Professional cellist here. There may be a parallel between the piston-esque cue action and the way string players bow their instruments, specifically when changing bow direction. It's a common technique that students are taught during their training: when reaching the end of the bow, change directions in a subtle circular manner, such that your hand and wrist will ultimately end up creating an '8' figure rather than a straight line as you go up and down. The reasoning for this is to create smoothness within the sound, minimizing "dead space" in which your hand is completely idle, and also to reduce variables that may come from the change of direction, such as inconsistency in speed, weight, etc. Of course, while with a cue you're only getting half of this figure-8, similar concepts might be in play.
For the longest time I've been debating with my mates whether the pause between backswing and follow-through is necessary. Learnt a ton from your detailed explanation of Ronnie's mechanics - so much to take in yet it shows how fascinating the game and its intricacies can be when we examine from an alternate point of view. Peace and hope to get a pin from Kowloon, Hong Kong!
I don't think any pool players really pause. Its all one motion...but then I never payed attn. They might pause on long strait shots. Where your just rolling the cueball
@@alphacapo A coach I briefly took lessons from had a similar opinion - "two speeds for snooker, one for American pool". The "pause" between pull-back and stroke/follow-through comes down to preference and how you develop cue power. American pool players like Shane Van Boening, Tyler Styer and Fedor Gorst rely on this timing to smoothly accelerate into the ball, whereas players like Alex Pagulayan or Max Eberle may use a shorter pause between the final pull-back and stroke. I alternate between American pool and snooker and incorporate a moderate pause into my stroke for smoother acceleration and better cue ball control.
@@lewisplayspool you ever do this on long strait shots where you have to roll the cueball forward after contact a few inches? Basically accelerate your back arm then cut power and coast or let your arm just fall throu the cueball....basically the back arm is just a guide at ball contact...ive been messing with this the last few weeks and it seems more consistent than playing follow with a draw stroke that the spin releases before contact with object ball.
Not only is it necessary it's impossible to avoid. The cue can not be moving backwards and forwards at the same time, So what's it doing at the point it's neither moving forwards or backwards? It's stationary; ie: a pause. Also, watch Ronnie @5mins 14secs. There's a distinct pause...
The backswing and feathers should be proportionate to the distance between you (cue ball) and the object ball. So you don't run the risk of over hitting the ball
I'm Pedro from Bremen, Germany. The content of your channel is so great that I don't know where I am going to find the time to practice all what I'd like to do! Thanks very much!
@@Breakfromlife I have a 7-feet pool table at home but I am terribly bad. I don't know, maybe lack of patience. I hoped to improve during the quarantine!
I got a pool table in my house. I immediately applies the stand, the cue action, the grip, and a little spin on every shot. And voila, I am pocketing more balls more than ever. Great content, great channel. Love from New York City.
the motion of cueing you describe is how i felt comfortable with. it looks very unorthodox and uncoordinated to others but ive always thought it help my aim and execution be a lot more precise. i will be back at the tables soon. hope you continue to bring the quality content you always have. thank you
Hey my name is perry and I’m from melbourne, victoria, australia, and i find your videos really, not only fun to watch, but helpful to my playing and i would love to get pinned on the board.
Wow... that one tip (a little side spin on every shot) has instantly improved my game. Less missed shots. I played a drill that I play every day, and I had my best ever result with it. 😀
That could be because concentrating on the technical tweak improved your overall focus on your game. Check to see if the improvement lasts for a month or so, then you can tell whether it's working. ;)
6:29 - actually the biggest thing to resonate with me today. I have seen this video at least a hundred times by now. Moving the cue slightly off then back on the shot line helps to prime the body for the spring action. At least for me, it did.
I noticed that before one month or more , and started to try to catch the cue like him , and do exactly like him , but unfortunately sometimes i move my all body up and down with the cue 😂😂😂 he is gunius ❤️ and you are very clever, i love you bro so much 😍 big respect from Amman, Jordan to you bro ❤️
Absolutely brilliant and informative video man, really can’t wait to see what it’s like when we can finally get back on a Snooker Table. Best wishes in practice from Romford 👍
Fantastic video, new and fresh observations! Happy that you did not talk about the elbow drop as that's a topic many are already familiar with. Some players with extremely fluid-looking cue actions like Stephen Lee, Ronnie and Jack Lisowski posses, have this elbow drop which looks so natural. It probably helps to mentally reach that smooth follow-through even though Judd can generate stupendous screw without elbow drop. Your piston analogy explains perfectly Ronnie's movement during the shot which I thought is just something he does but gets away with. It also explains why Ronnie's backswing is just the best, so relaxed and smooth without the stop.
The vid we all needed! Thanks mate. Did you also notice that he drops his elbow through the shot and pushes his hand beyond his chest. It means he can get maximum acceleration but with minimal power. So he can generate a lot of spin without sacrificing accuracy. Love from Warwickshire
Ronnie is just on another level and the way you explain how he is always using side and compensating for it and how his cue action is different, then it makes sense as to why he is so good on a good day, but also why things can fall apart for him on a bad day. He has complained about his cue action being off in the past while admiring his opponents cue action and almost psyching himself out, because he feels he can't compete so the perfectionist in him can see when he isn't in top form. In the end he is a brilliant player and when he is in top form, I doubt anyone in this world can beat him!
i have seen former professional billiards player who said he always shot with a little inside english because it’s nearly impossible to strike the cue ball dead center. I think you’re on to something there, good video as a whole 👍
I was under the impression that Endon only said this because Ronnie manipulates the angles with side, creating easier position and/or better paths to baulk. I don't believe he suggests he uses side when not needed, only that he's more likely to use side on the other shots. Also, regarding his grip hand, what Ronnie does is grips the cue with his middle finger as opposed to the index and thumb combination that we conventionally say. The V of the index is actually a secondary effect of this grip after the cue has gone through and the cue is unfurling his index-thumb by pivoting on his middle finger. Great vid as always!
