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Good stuff from WST. I'm thinking Stephen Hendry's channel has prompted WST to get its content house in order, as there has been a marked improvement lately.
Trust me, I'm glad to see it. Snooker is a phenomally interesting sport with big personalities and incredible stories - but the media (especially RU-vid) is comparitively spartan compared to any other sport trying to be popular. I've been glad to see the improvement since Hendry raised the bar for quality and accessibility of snooker content tenfold (in the same way he raised the bar in snooker😅)
@@robinthebobin6537 100%. The sport needs as much of this kind of promotion as it can get, and it's amazing that it's Stephen Hendry leading the charge - he's setting the benchmark for others to follow. The WST or WPBSA should put Hendry on a salary for his work (I'm only half-joking, too).
Gentlemen, thanks for taking time out of your busy lives to give the layman an insight into the thought process that goes into your snooker profession. I am from the States and fell in love with snooker 6 or 7 years ago (I have been playing pool for 60 years). Once again, thanks ever so much!!🙃🙃
It’s quite interesting when it comes to tables, they’re easy and difficult in different ways. Club tables may have forgiving pockets but because of the nap of the cloth being thick, I find it much harder to do long pots as the balls tend to drift to the left or the right depending on which side of the table you’re shooting on. Also with those tables, if you’re using Aramith balls you have to use the premier balls or even super crystalate balls as they are not as heavy as the 3G or 1G set. (Premier balls are 126g compared to 3G and 1G balls generally in the range of 142g.) Trying to screw back a 1G set is very difficult on a club table compared to a star table. Keep that in mind the next time you play on a club table, there are some shots that you see on television which are near impossible to do on a club table such as Alex Higgins’s blue shot from 1982 and Ronnie O’Sullivan’s left-handed screw back shot on the red to come back for the black from 2014 are a two examples of shots that are difficult to do on a club table, but are easier to do on a star table.
Super crystalite balls are the same weight as 1g balls ,just s different composition.Match tables have heaters and steel cushions ,playing on heated match cloths you need to be more accurate as any trace of unwanted side will throw the ball off line more ,but when you do need to use side less is needed on match tables as the cloth is more reactive.
Excellent stuff. Well done WST. This was really interesting and informative. I think I knew most of this from watching and playing the game but the content was still fascinating and really well explained. More please!
What a shame you guys missed the opportunity to talk about the CLOTH and the differences it makes for positional play - With a Club cloth being slower you need to hit the white harder which throws different angles off the object ball - so adjustment is further up the white and harder to get the same lines with a Tournament 10 cloth. The 10 cloth is SO MUCH easier to control the white, especially the little stun shots around the black, where you can use side to change the throw. Maybe these guys can show all this in another video - PLEASE ???? :) Remember most viewers of these types of videos are proper snooker players (30-80 breakers) - So don't scrimp on the technical stuff (we can handle it)
They make it look so simple on TV, but these guys are just on a different level. I struggle to run shots down the cushion on a standard pool table, let alone a full sized snooker table.
Those shots are some of the easiest ones to play. A ball on the cushion is easier than one just slightly off the cushion. By hitting the cueball just slightly above center the ball with medium speed will tend to hug the cushion all the way to the pocket.
There are massive differences between the tables. I think we have all seen during the recent World Champs that the Star tables are more forgiving than is being portrayed especially along the cushions. It is often blamed on the balls ‘sliding’ in due to a new cloth. It matters not if they slide in, they still go in. If you are of a decent standard and can make regular big breaks then the Star tables in my opinion are easier to play on when you get used to the speed of the cloth. Splitting the pack is so much easier as they will split with ease. Some club cloths this is nigh on impossible. As well as that the pro set-up is pretty much identical whichever table you play on whereas club tables do differ massively from table to table, even ones adjacent to each other.
You've literally contradicted almost everything they said. You're deluding yourself if you think playing on a star table, with tighter pockets, would be easier and you would score more heavily. And you've not even considered the different margin of error on a super fine, fast cloth compared to a standard one. Your entire post is complete nonsense.
@@Eat-MyGoal I take it you don’t know how to play snooker. I have had over 500 century breaks and have played on both Star and club tables. My point it if you know how to play to a decent standard then Star tables ‘can’ be easier as there are some shots you can play on them that are nearly impossible on club tables. My point about shots down the cushions is that they are at times more forgiving. Just search for such shots from the last world champs and you will easily find examples. I could show you these but this platform will not allow for videos to be posted on comments.
