Barry, thank you once again. I hope this makes sense but I not only find your videos helpful, I find them extremely encouraging. I'm going through a bit of bad form at the moment and this is making me want to get straight back down to the club. I think sometimes it's very easy to forget the basic things when you're improving a bit. Thanks again.
Barry this might sound silly but av been playing snooker for over 15 years now and I went and bought myself a cue and it cost me 650 euros and that cue has improved my game. But my only problem I have is ball on the cushion and hitting the object ball any tips for that.
Snooker keeps the blood flowing with good exercise, concentration and pinpoint accuracy. Thanks for the share Coach. I'm preparing to bring a massive snooker table into my home as part of a renovation......strictly for Medicinal Purposes...lol.
Very helpful video, Barry. One point I would add (only as a steadily improving beginner) is that I have made this kind of practice routine infinitely more helpful by using a small tab or sticker to mark the spot of the white ball. Otherwise, the white (even if only parallel to the black) will never go back in exactly the same spot and so render a truly repeatable exercise impossible. The same sticker can be used to repeat shots across all other parts of the table, breaking all angles down into repeatable practice routines. Look forward to you releasing more videos when the time comes. Henry
First Another great video. Your very consistent in your messaging which I find very helpful. As someone who has enjoyed the game for years, coming back and reaffirming the basics keeps the game fresh. Thanks for all your hard work producing these.
(Reply from channel administrator) The theme music is not commercially available. The rights for its use was purchased from a music library. Another track was used in this video which is provided by TH-cam for creators to use for free.
Another great video Barry.. When practising potting the black off the spot from various points I take an object ball and place it right next to the cueball - that way you can easily replace the cue ball in the exact same spot
Just went to play a good hour n half all points done with the lady. Stance grip and cue 123 pause play. Worked a treat. Did it in all pockets repetition. Going to use this one next. Thank you
Barry, where had you been all these years when I was hitting all the unintentional sides and then unintentionally stunning when Getting Through the Cue ball was the order of the day. Well, cutting the sweet story short....My John Spencer was enacting a Rip Van Winkle for just 19 years and then it decided to remind its existence. In the last four months while my eyes had undergone cataract removal surgeries and suddenly I had a new vision without the glasses. With spectacles I was never at ease. So its only because of you that I am properly learning the game once again
Barry, if your cue action is perfect, what's the best way to judge the angle at which you strike the object ball. Do you think of the ghost ball? Do you go by feel? Do you just guess? I know it's just repetition but is there a faster way to judge the angle? Thank you....Sal : ) (beginner)
Thanks for this video barry . I have learned many things like technical and mental side of the game . Even after all the knowledge it comes down to a match or a tournaments. So my question is that what preparation should be the things we should do before the match or any tournament. Please do a video on it .
mirzazaid. Once you have put the practise in on the table and are satisfied with your form its time to look at the mental preparation. Visit the venue and familiarise yourself with it so there are no surprises. The brain cannot differentiate between what is real and what is imagined so use visualisation a lot. See yourself at the venue, shaking hands with your opponent, playing a few shots etc. Practise diaphragmatic breathing to keep calm and go through a realistic pre-shot routine both in practise and in matches.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach , Thank you so much for your reply and support it means a lot to me and your big inspiration to me . And i look forward to you . I am following all the routines you have showed in the videos. If i preform well and improve i am very much looking forward to come you and take some tips . Thank you once again
Ignore my name Barry, but i love your videos i am twelve years old and i only got interested into snooker a few months ago and you really help me out with taking shots and cue action. Without this channel it would of taken a lot longer to learn and this practice routine is a good idea and will try myself at the club🙂
Glad you like the videos, at you age it is important to start out on the correct footing. Please get a good solid foundation and work on that cue action, it will stand you in good stead as you progress.
@tom. Always difficult to answer questions like this without seeing you play, sounds like you are overdoing the drive technique by dropping the elbow, possibly going past the chest. Just try hinging from the elbow and not going past the chest, always ensure that you have adequate follow through though.
Hi Coach, When I trying to hit the cue ball in center but when the cue ball hit's the object ball then my cue ball starts swing. How to check weather I am aiming at the center or a better way to find the center of cue ball?
zaid. When you look along the cue at the cue ball these sometimes shows that you are hitting the centre of the cue ball when in fact you are actually hitting to one side. The best way to determine that you are hitting centre is to place your cue tip to the cue ball and look down on the cue ball, you may need to use a loop bridge to do this. I have recorded a video on this very subject, please have a look.
Jodie. Just let the lad enjoy playing the game but at the same time guiding and encouraging. Don't make the practise too hard but also slightly challenge him to improve. Children need to achieve success otherwise they tend to lose interest.
(Reply from channel administrator) The theme music is not commercially available. The rights for its use was purchased from a music library. Another track was used in this video which is provided by TH-cam for creators to use for free.
hi again Barry, just wondered if you could do a video on a world coach such as yourself doing an assessment on a player who has come for coaching & the things you would assess to ascertain his faults.i.e shooting the white up the spots or whatever you experts do at a coaching session,as my son is looking to seek the help from Leeds professional peter lines & i wondered how they would assess him as he is already a scratch player in our league.
