TheThaiger
Banned
Do you mean we have a habit of being right?
Wuxi Classic 2014 Qualifiers
- Thread starter Chesscat
- Start date
Do you mean we have a habit of being right?
TheThaiger
Banned
I seriously doubt Maguire has even heard of one pocket.
As far as the mental game goes, I don't care what Jim Wych says, snooker is in a different universe to pool when it comes to mental toughness. I'd say it's the single most mentally demanding sport on the planet, and nothing in pool comes close IMO.
In short, people should stop dribbling on about Alex's heart, his head, his safety play, his knowledge, his experience and blah, blah, blah, and just focus on the results. He may steal the odd good result every now and then, but he cannot add anything to the world of snooker, which, in case anyone is still in any doubt, has seen it all before.
Twelve year olds that cannot beat Alex today probably have no chance of being a top pro. The game is that tough. People ought to start understanding this. A good start would be to stop listening to the likes of Barton, who, as far as I can tell, knows absolutely nothing about cue sports.
You are constantly wrong. But as far as snooker and pool players go you have a habit of thinking you know what's possible when you really have no idea about it.
Now we will see what happens. It's early days and Alex already did better than expected at Q School. He lost to a top 16 player as he should have but is gaining experience.
Now hopefully he will see out a qualified coach and go all-in.
Then we will see if he can make it or not.
Yes of course you don't care what a former professional player and long time commentator of the game has to say. Because you are the only one who knows everything about all billiard sports.
And obviously you have not paid any attention to what Alex's opponents have said. Because they have already said Alex is indeed bring something NEW to snooker and that is creative safety play, with one opponent saying that Alex is perhaps the best he has ever seen at playing safeties.
TheThaiger
Banned
Lol. I highly doubt he said that. Find me a direct quote. But whatever. Alex may have made elaborate and unorthodox attempts at safety play but there's not a pro alive today who is not a better safety player than Alex.
The trouble here is you are spellbound by one pocket. English pool is one pocket on steroids; snooker is english pool on steroids on crystal meth.
You just don't get it.
No need. Follow the threads and you will find it. I am not your servant. Those of us who pay attention already saw it.
I am not spellbound by anything. Unlike you I have played all the games. I know what's required of each.
TheThaiger
Banned
Oh yeah, I forget.
Regular 50+ breaks at snooker.
98 at 14.1
Large packages 8/9/10 ball
'A' player
State champion.
Chicken wing.
Money is King. Any game or sport is as difficult as the people pursuing it. The most gifted among us chase the most lucrative opportunities, and it filters downward from there. Whether it's mentally or physically demanding I don't see the difference. but as much money as there is in snooker vs. pool it's peanuts compared to the fame and fortune in many other "sports". You don't think the Centre Court at Wimbledon might be just a smidgen tougher than the Crucible?
That something new is Alex himself ,, yes his safety play being a one pocket player is good ,, that's like commenting that Ronnie is a good ball potter ,, of course he is that's what he does
What I see as being the big difference is his stroke , the loopy big stroke sooner or later is a detriment and that's a big ticket to change at his age ,, it will get him thu few short stops like it has but it will never work with the big boys
1
Alex has never (to my knowledge) had the typical Filipino "loopy" stroke.
Alex isn't experiencing anything different than any player who has their first taste of the pro tour. It's just one match, and he had a horribly tough draw. There is no one playing like Stephen Maguire in Canada, so I doubt Alex has ever played anyone like him. There is also a huge difference between the regular top 16 guys and players ranked 48th to 63rd.
I'm not one who thinks he'll be a top 16 player, but I certainly believe he can be competitive with lower to mid ranked pros. Obviously break building will need some work. I noticed during his break in the final frame he rolled the black in to take a red along cushion. I think Stephen Maguire would have went into the reds in that position, with the red on the cushion providing a measure of insurance.
On a side note, I can see Graeme Dotts point of view that this flat draw is actually harder for lower ranked players than the old system. Although, I think that is a bit of an overstatement, but playing a top 16 player in your first match on the tour is super tough. A couple of years ago, Alex's first match would have been someone ranked 64th through 96th I believe.
I'm not one who thinks he'll be a top 16 player, but I certainly believe he can be competitive with lower to mid ranked pros. Obviously break building will need some work. I noticed during his break in the final frame he rolled the black in to take a red along cushion. I think Stephen Maguire would have went into the reds in that position, with the red on the cushion providing a measure of insurance.
On a side note, I can see Graeme Dotts point of view that this flat draw is actually harder for lower ranked players than the old system. Although, I think that is a bit of an overstatement, but playing a top 16 player in your first match on the tour is super tough. A couple of years ago, Alex's first match would have been someone ranked 64th through 96th I believe.
Ohhhhhh really! Well I got $1,000,000.00 sitting here saying that Lebron would kill Alex shooting 3 pointers. Will you ever learn John? We all know that answer.