Been watching your videos for roughly a year now, and it never fails to grab my interest. Don’t stop what your doing bro. Much Love from Winnipeg MB Canada
The in depth analysis on this video was fantastic, really well explained and has given me something to think about when i next play. Really glad i stumbled across it
The discussion of the pause at the back of the cue action feels like the same thing that happens when you want to get good at shooting basketball free throws: one fluid motion with no pauses or hitches leads to more consistent results. That bit about always playing with side also explains why he's so fast. It's like you say, it's one less thing to think about, which frees your mental process for other things. A+ video.
I noticed the up and down movement of his arm years ago and I also believe when generating topspin he goes from low to high and the opposite with backspin. Jimmy White did something similar
Ronnie has been the greatest inspiration, thank you for looking into his technique. In the pool hall I play - Plan B in Amsterdam, there's a huge mural of Ronnie squinting over a shot, right over a table. It's upstairs, if anyone is ever back in Ams ;)
I love this video it has helped me to understand my own game better as I believe my cue action has almost all of these traits and I have at times believed it to be flaws in my game even though I played well, but seeing this video I now know that if I just focus on playing the shot I see and keep the cueing action I have instead of changing it I hopefully will get back to improving my game. Thanks a bunch!
Steve Davis used this circular cue action in the early to mid 80s he called it an arching action, you could notice the cue coming done off his chin going back and up again going forwards.
I like this video. I always emulated the Ronnie Rok and coincidentally always used side on most shots, I became obsessed with his cue action but I’m not as tall as Ronnie it will never look the same no matter how perfect it is.
I don't play snooker, but I got interested in the game through your channel. Informative, entertaining, and very enjoyable. Thank you from Front Royal, VA!
I noticed the piston-movement as well in many players and do think it also helps you to "map" the effect of your motor commands on the actual movement of the artm. It is very unnatural to move your arm in exactly the same fashion every time. But when moving it in an ever changing slight variation around the "ideal line", you're likely to close in on it. Also, as you involve more movement degrees of your arm, your probably likely to average out errors between them. And then there is the continuity of movement, like a tennis player bouncing the ball a few times to get the perfect entry point into his service movement. It's the same with side, get a feel for the effects of it rather than avoiding it alltogether. You will never abolish it entirely, as you said. But getting a grip for its effects and organically correcting a bit on _every_ shot is the most effective. It's like when you drive a motorcycle - you never go exactly straight, it is impossible to go straigt because every little perturbation like a roughness of the street will put you off line. It is about reacting to these little perturbations (back to snooker this would be your stance, direction of the nap of the cloth, etc.) and eliminating them for every shot. Again, getting all of them the same for every shot is impossible. Being entirely robotic helps many players though (Steve Davis, Kyren, Neil, etc.), but this organic approach reall helps others like Ronnie, Shaun, Stephen Hendry, Anthony Hamilton, etc.
Love your vids mate! :) You inspired me to get back into snooker and on Friday I became a member at my local Pot Black club here in Perth, Australia! I want to start with your couch to 50 break challenge but it got me thinking. What is the best progression to develop your game? Maybe this could be a good video for you. For example, is it all about potting at first or should I start with my feet position or cueing straight etc. It's such a complex game that it can be overwhelming at first trying to know what to work on and for how long. Anyway thanks for all the videos! :)
I see his grip differently, when you say he grips it tightly i see him lifting his fore finger out of the way, making a little hole and cupping with his other fingers? Avoiding using them until he has finished is stroke? Thought for a while that he has a lazy kind of "scoopy" action but didn't understand what i was seeing until your piston analogy. Also remember hearing Hendry in commentary saying Ronnie never plays a safety shot shot plain ball, i guess your saying that he does this on most of his shots? I also dont recall seeing him decelerating on a shot, well not that the commentors ever said so, lol! Heard Ronnie say smooth acceleration through the ball too. Cheers for the videos they are always very interesting, just wish i could get down the club o try them out.
I thought he said grips tightly with just a finger or two, not calling it a tight grip, in general. The next one you’ve seen a million times: when he follows through then “drops” the cue on the table, barely getting out of the way of the white as it comes back toward him. Reminds me of Olympic archery
@@chrisp2272 it's an odd one. It's a perception thing for us based on different camera angles,not actually talking it through with Ronnie. He is a virtuouso and think he varies his grip and bridge length for different shots. What you think?
Your videos helped me a lot to understand the game a little bit better and to see the prespective of the players. Thank you! Diogo from Setúbal, Portugal
That’s something a lot of players both do and don’t do. If it you can pot consistently it doesn’t seem to matter especially as you can push your cue through a bit further
I once read a quote that most cue sports players are successful in spite of their cue action rather than because of it. I think its important to remember most players have many imperfections in their action and trying to copy their cue actions is a recipe for disaster! I'm not suggesting that you are saying that but I think it'd worth pointing out for those reading the comments anyway! I'm skeptical of the long term success of intentionally adding side. Surely if the amount of side you are adding still varies in exactly the same amount and therefore affects your aim by exactly the same amount ultimately. Love the channel, Maurice from Dallas TX.
Great vid as always. It might also have been nice to mention something Alan McManus said about a Ronnie's and few of the other top players' cue action, which is when they follow through they often drop their elbow to get through the cue ball better.