Steve. Peter Lines is an accomplished player and has been for many years, he will have his own methods of assessing a player as indeed we all have. My own methods will vary from Peter's no doubt but his record speaks for itself so just have faith in him.
Hi Barry, hope you're well. I played my first game last night for my club ♧ lost on a black ball game! Got man of the match which made my day 😊. Had a nice 16, played some cracking snooker. Loved it! I was really nervous beforehand but as soon as it got underway I was fine. Thanks for the tips and help you put out, it has definitely been a big influence on me game over the last nine months.
Coach Barry, great video ! i have a question about aiming. Firstly would the technique count as line of aim if i attempt to see the line of the cueball leading to the object ball BUT ALSO that leads me to visualize the cueball contacting the object ball (which then would count as ghostball method?) am i over analizing ? secondly and more importantly, when i get down on the shot, am i supposed to focus SOLELY on both CB and OB at desired contact point ? this means im not focusing on where the pocket is anymore, i feel like this has a degree of "faith" and not certainty since im trusting what i saw when i was standing. Thank you
Yasser El-Amine I think your first question is just a matter of terms and it does not really matter too much as long as it is working. Concerning the second question, once you got your line of shot you should focus on cue ball and object ball exclusively, with your focus on the object ball upon cue delivery. If you are distracted by looking at the pocket, you might end up not hitting the object ball correctly.
Yasser. What Tom says is correct, players have their own way of doing things and what works for one player will not work for another. He is also correct when he says when you finally deliver the cue you should be looking at the object ball. You are also correct when you ask if you are over analizing, I believe you are, This should be quite a natural process, please allow it to develop.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you very much. I just want to say your dedication and ability to detect what users want in your videos has been amazing! super insightful information and always answering ALL my questions, thank you for everything ! by far the best coaching channel.
Hi Barry, could you tell me , if it's not possible to aim at the contact point on the object ball. Why walk around and look at the line of the shot, ( for an angled shot ) before lining up to pot the ball. Thanks Colin.
colin. I suggest this to help with the cut back shot, commonly known as the blind pocket shot. I feel it helps a lot of players to keep the line to the pocket in their vision as long as possible. Granted it will disappear at some point but I like a player to grasp every advantage that he can.
Hi Barry Stark sir, I am a 21 years old new to snooker and I am playing snooker for 3 months. And I also want to tell you that I am from Pakistan and a massive respect from Pakistan. Sir in my country there is no snooker coaching usually we go to a snooker club pay a few amount of money and play a 2-3 frames. I want to practice my potting routines but I do not have any table. So can you please make a video or tell me some tips so that I can practice at home. Thank you very much.
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July. He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your comment. Barry will be back answering questions as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Easy. If you do not have a table at home the only thing you can practise is your cue action. This is a very important aspect of snooker but it will only take you so far, you will still need to hit balls and for that you need a table so I'm afraid its more trips down to the club.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you very much coach. Coach what precautions or important things you would like to tell players who play with glasses ? I wear glasses but when I get on the line of the shoot my clear vision go away and the blurr image comes into vision. What is the solution of this problem?
Hey Barry! I've been following u since your first video was uploaded and your videos helped me so much. Thanks And can you please tell me the name of the song of your intro?
(Reply from channel administrator) The theme music is not commercially available. The rights for its use was purchased from a music library. Another track was used in this video which is provided by TH-cam for creators to use for free.
pls make the video on how to adjust for the contact point on the object ball when aiming as at an angle the aiming point is not the same as contact point , so you say that you use ghost ball method for removing the error ??
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July. He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question. Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Malcolm. Joe Davis always described the pause as a slowing down of the action rather than a deliberate pause. Either way a lot of errors occur between the backswing and the transition to the forward swing, the pause or (slowing down) controls this transition a little more and makes it more consistent.
AJ. If a beginner can only pot 3 or 4 balls in a sequence there is no routine that will help. Just spread the balls around on the table (open table)and try to pot the balls. Play with top spin and take note of how far the ball travels, adjust that distance with varying degrees of power and top spin. Play with stun and note how the cue ball stops or only runs on slightly, vary this with how much stun you apply. Then play with screw and try to adjust the amount that the cue ball comes back. When you can do these shots use the very same skills to obtain position on the next ball. On angle shots note how varying degrees of top spin, stun and screw alter the angle that the cue ball leaves the object ball then again try to use these skills to get position on another ball. If you are missing pots please examine your technique, put yourself on video, you will soon see any shortcomings in technique that must be tackled before progress can happen.
I used to use the ghost ball method but regularly found myself missing cut shots. I later found out this was due to the impact throw between the balls. I think this should be mentioned as it can be very frustrating
He does mention about it in previous videos! The higher the angle, the more you need to compensate the angle, since the cue ball tends to drag the objective ball with it
Barry, I know your last video was based on using side, but you didn't mention about the deflection the cue can cause. The cue I use is a 10.5mm cue, and I find that I miss a lot of shots when using side, even though I play pool at an international level, so I have no trouble with this when using my pool cue. So my question is, is the 10.5mm tip that I use for snooker too big, and if so should I have the cue shaved down to a smaller size, or simply buy a new cue? Or do you have any other thoughts? Thanks in advance!
