Never knew of this fellow. What a beautiful, well-seasoned stroking technique he has -- that consistently smooth, slow backstroke, a discernible and deliberate micro-pause, then a confident arrow-straight, controlled delivery with no more power than the shot requires. And an equally deliberate, well-ingrained follow through on every shot. Quite worth emulating no matter what level your game is at on the learning curve. Many thanks for this, Dennis. Chris is an outstanding role model at the table. The video is a virtual remedial training aid for any player whose errors in shot making and CB positioning are traceable to flaws and lack of stroking repeatability in their shooting system.
ray carlton You do generally find that the British players with a history in snooker and English 8-ball have much more compact and tidier looking actions. That helps with the consistency of stroke, which it's pretty much impossible to play snooker well without. Obviously that alone doesn't necessarily make them better at American pool than pure American pool players, but it does make their skills more transferrable.
@@TheJohnCooper that is absolutely not standard in snooker. but he cues very straight, as is required when he used to play snooker before he switched to pool.
Chris is my favorite player, no doubt. Impeccable technique and such a positive character with great sportsmanship. Just a joy to watch his every shot.
I am watching because of his commentary on some other matches. He seemed to be a serious pattern student and I wanted to see his 14.1 patterns. This is textbook and helpful to people like myself that would love to run a rack, let alone 20.
This is tough I think even for pro's, strait pool on Diamond it tough for them to break 200+. Some of them maybe don't really focus too much on strait pool either mostly 9/10 ball. But Melling, Orcollo, Pagulayan, and other's can do it. A Brunswick is more often the typical home table of 14.1.
Chris Melling`s history is from uk 8ball and snooker,extremely talented at both,when you can score a 147 at snooker thats something special,beautiful smooth stroke,makes the game look easy when he`s on his game,from what i know he does not play much 14-1 but with a stroke like he has he can run big numbers.Nice to watch .
This guy is just great. Not only his pattern play, but that long stroke which reminds me of the great snooker star Ronnie O' Sullivan. His speed control seems effortless and he keeps his game at the top of the table...he definitely studied the elder statesmen of the game. Just a pleasure to watch! One question however, who are all the drunk guys distracting him?
just a bunch of pro friends (like johnny archer) jabbing at him. If I'm not mistaken this is one of this first few attempts at competitive straight pool and he ran 225...who knows what he wouldve ran if he got one inch to the right side of the break ball...
Man!....those long shots he made were so good. That 6 ball cut all the way up to break the rack at 48:52 was impressive. Yeah....pool pockets look huge to snooker players. I think he will break 500 some day if he determines to.
These snooker converts all seem to have a long smooth stroke - Melling and Chinakhov being the most recent exemplars. As someone mentioned below, reminds me of Miz in his heyday. Also 225 balls in 74 minutes. Seldom a difficult shot.
Now THIS guy knows how to play straight pool. What impressed me most was that most racks before getting halfway through the rack, there were no balls left on the rails.
What terrific shooting and pleasure to watch. At the risk of telling Michelangelo how to shape marble, for someone with such superb cue ball control, why did he consistently leave himself so relatively straight on so many of his break shots? I had a hunch it would catch up with him. Still a wonderful demonstration of how the game can and should be played, without heroics and without the outcome of a shot seriously in doubt. Well done indeed.
Got them all. Blackjack David Sapolis said he might want to work on them and add commentary. I'll see what time frame he has in mind. Otherwise, I'll get them up next week.
the ball he made in the side was not the ball he had called. he was trying to make the ball on the corner of the rack (8 I believe). so it doesn't count as 14.1 is a call shot game.
@@davidroberts4860 I know it's been 2 years but yes. Those are 9ft Diamonds with what i'm guessing is 4.5 inch pockets. Maybe 4.25 but i'm going to say 4.5. Tough tables.
Nice effort chris... but still not as good as your trick shot into my shoe at the old 147 snooker hall in douglas isle of man and you even got pickpocketed off some slapper bird!! lol...reply if you see this comment...
Never knew of this fellow. What a beautiful, well-seasoned stroking technique he has -- that consistently smooth, slow backstroke, a discernible and deliberate micro-pause, then a confident arrow-straight, controlled delivery with no more power than the shot requires. And an equally deliberate, well-ingrained follow through on every shot. Quite worth emulating no matter what level your game is at on the learning curve. Many thanks for this, Dennis. Chris is an outstanding role model at the table. The video is a virtual remedial training aid for any player whose errors in shot making and CB positioning are traceable to flaws and lack of stroking repeatability in their shooting system.
ray carlton You do generally find that the British players with a history in snooker and English 8-ball have much more compact and tidier looking actions. That helps with the consistency of stroke, which it's pretty much impossible to play snooker well without. Obviously that alone doesn't necessarily make them better at American pool than pure American pool players, but it does make their skills more transferrable.
ray carlton billiards that’s just a standard snooker technique
@@TheJohnCooper that is absolutely not standard in snooker. but he cues very straight, as is required when he used to play snooker before he switched to pool.
