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SNOOKER – Nowhere to hide!

Ronnie O’Sullivan, Mark Selby, John Higgins, Graeme Dott, Shaun Murphy and Australia’s Neil Robertson have all raised the World Snooker Championship trophy over the past decade

Australia’s Neil Robertson

They are household names and have done well out of the sport due to the game’s heavy Television broadcast schedule.

It is for this reason the game of Snooker enjoys such a high profile despite Snooker itself not being played at the grassroots level as much as eight or nine ball.

The skills and tactics of Snooker are undeniable and as a general belief if you are good at Snooker you should do okay at any of the other cue sports games.

Like Billiards, not to be mistaken with American Billiards, you can’t hide in a game of Snooker – poor play will be exposed.

Watching two low-skilled players play Snooker is painful, particularly if you’re playing next as it will be a long wait.

That said watching the highly skilled is very awesome and it is why the game is covered extensively on Television.

When staged on a full size table of 12’x6’ or 10’x5’, Snooker is played with 22 balls which is made up of one white cue-ball, ten red balls and one yellow, green, brown, blue, pink and black ball.

Ten red balls are used on smaller tables.

The red balls are racked in the triangle and placed behind the spot at the foot of the table.

The coloured balls are placed on the various spots on the table as seen in the diagram below.

• BROWN ball placed on CENTRE of string line
• YELLOW ball placed on spot to the RIGHT
• GREEN ball placed on spot to the LEFT
• BLUE ball placed on spot at CENTRE of table
• PINK ball placed at APEX of pyramid
• BLACK ball placed HALF WAY between pyramid base & back cushion

The object of the game is simple. Sink a red ball then sink a coloured ball and try and continue this scenario as many times as possible. So in other words, sending a red ball into a pocket allows you to shoot for a coloured ball.

While a red ball is one point the coloured balls have different values which are:

• BROWN – 4 points
• YELLOW – 2 points
• GREEN- 3 points
• BLUE – 5 points
• PINK -6 points
• BLACK – 7 points

The 10-times women’s world champion Reanne Evans

You can pocket any coloured ball after pocketing a red. If you sink the lowest valued colour ball on the table it is taken out of the game however if it is not the lowest valued coloured ball on the table it is immediately replaced to its original position on the Table. If the spot is occupied the ball is placed on the nearest vacant spot. Once reds balls are pocketed they remain there.

Once all the red balls have been pocketed you must then sink the remaining coloured balls in order from lowest to highest (points).

And to make it a challenge you must nominate which coloured ball you are aiming for during all stages of the game. This means if you accidently sink a coloured ball that wasn’t nominated it is returned to the table and a penalty applies to the shooter.

Penalties apply to the following if:

• A player loses four points if they aim for a red ball and misses or if the white cue ball goes into the pocket.
• A player aims for a coloured ball and misses he loses the value of the ball missed except for the Yellow and Green balls which then carry the minimum penalty which is 4 points.
• A player hits a different coloured ball than the one aimed at they lose the value of the highest number ball involved. The same penalty applies to pocketing a wrong ball even if the right ball is hit first.
• If the player “on” Black misses and no other ball is hit – penalty seven points
• Player “on” Yellow strikes Black and Yellow simultaneously – penalty seven because the highest numerical forfeit applies.
• When all balls are off the Table the player with the highest score wins.

In consideration of all the rules, the biggest secret of the game lies in the name – SNOOKER. A snooker is when you deprive your opponent of a clear shot or even better a shot that has no alternative but to foul. So if you are playing Snooker – try and snooker your opponent as many times as possible but make sure you do it without detracting from sinking balls and scoring shots.

However if you absolutely snooker your opponent from a foul stroke they can claim a “free ball”- that is choose any colour he chooses to serve as a red ball. However, the coloured ball will count as 1one and must be re-spotted.

It is a fun game but if you and your opponent is new to the game, it is not a bad idea to have a list of the value of each balls on hand and where they are placed on the table.

There is a Billiard and Snooker club in just about every Metropolitan and Regional centre in Australia and their websites are a great reference on which club to join, upcoming tournaments and lessons.

For tables, accessories or even reclothing your Snooker table, Billiard Shop in Townsville, Mackay, Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, Bundall on the Gold Coast, Macgregor and Aspley in Brisbane and Toowoomba have the complete service to make the good times roll.

THE BRILLIANCE OF BILLIARDS

Mark Twain

You can’t hide in the game of Billiards. It requires much more than exquisite touch and visionary precision and it is why Mark Twain bestowed on the world in a speech on April 24th1906 “The game of billiards has destroyed my naturally sweet disposition.”

