Snooker aiming system

[X Breaker]

I notice when I watch snooker on tapes, that the players never walk to look at the contact point when they pot. They stand behind the cue ball, get down, and then shoot. In 9 ball, I often see players walking to check the contact point, sometimes lining it up with his/her cue, then walking back to the cue ball, and shoot.
I notice snooker player are very precise with their aim even on longer pots, and they always just stand behind the cue ball to aim, without actually walking to line up the pocket with the object ball first.
How do snooker players aim, do they just do that by memory?
Thank you.
Richard

 

[Boro Nut]

I notice when I watch snooker on tapes, that the players never walk to look at the contact point when they pot. They stand behind the cue ball, get down, and then shoot. In 9 ball, I often see players walking to check the contact point, sometimes lining it up with his/her cue, then walking back to the cue ball, and shoot.
I notice snooker player are very precise with their aim even on longer pots, and they always just stand behind the cue ball to aim, without actually walking to line up the pocket with the object ball first.
How do snooker players aim, do they just do that by memory?
Thank you.
Richard

Yes, at least all the good potters I ever knew. You just point the cue in the exact direction that will make the object ball go in the pocket. It's as simple as that. If you aim to hit a point on the object ball you will probably not be accurate enough to make the ball into a distant pocket as any error will be magnified. Just align to the whole A B C shape of the shot. The more you trust it to come without thinking the better you get.

Boro Nut

 

[bsmutz]

My logic could be flawed here, but pool players generally play on different size tables with different sized pockets. This means the angle of approach can be different. I imagine most (at least professional) snooker players play on the same sized table with the same size pockets. This means that the pocket is always in the same place. Also, most professional snooker players have their chin on the cue, their stance is the same, etc. Pool players are all over the place. Another huge factor is that the best snooker players (at least it's my impression from what I've read) have coaches from an early age. This means that there is an accepted "form" that they will be coached to use. This is much less prevalent in American pool.
Another detriment for us pool players is that there are a variety of games that are played with different strategies and capabilities called for. Snooker, while requiring a variety of skills, is always played the same way. Those are my thoughts on the matter.

 

[Boro Nut]

Those are my thoughts on the matter.

No arguments there. One advantage of playing contact points is that it can be applied consistently no matter what size of balls. Relying on feel/recognition will throw you off on bigger/smaller balls than you're used to as the geometry isn't the same.

The advantage for snooker players (my personal experience) is that a pool table pocket lets you off with at least that much alignment error in the majority of cases. The unusual roll of the heavier balls and strange cushion effects were far bigger factors to get used to than the slight difference in potting angles.

Unfortunately the reverse is not true. Some good pool players may try snooker once and hate it. It's a shame. There is no comparison to the feeling you get being in tune with a pristine snooker table.

Boro Nut

 

[bsmutz]

"There is no comparison to the feeling you get being in tune with a pristine snooker table."
You're preachin' to the choir... Yeah, baby!

 

[JLW]

No arguments there. One advantage of playing contact points is that it can be applied consistently no matter what size of balls. Relying on feel/recognition will throw you off on bigger/smaller balls than you're used to as the geometry isn't the same.

The advantage for snooker players (my personal experience) is that a pool table pocket lets you off with at least that much alignment error in the majority of cases. The unusual roll of the heavier balls and strange cushion effects were far bigger factors to get used to than the slight difference in potting angles.

Unfortunately the reverse is not true. Some good pool players may try snooker once and hate it. It's a shame. There is no comparison to the feeling you get being in tune with a pristine snooker table.

Boro Nut

You bring up something that I've heard a lot of people talk about- that the geometry is different when playing Snooker vs Pool and that this affects aim. The balls are smaller, but how should that change the way I need to aim? I suppose "throw" could possibly come into play in a more noticeable way because of the size of the pockets. I'm a feel player, I've played quite a bit of Snooker (on 10ft tables), and I've got to admit, I've never noticed myself changing how I aim when I go from Pool to Snooker. What I have noticed is that you must be much more specific in your aiming. It takes more deliberation and concentration for me to play Snooker (sort of like going from a bar table to a 9 footer), but I don't notice myself consciously aiming any differently. I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts here.

 

[icem3n]

Don't 4get, when you watching the box, they are all Pros.... That is why they good.

 

[Boro Nut]

You bring up something that I've heard a lot of people talk about- that the geometry is different when playing Snooker vs Pool and that this affects aim. The balls are smaller, but how should that change the way I need to aim?

Draw it out on a piece of paper. Cue ball, object ball, pocket. Now draw the cue line necessary to make the object ball.

Now draw two new circles 5 times the diameter of the first ones at the same centres. See what happens to the necessary cueing line. It's simple geometry.

Boro Nut

 

[JLW]

Draw it out on a piece of paper. Cue ball, object ball, pocket. Now draw the cue line necessary to make the object ball.

Now draw two new circles 5 times the diameter of the first ones at the same centres. See what happens to the necessary cueing line. It's simple geometry.

Boro Nut

I understand what you are saying, but in my mind the aiming doesn't really change. Maybe I just make the necessary adjustments without having to consciously think about them too much.

 

[worriedbeef]

it depends how you look at it. in the one sense the aiming doesn;t change, you just have less gap between each contact point on a snooker ball.

