Michael Holt believes he is playing his best ever snooker, which is why he is frustrated with his start to the season, as he strives to hit top gear this term.
Former Shoot Out Champion Holt made his return to the professional ranks last season, after two years of relegation from the World Snooker Tour. The highlight of his campaign saw him reach the quarter-finals of the UK Championship, where he was beaten 6-3 by then World Champion Kyren Wilson.
Holt has started this season by qualifying for the Wuhan Open, missing out on a British Open place and finishing second in his BetVictor Championship League group.
We've caught up with 46-year-old Holt to discuss the psychology of competing at top level snooker and his aspirations moving forward...
Michael, thanks for speaking to us. First of all, how would you assess your start to the season?
“I’m not happy. I know I got through to China, which is good, but I try to assess it with how I’ve played. I came second in my Championship League group, but I’m really disappointed with how I played in all of my matches. If I want to do well, then I need to be better than that. Obviously it is big to be into China and in the draw out there. If I’m honest it has hurt me how I played though. I’ve come out to Portugal on holiday and I’m a bit sulky. The sun is helping me though! I can’t help but look at how I’ve played."
You are always refreshingly honest with how you feel you are playing. Do you think the high standards you set yourself are a help or a hinderance?
“It could be a hinderance. I’m not going out there to try and play well, I’m expecting to. There are a few players like me. We know how high our levels can be. Some go through a whole career without doing it in a match. When you do lose, you just feel that you’ve had enough chances to win and even if you do, you can feel like you were lucky. I came across like that a little bit at the UK Championship last season. I knew that how I was playing, I wouldn’t be able to keep getting away with that."
How tough is the psychological element of trying to take your game from the practice table out into the match arena?
“Well, it is everything. It is elite level sport and it is hard. That pursuit to be able to play your game is the battle for every professional. The skill level is there. The battle is to try and be able to take those shackles off and do it. If you do that, results will come. You will feel better and just win much more. It is a first world problem, it is important to remind yourself of that, but it can be very frustrating at the time.
“I think snooker is such a horrible sport in that respect. You have all the time in the world and that takes the instinctive element away. It gives you the opportunity to move away from instinct and that is not a good thing. If you manage to play instinctively, you will pot all of the balls. The pressure stops you doing what you normally do. Once the conscious mind gets involved, you are all over the place. The great champions have a freakish mindset. I’ve read loads about it, because I’m obsessed with how I can get around it. I know a lot of these top players and they can’t explain how they do it. They are just wired up in a way that allows them to do it."
When you are sat in the chair and your opponent is at the table, do you try to stay engaged with the game or blank your mind?
“If you could have insight into what is going on in a player’s head in the chair, you wouldn’t want to watch the game. You would just focus on that. The things that go through your mind are incredible. I felt so bad at the Championship League. Not one shot went where I wanted it, even though I made 70 and 80 breaks. That sounds really weird, but that is what players do. When you hear Ronnie O’Sullivan say he didn’t play great, but he’s got the balls in, you think he must be lying. He isn’t. I get it. You are blagging it a little bit at times. It sounds bizarre, but it is true.
“I probably need to be more kind to myself. I know deep down it wasn’t bad. I’m in a good position to stay on tour, so I’m not under as much pressure. The top 32 is the goal though. You want to play properly and go and show you can play. I probably take it worse than some but as I say I’m not on my own. There are lots of players having the same battle as me."
How motivated are you to add further ranking silverware to the Shoot Out title you won back in 2020?
“I want that day in the sun. You are chasing that day in the sun. Rankings are great, but it is about silverware. The Shoot Out was great and I will never forget it, but I want to do it in an event with the proper format. The crowd cheering your name and holding a trophy is incredible.
“I stood up, potted game ball and there were loads of people cheering. That gave me a lot of confidence, but two weeks after I won the Shoot Out the world stopped and Covid happened. I didn’t have the opportunity for that much of an after buzz. It was what it was though. I know I’m good enough, I just need to do it. Although I’m disappointed with the way qualifying went, my game is there. I’m more confident than I’ve ever been in my game before. I feel like I’m the best I’ve ever been. I just need to let it out.”