Thanks for your observation! Some of them I didn't aware before. I have learnt ROS technique since I started playing snooker (Of course some of my friends do not suggest me to it but I still keep persist on this lol). And yes, this helps me to improve delivery a lot, as well as better control of the cue ball and wanted positions to be. Appreciate from Hong Kong!!
Yep, Shane has this beautiful "rolling" motion in his cue action. I think that is the key point on his magic touch. His stroke has 4 sections but they are seamlesly welded as in one motion.
@@josihd6918 I've seen it now, VERY interesting, actually. I was watching one of his breaks ultra slow mo, and he does have a definite pause in the middle. Another thing that struck me was on his breaks his forearm is WAYYY out of line with the stick, like he's got a good bit of sidearm in it. Thinking about that I can see how it might help with power, but man, has that has got to be hard to control, especially to pin point accuracy like Shane almost always does. Amazing talent...and from what he says, and others have corroborated it, he gets all that accuracy by practice, practice, practice, ad infinitum...he claims he practices more hours (I've heard other pros verify this) than anyone he knows, and I've heard of him spending many hours at the table doing nothing but breaking, racking, rinse, repeat for several hours, even during tournaments. NOBODY picks up a cue occasionally and plays like THAT, I don't care WHO you are. Now that Efren is gone Shane is definitely on the VERY short list of players I most enjoy viewing. Pag ain't too shabby either (and he's funny), and a few obvious others. Jason S. is becoming a lot of fun to watch, too, a quick climbing favorite.
Check out Mika Immonen (Pool player) cue action. It is exactly that wheelchair motion and it feels smooth just like Ronnie's. It's rather hard for most of the people because it involves shoulder movement which may mean a total failure of a shot but for some talented people it makes no difference and may generate more kinetic energy.
This is a very useful video. It helped me a lot to just think about gripping mostly with the index finger. This means that i have less things to think about and it produces better cue action.
At 0:47, I was hoping you could explain a section of Ronnie's cue action, the cue appears to be bending under his chin before he strikes, why is this? (you can see the cue straighten again the instance he strikes) There are more clips like this on YT and you will see the cue bending under his chin. This must be where you explain the "piston", I've tried shots like this and it's helped my straight potting by forcing the cue to keep a straight path
I think there is a big difference from trying to pot a ball, compared to the feeling on knowing you are going to pot the ball, another great video very much enjoyed :)
I practically exclusively watch Ronnie o Sullivan matches and YT vids. I’ve totally modeled my game around him and can vouch for your observations. I naturally play with a trace of side on all shots. I know I’m gonna get side on it anyway so why not just allow for it. Another thing is the circular feathering without the pause before striking. That’s how I play it as well. Smooth continuous waggles in a circular motion. After every shot I drop my right elbow & the cue tip goes above the height of the ball just like Ronnie does.
Great vid. I don't know if there are benefits to his cue action, but for someone like me who shoots very similarly, it gives me more confidence in what I'm doing.
Other than literally everything about the game, the one thing I struggle with is shots where bringing a leg up would help. It just feels awkward and I never feel balanced so I end up just using a rest. I would love a video on how to achieve better form on that type of shot.
Lay on the table then bring the other toe to the floor, dont worry about laying up without them both leaving the floor as long as you can put the other foots toe to the floor when setu
Hi bud hope you are having a great day. At 2:42 is what i am facing. I make sure i am hitting the center but when i play the shot it goes offline and i miss my shots.
Earl Strickland too on some of his 'Earl Strickland Presents!' videos. He says everyone should play pool using side, although I didn't hear him say why.
I think it’s to aid with consistency of the shot, Mike Sigel also plays with side on most shots, I think he uses outside spin which allows the player to hit the object ball slightly thicker and still pot it. If you play with the same amount of spin and with the same amount of power on nearly every shot, then you’ll have less to think about as you’ll know where the cue ball will go after contacting the object ball
You reply that side is for pros only makes me laugh, how do you think that amateurs get to become pro’s if they never learn to use side? I must be a professional player as I use whatever spin I need to help me get the cue ball roughly where I need it to be, I do get it wrong sometimes. Also yes Pool and Snooker are different games, but the principle the same, pot the you’re playing and leave the cue ball in a position for an easy, or easier shot on the next ball, and if that requires spin or any sort then so be it
It’s logical when you think about it. If you try and play every shot in the middle of the white, you are more likely than not to put some side on the ball. It could be left or right, you don’t know until after the shot - the result is unpredictable. If however you deliberately put one side or the other, you only have to consider the effects of the side you have given it. From here you can aim for the side of the pocket you are most likely to get the ball into leaving the rest of the pocket as ‘margin for error’ in case you put slightly more side then intended. Your odds of potting have now increased.
10:01 Interesting handle shape. I wish I knew what that feels like in my hand! I’ve only ever used pool cues with round “handles” but that design looks very ergonomic and comfortable!
Greate video with no introduction needed! Wish I could use this Information, but there’s nothing open during the „current“ situation.... as you know. Imaginary play, it has to be. Greetings from Regensburg, Germany. (Northest point of the Danube)
Great video. I've always noticed he gripped his cue with just his finger and thumb but it's now even more interesting to know its just his finger. He once said he learned his technique from Steve Davis so it would be interesting to see a comparison video.
You havnt mentioned Ronnies Elbow dipping on the follow through. I do exactly the same. Not something ive followed, just done naturally. You go through the ball much more and get more reaction from the Cue ball. 👍
It looks like it dips but you have to push through with the cue ,your elbow naturally moves and has to dip down to generate that movement to push the cue forwards ,remember the camera angles also can exaggerate this too
What a great video and now thinking about it because of the way judd trump feathers his cue in one area but strikes in another perhaps he too is playing with a trace of side and allowing that room of adjustment either way it’s fascinating your video I think this is my favourite video of yours
Your video covered all of the points except for one crucial point. Ronnie drops his elbow more than any other player as part of the follow through. I have been experimenting with that for some time now. It does help with power shots.
