I
have often been asked what ingredients are required to
make a top class snooker player. After listing: Talent,
Dedication, Method, Bottle and Tactics, it is essential
to add a "little bit of luck."
Years
ago there was little mention of what part 'luck' had played
in a match. Snooker had always been played in such a good
sporting manner that the loser, whoever he was, was often
reluctant to claim he had been unlucky because he did
not want to take anything away from his opponent.
Today, the game is still played in the same sporting manner,
as millions of television viewers will testify. But because
of the television commentary teams and sporting press,
more attention is being paid to vital points which have
ultimately decided the outcome of a match.
Most people realise that where there is a round ball there
is certain to be a roll or a bounce that can either be
in favour or against the player or team concerned.For
example: in tennis when the ball hits the top of the net,
who knows which side of the court it will eventually fall.
On
the football field, a goalkeeper has a shot well covered
only to see the ball deflected to the other side of the
goal by someone in front of him.
At golf the ball may be on its way out of bounds but after
striking a tree rebounds back onto the fairway or green.
The examples are endless.
Anyone who is honest will agree that on days like that,
the gods were on their side and they had a little bit
of good fortune. However, in all of the above games there
is only one ball, but what about snooker where 22 balls
are in play?.
Everyone
is instantly aware of a fluke when a ball is potted accidentally,
but what is not so obvious are the little nudges and kisses
that can either lead to an easy opening or adversely,
a position where it is impossible to score from. Even
worse can be a little flick that places you in a position
where it is almost impossible to stop your opponent from
scoring.
One
of the well-known clichés is that luck evens itself out.
In my opinion, it does sometimes but not always and can
be dictated by the length of the match in question.
Top players would much rather be involved in best of 17
frame matches rather than best of 9 as there is more chance
of the luck, if it does favour one player more than the
other, swinging the other way over a longer distance of
match. A player who finds the luck going against him also
has more time in which to adjust his game.
A
player must learn to take note of the running of the balls.
If things appear to be going against them it may well
be worth tightening up the safety play by putting the
cue ball on the bottom cushion or by obtaining a snooker
behind the baulk colours. This can then lead to a change
in fortune and the opportunity to score at the next visit.
Quite often a change in tactics and approach can change
the running of the balls and proves the saying that 'Lady
Luck' is fickle.