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July. He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your comment. Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Adam. The tendency for the modern snooker player is to reduce the size of the tip a little. I feel that 10.5mm is a little big for snooker and will generally cause more deflection. Most players today are using a cue with a tip around the 9.5 or slightly less. Its obviously okay to have the cue thinned down but please get a reputable manufacturer to do it if you choose to go down that road.
John. I allow the cue to rest on the third finger, in other words I feel the third finger. This gives the feeling of an imperceivable trigger to the movement
hi mr stark , thank you for your awsome lessons, im from iran and we dont have any good sjooker coachs here , i love snooker and i learned everything from your videos. i need some help sir, i have a 9feet snoomer table in my home and i want to ask you, how can i practice in 9 feet table? plz sir i love snooker , and i dont have coach 😭😭
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July. He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question. Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Armin. Playing and practising on a smaller table is no different to a full size table. However when you play on a full size table you will see that distances do examine the accuracy of your technique a little more.
Gary. Sorry but I am not a fan of social media and therefore came off facebook. There is no magical tip or tip shape, my advice is to keep the tip flush with the ferrule and shape it so that there is a nice dome shape on the striking surface.
When cue ball and object ball are equidistant from the black rail and you are potting into the black pocket regardless of distance from the rail appear to me to be half ball shots . Is this correct?
Bob. This is certainly not a half ball shot. With the black ball on the spot and the cue ball equidistant from the top cushion, to play this as a half ball shot would result in too thin a contact and the black would hit the top cushion before the pocket.
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July. He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question. Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
NC. First you have to be certain that that is the reason for the misses. Either way use the baulk line to examine your cueing. Don't hit a ball when you do this because your concentration will be on hitting that ball. The purpose of the practise is to groove the muscles in the correct manner, the more you do this the better your action will become.
Hi Barry, do you have any of you videos on the alternative 'bridge hand'? I notice in these shots, when you're placing your hand on the actual wooden surface, the cue is underneath your fingers? I've seen Ronnie play shots like these, but recently saw an old Kirk Stevens 147 with him exhibiting the same technique.
Thanks Barry. Appreciate that link Phil. Having watched this, I understand the purpose for that particular style of bridge to avoid being compromised when it comes to adjusting your position of the cue. Just need to now be able to map that as a left-hand player.
Barry, just as a side, I watched a couple of your videos regarding Snooker Cues and looking after them. I don't know the cause of this having placed these cues in a case after finishing play, but now with 2 different cues of the ROS range, 6 inches or so from the tip, there is roughness. It's not dust/dirt, but feel a slight sting and the cues have not been dropped or misused. I've had this barely a month and have in mind to return this to the Retailer for an exchange, as I don't want to get into this business of sand paper etc - just can't figure out how it might have happened and it's in the same area - just wondered Barry if you could shed any light into this?
gordon. Hitting it where it shines is what amateurs say to amateurs. Ronnie does not use side spin on every shot, granted he uses it more than most pros but that is all.
For like 2 months I was trying to aim trying to guess the angle, and converting to full ball, 3/4, 1/2 ... and estimating inbetween, but I don't know if that's good or not, and also I take too long to calculate the shot. Today I was trying to mix it up with ghost ball method and was kinda getting good results, but even though I was getting the pots I didnt really feel confident, do you have any advice on that?
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July. He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question. Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Chibi. Sighting should be natural process developed through purposeful practise. Using the 3/4, 1/2, ball and ghost ball method in my opinion should be used for people who are having problems in this area, but even then they are used to help the player to find the line.
Unfortunately he mentioned in another video that he doesn't have time to take on more one-to-one coaching clients. A shame really, but it is important to prioritise your time.
Sir, one 100 year old billiards book says that while potting the black from the spot when the object ball is parallel to the top cushion (the shot you were playing in this video) you just have to aim half ball to pot the black but when i place a ghost ball the contact is thicker than the half ball. Can you please explain this ?
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July. He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question. Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Orrin. I cannot play left handed because spondylosis of the neck prevents me getting into a comfortable position. We all tend to play somewhat extravagant shots at times but only when the frame is already won.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach - Sorry to hear that Barry. Couldn't agree more, there has to be an element of fun once the frame is safe and it's a respectful time to fizz the cue ball down around the lawn :)
Raed. The further the cue ball has to travel the more accurate you have to be with your cueing. All players have to keep an eye on their cue action its the most important element of playing the game. Please check your cue action on the baulk line to see if you are on line to start with and then to see if your are on line when you have finished the shot. Also remember that distance and power demands more and more of your abilities so keep working at it, you only get out of the game what you are prepared to put in.
Thanks for your reply. When it's a straight long shot, most likely I pocket it. But what if the object ball is far on the table and needs a cut or sharp cut. Sometimes the cue ball doesn't even touch the object ball. Is it my aiming system or still my cueing action which need to be checked?
