Just One Frame

Just One Frame

Just One Frame... is a unique, easy-to-use snooker manual designed to help you become a better player. It is more than your average snooker book as it teaches you to become your own snooker coach. It is your complete guide from learning to play to correcting your specific faults. The book encourages you to look at the game in a different way. It is aimed at snooker players who already know how to play but would like to develop their skills and play to their full potential. Just One Frame... can help you to develop your cue skills enabling you to pot more balls and master cue ball control.

• Full of helpful tips & colour illustrations!

Author's Note...

The intention behind Just One Frame... is to offer a personal and practical insight into the game of snooker. It is not intended to be a definitive guide to the sport, merely the views of an enthusiast like many of you who are reading this. To receive the full benefit of this practical book, I believe it is essential that you try out some, if not all, of the practice routines explained later. Just One Frame... shows that a little understanding, coupled with practice and perseverance, will increase your enjoyment of the game not only in playing but also in watching.

1. The Concept...

Around the world, the game of snooker is thriving and being played by people of all ages and skill. It has become one of the most popular indoor sports. Just One Frame... is targeted at the amateur player, the majority of whom play the game simply because they enjoy it. This book is here to highlight my views on the game for those who have a basic knowledge of snooker and would like to become more consistent.

As I am sure you can appreciate, it is practically impossible to see your own faults, however obvious they might be to a spectator but Just One Frame... will show the areas of your game that may need improvement. Compiling Just One Frame... has helped me to understand why I love snooker so much. The challenges of the game, particularly when you are not playing well, can appear daunting. Simple pots you always used to sink, seem to be missed with alarming regularity and it can be very difficult to pinpoint the cause.

2. Back To Basics...

Just One Frame... contains a number of routines which are all designed to help you to :

• Strike the cue ball precisely.
• Pot the object ball consistently.
• Achieve more accurate cue ball positioning.

This book will guide you through different methods of achieving each of these skills. Snooker, indeed all cue sports, becomes much easier when you have the ability to hit the white not only at the correct point but in the right direction with the desired speed.

3. See The Line...

Establishing your possible fault tendency is only half the battle - now you have to try and correct it! Assuming that The Black Off The Spot... highlighted a recurring fault, I will attempt to show you how correct such a fault.

4. Sharpen Your Technique...

This section closely analyses the merits of an improved snooker technique. Until now Just One Frame... has focused on aspects of striking the cue ball and potting the object ball. Without a polished technical action however, much of this information cannot be employed to best effect.

It makes no difference whether you adopt a traditional or modern technique providing you have a consistent cue action that delivers the cue along a perfectly straight path. Most of the game's great players have developed a cue action that is particular to them and this gives them the confidence to play consistently well. This confidence only comes from a complete understanding of their own technique and many hours of dedicated practice.

5. Playing For Position...

Whilst potting is snooker's most important aspect, there is of course much more to the game than that. Mastering cue ball control is vital to accelerating your snooker progress. Up until now Just One Frame... has mainly concentrated on striking the cue ball, potting the object ball and technique, with a little emphasis on positional play. Accurate cue ball control can only be appreciated through practice and if you are serious about improving, you must learn how to pot balls and maintain control of the white. Hopefully Just One Frame... will show you that with better cue ball control you can predict and achieve the positional outcome of the white more successfully.

6. Practice Makes Perfect...

PRACTICE IS VITAL!

It is fairly safe to say that without practice you will never achieve any great level of consistency. The right sort of practice, coupled with a knowledge of how to eradicate your faults can make you a much better player than any amount of practice without the same understanding. This type of practice is what I refer to as "purposeful practice".

I suggest that you should practice some or all of the routines in Just One Frame... with a playing partner who will be able to assist you. In addition it is worth making the effort occasionally to practice on your own as this can be extremely productive in identifying your strengths and weaknesses. Your Snooker Targets Card (STC) will help you to establish the areas that need further attention whilst also setting different targets.

7. More Than A Game...

I hope you have managed to make time to practice the Just One Frame... routines and as a result, have increased your understanding of the game. However the purpose of this practice is to help you become a better player during matches. This section explores some of the aspects of successful matchplay such as "The Experience Factor..."

How many times have you said or heard:

"I'm fine in practice but when it comes to a match I just seem to go to pieces!"

It is important to remember that snooker does not change just because you are playing a match as opposed to a friendly frame. I have seen many good players pot balls from all angles during practice only to see them fail miserably when it comes to playing a match. How you cope with the pressure of competition is something you have to learn from experience. Although every frame of snooker is different, you will find yourself in familiar situations and it is what you have learnt from these experiences that may give you the edge on your opponent.

It is important to remember that snooker does not change just because you are playing a match as opposed to a friendly frame. Learning to appreciate the balance between playing as if it means everything on one hand and nothing on the other is important for anyone who wants to play competitively. Part of "The Experience Factor" is made up of how you adjust to the table, the surroundings and your opponent.