It can be a frustrating game but therein lies its addictive nature which makes Billiards exhilarating!

Traditionally the game has three balls, the cue ball and two object balls which traditionally were two white balls.

To distinguish between the two white coloured balls one is marked with a black spot at opposite extremities and called Spot while the other white ball is called, plain. Each player uses either white ball which is determined before the game starts.

However more recently one of the white balls has been swapped for a yellow ball which makes the game more easy to follow when broadcast on television. Billiard Shop sells Billiards packs containing a white, yellow and red.

As Billiards is a scoring game the player that scores the most points wins and there are three ways in which to score, by cannons, losing hazards and winning hazards.

Cannons: A cannon is made by causing the cue ball to contact the two object balls in succession. Two points are scored by a cannon whether it is from white to red, or red to white.

Losing Hazards: A losing hazard is when you sink your cue ball after contact with one of the two object balls. A losing hazard off the red is rewarded three points and off the white (or yellow) is two. This play is referred to as a “Loser”

Winning Hazards: A winning hazard or Pot is made by pocketing one or both of the object balls. Potting the red ball scores 3 points and potting the white (or yellow) two.

The real skill of the game is making combinations shots and is such scenarios the following points apply:

• When a losing hazard and cannon are made in the one stroke, the player scores two points for the cannon and two for the hazard. If the white ball (or yellow) is struck first it is two points for the cannon and if the red is struck first it is three points for the hazard.
• If both object-balls are struck simultaneously and a hazard is made as well, two points are scored for the cannon and two for the hazard.
• If more than one hazard or a combination of hazards and cannons are made in the same stroke, all are scored.

So with that knowledge it is time to play! And just how long you play for is determined by whether you compete over a predetermined number of points (eg 100, 250 or 500) or to a predetermined time (e.g 1 hour or 2 hours).

Starting the game is done by a heads or tails coin toss with the winner earning the choice of either the spot or the plain white ball, playing first or second.

The other way is to String. Here each player hits a white ball (or yellow) from the baulk line with the winner being the one whose ball comes to rest nearest the bottom cushion whether it rebounds or not.

At the commencement of the game the red ball is placed on the billiard spot and the opponent’s ball is “in hand”, that is not on the table. The player starting the game places his ball in the “D” and must direct it out of the baulk area.

The opening stroke is to connect with the red ball. The ideal scenario is to send the red to either the right or left hand pocket in the baulk and bring the cue ball to the side of the table. When confronted with this situation the reply is generally to attempt the cannon from white (or yellow) on to red. If it is missed the opening player has the red to play at for a loser or pot.

When a ball is forced off the table, the balls are then spotted, the red is placed on the billiard spot and the object ball on the centre spot. Every time the cue ball enters a pocket the player must then play form the “D”.

The object white ball (or yellow) stays in the pocket if potted until the opponents turn arrives. A player fails to score and gives way to his opponents if his stroke does not result in a cannon, a losing hazard or a winning hazard.

While the player continues to score he remains at the table, and only after missing a stroke does their turn end.

The purpose of the game is, as implied above, to perform as many sequences of cannons, losing and winning hazards as possible. The key to this is to bring the balls to rest with another scoring opportunity. If you do this more than your opponent then you will win, or at least you should.

The tactics are immense and you have to be alert and respond to all possibilities.

The most important tactical area on the Billiards table is the baulk area which is the area on the table between the baulk line and the bottom cushion.  In numerous game situations you are confronted with playing out of the baulk area, in otherwords it is a no-shooting-backwards zone.

You must play out of the baulk area when the cue-ball has entered a pocket as the result of a losing hazard or your opponent has pitted your cue ball from the break.

You may place the cue-ball anywhere in the “D” space, including the semi-circular line and the part of the baulk-line which forms the straight part of the “D”. If you place the ball on this line then it must be exactly on it, which means half in and half out.

When forced to play out of the baulk when the object balls are behind the baulk line your natural options are to either try a screw-back, use the cushions or other object balls to find your target.

Sending both object-balls into baulk is called a double-baulk while sending one ball into baulk is a single-baulk. They are both considered safe shots.

It’s why scoring off a double-baulk is difficult and why the baulk area is an important part of safety or defensive play.

The amazing thing about playing Billiards is that you are in a constant state of learning. It’s been this way for more than a hundred years with the current rules largely the ones adopted by the games governing body in England in 1899

It is one of the oldest sporting world championships, dating back to 1869.

But when you do play remember to keep your sense of humour so as not to destroy your naturally sweet disposition. So let the good times roll!