Raed. It sounds very strange that you are potting long straight shots but missing the object ball completely on cut shots. I don't think that this is any one element of your technique that is wrong. I believe you need to examine your aiming on the baulk line and also your cueing as I have already said. I tell many players to put themselves on video, this is a very valuable aid to teaching and learning and with the advent of mobile phones it is readily available, please take advantage of it, you may be surprised at what you see.
(Reply from channel administrator) The theme music is not commercially available. The rights for its use was purchased from a music library. Another track was used in this video which is provided by TH-cam for creators to use for free.
Hello Barry, mostly when I'm playing snooker with one of my friends, we find that we can play a frame really well and win the frame. But the very next frame hardly able to pot a ball, and lose the frame. This happens a lot, and I wonder if other players experience the same thing. Have you any advice on this, is it just something between the ears, Colin.
colin. All players go through periods of fluctuating form but this sounds a little more than that. Without seeing you play, I believe you are relying too much on your natural ability and haven't quite grasped the importance of a pre-shot routine. The cue action in snooker is the most important aspect of playing the game and is largely beneficial when it is repetitive. It should obviously be straight but it should also be rhythmical, fluent and relaxed, work on this during your solo practise and take it your games and matches. Good luck.
Floorshop. Very true but the object was to emphasise that the game is all about repetition and that if that practise was good enough for Ronnie O'Sullivan it ought to be beneficial for the rest of us.
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. It was too late to alter the title on the intro as the video had already been posted. Apologies for the error.
Brightens up my day when i see a new video from you incoming. Gets priority over all other incomings.
Bob. It brightens up my day when people tell me they enjoy the channel. I will keep trying as long as I am able.
Bob Snooker heck yeah, samesame btother :)👋🏻🎱👄🎱🤚🏻
Barry, thank you once again. I hope this makes sense but I not only find your videos helpful, I find them extremely encouraging. I'm going through a bit of bad form at the moment and this is making me want to get straight back down to the club. I think sometimes it's very easy to forget the basic things when you're improving a bit. Thanks again.
billyrm84 get practice
billyrm. Glad to be of help. We all get a little careless from time to time.
Barry Stark Snooker Coh5gt5uhhh
Barry this might sound silly but av been playing snooker for over 15 years now and I went and bought myself a cue and it cost me 650 euros and that cue has improved my game. But my only problem I have is ball on the cushion and hitting the object ball any tips for that.
Barry what size tip do you recommend for playing snooker
Barry is so modest and a great teacher! Thank you!
Mr.Stark thank you once again for a first-class coaching video. Long may it continue!
Snooker keeps the blood flowing with good exercise, concentration and pinpoint accuracy. Thanks for the share Coach.
I'm preparing to bring a massive snooker table into my home as part of a renovation......strictly for Medicinal Purposes...lol.
"strictly for Medicinal Purposes"
AND always take you medicine, LOL
Very helpful video, Barry.
One point I would add (only as a steadily improving beginner) is that I have made this kind of practice routine infinitely more helpful by using a small tab or sticker to mark the spot of the white ball. Otherwise, the white (even if only parallel to the black) will never go back in exactly the same spot and so render a truly repeatable exercise impossible. The same sticker can be used to repeat shots across all other parts of the table, breaking all angles down into repeatable practice routines.
Look forward to you releasing more videos when the time comes.
Henry
H T. A good point made.
First
Another great video. Your very consistent in your messaging which I find very helpful. As someone who has enjoyed the game for years, coming back and reaffirming the basics keeps the game fresh. Thanks for all your hard work producing these.
Another great video, Barry. Many thanks from the Netherlands! :)
Great video as always. I love the extended version of the intro music , by the way.
(Reply from channel administrator) The theme music is not commercially available. The rights for its use was purchased from a music library. Another track was used in this video which is provided by TH-cam for creators to use for free.
another wonderful coaching video Mr Stark - thanks from a Canadian fan
JL. Glad you like the videos, I hope they are helpful.
Thank you so much Sir.. your student from Pakistan
Another great video Barry.. When practising potting the black off the spot from various points I take an object ball and place it right next to the cueball - that way you can easily replace the cue ball in the exact same spot
van. Good point and can be very useful.
Just went to play a good hour n half all points done with the lady. Stance grip and cue 123 pause play. Worked a treat. Did it in all pockets repetition. Going to use this one next. Thank you
Louise. Getting the basics right is important, establishing that pre-shot routine will help your natural talent to emerge.
Great video sir, i would loved all those shots to be recorded from more than two angles perhaps. But as i said great teaching session
Barry, where had you been all these years when I was hitting all the unintentional sides and then unintentionally stunning when Getting Through the Cue ball was the order of the day. Well, cutting the sweet story short....My John Spencer was enacting a Rip Van Winkle for just 19 years and then it decided to remind its existence. In the last four months while my eyes had undergone cataract removal surgeries and suddenly I had a new vision without the glasses. With spectacles I was never at ease. So its only because of you that I am properly learning the game once again
Prakash. Glad to hear the interest has been rekindled.
My favorite coach! Thanks,Thanks,Thanks.!!!
