Icing on the cake

I've just completed my first week back in snooker since taking a break after my first tournament, and as i write this I am undefeated in terms of snooker sessions. So for the week I have played 15 frames and won 10 of them

I played a few casual games yesterday against a mate who is just starting out, and to be fair played fairly badly, allbeit over a few beers. I won 3-1 and to be fair on myself only lost the final frame due to the tip falling off my cue so I had to use one from the rack. I took a 3-0 lead and got fairly cocky, played badly and only made a handful of good shots. I treated it as a practice session, just to get a few more hours under my belt.

Tonights events were the 'main event'. Playing my mate from work, a very good player, and to be honest his safety game tonight was top draw, it had to be, as my snooker, mostly aggressive was the best it has been for a year, dare i say ever.

After my tip had fallen off yesterday i picked it up and kicked it to the floor, knowing it was done for. I had a sneaky suspicion it was fucked, even a month ago before the tournament and i was right. I was set to play my mate at 3:00 and at 1:10 in the afternoon i started sanding my new tip and clamped it up, hoping for the life of me it would dry in 2 hours. Pretty windy day today aswell so i opened my window hoping it would do the trick.

i was right, as come 3:00 i took the clamp away and it seemed to hold, i packed my cue up and headed for the club. Running late i took straight to the table, and as seems to be the case (especially this week) i knocked up a 30 score within minutes, making rought breaks of around 8-12-10. I was hitting them sweetly, notably around the black spot. I continued to pot solidly, similar breaks of 8-10 set me on my way to a convincing first frame.

As we re-racked i prayed my form would continue, as my mate said "your on fire" i could only hope it was true. The second frame began, and i got a decent break off, leaving him tight to the cushion. We exchanged safety, as is common in the opening stages between us. I hit some great form, and notched up a cool 27 break, my second highest ever, i forget the others, but it had two blacks and a blue in their. I'd started with 24 in 2-3 visits to the table, and by this visit had about 50 odd with only 5 visits to the table. I was hitting them so sweetly, as i realised how much spring i had to my (fairly massive) tip and it struck me just how bad my previous tip was.

So i'd taken a 2-0 lead and as the previous frame hoped my form would continue. This one tailled off a bit, as in i wasn't scoring as heavily per visit to the table. He took this frame, i could live with it though as his safety had been immense. I'd developed a fairly comfortable lead of around 20 and thought i was set for a 3-0 lead, but his safety got him a foothold, and then his potting fell into place. He made it 2-1 with some workman like play, all credit to him.

This guy tends to get on a roll in snooker and this frame he was fairly deadly at the table, potting more so his strong point this frame as he made it 2-2 comfortably, still his safety was nice and his ability to snooker me forced me to concede the frame.

My attitude surprised me at this stage, over the past few months i would have thought 'shit i've lost' but now i thought 'whatever, i've played really well and he's picked up his form, lets see how this next one goes'. I was surprised how well he was playing now, this frame his snookers were decent, if not always accurate. first time i miscued was this frame too as he started to gain his form and momentum. Momentum is funny in snooker, and with some players seems a big factor, certainly with my opponent as he made it 3-2 to him. Again i thought 'fair do's he's played very well and has momentum, but i've played well too'.

I realised I had to stop his momentum, and when i broke off for around 5 minutes i played every shot safe, to try and break up his flow. It seemed to work as things didn't drop so much. This one got scrappy, as my game was dropping off and so was his. Safety shots started to go amiss on both sides.

We were fairly even going into the final colours. I started to pick my game up, and pounced on his misses to make it 3-3. I was really, really chuffed as i'd stopped his momentum, played some real competitive snooker and grinded out a result. I wanted to carry on this confidence into the next frame.

I was very comfortable in this frame, i knew if i lost i could, the way i was playing, get a result in the next one. I took shots on which were a bit risky, and tried shots like developing other colours, i was chuffed aswell as a lot of them came off, even if i didn't pot i'd be pleased with the position i got. I turned things up in this one, even making a break near 20, i'd found my form again, and was showing some stamina as i went 4-3 up. My now i was feeling myself at the table again, it was a high scoring frame, both well into our 30's with very few fouls.

I could see the shots i wanted and the position would follow. I approached the shots KNOWING i would pot them, and could focus a lot of my mind on position, which was great today. And i could count the number of misses i had with easier shots on one hand, which kept my confidence up and allowed good positional play, and for the first time in snooker could really confidently play to nudge balls and develop play. I remember a great black which was tight on the cusion and an easy red which i potted and developed the black, hit it a little too well but stuck it up for the middle pocket and went on to pot it and stay on a red to a blue, showing how well my scoring was in small doses today.

At 4-3 i suggested that if he wins we go to a decider, but if i win we call it, and i can go to the pub and get some tea!

By this time i think he was demorilised, and, sensing victory, i potted fairly well but not too convincingly. i took it 5-3 and was only really deadly on the brown-blue-pink to take the frame, but they were good pots, and i was surprised at how well my concentration lasted after 8 frames, all of which were competant play, with the first two outstanding, notably the second which was highlighted by a 27 break with high scoring breaks either side. I'd love to watch that one back again as i think it was my best frame ever.

I may practice tomorrow, the first time i've practised for a very long time, too long if i'm honest. What i loved today was walking out of the pegasus, where i said if i'd lost i wouldn't care as i'd rather play great and lose than play badly and win. I saw the guy that beat me last month in the tournament, and boy would i have loved a frame with him today just to see, to show him how i can play, and i'd been fired up and ready to go today.

But the feeling i have about playing well is awesome, i do miss it and want this feeling tomorrow and the day after, and the day after. i want to try and play as much as i can, within budget, a student budget that is, and just enjoy playing. Fingers crossed it will stay as good as this for a long time!