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Often Ignored Practice Routines 1. Over The Spots Position of the Balls - Place the cue ball on the brown spot and a ball either side with a gap of half a ball's width. Objective - To strike the cue ball up the table, over the spots, returning over the spots, through the gap between the two balls striking the baulk cushion and then back through the gap to at least the blue spot. Repetition - Ten. Reliability Factor - Not a routine to ever progress on from; a useful check on cueing for players of any ability. Variations - Try varying the pace of the shot and striking up the cue ball for top spin and low down (as if playing a screw shot). 2. Getting Away From a Ball Over the Pocket
Objective - To pot the three reds and the three colours for a break of 19. Repetition - Three. Reliability Factor - Achieve a break of 19 on three successive attempts to progress. A trickier exercise than in first appears particularly for beginners. 3. With the Rest Position of the Balls - Place the cue ball on the blue spot and a red mid way between the blue spot and each corner pocket. Replace the cue ball on the blue spot for each pot. Objective - Pot the four reds using the rest. Repetition - Three (once with top spin, once with stun and once with screw. Reliability Factor - Achieve 12 out of twelve on three successive attempts and you'll have mastered the rest. Keep it in your practice regime for occasional use especially if problems occur with the rest. 4. Off the Cushion Position of the Balls - Scatter all the balls on the table and the white on the cushion. After each shot place the cue ball on the cushion again. Objective - Clear the table. Repetition - Once. Reliability Factor - Aim to half the number of misses after you first attempt. For example, if your first attempt is 20 misses and 21 pots, keep with the exercise on a regular basis until you can achieve 21 pots and "only" 10 misses. Then use the practice routine occasionally in your practice regime and strive for continued improvement and consistency. 5. Touch Position of the Balls - Place the six colours in order in a line down the centre of the table, each a balls width away from one another and with the blue on its own spot (see diagram). Objective - Screwing from ball to ball for position - pot the six colours in their normal sequence into the same centre pocket. Repetition - Once. Reliability Factor - One for advanced players to use occasionally to develop the touch to give greater control and unlock larger breaks. |
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6. Awkward Bridging Position of the Balls - Scatter the balls over the table and for each pot place the cue ball awkwardly. For example, in chinese snookers, partial chinese snookers, awkward distances from the cushion to practice cueing with the bridge hand on the cushion or half on the cushion. Objective - To clear the table with fewest misses. Repetition - Once. Reliability Factor - Another one to "make the telling difference" between otherwise evenly matched advanced players; worth retaining in the practice regime for reassurance of clean striking from awkward positions. 7. Safety Position of the Balls - Place the colours on their spots and six reds in a triangle above the pink. Place the cue ball anywhere in baulk. For this exercise you will also need a loop of cotton about the circumference of a dinner plate. Objective - To play a red and return to baulk, landing within the target area that you've marked with the cotton. Repetition - Play from where the white comes to rest and remove any potable reds. Reliability Factor - Achieve five successive shots landing within the cotton. Variation - The cotton can be shortened in order to stretch the challenge. 8. Billiards Half Ball In Offs Position of the Balls - Place a red midway between the corner of the "D" and the opposite middle pocket. Place the white in the "D". Objective - To play in off the red to the middle pocket and leave position for another middle pocket in off. Repetition - Three. Reliability Factor - Achieve ten successive in offs. Variation - Aiming to achieve the ten in offs into the same middle pocket stretches the challenge considerably. Cannons Position of the Balls - Roll the billiards balls into a random position on the table. Objective - To play a cannon (hitting both of the other balls with your ball). Repetition - Three. Reliability Factor - Achieve ten successive cannons. Variation - Deliberately starting with your ball "between" the others (i.e. red at the top of the table, spot ball/yellow ball at the bottom and you in the middle) will force a cannon to be played via several cushions to start. Top Of The Table Position of the Balls - Red on the top (black) spot; spot ball (or yellow) between the red and the top cushion; white where you choose. Objective - To play a sequence of cannons and pots without moving the spot ball/yellow ball more than 15 cm from the top spot. Repetition - Three. |
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