Snooker Aiming SECRETS REVEALED!

[@Delphiwizard]

Of all (almost 200) videos you made this one certainly belongs in the top 5, awesome video mate.

[@tmlmusic5367]

This is the best video on snooker aiming. All of the techniques and gimmicks for aiming are there as a kind of introduction to how angles work, and they work in a very rough way for beginners, but they will never be precise or repeatable on every shot. Feel for the angle is what needs to be developed, and what allows players to play fluidly, without spending 5 minutes on every shot trying to work out where the "ghost ball" should go.

[@BartonSnooker]

Thank you!

[@end-game2030]

Great honest video yet again. When I'm playing regularly, this is exactly the same method I end up doing, feeling the angles. When it's been a while, I revert back to ghost ball for, and when my rhythm is back, I go back unknowingly into feeling the angles again.

[@redblade8160]

UnicornStar80. But do you pot the balls or do you miss most shots?

[@redblade8160]

@@end-game2030 And what's your handicap?

[@petebillingham3597]

Great video! Love the phrase ‘micro-adjusting’. Thank you for all you do to help us all to improve & enjoy this game even more.

[@sheikebrahimsheikismail]

A very simple , yet masterful audio-visual coaching clip on the essence of the game of Snooker, aiming!

[@philbateson7966]

Thanks so much for spending time to do these tutorials - they really DO help. 😊

[@stephenbirds5169]

Thanks very much Steve, great video. I played against Nigel Bond 100,s of times when I was first starting. I,m 60 now and just starting to play again with my 16yr son . I wish we had access to your channel in those days. Bondy was ace, I wouldnt say natural but properly coached. Thanks again. Steve Birds

[@amirnor9880]

This is one of the most practical lessons about aiming. Thanks a million for such valuable lessons. Make a video also about "tip" formation please as it has a high impact on pot success rate.

[@redblade8160]

Amir Nor. Here is a tip for you. Link below: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i4iVe5Jmm6usp6M

[@Derek_1111]

The problem with beginners and cut shots is that often they aren't delivering a straight cue anyways. So even if they are aiming correctly they still miss the shot due to unintended side spin. Which will lead them to believe their aiming is wrong when their aiming may have been correct but they just aren't delivering a straight cue. Beginners shouldn't even progress to cut shots until they are very consistent at straight in stop shots. After that the method that he describes in this video I believe is the best method for aiming. With cut shots you're just putting in repetition until your brain recognizes the shot line to make that particular shot. Best way to do this is a set-up one particular cut shot and shoot only that shot over and over until you can't miss. That locks that particular angle into your brain. You continue to do this with different cut angles. Overtime your brain will recognize the differences between each degree of angle and you will be able to see the shot line. And this is not even taking in consideration shots requiring left and right spin. But shots using left and right spin are just more shot pictures that your brain will recognize and know how to line up over time as well.

[@adamf1347]

This is actually working for me! Thank you. I like the aiming of the shot standing up. My accuracy has improved so much for most shots now. And if I miss, it's only by a little. Happy with that, getting to feel comfortable with more and more angles... more practice!

[@luissantiago1832]

Thank you for great instruction on shooting the object ball ! The best video yet!

[@taff6987]

One small but important tip that really changed my game is the pause in the last backstroke! In that last pause you can give yourself a millisecond to microadjust the shot with your eyes only on the object ball! I went through a stage of my eyes going bonkers and looking at the white for a split second as I was addressing the shot then only looking at the object ball for the rest of the shot. This literally played havoc with my game and I was all over the shop. To rectify this and start potting more consistently again I incorporated a slight pause in my backstroke on the final feather. What a difference! "especially on long shots" If mindfully practice this procedure you will eventually start to do it organically without it even entering your mind. It's a beautiful feeling when the balls start dropping again! 👍🏼🎱👍🏼

[@taff6987]

@@CFCseventy sure is. I had the same cue action for years which worked OK. My cue warped and I went through a funny stage trying to get used to a new cue, changing my cue action and more. I went back to my old action with the added .5sec pause on the final backstroke and I am golden again👍🏼snooker can be a nightmare.

