Hello Mr Stark, this is really helpful. Only you can approach and tackle such snooker issues in the most comprehensive manner. YOU ARE MY COACH!!!!!! Thank you Sir for everything!!!!!
Hi Barry, I've just picked up a cue again for the first time in 18 years and have been watching all of your videos while trying to get back to where I was as a player and hopefully beyond! As a thank you for all of your dedication to helping myself and many others I've just become a patreon to your channel! Thanks again Adam from King's Lynn, Norfolk
Adam. Great that you have started playing again and that you have enjoyed the videos, at least the videos are getting you motivated again and obviously I hope that they will go some way towards you gaining your past ability and beyond. I would also like to thank you for the patreon donation, it will help to offset the expenses.
Barry, between you and Stephen Hendry cue tips, I can't thank you guys enough for the tips, tricks and motivation to get me playing better, im still terrible, but nowhere near as terrible as I was 6 months ago. My positional play seems to fall down with power. I can generally get the line right, but always seem to play the shots too firm or too soft, i rarely get it just right, im sure this is just down to practice, but so frustrated when you make a nice pot, then snooker yourself behind a ball that you're supposed to have passed or gone nowhere near. 😂
Thanks Barry for the brilliant coaching videos, they are very helpful, especially the grip videos including the 3rd finger which I didn't know about and also the 10.5" mark and 6" follow through mark on the cue, will ensure I'm getting through the ball now instead of me occasionally jabbing at the white which is my main flaw. I watched all 127 of your videos in just over a week. Very interesting to see the progress of Wesley and Selina and it'd be good to see updated videos on their progress further with your expert help. Keep up the great work. Good luck with that coaching 🙂
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach It is a very fascinating game, snooker. I don't think I'm ever gonna lose interest in learning it to perfection. (Specially from you).
Hi Barry, have been following you for quite awhile now, I am a Billiards player in Australia.. however I do sometimes play Snooker for interclub and Ive found this video a VERY helpful one indeed, a comment I did like very much was what I adopt in Billiards and that is no preferences. Thank you once again and keep them coming when you can.
Warren. Glad that you find the videos helpful and I hope that you continue to play a little snooker, I do hold to the belief that the two games can compliment each other. Advani is testament to that.
Yes I know and have played him when he was out here.. I do play snooker though however my side selection etc is still in billiards mode (extreme) except at top of the table.. Billiards and Snooker DO compliment each other Barry, Ive told the juniors I coach Ill teach them Billiards to help them with angles for Snookers etc and visa versa.
Just as everyone else has said... really great videos. Ive gone from making 40 something breaks to making my first 80 break last night. Thanks Barry. its all down to you! plus some smart practice from me! :)
Mr Barry, since I started following your lessons, my skills in this game has improved significantly. Now I can beat my supervisor one in ten games. Just to mention he is kind of a pro.
Hadi. Very well done, you must be knocking in decent breaks yourself now if you are beating someone of that standard. I am very pleased that we are playing a part in your progress.
Really appreciate this video, thanks Barry. I basically get stuck in what I need to put on the cue ball in order to navigate the White so I am on the intended colour. This is crucial when it comes to break-building. I think I remember Ronnie saying, it's more about the area than getting on a specific Red, when there's a cluster of them.
LIVERNIL. So very true, players will generally prefer to play so that they have has many options as possible. Obviously this is not always possible and they will have to play for a single ball sometime but playing for an area is often the best bet.
Thank you again for superb information and as always relevant to any player and very well explained and to the point. I have a thought on something that might make for a good subject to tackle and that is injuries incurred and how to practice through them and around them. I am currently suffering from a bone spur in my right shoulder and find that it causes problems in my practice and I am sure others have had other injuries. Injury prevention is also a potential subject worth addressing as well
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach I understand that I am looking at the step before that and hopefully the cortisone shot will help. I will not be surprised to have to have a surgery myself. But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so I hope to save someone else the trouble
Good video and very important shots to know. Another very relevant shot that could have been in this video is when you get a little bit too high on the last yellow. In that instance the best shot is to play it with some stun + a touch of right hand side if needed to get the cue ball swing around the green and leave the green to its own corner pocket. If you get the pace right the margin for error is pretty big and you probably won't be leaving yourself a missable green.
Daniel. The cloth is now getting a little worn and has slowed down considerably, if you ever get to play on a television table you will know what I mean.
Hi Barry, I've been greatly improving my potting, cue action, top and backspin etc. However as much as I try I just can't seem to be able to use much side spin. I've carefully practiced it many times, watched yours and other coaching videos for tips etc. I just find the deviation of the cueball massively affecting the potting angle and depending entirely on so many factors from the power of the shot, the distance to the object ball, the amount of side used and the table I'm playing on. I understand it's mainly down to getting used to it, but as much as I practice I just can't get used to it at all, because it varies so wildly. Is there any kind of tips you can offer for practice, with regard to this problem beyond what you've already covered in some of your videos? How on earth does one get used to the enormous variations when using side, especially when needing to use more than just a tiny touch of side, so as to be able to actually pot the object ball accurately? It's one of the things that always amazes me, seeing professionals just get down to a shot, pot the object ball cleanly in the center of a pocket while putting massive amounts of side on the cueball to bring it back to the next object ball.