Chris is my favorite player, no doubt. Impeccable technique and such a positive character with great sportsmanship. Just a joy to watch his every shot.
I am watching because of his commentary on some other matches. He seemed to be a serious pattern student and I wanted to see his 14.1 patterns.
This is textbook and helpful to people like myself that would love to run a rack, let alone 20.
Uh Melling is no student, he been pro for decades
That was absolutely amazing. I can only dream of running that many balls. Phenomenal shooting Chris!!
This is tough I think even for pro's, strait pool on Diamond it tough for them to break 200+. Some of them maybe don't really focus too much on strait pool either mostly 9/10 ball. But Melling, Orcollo, Pagulayan, and other's can do it. A Brunswick is more often the typical home table of 14.1.
Chris Melling`s history is from uk 8ball and snooker,extremely talented at both,when you can score a 147 at snooker thats something special,beautiful smooth stroke,makes the game look easy when he`s on his game,from what i know he does not play much 14-1 but with a stroke like he has he can run big numbers.Nice to watch .
the best and most inventive player i have ever seen play live
i played against chris in his county days ( west yorkshire ),.he always has had a great cue action . and such a nice guy .
his technique is sublime
beautiful stroke - perfect speed control...was like watching Mizerak. Thumbs up!
Mizerak never missed the rack!
This guy is just great. Not only his pattern play, but that long stroke which reminds me of the great snooker star Ronnie O' Sullivan. His speed control seems effortless and he keeps his game at the top of the table...he definitely studied the elder statesmen of the game. Just a pleasure to watch! One question however, who are all the drunk guys distracting him?
just a bunch of pro friends (like johnny archer) jabbing at him. If I'm not mistaken this is one of this first few attempts at competitive straight pool and he ran 225...who knows what he wouldve ran if he got one inch to the right side of the break ball...
Chris is very talented and he is a great decision maker at the table.
What a great stroke for sure. Seen him play snooker but not straight pool. The best part is listening to Johnny in the background!
Man!....those long shots he made were so good. That 6 ball cut all the way up to break the rack at 48:52 was impressive. Yeah....pool pockets look huge to snooker players. I think he will break 500 some day if he determines to.
These snooker converts all seem to have a long smooth stroke - Melling and Chinakhov being the most recent exemplars. As someone mentioned below, reminds me of Miz in his heyday. Also 225 balls in 74 minutes. Seldom a difficult shot.
you have it the wrong way round as chris was a pool player around the 2000 onwards and didnt start snooker until 2012+...
@@davemaclfc41 nah mate you have it wrong chris started snooker when his was 9 and made his first century when he was 11
@@tahachihab8226But he was world champion at English 8 ball pool before he became a snooker professional.
@@chrislaw4189 i know that he was twice a WC i just pointed out that he did play snooker since a youngin
nice he beat my record by 220
Now THIS guy knows how to play straight pool. What impressed me most was that most racks before getting halfway through the rack, there were no balls left on the rails.
1. clear the paths to the pockets, 2. pick the balls off the rails
Those Diamond Table Ball Returns sure are Noisy!!
What terrific shooting and pleasure to watch. At the risk of telling Michelangelo how to shape marble, for someone with such superb cue ball control, why did he consistently leave himself so relatively straight on so many of his break shots? I had a hunch it would catch up with him. Still a wonderful demonstration of how the game can and should be played, without heroics and without the outcome of a shot seriously in doubt. Well done indeed.
Thx for the post. Suggest you set up a donation button for the lads sinking the ball, sure they would appreciate the $.Just a thought.
When your mom says one more game
Thanks as always, Dennis, for these uploads! Did you catch any of your namesake's three or four three-digit attempts, too?
Got them all. Blackjack David Sapolis said he might want to work on them and add commentary. I'll see what time frame he has in mind. Otherwise, I'll get them up next week.
weird not seeing Chris with his REVO shaft. Is he rocking a 314, Z, or vantage?
I don't think I've ever heard the sound of being in a pool hall where nobody misses a shot! What a noise!
He was blazing through racks.
Which cue tip did Chris use?
Kamui ?
What is straight pool?
So the last one didn’t count?
the ball he made in the side was not the ball he had called. he was trying to make the ball on the corner of the rack (8 I believe). so it doesn't count as 14.1 is a call shot game.
225 in Little over an hour. Mosconi 350ish 3 1/2 hrs.
Yah. But look at the size of those pockets, and it's a 8 foot table I ran 2 racks in 15 mins on these beautiful tables
@@lazthomas2631 I thought those were 9 foot tables? And if they're pro cut then they're not particularly forgiving either.
@@davidroberts4860 I know it's been 2 years but yes. Those are 9ft Diamonds with what i'm guessing is 4.5 inch pockets. Maybe 4.25 but i'm going to say 4.5. Tough tables.
He pocketed a ball, the 10, should of kept going for high break.
Look at the size of those pockets! Man I can shoot a matzo ball in those side pockets.
Nice effort chris... but still not as good as your trick shot into my shoe at the old 147 snooker hall in douglas isle of man and you even got pickpocketed off some slapper bird!! lol...reply if you see this comment...