I've tried the death grip index finger and all the remaining ones super limp, and had instantly more draw on the cue ball. Fascinating. It's both rigid and allows wrist freedom. And because you are gripping the butt tightly before delivery, you don't twist your wrist on impact!
Ronnie Rock !!!! - He got that from Steve Davis - Go back and watch early Davis games, especially noticeable when camera is behind his cue arm, you'll see the cue break down away from chin on backswing, then he pulls the hand up very slightly at the pause before delivering the cue down - but the trick is not to allow the right elbow to drop until AFTER the cue ball is struck - Ronnie does exactly the same but with a much longer more flowing action.
I thought i was the only one that noticed the circular motion of Ronnies cue delivery, so this is fascinating. I started using this technique myself and although sometimes i would forget to do it, when i did it i noticed i was potting more consistently, whether or not its just coincidence i don't know & i really don't understand the logic behind why it works, but it does and feels quite natural to me and doesn't feel awkward at all.
I picked up same cue action from griping tight in first finger to cue delivery. It works for me. Took time to get used to it but I play much better. It was natural.
You're absolutely right on the elbow drop, most important part of his action I think. The argument on playing with side does not add up, though. If you accept that you have some inaccuracy striking the ball center line, then you also have to accept it'll be there when you hit with side. Striking the side of the ball, this inaccuracy will lead to larger deviations (curvature of the ball is going away from you). So playing with side will make your shot even more unpredictable.
Incorrect. It will be more predictable because playing with a trace of left hand side eliminates the chance of playing a shot with unintentional right hand side. You can't eliminate the possibility of either right hand side or left hand side by attempting to hit the ball in the middle. A slight inaccuracy in striking could result in either without the player knowing in advance. Ronnie's technique gives him this prior knowledge and makes sense when we all know hitting the ball consistently straight dead centre of the horizontal axis is impossible...
@@Eat-MyGoalLet x be the intended side and dx the uncertainty on our strike (all in direction perpendicular to cue action and table) The size of the deflection component will be arcsin(x+dx) which after Taylor expansion 1st order gives you arcsin(x)+1/sqrt(1-x^2)*dx. Since 1/sqrt(1-x^2) is always positive and gets larger with increasing x, any increase in intended side will increase unintended deflection.
Its intriguing on the idea of never hitting the ball 'plain' and I think it interests me to the point of doing as you have and putting the idea into practice when I am able to get back to my local club, ... Happy belated new year to you from Wolverhampton
by using mainly the one finger to hold the cue it acts more like a pivot and likely has thus less conflict. a grip will try to fix the point and the angle of the cue where a pivot will only fix the point and the angle will be determined be the other hand point.
Alex’s cue action was fairly consistent ,most of the movement he had came a micro second after he struck the cue ball and not during the shot ,like Ronnie though he had a very good snooker brain .
It's all about the cue action
-Ronnie O'Sullivan
It's all about the ranking points mate!
@@roing747 oh you should watch the aftermatch interview of ronnie vs selby on WSC 2020 then
@@TELE6220 You know who he meant, don’t be a dick
@@TELE6220 aight aight, its edited
Peter Ebdon noticed something about Ronnie's game: Ronnie takes less than 20 minutes on each shot ...
This actually made me lol
?
Seconds*
He means that Peter take more than 20 min in a shot😂😂😂
You made me laugh out loud! Brilliant sledge.
Professional cellist here. There may be a parallel between the piston-esque cue action and the way string players bow their instruments, specifically when changing bow direction. It's a common technique that students are taught during their training: when reaching the end of the bow, change directions in a subtle circular manner, such that your hand and wrist will ultimately end up creating an '8' figure rather than a straight line as you go up and down. The reasoning for this is to create smoothness within the sound, minimizing "dead space" in which your hand is completely idle, and also to reduce variables that may come from the change of direction, such as inconsistency in speed, weight, etc. Of course, while with a cue you're only getting half of this figure-8, similar concepts might be in play.
fascinating insight, thanks for sharing your thoughts!
Can you say that in English please
For the longest time I've been debating with my mates whether the pause between backswing and follow-through is necessary. Learnt a ton from your detailed explanation of Ronnie's mechanics - so much to take in yet it shows how fascinating the game and its intricacies can be when we examine from an alternate point of view.
Peace and hope to get a pin from Kowloon, Hong Kong!
I don't think any pool players really pause. Its all one motion...but then I never payed attn. They might pause on long strait shots. Where your just rolling the cueball
@@alphacapo A coach I briefly took lessons from had a similar opinion - "two speeds for snooker, one for American pool". The "pause" between pull-back and stroke/follow-through comes down to preference and how you develop cue power. American pool players like Shane Van Boening, Tyler Styer and Fedor Gorst rely on this timing to smoothly accelerate into the ball, whereas players like Alex Pagulayan or Max Eberle may use a shorter pause between the final pull-back and stroke.
I alternate between American pool and snooker and incorporate a moderate pause into my stroke for smoother acceleration and better cue ball control.
@@lewisplayspool you ever do this on long strait shots where you have to roll the cueball forward after contact a few inches? Basically accelerate your back arm then cut power and coast or let your arm just fall throu the cueball....basically the back arm is just a guide at ball contact...ive been messing with this the last few weeks and it seems more consistent than playing follow with a draw stroke that the spin releases before contact with object ball.
