Feb 09 2009

I like to keep a record of my practice.
I have been practicing snooker since May 2007. I used to practice about 4-6 hours a day the first 6 months I started. But I am now a bit cut down.
I had my first 64 run after about 3 months of practicing like crazy. I had some 40+ before that and then it just happened. I had a 82 around Dec, 2008, which is my highest run in match play. I had clear up a table with random placing of balls during practice. That felt really good. It was my first century. I had cleared 13 reds once, but my opponent did not keep track of my score, that happened around Oct, 2007.
I had some 60+ and such during practice.
Last month I had a 62, table clearance, then one game later, I had a 49.
On Sat, I played D for some practice, and I made a 41.
My short term goal is to make consistent 40's and 50's.
My problem is to find a good rhythm for myself so I can produce the form I am able to produce in my practice during an important match.
I now go practice with S every Thursday and that really helped my game.
I need to go back into practice at least 4 hours a day by myself, but money and time wise I cannot really do that now. I used to when I first started and that showed in my fast progress.
My practice usually begins with potting the blue into the corner 10 into each pocket, then I will pot the pink into the baulk pocket again 10 into each pocket. Then some long potting of red from baulk.
After that, it is my potting angle practice which included potting the pink, black, and blue from all angles. It allows me to practice my thick and thin cuts into both side and corner pockets.
By the time I am done, I will take a break as it usually will take up about 2 hours or a bit more.
Then I will do my positioning drills around the black, pink, blue and colors. That can take as many hours as I want to really.
e.g. Line-up, and different set up of reds around the black can take over 2 hours. Then all reds with pinks with the reds forming a cross around the pink. 4 reds on each side of pink to get on the blue, 4 reds along the blue for blue, potting a baulk colors and then the black and then another baulk and so on...
I also like to target on some weakness and just shoot them until I can figure them out. Potting with the rest is also something I have just started practicing.
I like to participate in the Canadian Snooker Championship. It is going to be expensive, and I need to win a qualifier, but I really would like to try.
I practice on several different tables--a Riley steel block Aristocrat, a Brunswick, and a very old B and W. The Riley is the best but also the most expensive; the Brunswick is where I made most of my runs, and it is the slowest and most forgiving; the B&W is fast, but a bit different, with regular sized pocket. I also made some 40s and 60s there.