Practice pays off

Well i played today and hit some decent form, my cueing was good, and i put it all down to the practice that i put in this last couple of days. The majority of shots cued sweetly, if my accuracy took a little while to get going.

I went 1-0 down in a scrappy frame (they usually are) but made an encouraging 15 break and finished out of position but pulled off a good safety. we went into the colours close, although he had a slight advantage and when i needed blue onwards we scrapped it out and he took the blue ( i stuck it up).

I wasn't to be down hearted and started well enough, i could feel my game slipping into place despite a couple of bad misses which angered me. I've realised the more effort you put in away from matches, the more you want to win. Some weeks i just want to go and play well, and other weeks i have a desire only to win. This is serving me well as at times i'm playing well and winning.

I clawed this frame back to make scores 1-1. I got some good little breaks going, fortunately the most of my scoring was around the black spot (where i've been practicing). And this set me up well for the rest of the night.

He took the next frame to make it 2-1 and i was really dissapointed. Again we got into the colours and no doubt a few more mistakes cost me this frame. Trouble is it's not because the opposition is playing well that i'm losing these silly frames, what rubs off worse on me is the fact that he's playing bad and still taking frames. Perhaps i need to work on my safety?

I can take encouragement though, however as the past few weeks we've gone into the remaining colours about even. If i can just learn to clear up the colours, i'll be happy.

Next frame i turned up the heat. Some nice safety and good scoring in and around the black spot. I took a break of 2 pinks and a black before missing a blue with the rest. gutted. Ah well my game fell well into place and i had to smirk as i won this frame before we needed to get into the colours. 2-2.

This last frame i took in emphatic fashion. I think i got a break in the twenties with heavy scoring either side to make my opponent put away his cue and walk out! Again! I have to say i loved it! Ok he was getting some bad luck but it's nice to know i can frustrate people by playing well. It doesn't happen to me, i could happily sit back at the tournament as i was destroyed and watch some great snooker. It's making me change my attitude to snooker. It's making me think that if someones playing well, how do i stop it? right now i'm thinking i need to play higher opponents. Ok i'm not destroying the easier opponents, but i'm learning!

I think if i can come up against someone i really need to get stuck into and stop them playing it could do me the world of good.

So after he left i started to practice. I've found out my club offer half rates if your on your own, so it's something i'm going to take up and get a few hours under my belt inbetween uni. I hit a few long pots sweetly and my form was spot on.

I even did a mini line up and hit a 20, so i can see room for improvement, rapidly. I got three breaks in the 20's today, my standard is well up. Now all i need to do is keep up my practice both at home and on the practice tables at the club.