Not only is it necessary it's impossible to avoid. The cue can not be moving backwards and forwards at the same time, So what's it doing at the point it's neither moving forwards or backwards? It's stationary; ie: a pause. Also, watch Ronnie @5mins 14secs. There's a distinct pause...
The backswing and feathers should be proportionate to the distance between you (cue ball) and the object ball. So you don't run the risk of over hitting the ball
I saw that piston kind of motion in Stephen Lee's technique too. Now it's in ronnie's I'll give it a try. Thanks
I'm Pedro from Bremen, Germany. The content of your channel is so great that I don't know where I am going to find the time to practice all what I'd like to do! Thanks very much!
Thanks, was wondering the other day how much longer I can keep this up without anyone being able to play
@@Breakfromlife I have a 7-feet pool table at home but I am terribly bad. I don't know, maybe lack of patience. I hoped to improve during the quarantine!
I got a pool table in my house. I immediately applies the stand, the cue action, the grip, and a little spin on every shot. And voila, I am pocketing more balls more than ever. Great content, great channel. Love from New York City.
the motion of cueing you describe is how i felt comfortable with. it looks very unorthodox and uncoordinated to others but ive always thought it help my aim and execution be a lot more precise. i will be back at the tables soon. hope you continue to bring the quality content you always have. thank you
It's all about the cue action!
Osijek, Croatia 🇭🇷
My one regret with this video Is I forgot to include those interviews somehow
Hey my name is perry and I’m from melbourne, victoria, australia, and i find your videos really, not only fun to watch, but helpful to my playing and i would love to get pinned on the board.
Good to see a fellow Melbournian.
Wow... that one tip (a little side spin on every shot) has instantly improved my game. Less missed shots. I played a drill that I play every day, and I had my best ever result with it. 😀
That could be because concentrating on the technical tweak improved your overall focus on your game. Check to see if the improvement lasts for a month or so, then you can tell whether it's working. ;)
6:29 - actually the biggest thing to resonate with me today.
I have seen this video at least a hundred times by now.
Moving the cue slightly off then back on the shot line helps to prime the body for the spring action.
At least for me, it did.
I noticed that before one month or more , and started to try to catch the cue like him , and do exactly like him , but unfortunately sometimes i move my all body up and down with the cue 😂😂😂 he is gunius ❤️ and you are very clever, i love you bro so much 😍 big respect from Amman, Jordan to you bro ❤️
Man, is that me or your snooker room is getting neater and neater?
I still remember it having boxes everywhere :)
Cool vid as usual!
you've got excellent terminology to express succinct as distinct the message you deliver. Good show
Absolutely brilliant and informative video man, really can’t wait to see what it’s like when we can finally get back on a Snooker Table. Best wishes in practice from Romford 👍
Fantastic video, new and fresh observations! Happy that you did not talk about the elbow drop as that's a topic many are already familiar with. Some players with extremely fluid-looking cue actions like Stephen Lee, Ronnie and Jack Lisowski posses, have this elbow drop which looks so natural. It probably helps to mentally reach that smooth follow-through even though Judd can generate stupendous screw without elbow drop. Your piston analogy explains perfectly Ronnie's movement during the shot which I thought is just something he does but gets away with. It also explains why Ronnie's backswing is just the best, so relaxed and smooth without the stop.
The vid we all needed! Thanks mate. Did you also notice that he drops his elbow through the shot and pushes his hand beyond his chest. It means he can get maximum acceleration but with minimal power. So he can generate a lot of spin without sacrificing accuracy.
Love from Warwickshire
I've always wanted to see a video on this!
Ronnie is just on another level and the way you explain how he is always using side and compensating for it and how his cue action is different, then it makes sense as to why he is so good on a good day, but also why things can fall apart for him on a bad day. He has complained about his cue action being off in the past while admiring his opponents cue action and almost psyching himself out, because he feels he can't compete so the perfectionist in him can see when he isn't in top form. In the end he is a brilliant player and when he is in top form, I doubt anyone in this world can beat him!
The circular motion idea has been shown effective in tennis serves as well, versus the old school 'trophy position'.
i have seen former professional billiards player who said he always shot with a little inside english because it’s nearly impossible to strike the cue ball dead center. I think you’re on to something there, good video as a whole 👍
He said on the American pool hustle thing when he’s getting a cue given he plays with a lot of side
Hendry always says that Ronnie never hits the cue ball plain.
I was under the impression that Endon only said this because Ronnie manipulates the angles with side, creating easier position and/or better paths to baulk. I don't believe he suggests he uses side when not needed, only that he's more likely to use side on the other shots. Also, regarding his grip hand, what Ronnie does is grips the cue with his middle finger as opposed to the index and thumb combination that we conventionally say. The V of the index is actually a secondary effect of this grip after the cue has gone through and the cue is unfurling his index-thumb by pivoting on his middle finger. Great vid as always!
I love that he's won another World Championship since this video.
Still doing it.
Been watching your videos for roughly a year now, and it never fails to grab my interest. Don’t stop what your doing bro. Much Love from Winnipeg MB Canada
Review on the Snooker app Snooker stars...?
Up
The in depth analysis on this video was fantastic, really well explained and has given me something to think about when i next play. Really glad i stumbled across it
The discussion of the pause at the back of the cue action feels like the same thing that happens when you want to get good at shooting basketball free throws: one fluid motion with no pauses or hitches leads to more consistent results.
That bit about always playing with side also explains why he's so fast. It's like you say, it's one less thing to think about, which frees your mental process for other things.
A+ video.
You should do a video like this on Stephen Lee's cue action! Please😊
Great information, Thank you for sharing. It's more of a piston like motion for sure. Set, pause, finish, freeze... all within a piston motion....
