9 Ball Break

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I cannot get a decent 9 ball break and am looking for any help than I can get. I know that every table has it's "sweet spot" but it seems that the better players get a more consistent break no matter where they shoot from. I also realize that speed and hitting the one ball full on have a lot to do with it.

My problem seems to be I cannot get a decent break unless I hit down on the CB which causes it to jump up towards the light. If I'm a hair off, whitey is going off the table. I try breaking from the side with a level cue and I just can't get the action. Also I tend to hit just a hair under center ball.

I hear the term cut break. Is that hitting the one ball just off to one side or the other, or using a tad of english?

I also try and follow through on the break but do have a tendency to punch the CB. I'm working on that.

Thanks for the support.

Dougster
 

One Pocket John

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I cannot get a decent 9 ball break and am looking for any help than I can get. I know that every table has it's "sweet spot" but it seems that the better players get a more consistent break no matter where they shoot from. I also realize that speed and hitting the one ball full on have a lot to do with it.

My problem seems to be I cannot get a decent break unless I hit down on the CB which causes it to jump up towards the light. If I'm a hair off, whitey is going off the table. I try breaking from the side with a level cue and I just can't get the action. Also I tend to hit just a hair under center ball.

I hear the term cut break. Is that hitting the one ball just off to one side or the other, or using a tad of english?

I also try and follow through on the break but do have a tendency to punch the CB. I'm working on that.

Thanks for the support.

Dougster

Hey Doug,

This may help. He has some good advise. Nothing to lose giving it a try. You don't even need a pool table to practice these routines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW1tsONEI_U

John
 

Donny Lutz

Ferrule Cat
Silver Member
Instruction

I cannot get a decent 9 ball break and am looking for any help than I can get. I know that every table has it's "sweet spot" but it seems that the better players get a more consistent break no matter where they shoot from. I also realize that speed and hitting the one ball full on have a lot to do with it.

My problem seems to be I cannot get a decent break unless I hit down on the CB which causes it to jump up towards the light. If I'm a hair off, whitey is going off the table. I try breaking from the side with a level cue and I just can't get the action. Also I tend to hit just a hair under center ball.

I hear the term cut break. Is that hitting the one ball just off to one side or the other, or using a tad of english?

I also try and follow through on the break but do have a tendency to punch the CB. I'm working on that.

Thanks for the support.

Dougster

It's difficult to assess your problem without actually seeing you break. This is why instructors can do things for you that you can't get from books, DVDs and forums.

Understand that you cannot achieve a perfectly level stroke on the break (or the vast majority of other shots) because the rails cause you to always shoot at least a little "down" with every shot. One of the tricks is to get as close to level as is comfortable and practical. But it also requires a good delivery system that one acquires best with the help of a qualified instructor.
 

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It's difficult to assess your problem without actually seeing you break. This is why instructors can do things for you that you can't get from books, DVDs and forums.

Understand that you cannot achieve a perfectly level stroke on the break (or the vast majority of other shots) because the rails cause you to always shoot at least a little "down" with every shot. One of the tricks is to get as close to level as is comfortable and practical. But it also requires a good delivery system that one acquires best with the help of a qualified instructor.

In my part of the country there just aren't any qualified instructors. Believe me, if there were, I would seek them out. I'm not technologically savvy enough to send pics or videos. I do think I move too much and don't have a solid bridge.

Do you just aim for the center of the CB, 1/2 tip below, or put any small amounts of english on the break. Or is it strictly center CB to dead on the one ball?

Thanks for your response Donny,

Dougster
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
While it may be hard to argue with the results, the real problem with the way Colin is doing it is that his cue is all over the place, up in the air, and he lunges at the CB. The best way to train yourself to break more consistently is to keep your body still, swing only from the elbow down, keep a loose grip on the cue, slow your speed down, and work on hitting the head ball square. The break is about speed and timing...not brute force. Once you can control the CB, you can build more speed back into your break.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com

Hey Doug,

This may help. He has some good advise. Nothing to lose giving it a try. You don't even need a pool table to practice these routines.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xW1tsONEI_U

John
 

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
While it may be hard to argue with the results, the real problem with the way Colin is doing it is that his cue is all over the place, up in the air, and he lunges at the CB. The best way to train yourself to break more consistently is to keep your body still, swing only from the elbow down, keep a loose grip on the cue, slow your speed down, and work on hitting the head ball square. The break is about speed and timing...not brute force. Once you can control the CB, you can build more speed back into your break.