Barry, if your cue action is perfect, what's the best way to judge the angle at which you strike the object ball. Do you think of the ghost ball? Do you go by feel? Do you just guess? I know it's just repetition but is there a faster way to judge the angle? Thank you....Sal : ) (beginner)
Thanks for this video barry . I have learned many things like technical and mental side of the game . Even after all the knowledge it comes down to a match or a tournaments. So my question is that what preparation should be the things we should do before the match or any tournament. Please do a video on it .
mirzazaid. Once you have put the practise in on the table and are satisfied with your form its time to look at the mental preparation. Visit the venue and familiarise yourself with it so there are no surprises. The brain cannot differentiate between what is real and what is imagined so use visualisation a lot. See yourself at the venue, shaking hands with your opponent, playing a few shots etc. Practise diaphragmatic breathing to keep calm and go through a realistic pre-shot routine both in practise and in matches.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach ,
Thank you so much for your reply and support it means a lot to me and your big inspiration to me . And i look forward to you . I am following all the routines you have showed in the videos. If i preform well and improve i am very much looking forward to come you and take some tips . Thank you once again
Ignore my name Barry, but i love your videos i am twelve years old and i only got interested into snooker a few months ago and you really help me out with taking shots and cue action. Without this channel it would of taken a lot longer to learn and this practice routine is a good idea and will try myself at the club🙂
Glad you like the videos, at you age it is important to start out on the correct footing. Please get a good solid foundation and work on that cue action, it will stand you in good stead as you progress.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thanks
now that was a practice I enjoyed :) couldn't get the white back near the start point tho :-) luv your tutorials!
Hi Barry loving the channel 😀I think after watching your videos I should be on for a 147 😆
Ian. When you make one let me know, I will start watching my own channel.
nice barry sir you are the great coach
Impressive as always
Thanks for the videos Barry. Would you have any suggestions on how to keep my shoulder out of the stroke?
@tom. Always difficult to answer questions like this without seeing you play, sounds like you are overdoing the drive technique by dropping the elbow, possibly going past the chest. Just try hinging from the elbow and not going past the chest, always ensure that you have adequate follow through though.
How coached john Higgins ? I loved the way he played thank you barry
Gary. John is a wonderful player, he has a pre-shot routine that seldom varies, he hits the ball like a dream and he is a very nice guy.
Hi Coach, When I trying to hit the cue ball in center but when the cue ball hit's the object ball then my cue ball starts swing. How to check weather I am aiming at the center or a better way to find the center of cue ball?
zaid. When you look along the cue at the cue ball these sometimes shows that you are hitting the centre of the cue ball when in fact you are actually hitting to one side. The best way to determine that you are hitting centre is to place your cue tip to the cue ball and look down on the cue ball, you may need to use a loop bridge to do this. I have recorded a video on this very subject, please have a look.
Thank u sir
Had my 7 year old practicing this and he's doing well. Any other simple things to practice for young kids just starting out?
Jodie. Just let the lad enjoy playing the game but at the same time guiding and encouraging. Don't make the practise too hard but also slightly challenge him to improve. Children need to achieve success otherwise they tend to lose interest.
Thanks Barry.
Great exercise Barry! What is the name of the soundtrack in the background?
(Reply from channel administrator) The theme music is not commercially available. The rights for its use was purchased from a music library. Another track was used in this video which is provided by TH-cam for creators to use for free.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thanks for responding!
hi again Barry, just wondered if you could do a video on a world coach such as yourself doing an assessment on a player who has come for coaching & the things you would assess to ascertain his faults.i.e shooting the white up the spots or whatever you experts do at a coaching session,as my son is looking to seek the help from Leeds professional peter lines & i wondered how they would assess him as he is already a scratch player in our league.
Steve. Peter Lines is an accomplished player and has been for many years, he will have his own methods of assessing a player as indeed we all have. My own methods will vary from Peter's no doubt but his record speaks for itself so just have faith in him.
many thanks for taking time to reply Barry,its appreciated, cheers
Steve Gale
Hi Barry, hope you're well. I played my first game last night for my club ♧ lost on a black ball game! Got man of the match which made my day 😊. Had a nice 16, played some cracking snooker. Loved it! I was really nervous beforehand but as soon as it got underway I was fine. Thanks for the tips and help you put out, it has definitely been a big influence on me game over the last nine months.
paul. Great Paul very pleased for you, glad the videos help. Well done.
Coach Barry, great video ! i have a question about aiming. Firstly would the technique count as line of aim if i attempt to see the line of the cueball leading to the object ball BUT ALSO that leads me to visualize the cueball contacting the object ball (which then would count as ghostball method?) am i over analizing ? secondly and more importantly, when i get down on the shot, am i supposed to focus SOLELY on both CB and OB at desired contact point ? this means im not focusing on where the pocket is anymore, i feel like this has a degree of "faith" and not certainty since im trusting what i saw when i was standing. Thank you
Yasser El-Amine I think your first question is just a matter of terms and it does not really matter too much as long as it is working. Concerning the second question, once you got your line of shot you should focus on cue ball and object ball exclusively, with your focus on the object ball upon cue delivery. If you are distracted by looking at the pocket, you might end up not hitting the object ball correctly.
