Maybe but also maybe not. The fact that technique is so important in snooker means that all the other stuff can make the difference between a good and a great player. Likewise, all the other stuff having more significance in pool suggests that technique makes all the difference.
Besides Steve Mizerak, did any other us pool pros try snooker?
- Thread starter Positively Ralf
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Maybe but also maybe not. The fact that technique is so important in snooker means that all the other stuff can make the difference between a good and a great player. Likewise, all the other stuff having more significance in pool suggests that technique makes all the difference.
Melling is the best at the moment
Alex is a step below him, he runs total clearances regularly and has won multiple canadian national titles, fell a hair short of qualifying through q school
Corey is the best usa player but leagues below Alex
the scene in canada for decades was 2nd only to the uk,
now its all seniors who can't run 30 points
Alex is a step below him, he runs total clearances regularly and has won multiple canadian national titles, fell a hair short of qualifying through q school
Corey is the best usa player but leagues below Alex
the scene in canada for decades was 2nd only to the uk,
now its all seniors who can't run 30 points
Bob, I tend to agree with you for the most part, but you may not be aware that the very best players will put in 10-12 hour days when preparing for major tournaments. I've witnessed Dennis, Shane and others doing exactly this; Breaking the balls for a few hours! Then breaking and running racks for a few hours more. They don't do drills either. I never see any of them doing that. I've watched Shane shoot one trouble shot over fifty times until he makes it ten in a row. Dennis has worn bare spots in my cloth breaking the balls and shooting jump shots. When he wants to take a break he challenges me to play some Banks (5-4, usually we play a race to three) or One Pocket (9-6 and the break, also race to three). After he pounds on me he goes back to work.
This is what it takes to be on top in this game. I'm sure the Chinese guys are doing the same thing as well.
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Snooker players always use a soft, Straight Pool type of break and never have to break hard, except maybe to open the pack of reds. It's not a stroke that comes naturally for them and you are correct that they rarely make a good break shot. Remember, American pros have been breaking the balls wide open for years and know what and how to make a good break shot.
I think the best current example of someone who could make the transition is Eklent Kaçi, who had no snooker background prior to winning his Federation’s snooker championship.
If he can, there’s no reason to think that the top pool players couldn’t. It’s just such a different game and different approach. Shooting Art’s ( Hu) personal take and journey is the best I’ve read on here.
Well, yes, and Corey Deuel won the US snooker championship but I find it very unlikely that he could crack the top 64 on the pro snooker rankings.
I think Ronnie O'Sullivan's pool break is somewhere in the 20-21 MPH range which is plenty for most breaking situations. The irritating part is he breaks equally well with either hand.
Certainly, nothing I say is definitive by any means, and to give some perspective of my knowledge, I had never even heard of people playing "cue balls fouls only", so though I have loved pool and snooker for a long time, my knowledge is not as diverse as some of you guys. As Jay said in terms of difficulty, I would say,3 cushions then snooker, then pool. That's my .0002 cents.
I do believe Kaci grew up playing snooker and won several snooker tournaments before turning pro, although I could be wrong on that, just recall reading that somewhere.
Re: Darren Appleton saying pool is harder.....
It was maybe a TAR match? Anyway, his point was that in pool there are so many more skills required to learn.
I've seen the same interview.
It was maybe a TAR match? Anyway, his point was that in pool there are so many more skills required to learn.
I’ve only played snooker once in my life so I can’t speak from experience- but if snooker is easier every pro player would dedicate himself to it because there is apparently a lot more $ in snooker
I didn't think Appleton has won many(if any) snooker championships(can anyone clarify? Also thought Kaci grew up playing snooker?!?).
If it was "easier" as Appleton said, I think most pool players would have switched to snooker, because as westcoast mentioned, there is more money in snooker than pool.
Again, no expert, certainly seems logical though.
Darren was an English Eight Ball champion several times. I think they call it Blackball.
Regarding the breakshot as a snooker players weakness, I think the skill of having a good breakshot isn`t as important as it was 15 years ago when they played the WPC in Cardiff.
With perfectly set up tables, fast cloth, magic rack an especially the development of high end break cues you have a powerful and accurate break even using a snooker stance.
I have seen an Italian player at an Eurotour event, who is breaking with his snooker cue and he hasn`t really had a disadvantage because of it.
I also agree, that snooker per design is the easier game. That doesn`t mean that mastering the skills for snooker is easy.
The first reasons why more players play pool than snooker is the access to the equipment. In many regions there are no snooker tables, let alone equipment that comes anywhere near a pro table set up. That also means you don`t have experienced coaches and players who could guide a young player to become a professional. Even the young Chinese players have to go to the UK to get their finishing touches despite snooker is still booming in China.
Second reason is, that the access to the main tour is limited and the competition is brutal. And if you manage to enter main tour the level raises even more and many aspiring players drop off it right away.
In pool it is all about the money. Pay your entry fee and you can enter tournaments on the highest level.