Austin. I recently put a tip on the cue of a professional player, he played one shot with it over distance and with side, immediately he knew that the tip would be no good because it threw the cue ball off line more than it should. Thankfully the next tip was okay. I mention this just to demonstrate the amount of feel good players can and do get when they play a shot, and how important this feel is particularly when playing with excessive spin on the cue ball, side being the ultimate examination of your cueing and the feel you get when playing the shot. Your problem sounds to me as if your timing is not what it should be and as a result you are having to apply too much physical effort in trying to get the desired result. If you have the opportunity to study good players, note how much reaction they get on the cue ball with what seems to be minimal effort. I am often amazed by the amount of side spin Kyren can get on the cue ball yet only appearing to hit the ball slightly off centre, this is because his ball striking and timing is very good. You have mentioned all the points that can cause excessive deviation so your knowledge is fairly good its just a matter now of working on that timing, start from close range, get through the ball and most of all relax the grip and feel that cue ball.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Brilliant, thank you so much for taking the time to respond, Barry. It was definitely this feel and timing of the shot which I noticed dramatically improved the response I got when playing backspin, so I do have an idea of what you mean and will examine and work on that using side. All the best.
There's something you can put on your head and put the go pro camera on that thing. That will give us a clear idea on how you aim the cue. I hope that will help you.
Barry, Can you do a video about tracing. (Where you apply more side as you hit cueball so that it scrapes off to the side to compensate for the Deflection).
Andrew. The cloth used on a table in the professional game is very fine and would not last very long on a club table. I don't know of any online discussion about the pros and cons of table cloths but I can tell you that the pro cloth is very fast and responsive compared to the cloth that is generally used in clubs.
Do you have any videos to display how you compensate on the object ball relative to the side you apply to the cue ball. Or could you show in future where you are wanting to hit the object ball when applying side. Thanks Barry
Danny. I have covered this aspect of applying side in my videos, please have a look. However, I would also suggest that you concentrate not so much on where you need to hit the object ball but more upon the line it is going to take and consequently the target it is going to hit.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach ...wonder what technology afforded the 'tip to tip' version of Ronnie's fastest 147 where the cue point was shown for each shot?
Kyren's right up the there but not maybe the hottest favourite to win it. I can see him potentially winning it in the next five years but probably not this year yet. There are so many fantastic players out there in brilliant form. I'd just say let's hope for another fantastic 17 days of snooker and let the best man win. Whoever wins it will have deserved it completely.
Barry I'm planning to change to a 9.8mm tip from a 9.5mm but people are saying small tips deflect less and yet I heard also bigger tips means I will hit the center more easier and can you explain why bigger tips deflect more when playing with sides but it's ironic that it's easier to hit the center with a bigger tip. Cheers
Lim. Certainly if your cue is thicker there is a tendency to throw the cue ball further off line when using side, this is more to do with the robustness of the cue than the actual size of the tip. Arguably it is easier to judge where the centre of the cue ball is with a thicker tip but most good players use a tip around 9.5mm because they can generate the necessary spins a little easier.
Hi Barry, playing snooker , I always have trouble when I put side effects on the white ball while I'm trying to pot a ball. The ball never goes how I wanted it to go. Could you make a video talking about this and positional play?
legit. I have made several videos on the use of side, what happens to the cue ball and of course what happens to the object ball, please have look, study them and then devote lots of practise to it. Don't forget that using side is complex and perhaps you are trying to run before you can walk, concentrate on centre ball striking and just use side sparingly, even pros only use it when they have to.
Hi Barry, You mentioned a different shot selection based on the type of table. Should the balls used, i.e. standard set of balls Vs 1G professional balls and also New Vs Old balls also influence the choice of shot and could you maybe do a video on this?
Andrew. There is no doubt that the new balls do respond better and as the balls age a little they do lose some of their qualities, its a bit like steel block cushions as opposed to others, the response is not quite the same and you do have to modify your game to cope. For example you will possibly not be able to screw back as far so you may have to choose another shot within the limitations of the playing conditions.
Barry can you please mention where on the object ball you are aiming when you are using side in order to pot the object ball? I can't seem to get this question answered anywhere. Thank you ......Sal : )
kyotosal. When snooker players try to pot a ball without side they play the line of the shot, unless it is an exact half ball or full ball pot they do not aim at an imaginary spot on the object ball. Granted, they will hit a certain spot but they do not aim at one, you cannot have an exact spot to aim at on a round object. This is just the same when you play with side, you play the line, the difference is that experience will teach you that the line is slightly different because of the many factors associated with playing with side and are discussed in several of my videos.
Hello Barry there isnt many videos on billiards and i was wondering if you would kindly make a video on the rules and how to play billiards i m not referring to pool by the way but usually played with three balls two whites one is usually spotted and a red but there’s also white yellow both of which are spotted and a red as i would like to learn and understand how the game is played if you know how to play it
kieran. Not so sure that people would welcome a video of me going on about my snooker history. But because of my job as a Physical Education Instructor I suppose I developed the ability to break skills down into their component parts so that I could teach sport. Once I became interested in snooker I approached it in the same manner, I watched good players and noted how they did what they did, I played people who were better than me, I wasn't interested in the ball going into the pocket, I expected that to happen, I wanted to know how they got the ball into the pocket. I gained experience through competition and practise, at least as much as my full time job allowed. Then over the years people started to ask me how I did what I did and realising I was getting too old to be a snooker player I took up coaching.
First I don't pot balls that much my break is below 15 Should I give more preference to use spin about the positional play or should I first learn to get descent break And an good advice for my snooker I wanna really improve.
shane. I believe you should concentrate on playing plain ball shots to try and improve your potting, with breaks of around only 15 you are not ready for the complexities of using side. Try a simple line up routine or an open table routine learning about top, stun and screw. Examine your cueing on the baulk line and remember that without a decent cue action you will struggle to progress, that's where it all starts. Good luck.
Hi Shane! I have just started as well i just try and pot the balls from all angles and speeds normal, and also try top, screw, and stun at times to see the effects also. I have tried a few with side and swerve but not many yet it would interesting to see what Barry has to say for us.
