except two.
The main problem is potting. I can't shoot straight or pot at an angle.
There is no marker, trainer or training clubs in my city.
I'm puzzled, how to move forward.
Please help. BK Sinha, India
Look at Barry's video on aiming with a 'ghost' ball. It's helped me massively.
sir i am bit confused for long shots when ever i have to shoot a long shot i could not get a pot so plz explain me about it
SaAD. Long shots by their very nature are more demanding on your cueing accuracy. In my experience most players on straight shots, where there is no angle to assess, aim correctly , yet when they play the shot they miss. This is usually because they have not delivered the cue where they where aiming and that simply comes down to technique. Please have a look at my videos on the basics of where and how to hold the cue they should help but there is no magical cure, you have to work at it.
It would have helped when you was playing these shots if you had showed exactly were you was striking the cue ball i.e above & below.
Baggie. Point taken.
Handy edit there on 5:47, lol Still...good video and good playing.
hi berry please find me a snooker academy in Sydney Australia , I wish I was in england I would be one of your student .
Nice Boy. Sorry, can't help with this one but surely there are good coaches in your part of the world. You produced the greatest billiard player ever in Walter Lindrum and Neil Robertson is one of the elite at snooker.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thanks a lot Barry for reply, I know about those players but I search a lot on the internet and did not find. I will keep searching .
4-3 race to 5 me Barry in thefinal,41 BEHIND 2 red's on I PULL OF A GOOD LONG RED AND HAVE a simple pot on theblack from less THEN a foot going a touch the other way needed a sweet touch to get the outside spin to break up 2wards the pink sopt came across thewhite miscued game over rubber matrch
Barry I have Scored Lineup 132's and 147's I do it a little different or when I was a player this was my line up, 4 behind theblack 6 between black and pink 5 betewwn pink and blue I STARTED FROM BESIDE THE GREEN and either stun a red in or power stunning with some kill or check side on lol I SEEN ME THERE BARRY for awhile trying to pot thelongish red (missed they hit each other more work) my 1st time I WAS scoring a max -15 pink ball game Barry was on my Birthday I had a yellow on the spot a foot away and missed ya missed almost had an anorism Barry so theWorlds GreaTesT SnooKer Fan was down visiting WITH a kid (Top 9ball player now) anyways went in thehouse told him what i had done and told him i was NOT coming back in until I DID IT Barry 7 Minutes later or less I had scored my 1st line up 132 max pink ball game on my b-day that friend has pasted on now but a GreaT MEMORY .
Kristal. Its those lovely memories that make it all worthwhile.
"WHERE'S THE CUEBALL GO IN!"
*going
ممنون میشیم اگه از زیر نویس فارسی استفاده کنید
I fear the bowtie will not survive the culture of cue games long-term.
my cue ball control is terrible
Oddjob. I am afraid the only answer to that is more practise and lots of it.
11 to 4. Yeah I think I'll take my pool lessons from a snooker player.
Jeremy. I am sure we can learn from each other.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach
My level of novice is ridiculous. My consistency is unreliable in pool and in life. I'm sure you can learn something from me, but let's put it this way. I've been playing pool for almost 5 years and I can barely make 2 balls in a row...
I simply don't know where I'm going wrong and I don't know what "doing it right" looks like.
Sorry for the rant. Feeling pretty down today😐
Barry Stark Snooker Coach
Thank you for replying though, means a lot in my small world. 😁
When you miss, set it up again, dont continue .
It will annoy you into trying harder.
Charles. Everyone motivates and learns at different pace and different ways, I find that individuals generally find the best way to suit themselves.
discount Michael caine
ok