BILLIARD TABLE BRILLIANCE – LEARNING THE ART

So you have recently made the proactive decision to introduce yourself or your family to a Billiard Shop Billiards or Pool table and you are now looking to start hitting those pockets with greater consistency.

So where do you start? Practice does make better but in reality it is perfect practice that brings perfect results.

Naturally the starting point involves you, your cue, your stance, your balance, your draw and your vision to name a few.

To start off on the right foot the best option, besides a very good family member or friend, is to seek advice or join your local Billiards, Snooker, 8ball, 9ball or various other associations where you can receive brilliant advice and even be provided with lessons.

While all the many clubs can be found with a simple search of the web, joining clubs simply do not fit into the far majority of people’s lifestyle.

The beauty of the cue sport game is that you will get better with more play but to really take massive leaps forward, being taught all the basic techniques is naturally going to equip you with the knowledge to move in the right direction.

Another option is to seek advice and probably the most common practice is to access the thousands of instructional documents and videos on the web.

To help you with this process there are a few basic’s you need to know when it comes to making head or tails of everyone else’s advice.

For the sake of this article we will focus on your stroke and do to this correctly you need to establish a proper stance, bridge, stroke and grip.

The bridge is of course your front hand that you place the front end of your cue on.

The key element you need to establish with these elements is balance. This balance is the platform in which your game is built around and to establish this takes practice and patience.

As we are all different shapes and sizes our stance will also be different and this is why it takes practice to get to a comfortable, strong and stable position.

The Billiard Shop in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, and Gold Coast and at Macgregor and Aspley in Brisbane can point you in the right direction. Simply call 1300 300 654.

So remember there is no single universally accepted stance. Even the professionals have their quirks.

That said, there are some expected characteristics. The back leg is braced with the front leg slightly bent and taking the majority of the weight. The body including the head should remain still during the shot to ensure you hit the target.

But then again, if your techniques works for you – well just go with it! Have fun! Knock yourself out!

At the end of the day, unless you are currently or are aiming to be a professional, the game is all about what the Billiard Shop professes - bringing family and friends together!

THE EVOLUTION OF THE BILLIARD TABLE

Since the Noble Game of Billiards evolved from a croquet styled lawn game in Northern Europe during the 15^th century there has been astronomical changes to the cue sport table.

The innovations today see Billiards or Pool Tables being placed in Hotels to Living or Game Rooms, on the decks to even in Pools.

That’s right Pool tables in Pools.

The changing face of pool has been as much to do with creating various price points and adjusting to household designs, to bringing the game to the people, rather than the people to the game.

The greatest example of bringing the game to the people is the X Men Outdoor Pool table.

As the above picture shows, the X Men Pool table has brought a whole new meaning to Pool!

The tables currently hold pride of place on Hayman Island, Resorts in Las Vegas and Phuket.

“The tables are a brilliant edition to these resorts as they provide Patrons with something out of the ordinary, a talking point, which is what a holiday escape is all about,” Billiard Shop’s Luke Johnson said.

“Let’s face it there is nothing quite as soothing as relaxing around a resort pool and to have a seven or eight foot  X Men Pool table in or around the water is a smart edition to provide patrons with another avenue of leisure.”

The X Men Outdoor table is a true innovation in the Billiard Industry. This table has the great looks and amazing play ability. If you have a large terrace or deck and are looking for the perfect entertainment, the X Men Outdoor Table is exactly what you need. It certainly will impress your family and friends with the latest technology in billiard table making.

The Billiard Shop Outdoor Pool Tables, are made from the highest grade aluminium, electrostatically powder coated to protect against the elements. It is also made with special rubber cushions and outdoor billiard cloth that are both water and UV resistant.

The mind wonders where the next Billiard table innovation will take us. The Krenice is one such design that caters for the more space conscious consumer.

It is beautifully designed with the removable table certain to surprise any diner unaware the fine dining table setting is a Billiard table in disguise.

Billiard tables and equipment rapidly developed in England during the Industrial revolution of the 1800s as slate became the popular table beds around 1835. Ten years later Rubber cushions became standard after Goodyear discovered vulcanization.

By 1850, two to one dimension tables became the norm and billiard tables as we know it became what they are today.

While quintessentially how the game is played is unlikely to change, the designs will continue to wow.

Some tables push the boundaries of our imagination while the more traditional tables such as the Supreme continues to impress.

But for the general public just playing pool brings immense pleasure no matter what the design.

They do bring family and friends together and Billiard Shop outlets at Macgregor and Aspley in Brisbane, Bundall on the Gold Coast, Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Mackay and Townsville have a number of designs to suit your needs.

