US Open Break Shots

[Rich93]

I watched a few matches of the US Open over streaming. It seemed to me that the players usually weren't shooting the explosive big bang breaks. It seemed that they were hitting the one ball a little off center - with or without english, I don't know - with the cue ball hopefully going to the side rail and out again and often, or even usually, making the wing ball on the break.

What gives? Are the days of the big bang break over and done with?

 

[Tony_in_MD]

You do what you have to do to make balls on the break.

I watched a few matches of the US Open over streaming. It seemed to me that the players usually weren't shooting the explosive big bang breaks. It seemed that they were hitting the one ball a little off center - with or without english, I don't know - with the cue ball hopefully going to the side rail and out again and often, or even usually, making the wing ball on the break.

What gives? Are the days of the big bang break over and done with?

 

[spoons]

You're describing what's generally referred to as the "cut break." It's pretty common in tournaments that implement the break box. It allows the shooter to simulate breaking from the rail, which with a perfectly frozen rack, is very often the easiest way to make a ball on the break. And yes, almost everyone in the Open used the cut break. If you ask me, Donnie Mills seemed to have it down better than the rest.

 

[HustlinU83]

Donnie broke soft when he was on the mika match at the end and he scratched in the side which sucks.

 

[dave sutton]

the diamond table with the deep shelf do not except balls hitting the pocket at high speeds. this means if you fire the break the wing ball has no chance of going in. a softer break pockets a ball much more regularly. ive played on these tables at the open. they arent easy and they slide esp the tv table.

im just glad they are all the same color cloth now. that was a big problem a few years back

 

[Nostroke]

You're describing what's generally referred to as the "cut break." It's pretty common in tournaments that implement the break box. It allows the shooter to simulate breaking from the rail, which with a perfectly frozen rack, is very often the easiest way to make a ball on the break. And yes, almost everyone in the Open used the cut break. If you ask me, Donnie Mills seemed to have it down better than the rest.

Donnie seems to have taken Corey's "Rack Master" Crown imho.

Last year whatever break he was using on Kiamco when he beat him; all the Filipinos gathered around the table and tried to duplicate it with NO success. Kinda like Earl did in the US Open a few years back on trying to copy Corey w his slow break. He gave up real fast.

I heard Donnie has a break where the the wing ball goes 4 rails, doesnt hit nuthin xcept the back of the corner pocket and he runs out from there.

 

[Phidget]

actually, until the last few rounds it seemed that alot of people were smashing them more than in the past. It was so different this year that I asked if they had instituted a break rule.
As the event grew tighter, the breask slowed down. While there are exceptions, I noticed Shane and Mika using a hard break on Thursday and move to a cut break later that night.

 

[cuedoctor]

I know everyone has there opions about "EARL" but This cut break is one of his biggest grips. He stated saturday before he had his melt down that the cut break is more or less a race to play safe. When he breaks he explodes the rack and is trying to run out but todays game has totally fustrated him with the style of play needed to get thru a big tournament. You do what it takes to win and the cut break is one of them. People love to watch Earl play and when he's on the tv table he draws the biggest crowd because of his aggressive play and his natural ability to play fast and smooth but in the end the cut break and the short jump cue just takes him to a new planet once he gets behind.:smile: You either adapt to cut breaking or lose (or go insane:grin like some

 

[poolcuemaster]

I was there and between rounds Corey and Donny were hitting some racks at the unused end of the room and Donnie outplayed everyone in the tournament in my opinion. He had a few brutal mistakes and a few bad rolls at the wrong time or he would have beaten Mika and Ralf, he has no fear of them that I could see. He plays good and I'll bet a little on him and SVB if I get 15 on the wire, they are scheduled.--Leonard

 

[Rich93]

You're describing what's generally referred to as the "cut break." It's pretty common in tournaments that implement the break box. It allows the shooter to simulate breaking from the rail, which with a perfectly frozen rack, is very often the easiest way to make a ball on the break. And yes, almost everyone in the Open used the cut break. If you ask me, Donnie Mills seemed to have it down better than the rest.

Thanks for the education!

 

[spoons]

he has no fear of them that I could see.

I'd have to agree. He never looked like he was in over his head from what I saw, either. I was really impressed with the guy. And he certainly seemed to be one of the classier competitors there.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I'd have to agree. He never looked like he was in over his head from what I saw, either. I was really impressed with the guy. And he certainly seemed to be one of the classier competitors there.

Our mutual friend thinks Mika shouldn't have won it - that he got too many rolls and made too many mistakes. Do you agree?

pj
chgo

 

[Bob Jewett]

... What gives? Are the days of the big bang break over and done with?

As pointed out before, the break box was in effect. I think it was the middle two diamonds -- there were light L-marks on the tables at the corners of the box.

The original on-line info said that there would be a 3-above-the-line rule to enforce open breaks. At the players' meeting this was revised to "you have to use a hard, open break." I think counting balls above the line on break shots would have been a disaster without referees.

I heard that Donnie Mills was cautioned that he was breaking at the low end of acceptable speed, and some other players may have been cautioned as well. So far as I know, no player had to leave the table for a soft break.

The cut break works like this: Make sure you have a tight rack. Without a tight rack there's not much point in trying this. Place the cue ball as far to the side of the break box as permitted. Line up the one ball along the same line that you would hit it along for a side-rail break. Shoot the one along that line and the wing ball will go in on a tight rack. Use draw and outside english to return the cue ball to the middle of the table. Adjust the spin until you don't scratch one-rail in the side.