@@GavSloan I agree. I'm not at the 500 centuries standard, but I've made a few, and played on club and Star tables. The difference to me is a bit like when an average golfer (like me) finds himself on a championship course. The greens are like lightning, the fairways are narrow, conditions are at first unforgiving, but once you get used to it, it's a pleasure to play. The first time I played on a Star table, I was over-screwing everywhere, but once I calmed down, it was a dream to play on -- the balls go exactly where they should, you can play power shots with way less force, and once you get your eye in, the narrow pockets don't seem so narrow. (A whole book could be written about the psychology of potting.) Also (something rarely mentioned in these sorts of comparisons) pockets on club tables often have a non-standard fall of the slate, which can make middle pockets especially tricky. On a Star table you know if the ball is hit accurately, it will drop.
Any table with a new cloth is easier to pot balls on because of the slide. Star Tables at tournaments have their cloths changed almost daily so the physical size of the pockets isn't so noticeable. Only my experience of playing on both.
Its just like the super fast greens in golf - more difficult for most players, considerably easier for professionals and high level amateurs, and tbh even decent players with enough experience of it. Its true in all sports- slick, sensitive and consistent conditions make things broadly easier for those who can repeat their technique ( good players), and harder for those who can't ( the rest). *Just noticed a reply already mentioning the golf green equivalency, oh well*
I think in general this is very accurate but the first shot Joe played would never go in on the tables at my club. He hit the cushion a foot before the pocket. 😂
Different tours should have different cloth enviroments, would be really interesting if certain friction changes/knapp changes benefits some players. Sort of like the Tennis court tours (obviously not a clay table :D)
If you can play ,you can play on anything ,take golf for instance ,playing at Augusta is totally different to playing on a links like St Andrews ,but the pros adapt .Snooker should use different conditions more ,cloths should be made slower .
they can be pretty much the same (78-80mm) but the biggest difference is the cut. Tournament tables are way more aggressive (smaller radius and no undercut)
Snooker is reaaally slowly starting to pick up on how marketing works these days. You really need to push on advertising the sport like this. Its not a gimme like it used to be 30 years ago. And i still see too much gatekeeping on this. I really hope that the associations like WST understand that they need to change their strategy towards a modern approach so this sport will stay alive in the future. Its a beautiful sport and young people need to be motivated and supported. The big names in the game cant carry it forever. BTW this was a positive example. Firm and short but highly informative video including high ranking players.
The place i usually play at has star table pocket using club table cloth. To make things worse, the balls are chipped slightly. This makes playing so excruciatingly difficult because it is so unpredictable.
Great video from Joe and Neil. Had the privelege to play on tournament standard Star tables and they are so less forgiving than club tables. Really is quite an adjustment
Dear god W.T.'s! I spent my 20's in there, always starting with their happy hour. Met these two in there as well. Cracking place & great times. R.I.P Willy
I used to play at Willie Thorne's club in Leicester. Amazing place, had around 25 tables in total. He sold it to Riley's in the early 2000's to pay off some of his gambling debts 😔 and it closed down as a snooker club around 12 years ago now.
But what they don’t say because as pro’s it would be like turkeys voting for Xmas, is the way on star tables with new cloths the balls slide off the cushions, and changing cloths in tournaments. This is because there is no wear so the balls take a narrower angle when hitting the cushion before the pocket and don’t grip as much as a worn club cloth widening the angle. It makes the pockets really big when hitting at pocket weight slow speeds. Also most people who play snooker in decent clubs play on star tables and as the cloths don’t get changed as much , any touching of the near jaw, or any part of cushion before the pocket, the balls won’t go in. In a tournament on tv it’s not uncommon to see many shots which wouldn’t go in on these ‘club’ star tables but they do in the tournament, including during 147’s. It’s just the average snooker fan doesn’t know. It’s often a bit of joke what can go in on these new cloths to any knowledgeable club snooker player.
I've owned both tables in my club and trust me, in my country it's quite opposite. I love playing on the tournament table as the reaction is great on 10 oz cloth, speed is amazing and pockets are little forgiving compared to my club table which has a no. 30 cloth, so less reaction but the pockets are virgin desite being 6 year old table 😂 Great video and explanation though! 👏🏽
Makes you wonder why clubs haven't switched to worsted cloths. Not only are they more reactive but they're also probably more durable than a standard thick baize cloth.