Hi mr stark,i loved all ur videos... is dead straight long pot practicing a best way practice straight cue action aside from cueing on a baulk line ? Thank you
lukusjolley. I have found over the years that, generally speaking, high street opticians don't really know the specialist needs of a snooker player and often get it wrong. My advise is to contact Chris Cheshire of SnookerSpecs.com. Chris is a qualified optician who is also a very good snooker player and he knows exactly what a snooker player needs. Have a look at his website and you will see the model that I wear, Chris will tell you the information he needs, such as a copy of your dad's prescription and it is dealt with on line.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks so much Barry,this is so helpful! Not sure its a good idea purchasing these though as I I may be picking the balls out of the pockets again. All the best Luke
Coach Barry Great content as usual. i wanna ask about the grip, my grip is getting better but i need to describe to you what i think i do. the thumb and forefinger lock in a ring around the cue. enforcing that lock allows the other fingers to furl and unfurl, though i like to imagine my fingers "Brushing" the cue rather than furl and unfurl since the fingers shouldn't do anything but move out of the way of the cue. but i still dont get the trigger finger video eventhough i get the concept, i just still dont find how this idea can be practically feasible. any thoughts ? thanks
Yasser. The rear fingers should always be touching the cue and close onto the cue during delivery as an aid to timing. I like a player on the back swing to feel the third finger it gives a nice feeling of control. To really feel what I mean hold the cue towards the end with the third or little finger on the very end of the cue as you play a few shots. When the balls are close together some players like to squeeze the cue forward with this third finger but it is not for everyone so be careful.
Hi Barry. Another great video, thanks! I have an unrelated question, hope you could help: what if when after a colour ball is potted (let's say pink or black) reds occupy the colour spot but also all the spots exactly below it to the very top of the table. When would the colour ball be respotted to then? Thanks id advance.
kompot86. When a coloured ball is potted and all the spots are occupied the ball will go as near to its own spot as possible and towards the top (black spot) end of the table. A good example would be if the pink cannot be spotted and there are numerous reds between the pink and black spot. The pink would still go as close as possible to its own spot, even though the intervening reds mean that it is as much as six inches or more away from its own spot.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thank you Barry. What would happen though if ALL the spots under the pink were occupied, i.e. between pink and black spot, black spot itself and also below the black. Situation probably easier to imagine if the black ball was the ball discussed. Thank you
Hi Barry, well done for the great videos. One question-When playing the pink at 6:00, due to the left hand side used, did you have to aim fuller or thinner in order to compensate for the side? Thanks!
Can someone please link me or just tell me a good cue to buy which is under £60. A lot of the cues at the club are starting to wear out and its slightly frustrating.
Not so much a question about the game, more about the reality of playing it, but decent snooker clubs are quite hard to find in my region, the few I have found are always busy. I'm happy to go down and take a thrashing (only just started playing it), you can take something from the experience, but I noticed a distinct air of annoyance toward the people who'd hired tables to practice alone whilst those waiting got steadily more drunk at the bar. Can anyone recommend anything to those who want to practice but aren't always able to get on a decent table? Pool tables are a lot easier to find but I'm not sure that the skills even translate that well, the size and size-ratio of the cue/table/balls/pockets is so different - I'm not bad at pool, but it really is a different game.
Nick Stone I suggest going and talking the the people practicing and offer to pay half the hire charges so you can watch them learn, learn from them and play a few shots as well. Flattery is a great tool.
Nick. Nice to hear that some snooker clubs are busy but annoying that there doesn't seem to be much time for beginners. Good players need to have solo practise from time to time, I would suggest you just sit and watch for a while, give the odd compliment on the play, ask for the odd piece of advice and slowly build up a rapport without being pushy. Generally people prefer to play with people they know rather than strangers so take time to become accepted and you may find that the invitation to share a table comes from them rather than you.
Kai. Make an honest assessment of your game, is your potting at fault, your positional play not up to scratch or your shot selection or all of them. Watch the pros on the television and try to predict the shot they are about to play, record some of their matches and replicate the positions on your own table. Lastly play players who are slightly better than you and learn from them.
david. The snooker balls in question are Belgian Aramith Balls and are called Aramith Tournament Champion (1G). Why not cut out the middle man and go straight to the Aramith web site.
Great video I know you are a great player as well as a coach however slightly off topic from this I ve notice there are not many videos on billiards nor books as a matter of fact billiards came before snooker and is actually played on billiards tables they are not really snooker tables ! I was wondering if you ever play billiards at all as playing billiards can also help you to become a better snooker player and there are not many videos on the rules and how to play billiards etc and I m not referring to pool there can be lots of confusion due to the fact there are many different games and types of billiards which makes it harder to find specific info as there are many variables of billiards such as bar billiards played with holes 🕳 and mushrooms 🍄 you got carom billiards which is mostly played over in France and Belgium so I am told and the table doesn’t even have pockets etc even pool is referred to as billiards hence the confusion with the difference types the one I m referring to is played on billiards table / snooker tables usually traditionally with two whites one of which is spotted and one red however nowadays they do spotted white spotted yellow and a red I guess this is to eliminate confusion as to which cue ball is yours as two whites look pretty identical and even though has a spot it’s 2 tiny spots it can easily be mistaken between the two just wondered if you play billiards perhaps could even do a video on rules and how to play billiards perhaps if you had the time to do so thanks as always with regards
Covert. I am only an average billiard player but I do have friends who may help with this and it may be an interesting topic for the channel, I will see what we can do.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank u it’s a pity that these games are going out of fashion and billiards can help you to become a better snooker player in ways so yes it would be an interesting topic it’s actually a brilliant and fun game to play both snooker and billiards are great games another game I wouldn’t mind trying is bar Billiards only ever seen a table once In my life and they are played with mushrooms not a big table and table is put up against a wall that looks fun to play and brings other skills into play such as soft shots cue ball control etc
Hi Couldn't find the answer any where else so i thought i would come here,, when i am playing snooker after a small period of time the cue begins to catch friction on my hand causing my shot to be inefficient meaning that the cue will kind of stick to my hand how do i stop this from happening?