[@zryanjamal8819]

I use to do that pause but now I can't do it anymore I think I need practice.

[@MrXeberdee]

I do 4 pauses - one when I get down, and check the lineup on the white. Adjust accordingly. Then I feather a bit to get the feel if the cue motion is straight, then I pause at the white to check if the tip is still in the same place on the white. Then I make a careful backstroke and pause at the back to look at the line of aim. Then complete the shot and pause at the completion of the follow through and check if the cue went straight through. The last pause is crucial for me, as I have a bad habit of following the object ball a bit with the cuetip. If I can get all 4 done right, then the ball goes in almost every time. The rest is just bad aiming :)

[@taff6987]

@brianburchell8155 that's not why they do it at all. The finger tap is a byproduct or reaction from extreme concentration in the brain. Look into it!

[@taff6987]

@brianburchell8155 no worries friend. I think when you find something that works "for you" in snooker and it shows an improvement in your game then why not stick with it! I think modern players these days are all taught the same way and that's why "most" of them look robotic almost. It's not like the 70s & 80s when you had very natural fluid and sometimes eccentric cue actions and habits. Stance & positioning etc. Snooker is a very finicky game and if your only playing at club level then I encourage players to try learning from the basics and go from there. If a player picks up something that works well for their game consistently then why not keep it! Everyone is different. I've tried a few different cue actions over the years bit I always go back to my very natural fluid 2 or 3 feathers, draw....pause and strike which was taught to me by my 80odd year old mate that still plays to this day. He taught me that close to 30yrs ago! Have a good day/night wherever you are.🎱

[@wolfy10100]

useful stuff, there are so many aiming and alignment stuff out there. ill be giving this a go and see if it helps me improve

[@OffGridMadMan]

Great video, all this + "hit a million balls" 👏 I have a tip that might help someone. I love middle pocket shots for whatever reason so for every pot, I imagine it's into a middle pocket regardless of which pocket I'm aiming at. It seems to give me more confidence which is crucial for potting. Cheers mate 👍

[@redblade8160]

Off Grid Madman. A "tip" will always help someone; never play snooker without a tip!

[@keyoguitar]

Great vid Steve, about a crucial basic subject. I'm finding that the more I practice the better my guessing is. Thanks.

[@redblade8160]

keyo langford And the more you guess, the more you need to practise.

[@keyoguitar]

@@redblade8160 And "the harder I practice the luckier I get". Thanks to Gary Player for that wonderful quote.

[@seanditch4419]

Great video, I think most can see an angle or when somethings in line, but i think its what you do with the cue, where people struggle, if you don't use ghost ball, contact point or the centre to side method, where do you point it, what are you pointing it at, how do you know that you're still in the correct place when you get down on the shot as the view and your body goes through a massive movement from when standing to being down on the shot and will your cue be in the correct place? I've never known anyone that can explain this part of aiming. thx

[@stevekap8]

Best among video I’ve seen, thank you from making it.

[@BrettRussell-z2s]

That reminds me of mark selby. Very obviously does a little move side to side with his head. Finding his ‘middle’ works for him rather well. Great video.

[@minho6015]

Great video, I've improve a lot since I don't have to worry about aiming spot, only need to find the line and make sure to have a proper shot

[@PaintlessdentsAus]

Hi Steve , I been watching you for a long time. This video is one of the best 👌. Keep up the good work. Cheers Greg

[@fromoneendofthailand]

Excellent tips. I always watch one of your videos before going into practice. Your videos have really improved my game. Thanks, Steve. 👍

[@BartonSnooker]

Thank you! Great to help 👍

[@michaelkearney6217]

Hi Steve Definitely the best aiming video I have seen! I have watched many aiming videos and this is the best! I have contributed to you on Patreon for ages and thank you for all your help. I have tried it tonight and definitely stops me cueing round corners

[@BartonSnooker]

Thanks a lot Michael. Really appreciate it 😀

[@ammarqureshi3127]

Thank you for the tutorial. This really helps a lot

[@carlabrahams4403]

So effortless,and precise,what a thorough snooker player you are.👍👌

[@asadhussain5267]

Great video something I need to work on. Also can you do a video when you stretch to take a shot please or using a extension but no rest

[@Yorkshirepetrolhead]

Thanks for your videos. Seriously..helps motivate me, and learn new stuff.. and gets me ready for local competitions. Top guy 👍

[@BartonSnooker]

Thank you. Hope you do great in you competitions 👍👍

[@harrychristoforou6089]

Great video....The process of learning to aim properly is invaluable.