Tom Hoffs i9i9
Yasser. What Tom says is correct, players have their own way of doing things and what works for one player will not work for another. He is also correct when he says when you finally deliver the cue you should be looking at the object ball. You are also correct when you ask if you are over analizing, I believe you are, This should be quite a natural process, please allow it to develop.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you very much. I just want to say your dedication and ability to detect what users want in your videos has been amazing! super insightful information and always answering ALL my questions, thank you for everything ! by far the best coaching channel.
Great routine☺
great video Barry and are you growing a moustache or something?
amarbarr. No moustache, Just a quick shave or 5 o-clock shadow.
Hi Barry, could you tell me , if it's not possible to aim at the contact point on the object ball. Why walk around and look at the line of the shot, ( for an angled shot ) before lining up to pot the ball. Thanks Colin.
colin. I suggest this to help with the cut back shot, commonly known as the blind pocket shot. I feel it helps a lot of players to keep the line to the pocket in their vision as long as possible. Granted it will disappear at some point but I like a player to grasp every advantage that he can.
Hi Barry Stark sir, I am a 21 years old new to snooker and I am playing snooker for 3 months. And I also want to tell you that I am from Pakistan and a massive respect from Pakistan. Sir in my country there is no snooker coaching usually we go to a snooker club pay a few amount of money and play a 2-3 frames. I want to practice my potting routines but I do not have any table. So can you please make a video or tell me some tips so that I can practice at home.
Thank you very much.
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July.
He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your comment.
Barry will be back answering questions as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach very Awesome ☺
Easy. If you do not have a table at home the only thing you can practise is your cue action. This is a very important aspect of snooker but it will only take you so far, you will still need to hit balls and for that you need a table so I'm afraid its more trips down to the club.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank you very much coach. Coach what precautions or important things you would like to tell players who play with glasses ? I wear glasses but when I get on the line of the shoot my clear vision go away and the blurr image comes into vision. What is the solution of this problem?
Hey Barry! I've been following u since your first video was uploaded and your videos helped me so much. Thanks
And can you please tell me the name of the song of your intro?
(Reply from channel administrator) The theme music is not commercially available. The rights for its use was purchased from a music library. Another track was used in this video which is provided by TH-cam for creators to use for free.
pls make the video on how to adjust for the contact point on the object ball when aiming as at an angle the aiming point is not the same as contact point , so you say that you use ghost ball method for removing the error ??
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July.
He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question.
Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Cheers Barry
myles. My pleasure.
hi Barry should you always pause before delivering the cue onto the white.cheers
Malcolm. Joe Davis always described the pause as a slowing down of the action rather than a deliberate pause. Either way a lot of errors occur between the backswing and the transition to the forward swing, the pause or (slowing down) controls this transition a little more and makes it more consistent.
Hi sir....can you make a video on practice routines for beginners who can pot only 3 or 4 balls in a break and how to improve.
AJ. If a beginner can only pot 3 or 4 balls in a sequence there is no routine that will help. Just spread the balls around on the table (open table)and try to pot the balls. Play with top spin and take note of how far the ball travels, adjust that distance with varying degrees of power and top spin. Play with stun and note how the cue ball stops or only runs on slightly, vary this with how much stun you apply. Then play with screw and try to adjust the amount that the cue ball comes back. When you can do these shots use the very same skills to obtain position on the next ball. On angle shots note how varying degrees of top spin, stun and screw alter the angle that the cue ball leaves the object ball then again try to use these skills to get position on another ball. If you are missing pots please examine your technique, put yourself on video, you will soon see any shortcomings in technique that must be tackled before progress can happen.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thank you sir for the reply .I will work on it.
its spot, no apostrophe.
I used to use the ghost ball method but regularly found myself missing cut shots. I later found out this was due to the impact throw between the balls. I think this should be mentioned as it can be very frustrating
He does mention about it in previous videos! The higher the angle, the more you need to compensate the angle, since the cue ball tends to drag the objective ball with it
dnbmania. Felipe is correct, I have mentioned this very point on the video that covers the ghost ball theory. Please have a look.
The great Joe Davis in his book "How I Play Snooker" also cast some doubt on this theory.
Comments 147 :O
H
ello Sir, please tell me, if, all you teach us is valable even on a snooker table nr.10 ...?
Thank you !
Danut. I am afraid I don't really understand what you mean. Everything on the videos is applicable to playing on a snooker table.
Barry, I know your last video was based on using side, but you didn't mention about the deflection the cue can cause. The cue I use is a 10.5mm cue, and I find that I miss a lot of shots when using side, even though I play pool at an international level, so I have no trouble with this when using my pool cue. So my question is, is the 10.5mm tip that I use for snooker too big, and if so should I have the cue shaved down to a smaller size, or simply buy a new cue? Or do you have any other thoughts? Thanks in advance!
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July.
He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your comment.
Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Adam. The tendency for the modern snooker player is to reduce the size of the tip a little. I feel that 10.5mm is a little big for snooker and will generally cause more deflection. Most players today are using a cue with a tip around the 9.5 or slightly less. Its obviously okay to have the cue thinned down but please get a reputable manufacturer to do it if you choose to go down that road.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thanks Barry, I will contact the cue maker and see what they can do!
omg this is my favorite exercise however todsy i got most of them from one side and missed alot from the other side of the table
Alan. It is common for a player to prefer one side of the table, that is why I always advocate practising any skill from both sides.
Whats's your highest break Barry?
I believe he has said before he achieved a 147 in private practice :) - Sorry if im incorrect
John Bradley as far as i remember he said he had achieved 2 maximums bot of which were in private practice.
John. 147 in private practise only. I am still trying to make my third.
What's your highest break john? Mine is 79 approx 30 years ago. Now I cannot make 30.
Only 30 myself mate, I've only been playing for a year though so there's plenty of room for improvement!
Thanks Barry.
Are you using your fingers to propel to cue stick forward.
John. I allow the cue to rest on the third finger, in other words I feel the third finger. This gives the feeling of an imperceivable trigger to the movement
hi mr stark , thank you for your awsome lessons, im from iran and we dont have any good sjooker coachs here , i love snooker and i learned everything from your videos. i need some help sir, i have a 9feet snoomer table in my home and i want to ask you, how can i practice in 9 feet table? plz sir i love snooker , and i dont have coach 😭😭
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July.
He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question.
Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
thanks 4 your care and reply sir, i will he waiting for barry
Armin. Playing and practising on a smaller table is no different to a full size table. However when you play on a full size table you will see that distances do examine the accuracy of your technique a little more.
I don't know how to take a photo of my cue tip to show you if I need to make any changes to the tip .I don't know if I can follow you on facebook
Gary. Sorry but I am not a fan of social media and therefore came off facebook. There is no magical tip or tip shape, my advice is to keep the tip flush with the ferrule and shape it so that there is a nice dome shape on the striking surface.
When cue ball and object ball are equidistant from the black rail and you are potting into the black pocket regardless of distance from the rail appear to me to be half ball shots . Is this correct?
Bob. This is certainly not a half ball shot. With the black ball on the spot and the cue ball equidistant from the top cushion, to play this as a half ball shot would result in too thin a contact and the black would hit the top cushion before the pocket.
Hi Barry! I need a help. Sometimes I miss very very easy shot because my hand got twist while hitting. Please help what should I do???
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July.
He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question.
Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
NC. First you have to be certain that that is the reason for the misses. Either way use the baulk line to examine your cueing. Don't hit a ball when you do this because your concentration will be on hitting that ball. The purpose of the practise is to groove the muscles in the correct manner, the more you do this the better your action will become.
Hi Barry, do you have any of you videos on the alternative 'bridge hand'? I notice in these shots, when you're placing your hand on the actual wooden surface, the cue is underneath your fingers? I've seen Ronnie play shots like these, but recently saw an old Kirk Stevens 147 with him exhibiting the same technique.
LIVERNIL. Phil has answered the question for me please have a look.
Thanks Barry. Appreciate that link Phil. Having watched this, I understand the purpose for that particular style of bridge to avoid being compromised when it comes to adjusting your position of the cue. Just need to now be able to map that as a left-hand player.
Barry, just as a side, I watched a couple of your videos regarding Snooker Cues and looking after them. I don't know the cause of this having placed these cues in a case after finishing play, but now with 2 different cues of the ROS range, 6 inches or so from the tip, there is roughness. It's not dust/dirt, but feel a slight sting and the cues have not been dropped or misused. I've had this barely a month and have in mind to return this to the Retailer for an exchange, as I don't want to get into this business of sand paper etc - just can't figure out how it might have happened and it's in the same area - just wondered Barry if you could shed any light into this?
I always got told hit the object ball where it shines....and the on thing about Ronnie is that he uses side spin on every shot
gordon. Hitting it where it shines is what amateurs say to amateurs. Ronnie does not use side spin on every shot, granted he uses it more than most pros but that is all.
I try to pot the black off the spot while trying to track the black.have you tried that.
Steve, Its a good test of straight cueing, well done.
For like 2 months I was trying to aim trying to guess the angle, and converting to full ball, 3/4, 1/2 ... and estimating inbetween, but I don't know if that's good or not, and also I take too long to calculate the shot. Today I was trying to mix it up with ghost ball method and was kinda getting good results, but even though I was getting the pots I didnt really feel confident, do you have any advice on that?
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July.
He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question.
Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
Chibi. Sighting should be natural process developed through purposeful practise. Using the 3/4, 1/2, ball and ghost ball method in my opinion should be used for people who are having problems in this area, but even then they are used to help the player to find the line.
I will try trusting my instincts this week, thank you!
What size tip do you recommend for playing snooker
Chris. Most good players will use a tip around 9.5mm. Obviously personal preference comes into it but I believe that measurement to be about right.
Is there a trick to fit all the balls in 1 pocket or was it edited out when emptying the pocket?
