Snooker

[l.Harm]

Well, I actually never watched it, but Eurosport broadcasts it and I'm quite bored, so I started to watch it. I actually pretty like it, it's nice to follow and sometimes it's very technical.

Fans here?

 

[boomcie]

Love it.
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[RedheadDane]

Like it too! Pretty awesome when Ronnie goes clean-table-crazy!

 

[Parrulo]

Love it.
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same

i hope trump takes the worlds this year after losing on the final last year to higgins. higgins is good but just too boring and defensive for my taste.

roonie or hendry taking it would also make me a happy man

 

[l.Harm]

same

i hope trump takes the worlds this year after losing on the final last year to higgins. higgins is good but just too boring and defensive for my taste.

roonie or hendry taking it would also make me a happy man

Trump already lost

Had a 11-8 lead but lost 13-12.

 

[Timmy-loves-Rabo]

I dont really follow it, but maybe after cycling or winter sports when it comes on I'll just sit there and watch, it's more entertaining then I thought.

I watched Ronnie a couple times, he is my favorite (lol at the video where he beats that guy with his opposite hand).

But of course, I'm just a lover of sport in general.

 

[Parrulo]

Trump already lost

Had a 11-8 lead but lost 13-12.

seriously. . . .

how did he manage to lose that, i couldn't watch the last session but never thought he would lose with such a comfortable lead.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

It´s pretty boring, because the players are too good. Whoever played the game knows how difficult it is. It´s fun to play, at the same time you despair.

This pro players play (the most difficult game i ever tried myself) in perfection. Hats off!

The best ever was Hendry who retired tonight. In the same dominating class like Carl Lewis, Eddy Merckx, Jerry Rice, Babe Ruth, and other greats...

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Sounds like the dominance you see in billiards in the US. Frequently one player goes on a tear and runs the table, often from start to finish. That's how good guys are.

 

[Christian]

Started a thread about snooker a while ago, but didn't get many responses (http://forum.cyclingnews.com/showthread.php?t=7031&highlight=Snooker).

Hopefully this one will be more successful. It's such a fascinating sport, a lot of tactics, skill, nerves involved .... Haven't been watching lately but I saw that it's been on Eurosport again.

I would love to try and play it some day, just for fun. There is a bar here that has a snooker table but haven't gotten around to it yet...

 

[RedheadDane]

I'd love to try and play it too! But given my "skills" at playing pool I don't think it would go well for me...

Played with my cousin's son a while ago... I was really at potting the white ball!

 

[Christian]

Stephen Hendry "the legend" has ended his career

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=BD_g0PJG-0g#!

great player, always enjoyed watching him play

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

Sounds like the dominance you see in billiards in the US. Frequently one player goes on a tear and runs the table, often from start to finish. That's how good guys are.

I think you talk about Pool here? Snooker is a different level. It´s maybe like going from Kid-Carts to Indy 500. I run the table sometimes at 9-Ball, but do fail more often than not at snooker. Even a straight pot on this 3 1/2 meter long table is a difficult task.

Since i know the snooker game from my own experience, i sometimes wonder how QB´s can miss easy targets (i´ve no problem to hit receivers in strides, but lack arm strength). Snooker players have real true accuracy. It´s just unbelivebale.

I'd love to try and play it too! But given my "skills" at playing pool I don't think it would go well for me...

Played with my cousin's son a while ago... I was really at potting the white ball!

As described above, if you can´t hit balls at a good rate (lets say 7/8 of 10 pot tries) in pool, you´ll be desperate at a snooker table. It looks sooo easy at TV, you´ll get shocked trying yourself.

 

[Parrulo]

yes pool is a kids game compared to snooker, i play pool myself almost every day and i can pretty often clean an entire table without much of a problem but in snooker. . . . .

the table is just too big and the balls and holes too small

 

[l.Harm]

I've never played snooker, here we had a pool table. I heard a snooker table is longer so harder to pot the ball. Would like to play it in the near future.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

yes pool is a kids game compared to snooker, i play pool myself almost every day and i can pretty often clean an entire table without much of a problem but in snooker. . . . .

the table is just too big and the balls and holes too small

Not bad. I only sometimes clear the table in pool. There´s always a missed pot, the white ball going the wrong place, or just nerves. Anyway, i win a good chunk of my games for money or free drinks. Snooker, i didn´t play a long time. I just fear missing too much and then fall into depressions.

I've never played snooker, here we had a pool table. I heard a snooker table is longer so harder to pot the ball. Would like to play it in the near future.

The biggest problem in snooker is the thiny holes. There is just no room for even small mistakes, especially on the long pots.