[@BartonSnooker]

Cheers. Thanks for watching 👍

[@robinkerr5268]

Another good video , would u do a video explaining about how stun shots can be played anywhere on the cue ball? One of your videos has the cue ball with stun and the red dot is just below centre obviously u can stun there but also so that people don't think that's the only place to stun the ball would u do a video about that... Even add in scenarios like when to stun to get on a certain ball or however u would want to do it. I am an amateur and my coach is Jim Donnelly from Scotland. Love how in depth u are with every video 👍

[@alfedtron9043]

very good explanation not exactly the same as mine but it will help me fine-tune. thank you!

[@UFCfighter007]

Nailed it, love the way u teach, exact points needed for the beginners ❤

[@malcolmharris5277]

Great video, Steve - this is just the very thing I am working with at the moment, getting that 'feel' for the aim and then doing my best to achieve consistent, repeatable routine from shot-to-shot.

[@paulkerry69]

That's how I do my aiming. My biggest issue is shots like black to yellow ect I get the rattles but perfect position on the yellow. Table I play on has got unforgiving pockets if it's not centre of the pocket it won't go in.

[@misotopoli]

Awesome video!! Where do you think is the line between fine tuning and aiming when down on the shot?

[@BartonSnooker]

It needs to be literally that... "Fine tuning". Anything more requires that you stand up and start the shot process again.

[@Dudepul]

"the best way to get the angle is to feel it" nice technique, got my pot ratio to 120%

[@person1434]

The hard part of aiming is the optics in which we have to adjust one straight path (the cue line) to establish the object ball path. After a while it becomes natural to lock into one point/slice of the cue ball. The human eye can be very precise feels like your shaving off millimetres here and there.

[@taff6987]

If your playing well that is "exactly" what we are doing...."shaving off millimetres here & there" Otherwise we would be missing by quite some way. By inches or more. That's why snooker is such a finicky game ad you probably know full well.🎱

[@michaelkearney6217]

brilliant the best aiming video i have seen and i have watched many, Thanks

[@malcslark3101]

Brilliant Steve, we covered this in my lesson with you last Thursday 👍👍

[@philippecamp7158]

This is perfect 4 beginers snooker is allabout repitition like learning chords on a guitar and eventualy it comes to u ,cant understand the comment from tangman14

[@AhmEd-vj3el]

Would love to see your views on titanium ferrules.

[@ianwatkins6202]

Another fabulous video Steve ! Very interesting watch😊Best wishes to you!

[@BartonSnooker]

Thanks Ian 😀😀👍

[@joels757]

Thanks for the useful information. Does the memory remember also the mirrors positions for the specific driver ? Thanks

[@sptash688]

Sir I’m big fan of you I’ve learnt more then a lot from you, from one red to 50 60 break daily I’m little confused about my grip it’s ronnie o sollovan type cue grip with middle finger n ring finger how to master that grip please explain me thankyou♥️

[@battlefieldclips7013]

Great video man, finally it’s working for me…

[@battlefieldclips7013]

Update: I am a regular 10-15 breaker. Now this aiming method has helped me a lot to the point where I can make 25 breaks a few times a week. Once, I was on a break of 32 then my opponent ( friend ), out of complete disbelief stood behind me and said if you pot this red you’ll land behind the blue in the middle. That put me off and I missed an easy red in the corner pocket😂

[@duhcenturion]

cheers from brazil mate thanks for your help!

[@simbasimba2029]

Love your videos. Have you noticed any difference in traffic since Stephen Hendry's channel started to get popular?