THE KELLY POOL TRADITION AT CHRISTMAS

If you own a Billiard table, chances are that on Christmas day you will bring your family and friends together with a game of Kelly Pool.

Kelly Pool is of course the Billiards game where you draw a numbered pea at random from a shake bottle.

With fifteen numbered peas in total, the idea is to not only sink your opponent’s ball but to sink your numbered ball to win.

Naturally you need to keep your number secret.

You tend to know the veteran Kelly Pool players, as they are the ones who go to great lengths to try and make sure all peas are returned to the shake bottle.

We’ve all been guilty of getting home after a big festive day only to discover the pea in your pocket. Doh!

Kelly Pool is a funny, funny game when all the idiosyncrasies of family and friends are put on show. Then of course there’s the new comers to the Christmas Day family tradition.

The new girlfriends or boyfriends, or the long-time-no-see distant relatives.

Opinions are quickly shaped about these new-comers as to whether they are good, bad, indifferent or they-need-a-bit-of-working-on.

When it comes to playing against family and friends that have taken part in the Christmas game tradition for many years, we may not be able to remember their birthday or their children’s names but for some reason we can remember how they react during the competitively social game of Kelly Pool.

To watch your brother or sister hold back tears after again being the first one knocked out of the game is a precious thing. Their reactions can and does bring tears to your own eyes.

On the opposite end of the scale there’s the personality types that would rather hide their numbered ball in a protected place on the table, so they can indulge in the joy of knocking others out of the game.

Each family tends to have a name for this person but as yet there isn’t a universal term. Tool is a good starting point. Then again, being the “Tool” can be very personally satisfying. The trick here is to contain your laughter from exploding. This in itself is fraught with danger as liquid blown through your nose is not a pleasant experience. Very funny for others though.

And here’s another funny thing, and it’s a fact. Kelly Pool was banned in parts of the United States and Canada in the mid-20th century as it was considered a stronghold of gambling. Playing the game was actually a fineable offence in Montana until 1964.

And for the record Calistus Mulvaney of Irish decent, who was known as Kelly Mulvaney invented the game in Chicago in 1893.

But back to bans and to family and friends. There is also one player that always has to be called three or four times to tell them that it’s their turn. This is a particularly frustrating time for the “Nob”, but for the forward thinking player, the knowledge that the time-wasters shot is coming up is the perfect time to either replenish or empty their liquid(s). This is smart play.

Whatever the case, the wide range of player personality types is what makes Kelly Pool a fantastic Christmas Day activity.

For a list of rules click on  http://bit.ly/KellyPoolRules. Post Christmas you can buy in store or purchase online at Billiard Shop a new Kelly Pool kit to replace your kit which has 3 peas missing. Doh!

HOW TO MOVE A POOL TABLE

BILLIARD SHOP – THE PROFESSIONAL MOVERS!

Don’t risk life, limb or table moving your Billiard table! Slate is a heavy thing and it needs to be moved and then reassembled on the frame with precision and care.

Billiard Shop offers a complete removal service whether that be from house to house or house to storage.

Billiard Shop has been moving Billiard Tables of all shapes and sizes since 1968. Their expertise will ensure the move is as smooth as possible, giving you peace of mind.

Billiard Shop staff are expertly trained in getting the table level which is not an easy thing to do for a do-it-yourselfer. After all, what is the point of having a slate table if the balls don’t roll straight?

“All the billiards shops have a service where you can call to move your table, whether that be in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, or at Aspley or Macgregor in Brisbane,” Billiard Shop’s Luke Johnson said.

“There are many ways a table is built and many ways to move it, for example some 10 ft and 12 ft tables have a number of pieces of slate.”

“If you give us a call we can give you advice or we are more than happy to come move it for you,” Mr Johnson.

The slate in picture was a one piece slate which was disassembled then placed on the back of the Billiard Shop Ute. A specifically designed trolley, boasting soft tyres, is without a doubt the hero of the exercise.

The tables are not only heavy but many are also artistically designed so to ensure your expensive and prized possession makes the journey intact by professionals.

Depending on the entry point into a dwelling the table may require to be broken down dramatically.

Measuring the entrance with a pool cue is a handy way of deciding the best point of entry.

Once the base is placed in the required position, taking in to account the room to make a shot, the top slate section is then brought in.

It’s simply not a case of placing the top on as it can at times be quite a task lining up all the holes.

The end result of a professional Billiard Shop move is it’s ready to play!

“So if you’ve got a table or are looking to buy a second hand one, or if you’ve got one and you want to move house, give billiard shop a call and we’ll happily help you out,” Mr Johnson said.