 

[Parrulo]

well i don't usually play for money, i usually play with my friends and at the end split the bill so i am under no pressure while playing

 

[RedheadDane]

As described above, if you can´t hit balls at a good rate (lets say 7/8 of 10 pot tries) in pool, you´ll be desperate at a snooker table. It looks sooo easy at TV, you´ll get shocked trying yourself.

I'm afraid my rather... unconventional... way of holding the cue didn't exactly help either. No expert, but I don't think you're suppose to just let it stick weirdly out to the side.

the table is just too big and the balls and holes too small

Yeah... among other things the size of the table would be an issue to me. At 160 cm I'm not even sure I'd be able to reach anything!

The biggest problem in snooker is the thiny holes. There is just no room for even small mistakes, especially on the long pots.

But it does look cool when the ball starts dancing around the whole like crazy.

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

well i don't usually play for money, i usually play with my friends and at the end split the bill so i am under no pressure while playing

Yes pressure is big time too in billards. I am the master of missing the black ball (on normal pool) or the 9-Ball. I always choke under pressure. The same happened to me in my baseball and soccer league play times.

I'm afraid my rather... unconventional... way of holding the cue didn't exactly help either. No expert, but I don't think you're suppose to just let it stick weirdly out to the side.

Yeah... among other things the size of the table would be an issue to me. At 160 cm I'm not even sure I'd be able to reach anything!

But it does look cool when the ball starts dancing around the whole like crazy.

Perfect technique/talent is essential in billards. When i played snooker regulary, i didn´t even try to meet opponents if i didn´t had my "A-Game" in 2 hr. practises before matches.

Anyway, some players had real bad techniques and still performed high class. That must be true talent then. Like this one (Alex Higgins):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6u1uSjEyyU

If you are 1,60, i guess you´re still young. Perfect time to start snooker. I started at age of 16, simply b/c snooker was unknown before in germany.

You can reach all balls with the Rest/Extension/Spider.

No it´s not cool when the ball dances and don´t go in, unless it happens to the opponent.

 

[RedheadDane]

If you are 1,60, i guess you´re still young. Perfect time to start snooker. I started at age of 16, simply b/c snooker was unknown before in germany.

You can reach all balls with the Rest/Extension/Spider.

No it´s not cool when the ball dances and don´t go in, unless it happens to the opponent.

I'm 24... stopped growing a while ago... And I don't think I'd know how to use those.

It's funny to watch! And sometimes they dance about and go in. Whipe the feet as the main Danish commentator tends to say!

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

Okay, I had to look up Hendry. This is just impossibly good. 2012 World Championships:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh64worbGqc

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

I'm 24... stopped growing a while ago... And I don't think I'd know how to use those.

It's funny to watch! And sometimes they dance about and go in. Whipe the feet as the main Danish commentator tends to say!

Ok, that might be too late to learn the correct technique.

Okay, I had to look up Hendry. This is just impossibly good. 2012 World Championships:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh64worbGqc

Imagine i still won some money in snooker when having my "A-Game". And my best breaks were "just" in the 40s. 147? I could never do. Not even if i practise 6 hrs per day. Just impossible to do. This players are the best of the best of the best, and Hendry was the King of ´em all. As unbelivable as throwing a baseball at 100 mph, going downhill at 120 km/h in cycling, or throwing a football 80 yds in stride.

I guess that´s why we all still watch sports live, b/c even tough clinic issues and cheating exists, athletes are for real. They have tremendous talent. Unlike politicans, business people, or journalists (). You name it. Nobody wants to watch them live...

 

[jamiephillips]

One of snooker's greatest "athletes"

 

[FoxxyBrown1111]

One of snooker's greatest "athletes"

So what?
He wasn´t in true endurance sports. BTW, even those smoked (Mario Basler) or enjoyed more than one beer (Ulle). And NFL-Players are known for being heavy drinkers. The only difference: They didn´t/don´t do it in front of cameras. It´s a wrong assumption by the public to think that athletes are ascetics.

I guess your reason you posted this pic is to just downplay the outstanding performance by billard players. They have to concentrate hrs and hrs and need 100% error free technique/accuracy.

And finally, who knows if smoking/drinking billard players are worse off than high tech doped cyclists?

So why you didn´t just post a pic of clean and sober Steve Davis, but of the "worst" life enjoyer Alex Higgins? BTW, i liked Alex Higgins...

 

[jamiephillips]

I used to love watching Higgins play snooker. The guy was a flawed genius who played the game in a real attacking manner. Somebody who played with his heart as much as his head. An Artist! Almost opposite style to somebody like Steve Davis which is why I posted his picture and said one the greatest. Athlete however, well ok then I suppose in the same way that a darts player is an athlete I'll give you that one.