[@BartonSnooker]

Thank you! I don't think so particularly. I think his channel helps and it just makes snooker more popular on KZbin.

[@simbasimba2029]

@@BartonSnooker That's good to hear. I agree. Double the snooker content for us!!!!!!!!

[@vxrdrummer]

Hendry is my hero, but his channel isn't pure and detailed teaching like this one. I would think overall people will still learn more here, but also pick up on all the experience Stephen and the other pros he has on there have.

[@AJsVIEW]

@@vxrdrummer His Channel doesn't speak of some of the finite details we seek like what we see here. I've asked numerous questions on his channel where many people liked my query simply cos they have the same queries too, but none have been answered till date. Therefore, I don't think that Channel helps better my game whatsoever, sorry.

[@maxpain3023]

Thank you so much for the lesson! This is really helpful. One issue I have observed with my game is that I'm able to pot a relatively tough red ball and then miss a so much easier color ball. This happens a lot with me. Any tips to overcome this?

[@redblade8160]

micky minz. Put in the same effort for the easy shots as you did for the harder shots.

[@DM-kv9kj]

Really good video, mate. Would you say then that practicing with ghost ball and other techniques like that should really be more of a stepping stone to honing your more natural angle recognition? Perhaps still using some extra rigorous technique on tougher shots or under pressure?

[@profbilalsciencemaths5774]

hey bartonn pleasr can u make a video about the swerve shot and how to play it thanks

[@G2RocketQ]

Great Barton you thought me a lot bro ,God bless u🥰

[@meeemalef5849]

can you please tell me do you look at pocket during featuring or in the final backswing or before delivery ? or the pocket should be in the background or prepheral vision at all the time? tnx alot for your nice videos

[@meeemalef5849]

can you please tell me do you look at pocket during featuring or in the final backswing or before delivery ? or the pocket should be in the background or prepheral vision at all the time? i used to look at the cueball as when i was about to hit the cueball but a coach told me years ago to look at object ball , since then i have been having this problem that during features i go like , cueball, objectball, pocket and then cueball , then i look at the objectball as about to hit but i think i move my eyes to pocket while the tip is about to hit the cueball, and i miss alot of shots, should i go back to my old aiming method and look at the cueball when i about to hit the cueball or looking at pocket is normal ? tnx alot for your nice videos

[@haroldbarton5861]

Hi Steve. I’m a rank beginner. I think I follow all you are saying here except where are looking when you actually pull the trigger after a pause on the back stroke? Object ball or cue ball? Thanks.

[@BartonSnooker]

Most players look at the Object ball. It doesn't matter that much as long as you've have checked between the cue ball and object ball a few times to makes sure everything is lined up as I show in the video.

[@shanshaikh]

kindly demonstrate the same theory and practical with a blind pocket shot too. Thanks

[@a1rwui]

Wait, you are supposed to look at the cue ball on the way down? I’ve never tried that in almost 20 years of playing lol. I’ll give it a go.

[@SneakyThew]

lol me either in my

[@connerallen642]

Best tip every good player gives me... "Take your time". If u wanna play well, don't care if someone is rushing you, in a hurry, drunk, etc. Take your time, take your shot.

[@TangMan14]

So basically your method is look at the pot, line it up and deliver the cue... This only works when you've had thousands of hours of practice. Beginners need an actual method to learn how to see the potting angle. Attempting the pot at the angle that "feels" right to me has like a 5% success rate. Attempting pots using an actual method like drawing a line from the pocket through the object ball and aiming to strike that point brought the success rate up to more like 20 or 30%.

[@duhcenturion]

yeah but the only way to see the potting angle using any method is by practicing alot, its impossible for a beginner play a few hours and be able to pot all the balls using a "magic" method

[@a1rwui]

Progressive practice is the way to go. Start with a straight pot, make it, add a few degrees angle, pot that and continue in that fashion. It’s really the best way to do it and all of internet aiming methods just add a lot of noise in your head.

[@laro1002]

Totally agree - practice and more practice to program your brain.