You know, I haven’t really thought that about that myself, The only advantage to baize cloth that I could find is it is “considered” cheaper than worsted cloth. That and I may be because tradition I guess?
@@justanotheroldcomment.4582 Tradition undoubtedly plays a big part. Suppose club owners are aware that snooker players might be weirded out when they come to the club one day and find a worsted cloth on the snooker tables!
It’s not viable ,as the match cloths in a club would be worn out within a couple of months ,also no 10 cloth is fast when it’s brand new from the off ,after a few weeks it’s terrible ,it’s used in pro tournaments to give good conditions from the get go ,that’s why it’s changed every 3 to 4 days .Hainsworth match is better ,fast from day one and lasts longer ,nap is very fine ,reaction is fantastic .
@@mikebest634 This is exaclty why I was wondering if worsted cloths would be a better option than baize. You not only get the improved reactiveness similar to that of a match baize cloth, but it's also very durable and would last longer than even thicker baize cloths.
The tables on TV don't play tight. The pockets are cut smaller but the new cloths let the balls slide in off the jaws. Plus where is so much faster you don't need to belt the balls around. I love how Joe is playing on a table with enormous pockets. The first red down the black rail hit the cush about 18in from the bag and still went. There's an awful lot of good club tables like the Aristocrats that play not far off Star tables
@@schmurgen5242 he is absolutely right. The tv tables with new cloths do exactly that as any knowledgeable player will know. They are hardly likely to say as it will be like turkeys voting for Xmas. Neil is right you don’t hit them hard down the side cushion when there is an oblique angle with tighter star pockets, but that’s the case on any star table …but if you roll a shot on a new cloth it will slide in. In clubs I’ve played in with star tables the cloths are not going to get changed anywhere near as much as pro tournaments, so if the ball touches the cushion before the pocket or the near jaw at slow speed, the ball won’t go in. It makes a star table much harder and the notion of club tables doesn’t really exist as if you play good club snooker to a good standard you will play on ‘club’ star table anyway.
They practise regularly on Star tables. Neil & Joe play from WTs whenever they are not in tournaments. If you ever see a Star table in a club, then the chances are a pro uses & maintains it.
@@paulkerry69 yep ,Chinese star tables are poor quality ,soft slate ,terrible cheap wood ,legs are painted gold as they are made up of compressed cut offs glued together .Westbury and Aristocrat tables are far superior,money talks though .No British company can afford the contract to supply tour tables these days ,you have to hand it to the pros being able to knock in big breaks on those ropy star tables .Rasson tables as used in the league are a better product .
Couldn't tell you what Star tables are like but I used to play every day on a Riley aristocrat with Wpbsa template pockets and steel cushions that came from the crucible in the mid 90's. Absolutely beautiful table. Total bitch when you were having a bad day. But on the days you cued nicely it was a dream to play on.
That first shot, club table, hit the side rail prior to the packet by quite a bit. On my American 10' if I hit the rail prior to the pocket it's not going in. My pockets are 75mm.
The difficulty i find is changing all the time from tables, every table almost play different, the pro tables are the best but you cant play all the time on it, its to expensive to change the clothe every month of so, but in general the better you play the better it is to play on fast tables,i think the pockets make that of a difference,i prefer small pockets on a fast table then big pockets on a slow table
I understand the difference with the cloth but why the difference with the pocket size? If you practice solely on a club table then you're going to have problems on a Pro table.
i used to play at a club in the 80's. small pockets and fast cloth. not saying they were pro tables, but just old. it was an old club. i was well chuffed if i made a break of 30
can someone give me a measurement of a 12' table from side pocket to the other side pocket,,,on the cloth; to where the ball drops...to the other ball drop spot. i.e. the closest it is between the two pockets. (I'm thinking of building my own table and need that distance. Thanks in advance)
When I play my mate who goes by the name of Ball Run Carlos it doesn’t matter if the pockets are big or small he he get so many flukes it’s unbelievable to watch😂
Pro tables are far more consistent and easier to play than pub tables mate, if anything else I would say pub tables are much difficult due to cloth , cushion and some pubs don’t even use 1G set of balls.