Add a small amount of chalk dust on the part you find the most friction or just give your cue a very soft wipe down with some very fine sand paper. I have the same problem.
0000. Sounds as if you have varnish on the shaft of the cue, I hate the stuff and would very carefully remove it with fine sandpaper. Manufacturers of the more expensive cues will use oil but not varnish on the shaft. If that is not the reason then the suggestion by ticklemitrout85 should help.
Often the warmer temperature or humidity in a room will cause a your skin to sweat slightly. This can make the cue stick to your bridge hand. Some players wear a glove and I have seen one or two professional players using a glove, especially in more humid countries, e.g. SE Asia.
I use a glove as well i find the cue really glides so smooth with one as well, it is really hot in the places i play at the moment but i might even keep it on all the time.
Indranil. Sounds as if you are scooping the ball caused by rocking the cue up and down during delivery. You only need to do this slightly to cause a mis-cue or at least a bad contact. Try to keep the cue level with the table, have a slight dome on the tip shape and plenty of chalk. Put yourself on video to see if you can spot the problem.
Md. Most top players start with the cue resting against the chest, you should always remember though that when you take up your start position take the body to the cue, not the cue to the body. In other words place the cue on the line of the shot and take the body to it, otherwise you will be taking the cue off line.
Beniithung. A great man once said. "You can please some of the people all of the time, You can please all of the people some of the time. But you will never please all of the people all of the time."
Hello Mr Stark,
this is really helpful.
Only you can approach and tackle such snooker issues in the most comprehensive manner.
YOU ARE MY COACH!!!!!!
Thank you Sir for everything!!!!!
George. My pleasure George, good luck.
You're welcome Sir!!!!
That second red- cue ball straightening technique near the end was great! Very nice point about shot selection on a Pro versus Club table.
sundowner. Yes some shots that are played on pro tables become difficult on club tables and vice versa.
Hi Barry, I've just picked up a cue again for the first time in 18 years and have been watching all of your videos while trying to get back to where I was as a player and hopefully beyond! As a thank you for all of your dedication to helping myself and many others I've just become a patreon to your channel! Thanks again
Adam from King's Lynn, Norfolk
Adam. Great that you have started playing again and that you have enjoyed the videos, at least the videos are getting you motivated again and obviously I hope that they will go some way towards you gaining your past ability and beyond. I would also like to thank you for the patreon donation, it will help to offset the expenses.
Barry, between you and Stephen Hendry cue tips, I can't thank you guys enough for the tips, tricks and motivation to get me playing better, im still terrible, but nowhere near as terrible as I was 6 months ago.
My positional play seems to fall down with power. I can generally get the line right, but always seem to play the shots too firm or too soft, i rarely get it just right, im sure this is just down to practice, but so frustrated when you make a nice pot, then snooker yourself behind a ball that you're supposed to have passed or gone nowhere near. 😂
Thanks Barry for the brilliant coaching videos, they are very helpful, especially the grip videos including the 3rd finger which I didn't know about and also the 10.5" mark and 6" follow through mark on the cue, will ensure I'm getting through the ball now instead of me occasionally jabbing at the white which is my main flaw. I watched all 127 of your videos in just over a week. Very interesting to see the progress of Wesley and Selina and it'd be good to see updated videos on their progress further with your expert help. Keep up the great work. Good luck with that coaching 🙂
Tony. Many thanks, glad that you find the videos helpful.
You’re amazing! This Coaching really improves my game!!
Jason. Glad to be of help, keep up the practise.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Sincerely Wish You Healthy and Energetic all the time!
Great work Barry. Very pleased with the idea and some of the shots as examples were much needed, like for browns and pinks. Keep it up! 🙌
Syed. I will try as long as the interest is there.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach It is a very fascinating game, snooker. I don't think I'm ever gonna lose interest in learning it to perfection. (Specially from you).
Hi Barry, have been following you for quite awhile now, I am a Billiards player in Australia.. however I do sometimes play Snooker for interclub and Ive found this video a VERY helpful one indeed, a comment I did like very much was what I adopt in Billiards and that is no preferences.
Thank you once again and keep them coming when you can.
Warren. Glad that you find the videos helpful and I hope that you continue to play a little snooker, I do hold to the belief that the two games can compliment each other. Advani is testament to that.
Yes I know and have played him when he was out here.. I do play snooker though however my side selection etc is still in billiards mode (extreme) except at top of the table.. Billiards and Snooker DO compliment each other Barry, Ive told the juniors I coach Ill teach them Billiards to help them with angles for Snookers etc and visa versa.
SUPER VIDEO BARRY> It has improved my game TREMENDESTLY !!!
David. Its great to hear that someone has improved because of the videos, well done.
Just as everyone else has said... really great videos. Ive gone from making 40 something breaks to making my first 80 break last night. Thanks Barry. its all down to you! plus some smart practice from me! :)
Mac. Its always down to the player at the end of the day so well done, glad that I have been able to help a little.
80 breaks? I'm happy getting into double figures consistently.😢
nice video make a video on stop ball or stunt shot on straight ball along with this shot where should be your grip, and elbow and back swings
Mr Barry, since I started following your lessons, my skills in this game has improved significantly. Now I can beat my supervisor one in ten games. Just to mention he is kind of a pro.
Hadi. Very well done, you must be knocking in decent breaks yourself now if you are beating someone of that standard. I am very pleased that we are playing a part in your progress.