[@ryanang3771]

I also wished there was a foolproof geometric methodical way of aiming, unfortunately after years of experience, there isn’t really any. We ultimately really need to feel the line of aim, feel the ball contacts…..

[@sheraznaseem7768]

@@ryanang3771 u r 100% rite....after years of practice our brain trained to recognise potting angles

[@IamKlaus007]

For me, practicing full ball, three quarter ball, half ball, quarter ball, fine cuts and variations of all those shots were of immeasurable benefit to learning potting angles.

[@BartonSnooker]

@@IamKlaus007 nice! Well done 👍

[@rcfgnu]

Wath do you looking when you walking in to the shot to keep the line of aim? you do some chin lock or other method?this is a part I struggle the most, getting down on the correct line I have selected from stand up position. Thanks

[@TrixieDevani]

Cheers Joey!

[@TrixieDevani]

It's your meme name lol. You are by far the better example hahaha!!!🥰🤣

[@kamilmarzec3981]

Great video. Especially when you talking about angle shots. There is no "Golden technique and all professionals hates him for revealing their secret". It's all about guessing and feeling you aiming right and that comes with practice aiming ratine and self discipline. Btw today I had my best session ever. First time I made over 20 points break and I think your videos are helping me to improve my play.

[@BartonSnooker]

Awesome 👍👍

[@dhirajpallin2572]

Hey, good video. I have a question. Do you have any advice for if you get down, align the cue ball and object ball in your vision, but then your cue is not pointing exactly where you think it's pointing? This is a common problem for me. The alignment looks right, and my cue tip is in the center of the cue ball, but if I examine the slope of the cue, I find it's actually aiming a little to the left or right (i.e. shooting across the ball). Do good players check for this when down on the shot, or is there stance just so perfect that it's always correct automatically? Do you have any tips for how I can train it so that my cue direction is in perfect alignment with my head position when I get down on the shot?

[@MarkDonovankildare]

Thanks

[@BartonSnooker]

Thanks a lot Mark 👍👍

[@theknowledgewithin6514]

gonna come up for half a day with you soon steve

[@Eng_Simoes]

Something equally important (to me) is to keep record (mentally) of how I missed the last shot. It was poor aiming or poor cueing? If cueing was right, was I too thin or too thick? I repeat to myself "too thick", "just a little too thin". This constant feedback "tunes" the angle calculator. When you have it locked you finally "see" the shot.

[@nickmiller3319]

Great video as ever!

[@since-jx1ix]

The aiming is one thing, but delivering the cue straight would help most amateurs. I can see the pot and angle all I want but my cue sometimes doesn't deliver straight so I'm done for before hand.

[@leedee1977]

Good video.

[@rohitpratap4174]

This is the way I've tried for years. Some days it's good some days terrible. Are there training methods other than just playing repetition to improve the brain's ability to microadjust for more consistency day to day?

[@BartonSnooker]

Unfortunately not.

[@MaureenTansey]

thanks again!!

[@YangjayNorbu-xe9wx]

Please do teach us about hard shot Love from small country Bhutan

[@salmankhalil7472]

Great job ❤

[@AieBeckhamChannel]

Still love ur channel than other .....

[@jozefserf2024]

Watch a video of Jimmy White circa 1981 - 1984. Watch closely. You'll never see a better potter.

[@BartonSnooker]

Yep! One of the greatest players we have ever seen.

[@zanebeasley6246]

That is the method i practice with.

[@ekaftttt]

The angle is one thing cue delivery is the other . People my pick the correct angle but not cue straight or jab at the ball or add spin it such a technical game that so many things contribute to the ball eventually going in . But i agree here in your mind the more simple you keep it the better you are going to get basically the top players dont over complicate the just trust their gut and play .

[@mehranaslam375]

As always sir ❤

[@roshanroshan289]

How to aiming ball after watch angle please make video

[@คงเข้มเหมือนเดิม]

Thank you sir but my question - - Why are you not using headcam to be clarifier while standing behind the while ball for this course?

[@คงเข้มเหมือนเดิม]

@@oneplus5562 I assumed he stood beside the standing camera not using his headcam.

