Is The Break-Off Shot As Effective As It Can Be?

The break-off shot in snooker hasn’t really evolved too much over the decades, leading us to believe that the figure-eight starter played by professionals is the best way to lead a match from a breaking player’s point of view. Is this the most effective way to break-off the start of a match and why aren’t other methods as successful?

For example, why don’t players shoot thinly off the back corner reds with minimal side and allow the cue ball to bounce off the bottom and side cushion rather than swing around the table utilising 3-4 cushions? The main reason for this is while it can sometimes result in the same outcome of wanting the cue ball to end up on the top cushion, there is a fairly decent chance the cue ball will career into a baulk colour.

The nature of this kind of shot will still pull a red or two into pottable positions so if a player did end up cannoning into a baulk colour then they will leave chances for their opponent. As snooker is quite a ‘percentage game’ where competitors like to play shots that they are likely to execute, some shots will be seen as too risky to try. This type of break-off shot can be seen as one of those shots that has a high chance of causing more problems for them rather than their opponent.

Other break-off shots that aren’t played (for obvious reasons) include smashing into the pack (from any direction), similar to pool. Due to the length of the table, size of the pockets and colours acting as obstacles, it is a very slim possibility that a red will be potted. And in the highly likely scenario that nothing is potted then you have left the entire world for your opponent. This kinds of breaks have happened in competition on rare occasions (search ‘unorthodox break shots’ on YouTube) with one instance including Neil Robertson fluking a red off one of these breaks.

What about resting in the pack? Well, it would be a bit of a waste of a shot. If a player rolled the cue ball into the pack as their break-off shot, they are completely forfeiting the safety advantage – which the break-off shot should be considered as – as well as playing a negative shot. Any time you leave an opponent with a shot that allows them to play up the table back to baulk from the bottom half gives them the opportunity to put you in trouble, as they don’t have to worry too much about pace as they would a full length safety shot from the top.

So it seems that we have the figure-eight break-off shot. Sometimes, if you play the figure-eight a little harder, it can bounce off the top cushion and lead to a snooker behind a baulk colour. Wouldn’t that be better? Again, it comes down to percentage shots. And it isn’t a guaranteed shot. In a substantial portion of shots played like this, the cue ball has a chance of running past the baulk colours completely and once again, leaving a pot on for their opponent.

Why is the figure-eight so effective? Firstly, it’s a shot that can be consistently played by professionals with a minimised chance of error that would be caused by alternative shots. Secondly, this minimised chance of error/cannoning means that maximum distance can be achieved between cue ball and object ball(s). Thirdly, this break-off shot can open up the pack sufficiently while still playing safe. There might be a better break-off shot out there; but is hasn’t been discovered yet.

It’s unlikely that the break-off shot was always like this. Playing conditions and equipment have changed drastically over time so that it probably wouldn’t allow for a break-off shot like this to have been done. However, this can’t be said with any certainty due to lack of footage but there are clips of Joe Davis breaking off in a manner that just used the bottom and side cushion.

What do you think? Is the break-off shot as good as it can be?

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Best Snooker Counter Clearance of All Time?

This will be highly subjective as I’m sure a majority would select between Alex Higgins’ 69 break, one of Stephen Hendry’s many counter attacks or most recently, Judd Trumps’ spectacular 70 at the Players semi-final. However, personally, I find that this counter clearance had the perfect balance of pressure, shots, atmosphere and a player in top form, which I find myself re-watching time and time again.

Firstly, allow me to tell you my definition of a counter clearance. For my consideration, it is when a player has made a substantial break to the frame and his opponent is required to pot the rest of the balls to steal (likely from an unfavourable position, but not necessarily). This counter clearance must be a one-visit contribution.

If you haven’t garnered from the thumbnail already, in my opinion the best counter clearance of all time was Ronnie O’Sullivan’s 73 break against Mark Selby in the 2016 Masters quarter-finals. O’Sullivan was 5-3 up and Selby had just made a 70 break consisting of pinks and blacks meaning there were still 6 reds on the table with a possible 75 remaining. This included an extremely impressive ‘get out of jail’ double to keep his break going. Very rarely can players actually clear a table with this many points left in one visit due to the amount of work involved. Enter O’Sullivan.

Though it wasn’t immediately after Selby’s misjudged cannon, after a good safety from O’Sullivan with a poor follow up by his opponent, the table was set. Now, it wasn’t the most adverse table; there weren’t any balls on the cushion however, the blue was up in baulk and the reds were relatively close to each other to cause concern.

