Billiards anyone?

[Kandinskyesque]

I'm awful at cue games but still enjoy it immensely.
I'm cross dominant (right handed/left eye dominant) so I'm awful at cue games, shooting, darts and bowling.

Billiards, pool then snooker is my preference in that order.

My mate had is bedroom in the attic of his house, you couldn't stand upright if taller than 6' but there was enough space for his snooker table.
All he had in his room was a chair-bed, guitar, amp, record player and snooker table. I misspent a whole lot of ages 13-18 in that room. Followed by hours in the snooker hall in the university union.

Up until I stopped playing live in 2017/18 I had a regular monthly gig in a snooker hall and my sidekick in our duo had been in the lower ranks of pro-level snooker round about the time future world champion Stephen Hendry was starting out.
We always played a couple of frames before the gig and of course I invariably got thrashed by him.
That said, he was an absolute pleasure to watch.

 

[StoneH]

I love playing snooker on a nice table, I wish I could make shots on a real table that I can make on my phone App snooker game, that would be awesome

I also played a lot of snooker in the early '70s. The pool hall had an antique table that was about the size of 4 quarter tables. Games lasted forever because we just weren't that good.

 

[BigDaddyLH]

Submitted for your approval.

 

[tery]

I had a friend who was good enough playing 9 ball that he got shot in the hand.

 

[gypsy jim]

I posted earlier that in my misspent youth I spent a lot of time learning que-ball control. I went on to working on a pipeline company for 20 years traveling the East coast. (Insituform East) In my off hours, if the local bar, close to the hotel, had pool tables, all the better. Usually, you put your quarters on the inside rail and wait your turn. It's always eight ball and winner breaks. It seems like most guys want to play for money or a beer. I was always fine with the beer thing. It's easy to size up the way the table plays as far as cloth, pocket tightness, rails alive or dead etc. Most times, it's as easy to size up the competition. Once I commanded a table, I wanted to play for nothing. Lots of guys wouldn't have it so it was always for a beer. I would loose for four reasons. Number one- Sometimes it was Bubba, and his home bar. He doesn't like to lose to some Yankee from Maryland. I've got five beers already lined up I can't drink. I can't fight so Bubba wins when I scratch on the eight. Number two, I get drunk. Hey, after all there's five beers lined up. Number three, It's a girl, I'm married, and I'm done playing anyhow. Or four, the guy kicks my ass because he is way better. Just like guitar playing, there's always someone better.
A quick edit to substitute "guy" for person as ladies like Jenette Lee and Allison Fisher could give me the break and one through eight in nine-ball and I would still somehow lose.

 

[trev333]

Oh! Billiards..nasty beasts those, they take some cooking..

 

[trev333]

 

[Linderflomann]

For your enjoyment:

 

[ZackyDog]

My maternal grandfather bought our family one circa 1972. As a then 8-year-old, I got very good with practice and was able to hang with the adults.

(stock photo)

 

[Bendyha]

Submitted for your approval.

You can see here how easy the game really is.
My wife and I both have our own snooker cues, and used to play for a few hours every 2--3 weeks, but the covid lockdown sadly put an end to that, with the pool halls all closing their doors. We hope to get back to the table again next week, going to be interesting to see how much our play has suffered.

 

[Linderflomann]

As a follow up to the last video I posted, this guy always recreates the shots from recent tournaments, which really gives you an idea just how difficult some of these shots are:

 

[jimmywrangles]

I played competition snooker for a while at the local club, neck problems have scuppered that but I still play occasionally when I get the chance.