[@calmarcalmar]

thx

[@sumitchoudhary4581]

this is the way

[@akshayzane5656]

Bro i have one question... I am lefty but when i started the game i start playing righty bcoz when i started he taught me right handed... So now after so many years can i change me hand from right to left... Bcoz i dnt feel any power in my right hand .... Plz reply

[@MegaMilez]

Nicely edited, but kinda a clickbaity title tbh lol.

[@grahamdingwall9821]

Key word in all this aiming is feedback. Unless your brain (controller) has some feedback from the sensor (your eyes) how can errors be corrected? The same goes for straight cue action. No feedback loop to your brain you will never correct those errors and therefore never improve. Its all about control. To control anything you need some feedback to take out any errors, Hitting the cue ball at the correct point is the hardest thing in the whole game and most important. If you cant do this and repeat it, forget about aiming. Also the correct point is very rarely centre cue ball as if centre of cue ball actually exists - can this be measured? Pick out point on cue ball and make sure you can hit this point and repeat it, then aiming will just happen.

[@eddiewong1638]

Thanks!

[@BartonSnooker]

Thank you so much Eddie 😀

[@garymac7075]

We are a player short in our team !! Think he would help us out !!

[@JordC93]

So what you saying is the best method for lining up your shots is to have 2 thousand hours of table time. Great advice

[@BartonSnooker]

@@JordC93 you got it! Unless you have a method that works in 5 minutes? That would be great 😀 It would completely eliminate the need to practice and get better.

[@harisimamovic6216]

In my opinion, you just need to practice and play a lot, earn experience, and aiming becomes automatic. But great video, as usual.

[@aashutoshtakalkar4359]

Please tell me something about middle pocket potting as hit the near jaw every time and if adjust only a tiny bit it hits the far jaw. I have seen your video of middle potting too but no luck Please help as this is the only shot I just can't get

[@simonpearce9076]

@BartonSnooker Hi Steve, great vid. One question. Do you look at the white on walk in for just long shots or do you do it on all shots??

[@BartonSnooker]

Cheers Simon. All shots 👍

[@simonpearce9076]

@@BartonSnooker cheers Steve 👍

[@redblade8160]

BartonSnooker. Why not attach a rifle laser sight to a cue stick, it would take all the guess work out?

[@eddy_creative]

Digressing slightly, but what clubs do you recommend in the black country? I'm 99% sure you're from where I am anyway!

[@richardknott2021]

You have to remember..a lot of us are trying to learn..we don't have enough experience to aim the same way you do.

[@BartonSnooker]

I'm fully aware of that. This is the way I aimed when my highest break was 27. The point of the video was to teach people that are no special aiming tricks. It's all done by feel. The more you do it, the better you get. Doesn't matter if you try to pick a point. It FEELS like picking a point will help you and it's less guess work, but actually, when I do tests with players on the table every week, they are no better if they pick a point, use the ghost ball etc etc.

[@seshkondapaturi9612]

Nice

[@ravivarman2020]

I wish there was a mechanical cue that could aim and fire the cue ball. That would be cool to use in a club match LOL

[@akumakuma2547]

I aim with the line of aim(distance btw cb and OB) instead of the contact point on OB , weird?

[@ShubhamSingh-zz7hd]

Need a new comprehensive video on cue delivery and straight cueing please please please !

[@ihsan708]

Would you believe i dnt look at the cue ball i play position on feel n it works out like hell yeah 🤥

[@DrPravZ]

Basically practice to hit the right angles

[@dancutd]

Quick question. Why do you keep the lights on for the other 2 tables? What a waste of electricity

[@BartonSnooker]

Because I'm filming and the extra light helps tremendously with the final video production. If I turn them off, one side of the table is in shadow and then the picture comes out a lot worse. Don't worry, they are always off when I am not filming for KZbin 🙂

[@dancutd]

@@BartonSnooker 👍👍

[@the1jxk]

Just do what works for you everyone is different

[@TedTheTree]

Is this the Peter Ebdon method? Just joking;