Shot 1. Definitely one of the best of the whole break. When your opponent has just made a 70 break, it’s fair that a player would feel resigned in that frame and chances to win it are unlikely. Granted, not impossible, and there was clearly enough on the table. However, O’Sullivan was probably preparing himself for the patented Selby comeback, and taking on this first shot of the counter would be a shot-to-nothing. So, he put everything into that shot, including possible position. Because there was no reason not to. Miss it; he moves to the next frame with a 5-4 lead. Sink it; let’s see how far we can make it. And it couldn’t have worked out any better.

The reason his first shot was immaculate was because of the cannon he had to get from it. Miss the cannon on the red left of the pink, and he likely would have been left with a significantly harder colour and who knows what the break would have been. But he got the cannon, knocking the red closer to the cushion and was perfect on the pink. Also, the shot didn’t touch the jaws. Not even close. If the pockets were half the size, it still would have been the perfect pot. You know what, I’m changing my mind as I’m writing this. This was the best shot of the break.

And the rest of the break was masterfully manoeuvred. Like a grandmaster moving his pieces on a chessboard while backed into a corner. O’Sullivan demonstrating his cool skill and demeanour as if he wasn’t 70 behind and required every single ball with high value colour to win the frame and match. He was able to position the cue ball so he could access the reds he needed to pot and by doing so, he was making the other reds available.

A few other key shots that were a treat to watch included a steep black to right middle and a tricky red along the cushion down to bottom left. Two shots that I thought were even more thrilling was the brown he had to pot and go all around the table to get to the blue up in baulk; and then the blue itself. What I enjoyed about the blue was that O’Sullivan could pot it to either right centre or corner due to where he landed. I reckon the easier shot would have been to right corner but for the sake of landing on the pink, O’Sullivan took the blue to right centre perfectly as he cleared up pink and black to win with a 73 break. He continued on to win the Masters that year.

One of the most extraordinary feats of this counter clearance was that it only took O’Sullivan around 5 minutes to do this. Any other player would have taken at least double this time as they would undoubtedly spend more time thinking per shot. Even more impressively was the ease at which O’Sullivan accomplished this. It’s universally agreed that no one makes snooker look easier than O’Sullivan and this break was a prime example. There were so many tricky shots throughout the counter which most players would have broken down on but O’Sullivan potted as if they were hanging over the pockets.

All coupled with the fantastic crowd support as the break was being strung together as well as astonishment in the commentary box as O’Sullivan just kept potting. Dennis Taylor’s words will always echo in memory when thinking of this break: ‘surely Mark Selby can’t make a 70 break and lose the frame…’ And I’m sure many remember the camera pan to Selby’s face as O’Sullivan potted the yellow. I honestly don’t think a single other player past or present would have been able to complete that counter clearance in the way that O’Sullivan did.

If you haven’t watched this break, click here to be redirected to YouTube and watch what I consider the best counter clearance of all time.

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The Importance of Snooker Cues

Much like the clubs a golfer uses, the racket a tennis player wields or even the shoes a runner wears, these performers rarely ever swap out their equipment when they’ve found something that they are comfortable with and serves them well. Snooker players take things to the next level as they generally use one or two cues throughout the course of their multi-decade long careers. Why is this the case?

Similar to the aforementioned sports but perhaps more importantly, the snooker cue is an extension of a players arm. And in a sport such as snooker which relies heavily on precision and technique, it is paramount that players use a cue that enables them to perform the shots that they require. Since snooker cues are made with sturdy materials and construction that allow them to last a significant period of time, it’s understandable that players rely on these pieces for this length of time and prefer not to change it unless necessary.

Dominic Dale discussed in an interview once about the importance of snooker cues and how professionals often use the same cue for their whole careers. Dale stated when players use their own cues that they are familiar with, they can envisage exactly how they want the cue ball to move, particularly when applying spin and playing over distance.

If a player were to frequently change cues they wouldn’t be able to play consistently due to the factors that can affect it such as the tip size/type, weight of the cue and the material used for construction. Obviously, professionals will still be able to pot a ball with any cue however, at the top level they will need to be able to play precise positional shots which they can only comfortably perform with a cue that they have been consistently using. It is common knowledge how Stephen Hendry used a ‘cheap’, off-the-shelf cue for the majority of his career. Other players would have detested at using this cue but Hendry’s familiarity with it was one of his fundamentals that led him to win the 1990s.