Another wonderful set of points sir!!!
Thank you kindly!
Barry sir, I have watched some of your videos which was actually helped me to improve mu game play ....thanks alot sir .....love from India 🇮🇳🇮🇳🇮🇳
Kishor. Great that you like the videos and that they are helping to improve your game. Well done.
It's really useful and helpful technics Thanks for uploading, also Thanks for Mr. Barry stark may GOD give you good health and long life.
Asif. Many thanks for your well wishes, glad that you find the videos useful.
Another good one. Thanks barry
The One-armed Snooker Player. Glad you like the video content.
Thanks a lot Barry, learnt a lot from your videos!
Greetings from Croatia!
nik. My pleasure, glad you are finding the videos helpful.
hello Mr Stark keep the good job and stay safe have a good day
Omid. I will try as long as the interest is there, many thanks for the well wishes.
Great video as always Barry thank you.
Fisher. Glad you like it.
barry , great video on isolating a skill , also found cuecam great ,regards neil
Neil. I believe it is important to take a skill away from the game, practise and hopefully perfect it then put it back into the game.
Really appreciate this video, thanks Barry. I basically get stuck in what I need to put on the cue ball in order to navigate the White so I am on the intended colour.
This is crucial when it comes to break-building. I think I remember Ronnie saying, it's more about the area than getting on a specific Red, when there's a cluster of them.
LIVERNIL. So very true, players will generally prefer to play so that they have has many options as possible. Obviously this is not always possible and they will have to play for a single ball sometime but playing for an area is often the best bet.
Thank you again for superb information and as always relevant to any player and very well explained and to the point. I have a thought on something that might make for a good subject to tackle and that is injuries incurred and how to practice through them and around them. I am currently suffering from a bone spur in my right shoulder and find that it causes problems in my practice and I am sure others have had other injuries. Injury prevention is also a potential subject worth addressing as well
Craig. Point taken. I too had a bone spur some years ago but in my case the only option was surgery to remove it.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach I understand that I am looking at the step before that and hopefully the cortisone shot will help. I will not be surprised to have to have a surgery myself. But an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure so I hope to save someone else the trouble
Thanks!! for another Great Video Barry!
Paul. My pleasure.
I am Pakistani but stark berry is best coach really I am big fan stark berry
Umer. Many thanks for the kind words, glad you like the videos.
Very informative. Thank you!
Anek. Glad you think so, many thanks.
Good video and very important shots to know. Another very relevant shot that could have been in this video is when you get a little bit too high on the last yellow. In that instance the best shot is to play it with some stun + a touch of right hand side if needed to get the cue ball swing around the green and leave the green to its own corner pocket. If you get the pace right the margin for error is pretty big and you probably won't be leaving yourself a missable green.
Erno. Good point and a shot worth practising.
Godly voice and amazing lessons 👍
Amit. Many thanks, glad you enjoy the videos.
That table is lightning quick ⚡⚡ I thought you under hit every one of those haha.
Great video.
Daniel. The cloth is now getting a little worn and has slowed down considerably, if you ever get to play on a television table you will know what I mean.
"When I was a PE instructor..."
You what? PE teacher by day, snooker pro by night. ;)
JoshL117. My job came first, snooker practise was done during my lunch break.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Barry, your videos are very helpful. As to the back pause. How long do you suggest to pause for?
Hi Barry, I've been greatly improving my potting, cue action, top and backspin etc. However as much as I try I just can't seem to be able to use much side spin. I've carefully practiced it many times, watched yours and other coaching videos for tips etc. I just find the deviation of the cueball massively affecting the potting angle and depending entirely on so many factors from the power of the shot, the distance to the object ball, the amount of side used and the table I'm playing on. I understand it's mainly down to getting used to it, but as much as I practice I just can't get used to it at all, because it varies so wildly.
Is there any kind of tips you can offer for practice, with regard to this problem beyond what you've already covered in some of your videos? How on earth does one get used to the enormous variations when using side, especially when needing to use more than just a tiny touch of side, so as to be able to actually pot the object ball accurately? It's one of the things that always amazes me, seeing professionals just get down to a shot, pot the object ball cleanly in the center of a pocket while putting massive amounts of side on the cueball to bring it back to the next object ball.
Austin. I recently put a tip on the cue of a professional player, he played one shot with it over distance and with side, immediately he knew that the tip would be no good because it threw the cue ball off line more than it should. Thankfully the next tip was okay. I mention this just to demonstrate the amount of feel good players can and do get when they play a shot, and how important this feel is particularly when playing with excessive spin on the cue ball, side being the ultimate examination of your cueing and the feel you get when playing the shot. Your problem sounds to me as if your timing is not what it should be and as a result you are having to apply too much physical effort in trying to get the desired result. If you have the opportunity to study good players, note how much reaction they get on the cue ball with what seems to be minimal effort. I am often amazed by the amount of side spin Kyren can get on the cue ball yet only appearing to hit the ball slightly off centre, this is because his ball striking and timing is very good. You have mentioned all the points that can cause excessive deviation so your knowledge is fairly good its just a matter now of working on that timing, start from close range, get through the ball and most of all relax the grip and feel that cue ball.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Brilliant, thank you so much for taking the time to respond, Barry. It was definitely this feel and timing of the shot which I noticed dramatically improved the response I got when playing backspin, so I do have an idea of what you mean and will examine and work on that using side. All the best.
I have 1 wish in my life to meet you and get couching from you. you’re the great couch ever may god bless you and your family 🙏🏻
Mahar. Thank you for your good wishes and the compliments, stay safe and good luck with your snooker.
Hi can you make training or practice schedule for amature that's want to turn to professionals THANKS.
Best described by coach
There's something you can put on your head and put the go pro camera on that thing. That will give us a clear idea on how you aim the cue. I hope that will help you.