I noticed the up and down movement of his arm years ago and I also believe when generating topspin he goes from low to high and the opposite with backspin. Jimmy White did something similar
Indeed
he’s the greatest
love from Nicosia, Cyprus
Ronnie has been the greatest inspiration, thank you for looking into his technique. In the pool hall I play - Plan B in Amsterdam, there's a huge mural of Ronnie squinting over a shot, right over a table. It's upstairs, if anyone is ever back in Ams ;)
I love this video it has helped me to understand my own game better as I believe my cue action has almost all of these traits and I have at times believed it to be flaws in my game even though I played well, but seeing this video I now know that if I just focus on playing the shot I see and keep the cueing action I have instead of changing it I hopefully will get back to improving my game. Thanks a bunch!
Steve Davis used this circular cue action in the early to mid 80s he called it an arching action, you could notice the cue coming done off his chin going back and up again going forwards.
A very thorough analysis indeed. I'm going to try some of this next time I'm at a table.
From Esposende, Portugal !!
I like this video. I always emulated the Ronnie Rok and coincidentally always used side on most shots, I became obsessed with his cue action but I’m not as tall as Ronnie it will never look the same no matter how perfect it is.
Hi Im from USA but i live in brazil... ur videos help me a lot seriously... i live in Palmas Tocantins, Brazil
I love videos like this. I’m going to try some of these. I do dip my elbow down and that improves my game a lot.
I don't play snooker, but I got interested in the game through your channel. Informative, entertaining, and very enjoyable. Thank you from Front Royal, VA!
I noticed the piston-movement as well in many players and do think it also helps you to "map" the effect of your motor commands on the actual movement of the artm. It is very unnatural to move your arm in exactly the same fashion every time. But when moving it in an ever changing slight variation around the "ideal line", you're likely to close in on it.
Also, as you involve more movement degrees of your arm, your probably likely to average out errors between them.
And then there is the continuity of movement, like a tennis player bouncing the ball a few times to get the perfect entry point into his service movement.
It's the same with side, get a feel for the effects of it rather than avoiding it alltogether. You will never abolish it entirely, as you said. But getting a grip for its effects and organically correcting a bit on _every_ shot is the most effective.
It's like when you drive a motorcycle - you never go exactly straight, it is impossible to go straigt because every little perturbation like a roughness of the street will put you off line. It is about reacting to these little perturbations (back to snooker this would be your stance, direction of the nap of the cloth, etc.) and eliminating them for every shot. Again, getting all of them the same for every shot is impossible.
Being entirely robotic helps many players though (Steve Davis, Kyren, Neil, etc.), but this organic approach reall helps others like Ronnie, Shaun, Stephen Hendry, Anthony Hamilton, etc.
Love your vids mate! :) You inspired me to get back into snooker and on Friday I became a member at my local Pot Black club here in Perth, Australia! I want to start with your couch to 50 break challenge but it got me thinking. What is the best progression to develop your game? Maybe this could be a good video for you. For example, is it all about potting at first or should I start with my feet position or cueing straight etc. It's such a complex game that it can be overwhelming at first trying to know what to work on and for how long. Anyway thanks for all the videos! :)
I see his grip differently, when you say he grips it tightly i see him lifting his fore finger out of the way, making a little hole and cupping with his other fingers? Avoiding using them until he has finished is stroke? Thought for a while that he has a lazy kind of "scoopy" action but didn't understand what i was seeing until your piston analogy. Also remember hearing Hendry in commentary saying Ronnie never plays a safety shot shot plain ball, i guess your saying that he does this on most of his shots? I also dont recall seeing him decelerating on a shot, well not that the commentors ever said so, lol! Heard Ronnie say smooth acceleration through the ball too. Cheers for the videos they are always very interesting, just wish i could get down the club o try them out.
I thought he said grips tightly with just a finger or two, not calling it a tight grip, in general.
The next one you’ve seen a million times: when he follows through then “drops” the cue on the table, barely getting out of the way of the white as it comes back toward him. Reminds me of Olympic archery
@@chrisp2272 it's an odd one. It's a perception thing for us based on different camera angles,not actually talking it through with Ronnie. He is a virtuouso and think he varies his grip and bridge length for different shots. What you think?
Your videos helped me a lot to understand the game a little bit better and to see the prespective of the players. Thank you!
Diogo from Setúbal, Portugal
4:40 Rocket use middle and thumb for grip, hence you will noticed his pointer finger relaxed
3:43 break, is that alright to have the grip moving right side after the grip hit the chest?
That’s something a lot of players both do and don’t do. If it you can pot consistently it doesn’t seem to matter especially as you can push your cue through a bit further
I once read a quote that most cue sports players are successful in spite of their cue action rather than because of it.
I think its important to remember most players have many imperfections in their action and trying to copy their cue actions is a recipe for disaster! I'm not suggesting that you are saying that but I think it'd worth pointing out for those reading the comments anyway!
I'm skeptical of the long term success of intentionally adding side. Surely if the amount of side you are adding still varies in exactly the same amount and therefore affects your aim by exactly the same amount ultimately.
Love the channel, Maurice from Dallas TX.
Great vid as always. It might also have been nice to mention something Alan McManus said about a Ronnie's and few of the other top players' cue action, which is when they follow through they often drop their elbow to get through the cue ball better.
Hi from St. Louis, Missouri. Great video, I've been trying to study his technique for years. I appreciate you breaking it down.
Thanks for your observation! Some of them I didn't aware before.
I have learnt ROS technique since I started playing snooker (Of course some of my friends do not suggest me to it but I still keep persist on this lol). And yes, this helps me to improve delivery a lot, as well as better control of the cue ball and wanted positions to be.
Appreciate from Hong Kong!!