Scott Lee
http://poolknowledge.com


I have tried to slow my break down and become more accurate. It seems like when you try and rear back and hit it as hard as you can, I either miscue or send whitey for a wild ride off from the table. I have some old bad habits to try and break, lunging is one of them.

I know the key is to hit the head ball square so that all the energy from the CB is transferred to the head ball. What do they mean by using a cut break? Also, when breaking, where exactly do you hit the CB? Is there ever a time that you use a small amount of english?

Thanks for the help and support. I really appreciate everyone's responses.

Dougster
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have tried to slow my break down and become more accurate. It seems like when you try and rear back and hit it as hard as you can, I either miscue or send whitey for a wild ride off from the table. I have some old bad habits to try and break, lunging is one of them.

I know the key is to hit the head ball square so that all the energy from the CB is transferred to the head ball. What do they mean by using a cut break? Also, when breaking, where exactly do you hit the CB? Is there ever a time that you use a small amount of english?

Thanks for the help and support. I really appreciate everyone's responses.

Dougster


Here's an example of a cut break: place the cb on the extreme right side of the table. Hit the head ball so the cue ball cuts across the rack and bounces off the left side rail. Somewhere along the line, people started referring to a cut break as simply breaking from the side rail, but that's not a true cut break unless the cb cuts across the rack.

Johnny Archer was one of the best cut breakers, where he would have the cb bounce off the opposite side rail and reverse back, pretty much to where he was standing, for position on the one ball which almost always wound up in the middle of the top rail.

I think Colin's power breaking tips are great. Breaking takes a long time to master, so don't be discouraged. But if you hold back, you will learn to be afraid.

Focus on three things if you can: 1.) Keep your bridge hand on the table until well after the tip strikes the cue ball. 2.) Lunge forward, not up. 3) Big, big follow through. Miscues happen on power breaks mainly from players jumping up and lifting their bridge hand off the table before impact.
 
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dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Here's an example of a cut break: place the cb on the extreme right side of the table. Hit the head ball so the cue ball cuts across the rack and bounces off the left side rail. Somewhere along the line, people started referring to a cut break as simply breaking from the side rail, but that's not a true cut break unless the cb cuts across the rack.

Johnny Archer was one of the best cut breakers, where he would have the cb bounce off the opposite side rail and reverse back, pretty much to where he was standing, for position on the one ball which almost always wound up in the middle of the top rail.

I think Colin's power breaking tips are great. Breaking takes a long time to master, so don't be discouraged. But if you hold back, you will learn to be afraid.

Focus on three things if you can: 1.) Keep your bridge hand on the table until well after the tip strikes the cue ball. 2.) Lunge forward, not up. 3) Big, big follow through. Miscues happen on power breaks mainly from players jumping up and lifting their bridge hand off the table before impact.

Fran,

I can always trust you to come through for me. I haven't had a chance yet to practice what you told me to focus on. Just reading it, I know you've hit the nail on the head. I miscue a lot and I just know I am lunging upwards and moving my bridge hand. Give me a couple of weeks of playing and practicing concentrating on this and I'll get back to you with the results.

Thanks for explaining the cut break to me. I'll concentrate on a regular break before trying something new.

Great to hear from you Fran,

Dougster
 

DeadStick

i like turtles
Gold Member
Silver Member
Here's an example of a cut break: place the cb on the extreme right side of the table. Hit the head ball so the cue ball cuts across the rack and bounces off the left side rail.

Really? I could've sworn that a cut break from the right side of the table was aimed at the right side of the head ball, hit with low right, and bounces off the right side rail then the sidespin takes it back to center table. I've never seen a pro cut across the rack and bounce off the opposite side rail (on purpose), so if you've got a video, would love to see it.

If you break from the right side so the cue ball bounces off the left side rail, seems like you could get the same effect (with more power) by breaking from the head spot.
 

DogsPlayingPool

"What's in your wallet?"
Silver Member
Really? I could've sworn that a cut break from the right side of the table was aimed at the right side of the head ball, hit with low right, and bounces off the right side rail then the sidespin takes it back to center table. I've never seen a pro cut across the rack and bounce off the opposite side rail (on purpose), so if you've got a video, would love to see it.

If you break from the right side so the cue ball bounces off the left side rail, seems like you could get the same effect (with more power) by breaking from the head spot.