Steve. There was no editing on the video, an assistant (out of shot) was taking the balls out of the pocket rail.
Good video barry just a quick question do you do one to one coaching?
Ben Goodfellow I would love to see his response
He's a snooker coach. ... I'm assuming it's in the title.
he coaches kyren wilson one on one
I know but I was just asking hoping he would give me some info on it
Unfortunately he mentioned in another video that he doesn't have time to take on more one-to-one coaching clients. A shame really, but it is important to prioritise your time.
Sir, one 100 year old billiards book says that while potting the black from the spot when the object ball is parallel to the top cushion (the shot you were playing in this video) you just have to aim half ball to pot the black but when i place a ghost ball the contact is thicker than the half ball. Can you please explain this ?
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment. Barry is currently away in Poland offering his support to Kyren Wilson at the World Games invitation event in Poland 24th - 30th July.
He sends his apologies, but hopes that in the meantime there are other experienced players/coaches out there in the community that may be able to offer a response to your question.
Barry will be back responding to your comments as soon as time permits. Thank you for your support.
?
Rushabh. Please have look at my video on the ghost ball method, you will see that this is not 100% accurate.
it looks easy ,but its a very difficult shot coz space is very small for pot.
Can you play left handed at all Barry? And do you ever play exhibition shots, around the houses sort of thing?
Orrin. I cannot play left handed because spondylosis of the neck prevents me getting into a comfortable position. We all tend to play somewhat extravagant shots at times but only when the frame is already won.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach - Sorry to hear that Barry. Couldn't agree more, there has to be an element of fun once the frame is safe and it's a respectful time to fizz the cue ball down around the lawn :)
I have a problem of pocketing the object ball if it has a long distance with the cue ball.
Raed. The further the cue ball has to travel the more accurate you have to be with your cueing. All players have to keep an eye on their cue action its the most important element of playing the game. Please check your cue action on the baulk line to see if you are on line to start with and then to see if your are on line when you have finished the shot. Also remember that distance and power demands more and more of your abilities so keep working at it, you only get out of the game what you are prepared to put in.
Thanks for your reply.
When it's a straight long shot, most likely I pocket it.
But what if the object ball is far on the table and needs a cut or sharp cut. Sometimes the cue ball doesn't even touch the object ball. Is it my aiming system or still my cueing action which need to be checked?
Raed. It sounds very strange that you are potting long straight shots but missing the object ball completely on cut shots. I don't think that this is any one element of your technique that is wrong. I believe you need to examine your aiming on the baulk line and also your cueing as I have already said. I tell many players to put themselves on video, this is a very valuable aid to teaching and learning and with the advent of mobile phones it is readily available, please take advantage of it, you may be surprised at what you see.
I will do that.
Many Thanks to you
Your videos are really helpful.
Sir who is your favorite player ?
Akash. I am biased because I coach him. Kyren Wilson.
Barry what is the music that you use called
(Reply from channel administrator) The theme music is not commercially available. The rights for its use was purchased from a music library. Another track was used in this video which is provided by TH-cam for creators to use for free.
How did all those balls fit in that corner pocket?
Rob. They didn't, Phil the camera man took a few of them out while out of view.
True
I miss snooker, i miss a normal life and no! This isn't the new normal 🤐
Hello Barry, mostly when I'm playing snooker with one of my friends, we find that we can play a frame really well and win the frame. But the very next frame hardly able to pot a ball, and lose the frame. This happens a lot, and I wonder if other players experience the same thing. Have you any advice on this, is it just something between the ears,
Colin.
colin. All players go through periods of fluctuating form but this sounds a little more than that. Without seeing you play, I believe you are relying too much on your natural ability and haven't quite grasped the importance of a pre-shot routine. The cue action in snooker is the most important aspect of playing the game and is largely beneficial when it is repetitive. It should obviously be straight but it should also be rhythmical, fluent and relaxed, work on this during your solo practise and take it your games and matches. Good luck.
it looked to me like on the missed red the White had a bit of a kick before hitting the red
Fabian. I think you are being too kind, I would like to use the kick as an excuse but in truth I think I just played a bad shot and missed.
The Shot to my beginner eye looked on the Money if it wasn´t for the kick
Why has the music changed? This is an old video.
cricketsam. Phil my camera man looks after this, I will ask him.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks Barry, love watching your wonderful videos.
6:33...missed it, drink!🍺
Barry what is your age?
Krishna. Over 21
its*
more variation would make it more difficult
Floorshop. Very true but the object was to emphasise that the game is all about repetition and that if that practise was good enough for Ronnie O'Sullivan it ought to be beneficial for the rest of us.
A
Sorry error
My neck hurts.
hammayun. Mine too, too many injuries.
"its spot" in the title, "it's spot" in the intro. Am I the only one who saw that and actually cared about it?
TudorP147 yep ... you're the only one who cares
(Reply from channel administrator) Many thanks for your comment.
It was too late to alter the title on the intro as the video had already been posted. Apologies for the error.
+TudorP147
No, you're not the only one.
TudorP147 its snot a anglish leeson. Meen it's.
cue action and consistency cant win championships with it.