It seemed that a lot of players sent the cue ball nearly towards the side pocket off the first cushion. Often what seemed like a sure scratch got kissed out by some ball coming up the table. Occasionally that kiss would send the cue ball into the head pocket on the breaker's side.

The triangles used were perhaps the most accurate available (being made out of metal) but the sound of the balls hitting metal grates on the ears.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Bob:
Line up the one ball along the same line that you would hit it along for a side-rail break. Shoot the one along that line and the wing ball will go in on a tight rack.

Does this mean hit the one ball on the same contact point you would if breaking from the side rail with a full hit?

Edit: Oh, never mind. Now that I've read it again I see that's what it does mean. Thanks for the info.

pj
chgo

 

[Rich93]

.....

The original on-line info said that there would be a 3-above-the-line rule to enforce open breaks. At the players' meeting this was revised to "you have to use a hard, open break." I think counting balls above the line on break shots would have been a disaster without referees.

I heard that Donnie Mills was cautioned that he was breaking at the low end of acceptable speed, and some other players may have been cautioned as well. So far as I know, no player had to leave the table for a soft break.

-----

Thanks, Bob. I guess I am a nine ball ignoramus, but what do the players have against a soft break? Is it that some players are afraid to lose what they feel is a competitive advantage that they worked hard to attain? Or is the hard break preferred because the balls don't spread all over and that makes a runout easier (provided you make a ball on the break)? I'm surprised that the attitude isn't "hey, whatever works".

There are advantages to a softer break - less wear and tear on equipment, an end to the arms race over hard tips, etc.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... Is it that some players are afraid to lose what they feel is a competitive advantage that they worked hard to attain? ...

I think this is the main reason. Also, a 35MPH break can be pretty intimidating if the cue ball stays on the table.

 

[Majic]

Donnie broke soft when he was on the mika match at the end and he scratched in the side which sucks.

I though it sucked it when the ref warned him about breaking too softly. That seemed to be the turning point in the match.

 

[spoons]

I think counting balls above the line on break shots would have been a disaster without referees.

Agreed. And, I guess I really think the same about implementing ANY rules about how a player is allowed to break. The original online info also said that players would be required to "break the balls like a man should break them." To that extent, I suppose Earl had a somewhat valid point during his breakdown, but I don't know that anyone can consistently enforce that rule.

The triangles used were perhaps the most accurate available (being made out of metal) but the sound of the balls hitting metal grates on the ears.

Even with such accurate racks, it took an incredibly long time to rack the balls throughout the tournament, with players demanding (and presumably eventually receiving) perfect racks. Oddly enough, the only person whom I never saw receive multiple requests for re-racks was Earl. But, I suspect that was more about not wanting to deal with the inevitable confrontation that would ensue.

I'm sure I missed this somewhere along the way, but what was the reason for abandoning the Sardo rack and/or tapping the table to make racking easier? Do the indentations play a noticeable role in game play?

I know at this level of play that the breaks play an enormous part in the outcome of the matches, but it seems like there has to be a better solution to all of this. Assuming that 9-ball or 10-ball are the games of choice at this point... wouldn't a 10-ball tournament using the Sardo rack or at least a tapped table make a heck of a lot of sense?

 

[spoons]

Our mutual friend thinks Mika shouldn't have won it - that he got too many rolls and made too many mistakes. Do you agree?

pj
chgo

Our mutual friend and I have different opinions about some of the matches we watched. I have a hunch that her opinion of Mika's performance was shaped by her obvious dislike of Mika more than his play.

Mika definitely did get some rolls and he did make some mistakes. But, Ralph made mistakes, and Donnie scratched when it counted the most. Nobody played perfect pool all week long. I think Mika made more out of his chances than his opponents, and he always seemed to come with the shot in those "must have" situations.

My assessment: Mika put together one of the most impressive displays of heart I've ever seen in sports. I posted this elsewhere on this board, but maybe someone here can shed some more light on it... I don't believe that Mika led any of his matches wire to wire in the last three days. I could be wrong, but I know he came from behind several times in a row, and I believe he was behind in every match - and by several games in many of them.

I was impressed, and I found him to be plenty deserving of the title.

 

[Bob Jewett]

... I'm sure I missed this somewhere along the way, but what was the reason for abandoning the Sardo rack and/or tapping the table to make racking easier? Do the indentations play a noticeable role in game play?

I know at this level of play that the breaks play an enormous part in the outcome of the matches, but it seems like there has to be a better solution to all of this. Assuming that 9-ball or 10-ball are the games of choice at this point... wouldn't a 10-ball tournament using the Sardo rack or at least a tapped table make a heck of a lot of sense?

The table has to be tapped for the Sardo anyway, and if the table is tapped, you don't need the Sardo. The small craters have little effect on any ball that might reach a pocket from the rack area. The craters can make a ball that stops in the rack area wobble and settle a couple of millimeters.

Here's a rule that eliminates most of the problems with the rack:

Breaker Shoots: At short-rack games (8, 9, 10), the person who breaks shoots the next shot regardless of whether he makes a ball on the break or not, unless the break is a foul, in which case the opponent gets ball in hand as usual. The break alternates.​

I suppose you could also have "person behind breaks' with this rule if you want close matches.