A young talent can enter such events and play against the best of the best right away.
And the phrase "There is more money in snooker than in pool" isn`t completely true.
It is true for the pro players, but not for the amateurs.
There are hundreds of small pool tournaments played every week with a bit of price money involved. The snooker amateur scene in most countries offers nothing at all except for a trophy here and there.
I have seen a lot of talented amateurs who focused on pool because they could win 200€ in the monthly club tournament. One of them became even became a EC Silver medalist in 9Ball.
With perfectly set up tables, fast cloth, magic rack an especially the development of high end break cues you have a powerful and accurate break even using a snooker stance.
I have seen an Italian player at an Eurotour event, who is breaking with his snooker cue and he hasn`t really had a disadvantage because of it.
I also agree, that snooker per design is the easier game. That doesn`t mean that mastering the skills for snooker is easy.
The first reasons why more players play pool than snooker is the access to the equipment. In many regions there are no snooker tables, let alone equipment that comes anywhere near a pro table set up. That also means you don`t have experienced coaches and players who could guide a young player to become a professional. Even the young Chinese players have to go to the UK to get their finishing touches despite snooker is still booming in China.
Second reason is, that the access to the main tour is limited and the competition is brutal. And if you manage to enter main tour the level raises even more and many aspiring players drop off it right away.
In pool it is all about the money. Pay your entry fee and you can enter tournaments on the highest level.
A young talent can enter such events and play against the best of the best right away.
And the phrase "There is more money in snooker than in pool" isn`t completely true.
It is true for the pro players, but not for the amateurs.
There are hundreds of small pool tournaments played every week with a bit of price money involved. The snooker amateur scene in most countries offers nothing at all except for a trophy here and there.
I have seen a lot of talented amateurs who focused on pool because they could win 200€ in the monthly club tournament. One of them became even became a EC Silver medalist in 9Ball.
The OP was asking whether any U.S. pros tried and had any success at pro snooker and he got his answer. If we go the other way, there have been many English snooker players who have adapted well to American pool. The transition from the larger 12' table to the smaller 9' table has been an easier one to make.
No, he didn't play snooker starting out. He played pool.
Speaking from my own experience playing both Snooker and Pool I think Snooker is way more difficult to play at a Top level.
I started playing Snooker on a 5X10 at 14 and won my first tournament playing Snooker.
In later years I played in the International Snooker League around the World.
In order to be competetive I bought a 6X12 and played on it for 5 years almost daily. I had many breaks of 100 and a high break with all the Reds followed by all Blacks and a miss on the Green on the way to a Perfect game.
With all that effort and experience it was very clear to me that I would never be able to be successful as a Pro in the UK.
By the way I asked Steve M at the NYC tournament if he wanted to play me any Snooker for money and he said NO. He had just watched me make a 89 table clearance at the NYC Athletic Club.
You need to start very young so you understand all the nuances of the game.
No American Pool player will ever be really competitive at Professional Snooker unless they move to the UK at a young age and devote their lives to playing Snooker.
Moving from Snooker to Pool is much simpler as evidenced by all the players that have made the successful transition.
Bill S.
I started playing Snooker on a 5X10 at 14 and won my first tournament playing Snooker.
In later years I played in the International Snooker League around the World.
In order to be competetive I bought a 6X12 and played on it for 5 years almost daily. I had many breaks of 100 and a high break with all the Reds followed by all Blacks and a miss on the Green on the way to a Perfect game.
With all that effort and experience it was very clear to me that I would never be able to be successful as a Pro in the UK.
By the way I asked Steve M at the NYC tournament if he wanted to play me any Snooker for money and he said NO. He had just watched me make a 89 table clearance at the NYC Athletic Club.
You need to start very young so you understand all the nuances of the game.
No American Pool player will ever be really competitive at Professional Snooker unless they move to the UK at a young age and devote their lives to playing Snooker.
Moving from Snooker to Pool is much simpler as evidenced by all the players that have made the successful transition.
Bill S.
I can't find the article I was thinking of, I must of have been thinking of his Wikipedia page, which for whatever it's worth incorrectly states he won several snooker championships before turning pro. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eklent_Kaçi
Thanks for clarifying, I trust you more as a definitive source than a random wiki page, although if I come across the article(which I may have just imagined, I will post it up).
While I'm often more random that many wiki pages, in this case I'm basing my statement on an interview I did with Eklent at the Mosconi Cup this year.
I first started playing snooker as a kid because the small Iowa town I lived in had one bar with three snooker tables and a 3 cushion billiard table. Nothing else in town.
Big brain adjustment from the pockets and balls in snooker to pool. Shots down the rail which are automatic in pool - different story in snooker.
To answer the question I remember Pagulayan trying English snooker but with not as good results as in pool.
Big brain adjustment from the pockets and balls in snooker to pool. Shots down the rail which are automatic in pool - different story in snooker.
To answer the question I remember Pagulayan trying English snooker but with not as good results as in pool.