mosconiac said:
I have few problems getting thru the rack of 14 (sure, its not text book and I sometimes fail on secondary breaks), but I rarely get great results off the "side of the rack" break. I tend to miss the ball if I leave a steep cut angle on the break ball (Schmidt remarks that a steep angle with follow is best and I can't disagree). If I get parallel or a little shallow on the break ball (Grady says to draw the CB and I can't disagree), I tend to either stick to the rack or draw all the way down table.
I do better with "behind the rack" breaks (using high-inside to go 3 rails to the center of the table).
Sounds like my problems... we could have fun playing!
Make percentage on steep cuts increases with practice, and perhaps --just possibly-- not hitting them too hard, since you already have the perfect angle power is less necessary for a good spread. Steep cuts also imply the cue is nearer the rail than ball and stack, so follow into the rack makes a scratch almost impossible, now just get the cue to bounce or burrow through the rack to foot cushion then back towards center table, hard enough that you don't end up on the bottom rail with 6 other balls and nothing but a 4-ball combo to shoot.
Parallel or shallow means you need more power to bounce off and get free of the rack. But the action depends on which ball is hit, and carom angle low, high, or center. Hitting the stack on the "low carom side" of a ball with no draw to me means stuck to the stack. Center or high side with a touch of draw seems ideal to pull back up towards center table. Sometimes I wonder if these great players adjust the speed of their hit/draw to allow the draw to curve into the stack ball at center or above center on the carom line, sacrificing a bit of speed for perfect angle so they don't hit the low side of the stack ball.
Not having the benefit of playing "real" 14-1 players (just straight-shooting A and B class 9-ballers I entice into a game), I have to go by my match tape and instructional library of books and videos for deducing basic principles.
What I have seen from watching matches and instructional tapes from Sigel, Rempe, Grady, Schmidt, etc. is the burning desire to get the cue back into the center area of the table, and at that even or less than the center pocket string, give or take a half diamond or so. Angle into the rack, exact ball contacted, resulting carom angle anticipated, then speeds and spins (high, low, L-R) calculated to get whitey back to center as cleanly and safely as possible so there is a choice of likely shots on the balls most likely broken out. This seems the only GOLDEN RULE of intent on break shots I note.
Obviously, players like these are 100% confident of making the break shot (mortifyingly so to us lesser skilled four-legged cloven-hoofed dolts who clop the stage and moo twice for yes we also love the game, but can't dance so artfully). When the chance to go into the rack safely at speed presents, the rack spreads beautifully. When the angle is not so favorable, they settle for a smaller breakout, get the cue away from the pack a bit and play for a few likely balls, with good odds enhanced by their (also mortifying) excellent position play skills to tidy up and secondary breaks.