New Respect For Snooker Players.

[TheOne]

Hey Ray,

I apologise for not keeping up on the forum, as I should do. I have been very busy with my snooker career but I will try and keep up with you guys on here. I knocked in a maximum 147 break in a couple of months ago during an exhibition match in England, so thankfully I am in pretty good form!

So there is no snooker in Drexeline anymore? How far away are you from Baltimore? As I know there is a gentleman there in the process of setting up a small snooker club due to the high demand for the game there.

It's a great shame that you won't be available for the Nationals in May this year, but hopefully we can arrange to meet up sometime for a few frames.

With my best wishes.

Alan.

Congratulations Alan, a 147 is a great acheivment!

As for Marlon, I heard a slightly different story from him in hard times. Also if you look at all Marlons interviews and even his WIki profile he admits he's a converted Snooker player. He played his first Pro Pool tournament in 2003, long after he was competing at the Asian games and world Amatuers at Snooker trying to win his Pro Snooker tour card I pressume.

Im sure Marlon played heaps of pool in the Phillipines but I think its clear what his original goal was and what he played mostly.

Either way it doesn't really matter the point I was trying to make is that he was a 14.1 virgin when he won the NJ event. In addition the current world champion and European No1 players are both ex Snooker players.

Incidently Appleton, is down to the last 9 at the DCC 1 pocket, it also looks like he beat Chohan one of the best US 1 pocket players in a previous round. Appleton is a complete novice COMPARED to Chohan at 1 pocket.

 

[Jaden]

Alan, you're in Cali right????

Hi Ray,

There is another route to get on the professional Main Tour for any interested American players.

Win the United States National Snooker Championship and they would be selected to represent the United States in the IBSF World Snooker Championship.

Then win the IBSF World Snooker Championship where they would automatically be awarded a place on the Main Tour.

Best wishes.

Alan.

Alan, I'm in Texas fror work right now, but I'd be interested in playing you some frames of snooker when I get back to Cali if you're interested??? My best break is a 74 but I've only really played a couple of times. I'd like to play on a table that is set up specifically for snooker though, as I've really only played on tables that were setup for golf, the few times I've actually tried to play.

Jaden

 

[TheOne]

Alan, just curious, how many Americans have made a competitive 147 would you say? I'm sure the lack of events/facilities would limit the number but what would your best guess be?

SOmebody told me the highest break at the US Nationals maybe a year or so ago was around 70, was this incorrect? Or was this the challegne match you mentioned with the super tight pockets?

My friend jsut told me there are 4 ways to make the main tour, Euro Title, Euro Open Tite, World Ams Tile, and 8 spots on challenge tour.

It would be great if you made it and we had an American on tour!

Good luck

 

[raybo147]

Hey Ray,

I apologise for not keeping up on the forum, as I should do. I have been very busy with my snooker career but I will try and keep up with you guys on here. I knocked in a maximum 147 break in a couple of months ago during an exhibition match in England, so thankfully I am in pretty good form!

So there is no snooker in Drexeline anymore? How far away are you from Baltimore? As I know there is a gentleman there in the process of setting up a small snooker club due to the high demand for the game there.

It's a great shame that you won't be available for the Nationals in May this year, but hopefully we can arrange to meet up sometime for a few frames.

With my best wishes.

Alan.

Nice job on the 147, Drexeline took out the table again, unfortunately it did not get the use to justify it staying there. It is a shame because he did a great job setting it up. They had a high break board up and after my 125 it had Julie Kelly with a 99 and Karen Corr with a 65. I am about 90 minutes from Baltimore but I would certainly travel down there if there would be any snooker action. If you are anywhere close to Philly PM me and if you are playing snooker I will try to make it. It is a great thing you are doing out here for US snooker Alan, keep it up!

 

[Alan Morris]

Alan, just curious, how many Americans have made a competitive 147 would you say? I'm sure the lack of events/facilities would limit the number but what would your best guess be?

SOmebody told me the highest break at the US Nationals maybe a year or so ago was around 70, was this incorrect? Or was this the challegne match you mentioned with the super tight pockets?

My friend jsut told me there are 4 ways to make the main tour, Euro Title, Euro Open Tite, World Ams Tile, and 8 spots on challenge tour.

It would be great if you made it and we had an American on tour!

Good luck

Thanks for that! I am actually English though, which probably explains why I have actually made several maximums, as to my knowledge no American has ever made a competitive 147 break. I spend a lot of time touring around the United States playing snooker exhibitions, and will be relocating to Las Vegas in time to take up a full-time snooker position at a Sports & Entertainment Resort currently in development there.

I had a meeting with a representative of the Resort in Vegas last year and they are very impressed with what snooker can offer the Resort in terms of future international tournaments. So we have some big plans for snooker there once it opens!

I may consider playing for the United States internationally once I become eligible, but I haven't decided for certain yet. I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!

Your friend is corrent in stating that you can get on the Main Tour through those ways, but there also other spots for certain national champions, continental championship winners plus selected wild cards. We at the United States Snooker Association are currently working with the Pan-American Billiard Confederation to produce a Pan-American Snooker Championship, and for the winner of that continental championship to be awarded a place on the Main Tour.

The highest break made in the US National Snooker Championship I think is 126 by Tom Kollins.

Best wishes.

Alan.

 

[Alan Morris]

Alan, I'm in Texas fror work right now, but I'd be interested in playing you some frames of snooker when I get back to Cali if you're interested??? My best break is a 74 but I've only really played a couple of times. I'd like to play on a table that is set up specifically for snooker though, as I've really only played on tables that were setup for golf, the few times I've actually tried to play.

Jaden

Hi Jaden,

No I don't actually live in California but I spend a bit of time there. I would of course though be very happy to arrange to play you some time.