Suggestions are always welcome. Many thanks.
Barry,
Can you do a video about tracing. (Where you apply more side as you hit cueball so that it scrapes off to the side to compensate for the Deflection).
John. I will see what I can do as time permits.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thanks. It’s something I’ve never seen on UA-cam before.
What a great video thanks sir barry love from Pakistan
bilal. My pleasure, glad you found it informative and helpful.
Wow, helpful video
Glad it was helpful!
love ya baz your'e my electronic coach!
Vadim. Glad that I am helping and that you like the videos.
Very nice. I love snooker play games ❤
Tashi. Glad that you like the game and enjoy playing.
...thank you, and wondering if there might somewhere be an online disquisition about the cloth used on 'pro' and 'club' tables...cheers,
Andrew. The cloth used on a table in the professional game is very fine and would not last very long on a club table. I don't know of any online discussion about the pros and cons of table cloths but I can tell you that the pro cloth is very fast and responsive compared to the cloth that is generally used in clubs.
Do you have any videos to display how you compensate on the object ball relative to the side you apply to the cue ball. Or could you show in future where you are wanting to hit the object ball when applying side.
Thanks Barry
Danny. I have covered this aspect of applying side in my videos, please have a look. However, I would also suggest that you concentrate not so much on where you need to hit the object ball but more upon the line it is going to take and consequently the target it is going to hit.
Thanks Barry for your input
Thanks, as always!
Barry, what if you experimented with putting a picture from the cue cam in the actual video of each corosponding shot?
Bobby. I will have to see what my camera man says, thanks for the suggestion.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach wouldn't want you to go to any trouble, but just thought that might be a nice reference. Thanks once again, Barry
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach ...wonder what technology afforded the 'tip to tip' version of Ronnie's fastest 147 where the cue point was shown for each shot?
Kyren Wilson for world champion his best over the longer matches and has unbelievable will to win
Dean. I hope you are right. He has the ability and works hard enough, time will tell.
Kyren's right up the there but not maybe the hottest favourite to win it. I can see him potentially winning it in the next five years but probably not this year yet. There are so many fantastic players out there in brilliant form. I'd just say let's hope for another fantastic 17 days of snooker and let the best man win. Whoever wins it will have deserved it completely.
Barry I'm planning to change to a 9.8mm tip from a 9.5mm but people are saying small tips deflect less and yet I heard also bigger tips means I will hit the center more easier and can you explain why bigger tips deflect more when playing with sides but it's ironic that it's easier to hit the center with a bigger tip.
Cheers
Lim. Certainly if your cue is thicker there is a tendency to throw the cue ball further off line when using side, this is more to do with the robustness of the cue than the actual size of the tip. Arguably it is easier to judge where the centre of the cue ball is with a thicker tip but most good players use a tip around 9.5mm because they can generate the necessary spins a little easier.
Hi Barry, playing snooker , I always have trouble when I put side effects on the white ball while I'm trying to pot a ball. The ball never goes how I wanted it to go. Could you make a video talking about this and positional play?
legit. I have made several videos on the use of side, what happens to the cue ball and of course what happens to the object ball, please have look, study them and then devote lots of practise to it. Don't forget that using side is complex and perhaps you are trying to run before you can walk, concentrate on centre ball striking and just use side sparingly, even pros only use it when they have to.
Hi Barry, you could have used the headcam to show how you hit the Ball
Marc. You are right but we are having problems with it.
Nice bonding lbow next to a hole to a hole in one style does da trick bump in 4 me.
Oh yeah!
Thx coach 🎯
lion. My pleasure.
Hi Barry,
You mentioned a different shot selection based on the type of table. Should the balls used, i.e. standard set of balls Vs 1G professional balls and also New Vs Old balls also influence the choice of shot and could you maybe do a video on this?
Andrew. There is no doubt that the new balls do respond better and as the balls age a little they do lose some of their qualities, its a bit like steel block cushions as opposed to others, the response is not quite the same and you do have to modify your game to cope. For example you will possibly not be able to screw back as far so you may have to choose another shot within the limitations of the playing conditions.
Barry can you please mention where on the object ball you are aiming when you are using side in order to pot the object ball? I can't seem to get this question answered anywhere. Thank you ......Sal : )
kyotosal. When snooker players try to pot a ball without side they play the line of the shot, unless it is an exact half ball or full ball pot they do not aim at an imaginary spot on the object ball. Granted, they will hit a certain spot but they do not aim at one, you cannot have an exact spot to aim at on a round object. This is just the same when you play with side, you play the line, the difference is that experience will teach you that the line is slightly different because of the many factors associated with playing with side and are discussed in several of my videos.
Ok, thank you so much Barry.......Sal : )
Thank You Sir.❤️💯
sk. My pleasure.
Hello Barry there isnt many videos on billiards and i was wondering if you would kindly make a video on the rules and how to play billiards i m not referring to pool by the way but usually played with three balls two whites one is usually spotted and a red but there’s also white yellow both of which are spotted and a red as i would like to learn and understand how the game is played if you know how to play it
Covert. I am only an average billiard player but there are plenty of good tutorials about billiards on UA-cam, please have a look.
Hi Mr Stark. Could you do a video on how you came about to be such a talented and wise snooker player? That would be very interesting to me
kieran. Not so sure that people would welcome a video of me going on about my snooker history. But because of my job as a Physical Education Instructor I suppose I developed the ability to break skills down into their component parts so that I could teach sport. Once I became interested in snooker I approached it in the same manner, I watched good players and noted how they did what they did, I played people who were better than me, I wasn't interested in the ball going into the pocket, I expected that to happen, I wanted to know how they got the ball into the pocket. I gained experience through competition and practise, at least as much as my full time job allowed. Then over the years people started to ask me how I did what I did and realising I was getting too old to be a snooker player I took up coaching.