I've noticed something similar when Shane van boening goes into his backstroke.
He also does it when he pushes the cue through too
Interesting, now I will have to watch carefully.
Yep, Shane has this beautiful "rolling" motion in his cue action. I think that is the key point on his magic touch. His stroke has 4 sections but they are seamlesly welded as in one motion.
@Ville Mäkinen that's what I meant. Just beautiful.
@@josihd6918 I've seen it now, VERY interesting, actually. I was watching one of his breaks ultra slow mo, and he does have a definite pause in the middle. Another thing that struck me was on his breaks his forearm is WAYYY out of line with the stick, like he's got a good bit of sidearm in it. Thinking about that I can see how it might help with power, but man, has that has got to be hard to control, especially to pin point accuracy like Shane almost always does.
Amazing talent...and from what he says, and others have corroborated it, he gets all that accuracy by practice, practice, practice, ad infinitum...he claims he practices more hours (I've heard other pros verify this) than anyone he knows, and I've heard of him spending many hours at the table doing nothing but breaking, racking, rinse, repeat for several hours, even during tournaments.
NOBODY picks up a cue occasionally and plays like THAT, I don't care WHO you are. Now that Efren is gone Shane is definitely on the VERY short list of players I most enjoy viewing. Pag ain't too shabby either (and he's funny), and a few obvious others. Jason S. is becoming a lot of fun to watch, too, a quick climbing favorite.
Check out Mika Immonen (Pool player) cue action. It is exactly that wheelchair motion and it feels smooth just like Ronnie's. It's rather hard for most of the people because it involves shoulder movement which may mean a total failure of a shot but for some talented people it makes no difference and may generate more kinetic energy.
This is a very useful video. It helped me a lot to just think about gripping mostly with the index finger. This means that i have less things to think about and it produces better cue action.
At 0:47, I was hoping you could explain a section of Ronnie's cue action, the cue appears to be bending under his chin before he strikes, why is this? (you can see the cue straighten again the instance he strikes)
There are more clips like this on YT and you will see the cue bending under his chin. This must be where you explain the "piston", I've tried shots like this and it's helped my straight potting by forcing the cue to keep a straight path
Lovely video! Another thing that I noticed is that, for most shots, he has a longer and slower backstroke than most players I've seen.
I hope one day I might actually get back on a snooker table to test this out!
My uncle built a snooker hut with a table the first lockdown
Godsend
This is a great vid i feel like i've always needed to see Ronnie's cue action.
greetings from Belfast Northern Ireland
I think there is a big difference from trying to pot a ball, compared to the feeling on knowing you are going to pot the ball, another great video very much enjoyed :)
I practically exclusively watch Ronnie o Sullivan matches and YT vids. I’ve totally modeled my game around him and can vouch for your observations.
I naturally play with a trace of side on all shots. I know I’m gonna get side on it anyway so why not just allow for it.
Another thing is the circular feathering without the pause before striking. That’s how I play it as well. Smooth continuous waggles in a circular motion.
After every shot I drop my right elbow & the cue tip goes above the height of the ball just like Ronnie does.
What do you think about Kyren Wilson's technique? He seems to have a unique way to hit the ball.
Great vid. I don't know if there are benefits to his cue action, but for someone like me who shoots very similarly, it gives me more confidence in what I'm doing.
Ronnie’s cue action is very organic and changes a little depending on the shot
Other than literally everything about the game, the one thing I struggle with is shots where bringing a leg up would help. It just feels awkward and I never feel balanced so I end up just using a rest.
I would love a video on how to achieve better form on that type of shot.
Lay on the table then bring the other toe to the floor, dont worry about laying up without them both leaving the floor as long as you can put the other foots toe to the floor when setu
Hi bud hope you are having a great day.
At 2:42 is what i am facing. I make sure i am hitting the center but when i play the shot it goes offline and i miss my shots.
Efren reyes does the piston thing as well along with some of the older pool players like earl Strickland. Maybe you can do an episode on that?
O'Sullivan has said many times, that he plays every shot with side.
Earl Strickland too on some of his 'Earl Strickland Presents!' videos. He says everyone should play pool using side, although I didn't hear him say why.
I think it’s to aid with consistency of the shot, Mike Sigel also plays with side on most shots, I think he uses outside spin which allows the player to hit the object ball slightly thicker and still pot it.
If you play with the same amount of spin and with the same amount of power on nearly every shot, then you’ll have less to think about as you’ll know where the cue ball will go after contacting the object ball
@@cueball5858 pool and snooker are diff discipline just like 3 cushions. Diff game diff requirements.
You reply that side is for pros only makes me laugh, how do you think that amateurs get to become pro’s if they never learn to use side? I must be a professional player as I use whatever spin I need to help me get the cue ball roughly where I need it to be, I do get it wrong sometimes.
Also yes Pool and Snooker are different games, but the principle the same, pot the you’re playing and leave the cue ball in a position for an easy, or easier shot on the next ball, and if that requires spin or any sort then so be it
It’s logical when you think about it. If you try and play every shot in the middle of the white, you are more likely than not to put some side on the ball. It could be left or right, you don’t know until after the shot - the result is unpredictable. If however you deliberately put one side or the other, you only have to consider the effects of the side you have given it. From here you can aim for the side of the pocket you are most likely to get the ball into leaving the rest of the pocket as ‘margin for error’ in case you put slightly more side then intended. Your odds of potting have now increased.
10:01 Interesting handle shape. I wish I knew what that feels like in my hand! I’ve only ever used pool cues with round “handles” but that design looks very ergonomic and comfortable!