 

[X Breaker]

I cannot understand how the pro snooker players can aim at those long balls with so much precision without even going over to look at the angle and the pocket; they just stand behind the cue ball, and get down and fire them in? How do they do it?

Thank you.

Richard

 

[Boro Nut]

I cannot understand how the pro snooker players can aim at those long balls with so much precision without even going over to look at the angle and the pocket; they just stand behind the cue ball, and get down and fire them in? How do they do it?

I've already told you. Try it out. Walk up to a table and just fire away on first impressions - blam blam blam. No working out. Settle straight into the line of the shot that feels correct. Don't change your mind when you're down. Don't concentrate on hitting the object ball, just on aligning through the exact centre of the white ball and delivering that cue straight into the far distance. Bet you miss a few times. Bet you surprise yourself a few times. Do it often enough and you stop missing and stop surprising yourself.

You'll never obtain the ability if you don't exercise it. Give up on the mental arithmetic and set your innate abilities free. There's nothing woo-woo about this. Your primal brain is much superior in doing spatial calculations than your rational brain is in doing mental arithmetic. It's how you walk, throw a stone, catch a ball.

Boro Nut

 

[JLW]

it depends how you look at it. in the one sense the aiming doesn;t change, you just have less gap between each contact point on a snooker ball.

Exactly. The balls will be in the same relation to one another at impact no matter what their size is. You just have to adjust slightly for the difference in diameter.

 

[breakin8]

Guys they are using an aim system. A pool table or snooker table is half as wide as it is long. This means you do not need to look at the pockets to make balls there are six or some say eight shots that is all. once you can recognize these shot it becomes much easier. also works on banks and combos. Hal houle is the creator of this system. He has many system so make sure it is the wright one before you try to make a joke out of him. most of philipeno player are using Busty. and Santos. This is a no english system but with back hand english there is very little correction. Tom simpson will be glad to teach it to you for a fee. Thanks
From B- to an A in three months.

 

[Boro Nut]

Guys they are using an aim system. A pool table or snooker table is half as wide as it is long. This means you do not need to look at the pockets to make balls there are six or some say eight shots that is all. once you can recognize these shot it becomes much easier. also works on banks and combos. Hal houle is the creator of this system. He has many system so make sure it is the wright one before you try to make a joke out of him. most of philipeno player are using Busty. and Santos. This is a no english system but with back hand english there is very little correction. Tom simpson will be glad to teach it to you for a fee.

Rubbish. It's clear you've never been near a snooker table.

Boro Nut

 

[McChen]

yeah i agree with boro, i gotta call bs on that one

 

[X Breaker]

I bought a book about snooker written by the late John Spencer. In the book, he talks about using full ball, half ball, quarter ball, and so on, to aim.
I believe that snooker players have hit so many balls that they have just memorized the angles, so they do not need to look at them no more.
I watched some snooker on youtube, and these guys hardly ever missed a pot of the black ball regardless of the angle. I can only imagine it is because they have memorized the angles through many many hours of practise.
Richard

 

[Boro Nut]

I bought a book about snooker written by the late John Spencer. In the book, he talks about using full ball, half ball, quarter ball, and so on, to aim.

That's because he's instructing beginners. It's not how good potters aim though, at least in my experience. It's how the old billiards players used to aim. It's fantastic for billiards, but explains why they couldn't pot for toffee.

I believe that snooker players have hit so many balls that they have just memorized the angles, so they do not need to look at them no more.
I watched some snooker on youtube, and these guys hardly ever missed a pot of the black ball regardless of the angle. I can only imagine it is because they have memorized the angles through many many hours of practise.
Richard

That's more or less it. You can see the angle straight away, cue ball, object ball, pocket. You can see it when you are sat down. It's still the same angle when you walk up to the table. Why change your mind when you're down on the shot? Only microadjustments are required, and precise delivery of the cue ball. That's the hard bit. Hitting the ball straight. Any daft sod with two eyes can see the angle.

Try it yourself. Swing your cue to the left. You can see that's wrong. Swing it right. You can see that's wrong too. Why then not trust to playing right down the middle of the two where it's precisely correct?

Boro Nut

 

[JLW]

I bought a book about snooker written by the late John Spencer. In the book, he talks about using full ball, half ball, quarter ball, and so on, to aim.
I believe that snooker players have hit so many balls that they have just memorized the angles, so they do not need to look at them no more.
I watched some snooker on youtube, and these guys hardly ever missed a pot of the black ball regardless of the angle. I can only imagine it is because they have memorized the angles through many many hours of practise.
Richard

It has always been my contention that those who have trouble with aim are most likely not playing enough. IMHO, if you put in enough time at the table, and you pocket enough balls, you will begin to "see" the angles pretty easily. Now, having the fundamentals to actually make all of the shots is another matter.

 

[Bob Jewett]

Guys they are using an aim system. ...(fractional ball aiming, about 200 years old, and not due to anyone still alive)

Have you ever played on a 6x12? While a limited number of fractions will get you close on a sloppy 3.5x7, you have no hope of ever potting a ball on a big table unless you are not really using the system. That is the physical truth. Now, the psychological truth may be elsewhere. Many bogus systems give the player two important things: a framework to place shots in and organize them, and confidence. I suppose for the latter, it's important for you to believe in the system, but I think it's far more important in the long run for you to believe in yourself.