I can tell you I do know of someone planning of opening a snooker club in the Dallas area. He has the funding, but he just needs to work out and obtain the permits he requires - I'll keep you posted though.

Will you be available to come to California over the Memorial Day weekend? If so you could compete in the US National Championship then, and we could also play a few frames as well.

Best wishes.

Alan.

 

[Alan Morris]

Nice job on the 147, Drexeline took out the table again, unfortunately it did not get the use to justify it staying there. It is a shame because he did a great job setting it up. They had a high break board up and after my 125 it had Julie Kelly with a 99 and Karen Corr with a 65. I am about 90 minutes from Baltimore but I would certainly travel down there if there would be any snooker action. If you are anywhere close to Philly PM me and if you are playing snooker I will try to make it. It is a great thing you are doing out here for US snooker Alan, keep it up!

Thanks very much Ray, and I appreciate your kind words.

Do you know what has happened to that table from Drexeline?

I will certainly keep you informed about that club in Baltimore...I am hoping to go and have a meeting with the gentleman who intends to open it sometime in March.

If you bump into Karen say "hello" to her for me! We go back years from her snooker days in England, though I did manage to see her briefly in Las Vegas last year.

Cheers.

Alan.

 

[raybo147]

Thanks very much Ray, and I appreciate your kind words.

Do you know what has happened to that table from Drexeline?

I will certainly keep you informed about that club in Baltimore...I am hoping to go and have a meeting with the gentleman who intends to open it sometime in March.

If you bump into Karen say "hello" to her for me! We go back years from her snooker days in England, though I did manage to see her briefly in Las Vegas last year.

Cheers.

Alan.

Bob sold the snooker table privately. I do not know to who, but I guess it is going into somebody's house. He really didn't have a choice it just wasn't taking off for him. Alan if anything is going on in the NYC area it would be great if it could get posted in here. Thanks.

 

[DangerousDave]

When Stephen Hendry played his challenge against Mizerak he practiced straight pool for 1 day, ran over 200 balls, drilled Mizerak and then never played it again. You don't think he could run 400 with a lifetime to practice?

I realise I'm resurrecting a very old (and controversial) thread, but this point was repeated a couple of times and at least one aspect of it is certainly untrue. I can't comment on what Hendry may have run in practice, but if by "drilled" you mean Hendry beat Mizerak at straight pool in this event, this was not so. They played three games, first to 75, and Miz won them all. Hendry's high run in these games was 19 balls. Mizerak's highest break in the challenge was a 56 in a doubles game with Ewa Mataya against Hendry and Allison Fisher. It all took place in 1990, just after Hendry won his first World title. I know this for certain as I have the video!

 

[Slh]

I realise I'm resurrecting a very old (and controversial) thread, but this point was repeated a couple of times and at least one aspect of it is certainly untrue. I can't comment on what Hendry may have run in practice, but if by "drilled" you mean Hendry beat Mizerak at straight pool in this event, this was not so. They played three games, first to 75, and Miz won them all. Hendry's high run in these games was 19 balls. Mizerak's highest break in the challenge was a 56 in a doubles game with Ewa Mataya against Hendry and Allison Fisher. It all took place in 1990, just after Hendry won his first World title. I know this for certain as I have the video!

sorry for this big up.
This is the break you talk about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgWLYxeua2A&feature=related
Why people invent story (hendry run 200 balls on Mizerak ( LOL)) to make their point more credible?

 

[Big Dave]

If you want to play snooker badly I suppose. Why do you think they call it English?. Over there it's called side, and they use a ton of it.

I'm so glad someone pointed that out. I always see people here saying snooker players don't use side - but you HAVE to use side a lot of the time!

Get a coach, practice for a year, you'll love it, and you'll be using a lot of side... It's really not as difficult as you think to enjoy the game once you've learned the technique and developed some discipline.

 

[Cornerman]

I'm so glad someone pointed that out. I always see people here saying snooker players don't use side - but you HAVE to use side a lot of the time!
.

Way to use facts to ruin a good myth.

IMO,

Freddie <~~~ would rather go with the facts

 

[Slh]

I'm so glad someone pointed that out. I always see people here saying snooker players don't use side - but you HAVE to use side a lot of the time!

Get a coach, practice for a year, you'll love it, and you'll be using a lot of side... It's really not as difficult as you think to enjoy the game once you've learned the technique and developed some discipline.

yes snooker players use side a lot of time, but not as much as pool players. Snooker players use it to change the direction of the cueball especially check side ( what americans call inside english)... Often you see pool players use lots of english, snooker players use side but not that much, almost always small amount of english

 

[ShootingArts]

seems less accurate all the time

yes snooker players use side a lot of time, but not as much as pool players. Snooker players use it to change the direction of the cueball especially check side ( what americans call inside english)... Often you see pool players use lots of english, snooker players use side but not that much, almost always small amount of english

I played snooker daily for a few years back when the world was a lot younger and still had only slightly rounded corners. As a result I still have an interest in the game and have watched many nice breaks on youtube and similar sites. Side, even extreme side, is getting much more common on a snooker table than it once was.

In my opinion players would be better served for typical pool players to learn from the snooker players that using angle and speed can often accomplish cue ball position than for snooker players to adopt the greater use of side from pool players but it seems that the later is what is actually happening. High snooker runs are impressive but I have to admit that they don't appear as impressive to me when extreme side has to be used over and over. Rightly or wrongly it appears to me that it is necessary due to poor planning or failed position on a shot. Straight pool or snooker is much more impressive when it seems effortless. A 147 ran without a difficult shot impresses me much more than one accomplished with many high risk shots along the way although both are amazing.

Hu