Mr. Stark positional practice part 2 please sir
Elarabi. As time and commitments allow, I will see what I can do.
First I don't pot balls that much my break is below 15
Should I give more preference to use spin about the positional play or should I first learn to get descent break
And an good advice for my snooker I wanna really improve.
shane. I believe you should concentrate on playing plain ball shots to try and improve your potting, with breaks of around only 15 you are not ready for the complexities of using side. Try a simple line up routine or an open table routine learning about top, stun and screw. Examine your cueing on the baulk line and remember that without a decent cue action you will struggle to progress, that's where it all starts. Good luck.
Hi Shane! I have just started as well i just try and pot the balls from all angles and speeds normal, and also try top, screw, and stun at times to see the effects also.
I have tried a few with side and swerve but not many yet it would interesting to see what Barry has to say for us.
Nice couching
Nazir. Many thanks.
Hi Barry, you havn't received your new cue? Are you going to make a video? Thanks
Isaac. Beginning to look as if my new cue is not going to be made.
Hi mr stark,i loved all ur videos... is dead straight long pot practicing a best way practice straight cue action aside from cueing on a baulk line ? Thank you
Voker. The two practises are vital to aid better cueing, keep checking that cue action and keep practising the two skills you mention. Good luck.
Are they special glasses you wear Barry?looking to get some for my dad,great videos by the way!
Thanks
lukusjolley. I have found over the years that, generally speaking, high street opticians don't really know the specialist needs of a snooker player and often get it wrong. My advise is to contact Chris Cheshire of SnookerSpecs.com. Chris is a qualified optician who is also a very good snooker player and he knows exactly what a snooker player needs. Have a look at his website and you will see the model that I wear, Chris will tell you the information he needs, such as a copy of your dad's prescription and it is dealt with on line.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach
Thanks so much Barry,this is so helpful!
Not sure its a good idea purchasing these though as I I may be picking the balls out of the pockets again.
All the best
Luke
Coach Barry
Great content as usual. i wanna ask about the grip, my grip is getting better but i need to describe to you what i think i do. the thumb and forefinger lock in a ring around the cue. enforcing that lock allows the other fingers to furl and unfurl, though i like to imagine my fingers "Brushing" the cue rather than furl and unfurl since the fingers shouldn't do anything but move out of the way of the cue. but i still dont get the trigger finger video eventhough i get the concept, i just still dont find how this idea can be practically feasible. any thoughts ? thanks
Yasser. The rear fingers should always be touching the cue and close onto the cue during delivery as an aid to timing. I like a player on the back swing to feel the third finger it gives a nice feeling of control. To really feel what I mean hold the cue towards the end with the third or little finger on the very end of the cue as you play a few shots. When the balls are close together some players like to squeeze the cue forward with this third finger but it is not for everyone so be careful.
Thank you
Lafaele. My pleasure.
Hi Barry. Another great video, thanks! I have an unrelated question, hope you could help: what if when after a colour ball is potted (let's say pink or black) reds occupy the colour spot but also all the spots exactly below it to the very top of the table. When would the colour ball be respotted to then? Thanks id advance.
kompot86. When a coloured ball is potted and all the spots are occupied the ball will go as near to its own spot as possible and towards the top (black spot) end of the table. A good example would be if the pink cannot be spotted and there are numerous reds between the pink and black spot. The pink would still go as close as possible to its own spot, even though the intervening reds mean that it is as much as six inches or more away from its own spot.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thank you Barry. What would happen though if ALL the spots under the pink were occupied, i.e. between pink and black spot, black spot itself and also below the black. Situation probably easier to imagine if the black ball was the ball discussed. Thank you
I blinked and missed him pot the green ..😳
Hi Barry, well done for the great videos. One question-When playing the pink at 6:00, due to the left hand side used, did you have to aim fuller or thinner in order to compensate for the side? Thanks!
Chris. Because the cue ball was being pushed to the right as a result of the left hand side I had to aim to hit the pink a little thicker.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Thanks!
Can someone please link me or just tell me a good cue to buy which is under £60. A lot of the cues at the club are starting to wear out and its slightly frustrating.
Armando Neziri powerglide have some cheap and cheerful options
Brad k thank you. I had a look and they have some great offers
Not so much a question about the game, more about the reality of playing it, but decent snooker clubs are quite hard to find in my region, the few I have found are always busy. I'm happy to go down and take a thrashing (only just started playing it), you can take something from the experience, but I noticed a distinct air of annoyance toward the people who'd hired tables to practice alone whilst those waiting got steadily more drunk at the bar. Can anyone recommend anything to those who want to practice but aren't always able to get on a decent table? Pool tables are a lot easier to find but I'm not sure that the skills even translate that well, the size and size-ratio of the cue/table/balls/pockets is so different - I'm not bad at pool, but it really is a different game.
Nick Stone I suggest going and talking the the people practicing and offer to pay half the hire charges so you can watch them learn, learn from them and play a few shots as well. Flattery is a great tool.
Nick. Nice to hear that some snooker clubs are busy but annoying that there doesn't seem to be much time for beginners. Good players need to have solo practise from time to time, I would suggest you just sit and watch for a while, give the odd compliment on the play, ask for the odd piece of advice and slowly build up a rapport without being pushy. Generally people prefer to play with people they know rather than strangers so take time to become accepted and you may find that the invitation to share a table comes from them rather than you.
Thank you Sir..😎❤
Douglas. My pleasure.
Long time no seen🤩
jaafar. Sorry, been very busy.
Barry if you only have restricted solo practice time which three practice routines would you recommend for most benefit?
