Intro/question

caff3in3

caff3in3

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Hey all,

I do have a question but thought I would start with a bit of an intro since I am new in these parts.

I have been playing since I was about 16. My dad was in the army and while he was posted to England I would work summers on a royal air force base in the guard room. Part of my job was signing out keys. I noticed a key labeled "snooker room" and immediately asked if I could check it out. It was fantastic! I spent an hour every day in England banging the balls around and I was hooked!

Although I was never any good at snooker I was pretty good at 8 ball and 9 ball. I played quite a few tournaments and league and was probably a decent "B" player when I stopped playing at around 25. I went to university and worked full time so there was not much time to spare.

I am now 38 and bought a house that has a pool table (old bar box) and am getting back into it. I love the game and can run a rack here and there but have one big hurdle. Most of my missed shots are the result of stray thoughts like "easy run out now"

I am getting better at stepping back from the table and chalking when this happens. Just curious if anyone has other ways of maintaining focus during play.

If this topic has been beat to death just let me know and I'll go digging for threads :)

Side note - I ordered a predator road line LE3 with a vantage shift and can't wait to try it out!

Chris
 
if you can't make yourself do the task at hand, then add something that will make you pay if you miss balls because of a lack or too much focus. that something would be a wager. not too much where you will slit your wrists if you lose, but it should sting.

this is not a new concept. poker players are urged to adopt this method if one wants to improve their game. good luck.
 
Welcome to AZB. Lot's to see and do here. Have fun and don't take things too serious.
You're really going to like the Predator cue. :smile:
 
Aloha

The best advice I was given on the subject is to stay in the present when down on the shot. Find your pattern and visualize the shot before you get down, then take it one shot at a time. By staying in the present, your not thinking about a missed pot previously or the score should you run out. A runout happens only by shooting one shot at a time, and staying in the present.

Have fun and welcome to the Forum.

Aloha
 
I was always taught that there are no easy shots or easy runouts. Overrun shape or get slightly out of line along the way and an "easy" run can quickly become a nightmare.

For myself, once the key shots have been made and the hard part of the rack is over with, I focus on staying in line perfectly and getting closer and closer to the object ball with each successive shot until I have perfect shape on the last ball.
 
That's one of the best "how I started playing" stories I've heard yet!
Found a key to a snooker room at a military base while working there, can't beat that.
 
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