Call 1300 300 654 to speak to your nearest Billiard Shop removals specialist.

THE GREATEST THING THAT HAS HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY

“It’s the greatest thing that has ever happened to my family, my three boys now even say they hate video games!”

Macgregor Billiard Shop owner in Brisbane’s south-side Graeme Savage has a particular smile on his face as he recalls the comments of this customer.

“He came in four months after he had purchased the Pool Table to look at upgrading his boy’s pool cues and before I could even say hello he came out with those wonderful comments,” Mr Savage said.

The father of three boys knew nothing about pool tables when he first set foot in to the Billiard Shop.

He was simply looking at something that could get his boys away from video games and start being more sociable – speaking and interacting with each other in a fun, competitive and social way.

Mr Savage says the father went on to say “The Pool table has brought my family together in a way I couldn’t have imagined. For a start it got them off their backsides and they quickly developed some wonderful competitiveness with each other.”

“I never would have imagine that the Pool table would have had such a profound positive effect on my boys,” he said.

Billiards is many things to many people but one unifying force is that it does as Billiard Shop says – brings family and friends together.

Maybe no one describes the power of Pool better than American Billiards blogger Robert Clinton who in collating his thoughts as a troubled four year old wrote.

She (his mother) would take me with her to work (at the Pool Hall) most days, but even when there was discord in the pool room, it never involved me. Anytime something was happening there, it was easier to ignore than the chaos at home. There was refuge for me in this place. I found myself drawn to the rush I felt from the little successes created with each swing of the cue. There was always a release of adrenaline into my humble frame, and the memory of the power that surged through my body in those moments has always provided me with a reminder that I am somebody. The tight and smooth cloth felt wonderful every time my fingertips were placed onto it to bridge my cue. The silky texture caressed my palms and fingers even though I was holding onto them for dear life. For me, this was Heaven on Earth.

  Robert, who is a painter by profession, but a more than handy pool player recently beat nine time world champion Earl Strickland in a handicapped 9-ball tournament.

While his experience with Billiards as a child is much different than the Brisbane father of three, there are obvious parallels with how a Pool table can shape lives.

There are many similar stories throughout Australia and in the Billiard Shop centres in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast at Aspley and Macgregor in Brisbane.

Billiards does bring family and friends together!

BILLIARD SHOP – BRINGING FAMILY AND FRIENDS TOGETHER

Since 1968 Billiard Shop stores around Queensland have spoken about the social benefits of playing Billiards.

Today Billiard Shop more than ever stands behind its slogan “Bringing families and friends together.”

While Australian households that have grown up with Billiard Tables are acutely aware of the great social benefits this play, scientific research is also increasingly recognising this.

Science supports the notion that play benefits learning or in scientific language, there are cognitive benefits of play.

Clinical psychologist Dr Eric Fisher who penned, The Art of Empowered Parenting: The Manual You Wish Your Kids Came With, highlights one-on-one sports, like tennis and gymnastics as having tremendous benefits as they allow kids to shine individually without being overwhelmed by having to compete for field time.

Dr Fisher’s recommendation is referenced with ways to help shy children break out of their shell.

According to Billiard Shop’s Luke Johnson, “the one on one aspect of Pool is a great way to help grow a person’s confidence and character.”

“As they grow and their skills develop the social interaction associated with the table game also has tremendous benefits,” Mr Johnson said.

While life experience and common sense tells us of the enormous benefits of playing this one-on-one sport, the Neuroscientists of this world require more concrete evidence of the positive effects playful behaviour has on a child’s ability to learn.

There is no ethical way to test this on a human so research falls on rats.

In 1954 Neuroscientists experimented raising some rats in boring, solitary confinement and others in exciting, toy-filled colonies.

They concluded rats raised in stimulating environments had bigger brains and were smarter, able to too find their way through mazes more quickly.

It seems likely that human brains respond to play and exploration in similar ways.

“The reality is that great mates, of all ages, are being forged every week around a Billiard table and that mateship leads to a whole other range of healthy active life experiences,” Mr Johnson said.

Billiard Shop has stores in Townsville, Mackay, Toowoomba, Maroochydore, Bundall on the Gold Coast and services Brisbane at Macgregor and Aspley.

These stores have a complete range of tables of various sizes and budgets along with attachments that transform them into Tables Tennis set-ups.

Billiard Shop’s expert advice will marry up your wants with particular tables and can even offer finance to ensure the good times roll by “Bringing family and friends together.”

Merry Christmas from Billiard Shop