Cheers
Mike
Mike. The line up would be a priority, then any practise that included a lot of use of the top cushion, lastly some long potting practise.
God bless you
Umer. Many thanks once more.
How can I improve my big breaks?
Kai. Make an honest assessment of your game, is your potting at fault, your positional play not up to scratch or your shot selection or all of them. Watch the pros on the television and try to predict the shot they are about to play, record some of their matches and replicate the positions on your own table. Lastly play players who are slightly better than you and learn from them.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Thank you Barry!
HI BARRY JUST WONDERING WHAT SNOOKER BALLS THE PROFESSIONALS USE AND WHERE CAN I PURCHASE A SET?
david. The snooker balls in question are Belgian Aramith Balls and are called Aramith Tournament Champion (1G). Why not cut out the middle man and go straight to the Aramith web site.
THANKS BARRY I SHALL TRY THAT , THE SNOOKER BALLS WE USE AT OUR LEGION IN ONTARIO CANADA ARE GETTING OLD.
Hi Barry hope your well? do you still do snooker coaching lessons?
Jamie. Sorry. Due to family and other commitments I struggle to fit coaching in.
Ok Barry sorry to hear about that keep up the good work on your videos 👍🏼
Great video I know you are a great player as well as a coach however slightly off topic from this I ve notice there are not many videos on billiards nor books as a matter of fact billiards came before snooker and is actually played on billiards tables they are not really snooker tables !
I was wondering if you ever play billiards at all as playing billiards can also help you to become a better snooker player and there are not many videos on the rules and how to play billiards etc and I m not referring to pool there can be lots of confusion due to the fact there are many different games and types of billiards which makes it harder to find specific info as there are many variables of billiards such as bar billiards played with holes 🕳 and mushrooms 🍄 you got carom billiards which is mostly played over in France and Belgium so I am told and the table doesn’t even have pockets etc even pool is referred to as billiards hence the confusion with the difference types the one I m referring to is played on billiards table / snooker tables usually traditionally with two whites one of which is spotted and one red however nowadays they do spotted white spotted yellow and a red I guess this is to eliminate confusion as to which cue ball is yours as two whites look pretty identical and even though has a spot it’s 2 tiny spots it can easily be mistaken between the two just wondered if you play billiards perhaps could even do a video on rules and how to play billiards perhaps if you had the time to do so thanks as always with regards
Covert. I am only an average billiard player but I do have friends who may help with this and it may be an interesting topic for the channel, I will see what we can do.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach thank u it’s a pity that these games are going out of fashion and billiards can help you to become a better snooker player in ways so yes it would be an interesting topic it’s actually a brilliant and fun game to play both snooker and billiards are great games another game I wouldn’t mind trying is bar Billiards only ever seen a table once In my life and they are played with mushrooms not a big table and table is put up against a wall that looks fun to play and brings other skills into play such as soft shots cue ball control etc
Hi Mr. Barry. I would like to know what size is the room you have this table set in?
Jamal. I will have to measure it sometime for you.
How much are you per hour and how could I book a lesson?
Harry. Sorry but family issues and other commitments prevent me from doing as much coaching as I would like.
Hi Couldn't find the answer any where else so i thought i would come here,, when i am playing snooker after a small period of time the cue begins to catch friction on my hand causing my shot to be inefficient meaning that the cue will kind of stick to my hand how do i stop this from happening?
Add a small amount of chalk dust on the part you find the most friction or just give your cue a very soft wipe down with some very fine sand paper. I have the same problem.
@@ticklemitrout85 Thank you, i will give this a go. :)
0000. Sounds as if you have varnish on the shaft of the cue, I hate the stuff and would very carefully remove it with fine sandpaper. Manufacturers of the more expensive cues will use oil but not varnish on the shaft. If that is not the reason then the suggestion by ticklemitrout85 should help.
Often the warmer temperature or humidity in a room will cause a your skin to sweat slightly. This can make the cue stick to your bridge hand. Some players wear a glove and I have seen one or two professional players using a glove, especially in more humid countries, e.g. SE Asia.
I use a glove as well i find the cue really glides so smooth with one as well, it is really hot in the places i play at the moment but i might even keep it on all the time.
B short and precise
While I am playing a screw shot the cue ball bounces off the table, a sort of miss cue. Can I have some advice?
Indranil. Sounds as if you are scooping the ball caused by rocking the cue up and down during delivery. You only need to do this slightly to cause a mis-cue or at least a bad contact. Try to keep the cue level with the table, have a slight dome on the tip shape and plenty of chalk. Put yourself on video to see if you can spot the problem.
Barry Stark Snooker Coach Sir I dont think I followed you fully. Will you please elaborate?
Hello Mr stark,
I wanted to ask you that is it good to touch the cue with the chest while aiming?
Md. Most top players start with the cue resting against the chest, you should always remember though that when you take up your start position take the body to the cue, not the cue to the body. In other words place the cue on the line of the shot and take the body to it, otherwise you will be taking the cue off line.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach Please also help me in how to look at the potting of the object ball and play the shot.
I love football.. And biliard 😍😍
Abdelkader. You and me both.
Where are you from please tell me?
Tandon. Nottinghamshire, England.
Can I do private class with you?
William. I am sorry but due to Covid I can't even get on a table myself at the moment.
@@BarryStarkSnookerCoach thank you, I understand, I'm a really fan yours, maybe one day! Take care
Practically
Nyx
❤
Who let the duck in @11:30 & @12:37 & @12:46
You are funny.
Carol. My wife says exactly the same.
Banhianinho de Mauá the best of brazil
😁😁😁😂
U talk too much
Beniithung. A great man once said. "You can please some of the people all of the time, You can please all of the people some of the time. But you will never please all of the people all of the time."