Most people will have driven their cars for a long length of time and will have gotten used to the nuances and quirks that come with the car. If you were to change car, you wouldn’t be able to do exactly what you were able to in your former vehicle, as you would have to get used to the characteristics and experience of this new drive.

One of the most noticeable differences between various snooker cues can be their weight. If a player were to experiment with a cue of a differing weight or centre of gravity, this can affect their strike and possibly even slip out of their hand on occasion. It can also lead to deflecting the cue ball a little more or less than the player would prefer.

It’s quite simple at the end of the day. Professional snooker players rely on their cues being able to perform the shots they need and they are in the best position to do this by using the cue that they are always practicing with. Since the cue is an extension of their playing arm, professionals would shy away from experimenting with multiple cues as they need things to be second nature when competing. Given the frequency of tournaments in a season, there wouldn’t be enough time for player to get used to a new cue and would add to the mental pressure that the game already comes with.

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Are There Any Weaknesses in Judd Trump’s Game?

The World Champion and undisputed No. 1 at the moment, Judd Trump has displayed a formidable streak in form and trophies through the 2019/20 season. What may have been considered by some as a lucky run has quickly been struck off as we are witness to one of the, if not, the most dominant performances in a single season by any player.

Since the Northern Ireland Open in 2018, Trump has won 9 ranking titles as well as the Masters, as he completed the Triple Crown and won more ranking events in a single season than any other player. He closed out the decade in emphatic fashion as we turn a new year and perhaps a new era. But what parts of Trump’s game can this spell be attributed to? And has he now become the complete player without any weakness?

It’s actually a combination of a few things. Firstly, his long potting has dramatically improved from what it once was. Formerly, his long pots could be thought of as erratic attempts with slim chances of success; but this has now developed into a form more consistent and accurate. Even when he’s against the rail, it doesn’t seem to add further difficulty to the long pot. And when opponents are trying to play safe against Trump, there doesn’t seem to be a safe place on the table.

This leads to my second point which is his ability to convert long pots into one-visit contributions. There isn’t a single player right now that does one-visit as truly as Trump does. As soon as he pots that first red and is in a reasonable position, it’s a safe bet to assume that the next frame will follow shortly after. Something which takes every other player two or three visits to clinch, Trump can do regularly with his exemplary potting; as evident by his century tally.

Furthermore, Trump’s safety game has seen a significant step-up. Under the circumstances where there isn’t a pottable ball on the table, Trump is able to put his opponents in tremendous trouble under the cushion, utilising his creativity as well as experience. This goes hand-in-hand with another point I wanted to acknowledge in that Trump’s snooker IQ has made some leaps. I’m not saying that it wasn’t apparent previously, but this is particularly noticed in his improved shot selection, patience, ability to visualise/place the cue ball where he needs to and aptitude for picking out plants in a pack. Definitely worth mentioning.

Lastly, temperament is something that’s always come into question when looking at Trump’s ability. It’s safe to say that even the best of the best fell under the spotlight on some occasions, so there will always be instances where Trump would succumb to this, even with his position at the top. However, it is unreasonable to say that Trump lacks temperament or bottle anymore as he has been able to hold his nerve against the best players on multiple occasions. The prime example would be to observe his semi-final performance against Maguire in the Players Championship as Trump made one of the best pressure counter-clearance for the past few seasons.

So by the sounds of it, Trump’s game pretty much perfect, right? Almost. Unfortunately, nothing is quite perfect. While Trump’s one-visit game is substantial, his break-building and cue ball control isn’t quite where it should be. More often than not, he is finding himself having to pot out of situations in order to keep a break going. If he had more of an O’Sullivan or Ding touch then his life on the table would be significantly easier.

Also, Trump needs to keep a level head. He’s been a terrific champion and ambassador for the sport thus far, so there’s no complaints there. But he needs to not let the confidence get to his head. Trump will understand that he still has work to do, namely when it comes to winning more majors and keeping the streak going. This can only happen if he continues as he is and not get complacent.

As it stands, Trump has the fear factor that can be associated with O’Sullivan in that his opponents are aware any mistake they make on the table may be their last. Trump has made a multitude of tweaks to his game which have synergised into a nightmare for others on the snooker table. There isn’t anyone close at the moment, but will someone be able to step up, or will Trump’s game have to fall incredulously before he receives competition?

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