It sounds like there are some differing understandings of exactly what a cut break is. My understanding is also different. The cut break came into fashion because of the wired wing ball when making a full ball hit breaking from the side rail. This resulted in some events going to the break box. The cut break developed as a technique when breaking from the break box to simulate the normal full ball hit used when breaking from the side rail that makes the wing ball go.

When dialing in the 9 Ball break to be effective on a specific table, one may employ hitting the head ball with some "cut" from the side rail rather than full on if that's what works, but the actual term "cut break" I thought references a technique employed when the break box is involved or at least breaking from around the head spot rather than the side rail.

And because you are cutting the one ball the CB will not pop and squat. So a bit of spin is used to make the ball come off the side rail and go to center table.
 
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FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Really? I could've sworn that a cut break from the right side of the table was aimed at the right side of the head ball, hit with low right, and bounces off the right side rail then the sidespin takes it back to center table. I've never seen a pro cut across the rack and bounce off the opposite side rail (on purpose), so if you've got a video, would love to see it.

If you break from the right side so the cue ball bounces off the left side rail, seems like you could get the same effect (with more power) by breaking from the head spot.

First of all, you're anonymous. I post by my real name and you refer to your jump cue as a 'jumper.'

As far as the definition of a cut break, yes, and Johnny was doing it as far back as the90's. No, I don't supply videos. I'm kind of busy. Tell you what, though ---- Next time you run into Johnny, ask him. I didn't have to ask. I was there.
 
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DeadStick

i like turtles
Gold Member
Silver Member
First of all, you're anonymous. I post by my real name and you refer to your jump cue as a 'jumper.'

As far as the definition of a cut break, yes, and Johnny was doing it as far back as the 80's. No, I don't supply videos. I'm kind of busy.

Fran, what's with the ad hominem attack? Does my real name matter here, or what I call my jump cue?

I'm a huge fan of yours here on the forums, and I was simply asking a clarifying question because I felt like my interpretation of a cut break has been wrong all these years.
 

StraightPoolIU

Brent
Silver Member
To the OP also make sure you check how the balls are racked. The rack has tons to do with the 9 ball break and making vs not making a ball. You should really buy Joe Tucker's racking secrets dvd for more info, but failing that you want to make sure all the balls are frozen particularly any balls that touch the 9 ball.
 

nobcitypool

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Fran, what's with the ad hominem attack? Does my real name matter here, or what I call my jump cue?

I'm a huge fan of yours here on the forums, and I was simply asking a clarifying question because I felt like my interpretation of a cut break has been wrong all these years.

Fran, you should give up pool instruction and become a Professor in Diplomacy. :smile:
 

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
To the OP also make sure you check how the balls are racked. The rack has tons to do with the 9 ball break and making vs not making a ball. You should really buy Joe Tucker's racking secrets dvd for more info, but failing that you want to make sure all the balls are frozen particularly any balls that touch the 9 ball.

I have often thought about this. However, it appears that inspecting the rack is a great way to turn off a lot of people. I always give as tight a rack as I can, but when I play someone who doesn't do so for me, I either ask them if it is tight, or I will point out to them that it isn't a good rack. If they continue to give me a bad rack, then and only then, will they also receive a bad rack. I also, on occasion have asked if they minded whether I racked my own. This isn't well received either.

Usually people do their best, if they are any kind of a pool player. In some rooms, given the condition of the tables and the wear and tear on the balls, it is almost impossible to get them all touching.
 

StraightPoolIU

Brent
Silver Member
I have often thought about this. However, it appears that inspecting the rack is a great way to turn off a lot of people. I always give as tight a rack as I can, but when I play someone who doesn't do so for me, I either ask them if it is tight, or I will point out to them that it isn't a good rack. If they continue to give me a bad rack, then and only then, will they also receive a bad rack. I also, on occasion have asked if they minded whether I racked my own. This isn't well received either.

Usually people do their best, if they are any kind of a pool player. In some rooms, given the condition of the tables and the wear and tear on the balls, it is almost impossible to get them all touching.

Yes you're right, but after watching Joe's dvd you'll realize they don't have to all be frozen to be a good rack. :wink:
 

dougster26

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have already achieved some success by following Fran's advice and another person that send me a private message. I will give it a couple of weeks and get back to them with my results.

That's why I love this site, I find people are more than willing to share their knowledge and help with your questions.

Thank you all,

Dougster
 
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