Let's face it. Once Alex met a top tear snooker PROFESSIONAL the outcome was automatic. He didn't go over there to play checkers. This isn't the DCC.
Snooker Snobs 2, Dreamers 0
Nick
I am sorry did anyone say Alex would win? No they didn't. So don't act like there was anyone rooting for Alex who thought he would beat a top 16 player out of the gate.
Funny though, the guy Alex beat 4:0 in q-school did beat a top player so somewhere in there Alex managed to beat a "real" player. even though snobs like you said that would be impossible.
The point is that Alex is the underdog against top snooker players AT THEIR GAME as they are the underdog against Alex at his games.
He is now learning their game and we shall see how long he stays the underdog. Could be forever or he could end up improving rapidly and be a real contender. Since your default position is already that he will never be a contender I have nothing to lose by hoping you're wrong and I get to have the good feeling inside that I believe in the potential of humans to go farther than we think. If you're ultimately right then I will say well I guess old sour ass was right. But if I am right then at least I can say well all right then good job Alex.
Once upon a time people like you said man would never fly. Said it was impossible. And people have said this or that is impossible ever since and time after time someone has proven them wrong.
Ultimately snooker is not ****ing rocket science. It's not like Alex has to go to MIT at 40 to try for a job at NASA. It's balls and a stick. You have a world champion player who does certainly understand every possible thing about making balls trying to adapt himself to another similar game. It is absurd in my view to consider that an impossible feat since the actual mechanics and knowledge are accessible.
And as far as players go I think many coaches would be happy to have a bonafide world champion from another discipline as their student. That person comes in with a lot of what the coach can't teach, namely heart, performance under pressure, and self-discipline.
The odds are on your side because of the quality of the field. But to count Alex out is ridiculous IMO, he has enough heart to fill the Crucible several times over. Betting against that sort of determination is done by people who hate their money.
Last edited:
Oh yeah, I forget.
Regular 50+ breaks at snooker.
98 at 14.1
Large packages 8/9/10 ball
'A' player
State champion.
Chicken wing.
That's right. Except not large packages, five in nine ball, five in eight ball.
And you?
(crickets)
Alex's safety play at snooker is good. It is unorthodox but it works a treat. In the first frame against Maguire he played a lot of safety shots. Not all of them will come off when you play that many no matter how well you play so you are in danger of leaving your opponent with an opening at some point. Maguire will take the big pots on and when he sinks them he gives himself an opportunity to win the frame right there.
Alex made some excellent pots in that match. He finally built a break of 30 or 40 something,I think in frame 5. He potted the black and went into the pack to breaks the reds apart. I could be wrong, as I was multi-tasking and watching a slightly jumpy stream with no rewind, but it looked to me like he was playing it a little too safe.
He also had some long diagonals on messy tables where he went for the long pot but looked to be forcing it and trying to do too much with the cue ball. He also appeared to force an easy black in the opening frame leading to him missing the pot.
At the end of the day he was outplayed and outgunned by a better snooker player - to be expected but still disappointing to lose 5-0 and not play too well. Playing well, he will have a chance in some of those frames of some of those matches against some of the top players just like any good amateur player. Anyway, it is a learning experience either way. He now has a real chance to win his first round qualifier for Australia . Good to see he is taking every opportunity - as he said himself he is giving himself three years to see how far he can go in snooker.
Alex made some excellent pots in that match. He finally built a break of 30 or 40 something,I think in frame 5. He potted the black and went into the pack to breaks the reds apart. I could be wrong, as I was multi-tasking and watching a slightly jumpy stream with no rewind, but it looked to me like he was playing it a little too safe.
He also had some long diagonals on messy tables where he went for the long pot but looked to be forcing it and trying to do too much with the cue ball. He also appeared to force an easy black in the opening frame leading to him missing the pot.
At the end of the day he was outplayed and outgunned by a better snooker player - to be expected but still disappointing to lose 5-0 and not play too well. Playing well, he will have a chance in some of those frames of some of those matches against some of the top players just like any good amateur player. Anyway, it is a learning experience either way. He now has a real chance to win his first round qualifier for Australia . Good to see he is taking every opportunity - as he said himself he is giving himself three years to see how far he can go in snooker.
A shame Alex came up against a Maguire early on, but that's the sport. From what I hear he didn't really get much of a chance in the match - which is often the reality against elite opposition. Another reason why snooker can be so tough mentally. I agree with what Thaiger was saying about pool and snooker not really being close in that respect.
looool
Oh yeah, I forget.
Regular 50+ breaks at snooker.
looool
Found this interesting video clip. It's of course, just one guys opinion. :thumb up:
Go to: 1m 25 secs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmjBJza2PpM
Go to: 1m 25 secs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmjBJza2PpM