Most snooker cues have a flat part on the handle
thanks, great video and analisys. Stephen Lee, has the same cue action like Ronnie, also a great cueaction with massiv follow through.
hello from georgia/tbilisi for arguably best snooker channel on youtube😘😘
Greate video with no introduction needed!
Wish I could use this Information, but there’s nothing open during the „current“ situation.... as you know. Imaginary play, it has to be.
Greetings from Regensburg, Germany. (Northest point of the Danube)
Great video. I've always noticed he gripped his cue with just his finger and thumb but it's now even more interesting to know its just his finger. He once said he learned his technique from Steve Davis so it would be interesting to see a comparison video.
Fascinating stuff, mate! Much appreciated.
You havnt mentioned Ronnies Elbow dipping on the follow through. I do exactly the same. Not something ive followed, just done naturally. You go through the ball much more and get more reaction from the Cue ball. 👍
It looks like it dips but you have to push through with the cue ,your elbow naturally moves and has to dip down to generate that movement to push the cue forwards ,remember the camera angles also can exaggerate this too
Very good observations and analysis. Greetings from Tunisia 🇹🇳💯
Again brilliant video. Keeping me sane in these mad times 👍🏻. Big shout out from Wales 🏴 Porthcawl.
exactly what i do, Its easier to play long pots with a specific side, than trying to hit exactly centre of the ball. It really makes alot of sense.
What a great video and now thinking about it because of the way judd trump feathers his cue in one area but strikes in another perhaps he too is playing with a trace of side and allowing that room of adjustment either way it’s fascinating your video I think this is my favourite video of yours
Your video covered all of the points except for one crucial point. Ronnie drops his elbow more than any other player as part of the follow through. I have been experimenting with that for some time now. It does help with power shots.
I've tried the death grip index finger and all the remaining ones super limp, and had instantly more draw on the cue ball. Fascinating. It's both rigid and allows wrist freedom. And because you are gripping the butt tightly before delivery, you don't twist your wrist on impact!
Your amazing dude, love from Esfahan, 🇮🇷
Really interesting show, keep up the great work and well done!
Ronnie Rock !!!! - He got that from Steve Davis - Go back and watch early Davis games, especially noticeable when camera is behind his cue arm, you'll see the cue break down away from chin on backswing, then he pulls the hand up very slightly at the pause before delivering the cue down - but the trick is not to allow the right elbow to drop until AFTER the cue ball is struck - Ronnie does exactly the same but with a much longer more flowing action.
Weirdly I only see him using his middle finger for the grip, not his index finger. And this really helps with the action you get from the cue ball.
I thought i was the only one that noticed the circular motion of Ronnies cue delivery, so this is fascinating. I started using this technique myself and although sometimes i would forget to do it, when i did it i noticed i was potting more consistently, whether or not its just coincidence i don't know & i really don't understand the logic behind why it works, but it does and feels quite natural to me and doesn't feel awkward at all.
He's a bit of a digger, and when I changed to this cue action I got a lot more consistent. Works a treat.
Thanks for your really enjoyable and valuable videos.
I picked up same cue action from griping tight in first finger to cue delivery. It works for me. Took time to get used to it but I play much better. It was natural.
You're absolutely right on the elbow drop, most important part of his action I think. The argument on playing with side does not add up, though. If you accept that you have some inaccuracy striking the ball center line, then you also have to accept it'll be there when you hit with side. Striking the side of the ball, this inaccuracy will lead to larger deviations (curvature of the ball is going away from you). So playing with side will make your shot even more unpredictable.
Incorrect. It will be more predictable because playing with a trace of left hand side eliminates the chance of playing a shot with unintentional right hand side. You can't eliminate the possibility of either right hand side or left hand side by attempting to hit the ball in the middle. A slight inaccuracy in striking could result in either without the player knowing in advance. Ronnie's technique gives him this prior knowledge and makes sense when we all know hitting the ball consistently straight dead centre of the horizontal axis is impossible...
@@Eat-MyGoalLet x be the intended side and dx the uncertainty on our strike (all in direction perpendicular to cue action and table) The size of the deflection component will be arcsin(x+dx) which after Taylor expansion 1st order gives you arcsin(x)+1/sqrt(1-x^2)*dx. Since 1/sqrt(1-x^2) is always positive and gets larger with increasing x, any increase in intended side will increase unintended deflection.
Its intriguing on the idea of never hitting the ball 'plain' and I think it interests me to the point of doing as you have and putting the idea into practice when I am able to get back to my local club, ... Happy belated new year to you from Wolverhampton
Detailed and well presented work again!
@3:37 the biggest battle of the game of pool is in your mind. having to "allow" yourself to hit a certain way proves it.
This is brilliant investigative work, nice!!!
If you read joe Davis how I play snooker, that’s exactly what he says (a piston like cue action ) and this is Ronnies Bible
Love your videos!! Karan from Amritsar, Punjab, India
by using mainly the one finger to hold the cue it acts more like a pivot and likely has thus less conflict. a grip will try to fix the point and the angle of the cue where a pivot will only fix the point and the angle will be determined be the other hand point.
Nice! Can u do a video on alex higgins cue action too?
Maybe, although I wouldn’t call it consistent
Alex’s cue action was fairly consistent ,most of the movement he had came a micro second after he struck the cue ball and not during the shot ,like Ronnie though he had a very good snooker brain .
I have actually heard Ronnie say he always plays with side in an interview from a few years ago before Peter said anything lol...
Yeah likewise I heard that from Barry Stark
@@ThePrimeMinisterOfTheBlock didn't you go missing whilst swimming?
The great Willie Thorne always mentions it also
@@wadewilliams1892 The late great Willie Thorne.
brilliant analasys.. great v ideo
Great video, I might try this in my next match!