Best Snooker Player in North America

sizl

sizl

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I grew up in a "snooker town", so I am interested in who you guys think is the best.


We used to play on a old 5'x10' Brunswick with TIGHT-ASS pockets. We played with only 6 reds and played 7 point fouls. I have seen some good players from the southeast play and I have seen some good road players play. I will not even try and remember all of them, but I have to say.....................

Jerry Watson from Canada came through town back in the mid 90's and give every swinging dick in town 7 points for a couple of bills a game. And believe me he was not playing any suckers, he played "Stick" aka Mike Stinson, Jr. Goff(a champion in his day), James Hilton, Bobby Jones, etc, etc.... and 7 point is strong with only 6 reds, especially on a TIGHT table.

Anyway he robbed everybody! He used the 4 rail break(alot of right hand english, hitting the stack on the right-hand side of the stack and double out of the corner between the 5 and 6 up to the top left corner and double out behind the 3) and he snookered them 99% of the time. He could move that cue ball around like it was on a string. He was playing James Hilton and the first game Jerry fouled 4 times in about 5 shots and he was down 35-0. A guy betting on the side said,"I can see right now that Jerry has NO CHANCE to win". Next thing you know Jerry run 6 reds, 6 numbers and out. It was impressive to say the least.

I know he probably is not the best, but that was the most fascinating snooker I have ever seen.

Who is the BEST SNOOKER PLAYER IN NORTH AMERICA??? IN YHO?
 
I know that Rempe once tried to break into the British snooker scene once but couldnt make it. There is of course Kirk Stevens and Cliff Thorburn two ex Canadian and World champions. But here's one for the book.. Did you know that about 10 years ago Tang Hoa was the American snooker champion. I saw Yvgeny Stalev play on a five by ten snooker table once in a payball game and fired balls in a 100 miles an hour and Parica play 9 ball on a six by 12 and he was running out too. All the snooker players wanted none of that action.
 
If you are talking North America look North to Canada. Kirk Stevens is awesome, So is Alain Robidoux (sp?), Tom Finstad plays real strong still. I would not say the USA has anyone that could compete with the top Canadian snooker players. Canada still has people that take runs at making it in Europe, they cannot quite make it but to even have the skill to attempt to play in Europe takes massive skills and you have to be able to run centuries with ease. I watched my buddy play Finstad in the Alberta championships and they had 7 centuries between them in 12 games.
 
Ever heard of "Billy the Kid"
he is about 60 now ...from saskatchewan?..i think

i did see Thorburn run the 147 live on TV!!! a long time ago
 
I think if Alex P. put his mind to it, he'd be right up there...may even make a whole pile more $$$$$ in snooker.
 
Same guy, but his best game is snooker. He don't play one-pocket that well, but he will gamble.
 
The best snooker player in North America right now is without any doubt Alain Robidoux, even though his best years are behind him. For many years Alain could not play in Canada because he was considered a pro in England and was not allowed in tournaments here. A few years ago he was amongst the 8 best players in the world and did reach the semifinals in one World championship. He started playing again in Canada this year and has won every tournament he has entered (including the Canadian Championship) as there is no player that can really compete against him. Again this past weekend he won an open tournament in Montreal against Bob Chaperon in the finals, who is probably the best player (with Kirk Stevens) after Alain. Just for the record Alain Robidoux has cumulated more than 100 perfect games and just this year he made two in a row (always playing against an opponent of course). I remember when I started playing pool (he used to practice at my pool room), I was so impressed by his technic, the guy would simply never miss. He could make more then 10 centuries in one evening. I think if Alain would have had a stronger mental he would have been a regular top player in the world for many years. But in a way, it was also hard for him to always compete in a foreign country, speaking a foreign language, being without a coach and where nobody really is behind you.
As for Alex, he has entered a few snooker tournaments and did quite well (lost in the semi finals against Alain at the Canadian Championship) but it would take him many years of practice before achieving what was Alain' speed. Alex has integrated so many pool habits that it would be hard for him to change his game patterns. He's probably amongst the ten best snooker players in Canada but far from Alain's caliber of play.
Anyway, both are still a pleasure to watch.

Thierry Layani
www.layanicues.com
 
Alex P. must really have some guts to try to play snooker guys at their game. I wish more pool players would be like that.

To those who have seen him play snooker...does he use his pool cue or regular snooker cue? Does he use closed/loop bridge as much as in pool or not at all?
 
Technically the best player right now in the US or Canada is Steve Davis, since he is in Vegas for the Mosconi.... lol
 
Alex was playing with a snooker cue, but I don't remember him playing with a closed bridge. No pool players want to get into snooker, they're worry it's gonna mess up their game. But most pool players here in Quebec used to be snooker players (Alain Martel, Claude bernatchez, even Danny Hewitt started by playing snooker).

Thierry Layani
www.layanicues.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top