Smashing the pack on a break off shot!!

cookster (Garston & District Snooker League) | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011

Can I please have your views regarding players who smash the pack of reds on a break off shot...Do your leagues have a code of conduct regarding this?

Tony Beetham (Preston & District Snooker League) | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011

As far as the rules are concerned there is nothing to stop a player smashing open the Reds from the break-off.
However, my own personal view is that if someone did this in a match it would be like them saying "I'm a far better player than you. Don't miss because when I get in I'll win the frame in one visit".
In my opinion, that would be totally disrespectful and ungentlemanly.

Steve W (Leamington & District Snooker League) | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011

I agree with Tony, nothing in the rules, but if it was reported to the committee I think action may be taken against the player, as this is, as Tony says, disrespectful and ungentlemanly

Ricki Slack (Darley Dale and District Orme Snooker League) | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011

I did used to do this when I first started playing at the age of about 17, I think the reasoning behind it being I was primarily a potter and didn't want to get bogged down with safety play at the time.

Until one day someone I had beaten the week before fairly convincingly then proceeded to knock in a decent break straight away with all the balls split and in the end I only pulled it back on the final black, so since then have never done it in proper matchplay which is about 30 years since!!

When you look at it, it should be advantageous to the player following to have the balls broke and available but if you are for example playing a renowned safety player and don't want to be dragged into a battle of that ilk I wouldn't personally blame someone for chancing his arm in this way.

I agree some may construe it as a sign of big-headedness but while this may be true in some cases, not sure it is always so. I know one of our former players (of a fairly decent standard) used to deliberately split the pack against an ex-pro he was receiving a decent start from, reasoning that it put him under pressure knowing that one miss would most likely put him on the verge of losing the frame.

I wouldn't imagine any action would be taken in our league for splitting the pack from the break off as it would be hard to prove it was done with ungentlemanly intent.

Ricki Slack (Darley Dale and District Orme Snooker League) | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011

Though nowadays the wheel has gone full circle and I think I am primarily a safety player that occasionally pots one or two lol.

Graham Sheridan (Stafford & District Snooker League) | Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011

I agree with Ricki - the advantages of doing it are that you are playing to your perceived strengths - if you are a proficient player capable of knocking a 50+ break in, and you reckon that your opponent is not capable of such a feat then why not - yes you might be seen as cocky, but if it come off then fair enough.

You would only adopt such a strategy against certain players, and those that see it as a lack of respect and have a problem with such a tactic are likely to be those who are not capable of killing the frame off in one visit.

When playing people who are not that good at getting out of snookers there is no unwritten rule that says you should not snooker them because its ungentlemanly - so why should this be treated any different?

If you are good enough, take advantage, if not, then its up to you to come up with a counter play.

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cookster (Garston & District Snooker League) \| Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 Can I please have your views regarding players who smash the pack of reds on a break off shot...Do your leagues have a code of conduct regarding this?
Tony Beetham (Preston & District Snooker League) \| Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 As far as the rules are concerned there is nothing to stop a player smashing open the Reds from the break-off. However, my own personal view is that if someone did this in a match it would be like them saying "I'm a far better player than you. Don't miss because when I get in I'll win the frame in one visit". In my opinion, that would be totally disrespectful and ungentlemanly.
Steve W (Leamington & District Snooker League) \| Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 I agree with Tony, nothing in the rules, but if it was reported to the committee I think action may be taken against the player, as this is, as Tony says, disrespectful and ungentlemanly
Ricki Slack (Darley Dale and District Orme Snooker League) \| Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 I did used to do this when I first started playing at the age of about 17, I think the reasoning behind it being I was primarily a potter and didn't want to get bogged down with safety play at the time. Until one day someone I had beaten the week before fairly convincingly then proceeded to knock in a decent break straight away with all the balls split and in the end I only pulled it back on the final black, so since then have never done it in proper matchplay which is about 30 years since!! When you look at it, it should be advantageous to the player following to have the balls broke and available but if you are for example playing a renowned safety player and don't want to be dragged into a battle of that ilk I wouldn't personally blame someone for chancing his arm in this way. I agree some may construe it as a sign of big-headedness but while this may be true in some cases, not sure it is always so. I know one of our former players (of a fairly decent standard) used to deliberately split the pack against an ex-pro he was receiving a decent start from, reasoning that it put him under pressure knowing that one miss would most likely put him on the verge of losing the frame. I wouldn't imagine any action would be taken in our league for splitting the pack from the break off as it would be hard to prove it was done with ungentlemanly intent.
Ricki Slack (Darley Dale and District Orme Snooker League) \| Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 Though nowadays the wheel has gone full circle and I think I am primarily a safety player that occasionally pots one or two lol.
Graham Sheridan (Stafford & District Snooker League) \| Posted on Thursday, March 24, 2011 I agree with Ricki - the advantages of doing it are that you are playing to your perceived strengths - if you are a proficient player capable of knocking a 50+ break in, and you reckon that your opponent is not capable of such a feat then why not - yes you might be seen as cocky, but if it come off then fair enough. You would only adopt such a strategy against certain players, and those that see it as a lack of respect and have a problem with such a tactic are likely to be those who are not capable of killing the frame off in one visit. When playing people who are not that good at getting out of snookers there is no unwritten rule that says you should not snooker them because its ungentlemanly - so why should this be treated any different? If you are good enough, take advantage, if not, then its up to you to come up with a counter play.