Professional tables pockets if they say they aren't bigger than a club table, something doesn't sit right ??? You see the balls potted behind the pocket on TV and they shouldn't go in. They do go in however ??? Only thing I can think is that the cushions are cut back different and the finer cloth must make the difference. Those pots wouldn't go in a club table even if they did have bigger pockets !!!!
@@paulkerry69 yeh Paul know exactly what u mean .many years ago John Spencer played on one of the old billiard tables in our league ,did an exhibition when he was world champion, highest break was 52 😂.said table needed setting on fire apparently!
This is the whole reason why I yawn when players at the club moan about conditions. It's the exact conditions for you and your opponent. Either deal with it for the win, or growl and sigh your way for a loss. It's only psychological really.
Lies about the pockets? The tv tournament table pockets are far bigger than the club tables. Reason, the presenters want to attract audience with big breaks. Simple as.
I have number 10 cloth with match cut pockets on my table, and I have noticed as the cloth as aged the pocket are even tougher as the balls don’t slide, meaning you have to be even more accurate, 🤬
I dont know what club tables you guys play at but what you have said here simply isnt true. Possibly in old Conservative clubs some of what you say may be relevant but in the majority of snooker clubs (many of whom use Star tables anyway) this is definitely not the case. Pockets bigger on a club table? Never in a million years! Sorry guys but you are being disengenuous. Many many shots you see played on a tournament table that go into the pocket would simply never drop on a club table. It isnt eight what you are saying. All modern tables are made uaing standard templates. The difference comes from how the pocket is cut (the angle) and the density of rubber used for the cushions. Sorry guys but you are way off. You're welcome to come down to my club for a practice session where i can prove it.
Great we get to hear from the real pro here. Better have a full wallet when they show up. Please provide everyone with a video and updates of your adventure with 2 pro snooker players that don't know anything
There were a few club tables in Canada that seemed to have a smaller pocket opening . I was told that those tables were actually Billiard tables . But almost all club tables have a heavier cloth and cushions that are not exceedingly reactive . Of course the balls make a huge difference as well . The better clubs will have a few tables that are more of a higher standard for the good players . But , nowadays there are no more clubs only Legions and senior centers that have any snooker tables .
Definitely not true in my case. The pockets on the tables I play on in the club I play at are very forgiving, especially the middle pockets. You can whack a ball pretty hard and it will still go in. Then again, the tables I play on have been around since 1993. You also need to consider the humidity of the room. if it is dry, the cloth and the rubber will shrink which will make potting easier but if it is humid, both the cloth and the rubber will expand slightly making it a little more difficult to pot. This is why depending on the weather and conditions of the club your experience in playing on the table may be easy or difficult. Also, what do you mean the majority of snooker clubs have star tables? As far as I’m aware of, I can only really name two clubs that have an actual star table. The rest of them seem to be either BCE, Riley or some obscure snooker brand tables from the years gone by. Nothing luxury as far as I’m aware of.
@@lefty9419i didnt challenge anyone to a money match did i you numpty. In any case i'm right. Any new snooker club will have either Riley or Star tables which will be set up using standard templates for the pockets the same as are used on tournament tables. Many snooker clubs even use high grade cloths too. The only difference is in old working mens clubs in england, but most of these are gone now.
Ah here lads getup out of that... Footballers play with the best of conditions, boots, balls, grass. Tennis players best of rackets, balls, surfaces etc.. Same with every single sport really.... These guys trying to convince players that tournament tables are harder to play on is a joke... Get over yourselfs. Playing on an old grubby banjo'od balls, banged up cushions& pockets, down to even the colours having dents on the marking spots, on top of the table possibly being not completely level due to settlement, brushed and ironed and heating temperatures wishful thinking..... Hahaha these guys are at an unbelievable standard playing the game as a job, when these guys rock up to tourneys and go for a long long red and deep screw it back past the D im telling you straight out no chance of them doing it on a club table.... Half decent player here can consistently get breaks above 50 and have made centuries. The reason why the ball wont drop on the rails is because the table is super fresh meaning the corners aren't rubbed up yet if you like... Like a plasters trowel a brand new trowel has razor corners making it hard not to drag lines, after many uses the trowel becomes rounder at the edges almost like a swimming pool trowel but not as severe. Anyways top lads for the content but talking bs.