Do any of the pool physicists out there have any thoughts on whether it would be easier to make the 8 on the break (using second ball break) on an 8 foot table vs. a 9 foot table or vice versa? I took Physics for Poets in college so I'm not well equipped to answer this one but it seems to me that on a 9 footer the eight has to travel a little farther but the balls may get spread wider on the break giving more room for the eight to travel to a pocket. This is a real world question in leagues where the room has both size tables and the home team gets to choose the table. Thanks much.
8 on the break; 9 foot vs. 8 foot
- Thread starter Logandgriff
- Start date
Relatively speaking the 9 foot table has smaller pockets (8/9ths to be precise)
So the direction of the 8-ball as the rack separates needs to be more precise (9/8ths to be precise)
So the direction of the 8-ball as the rack separates needs to be more precise (9/8ths to be precise)
It's not easy on any size table to make the eight on the break!
This is not scientific but I think on most 8 ball breaks the 8 ball collides with one or more balls on the way to the pocket. Therefore it is probably more likely on a 8' because of more congestion. Also like said the pockets are a bigger percentage of the table area on a 8'.
My 8 on the break is 300% more with the second ball break than it is the 'once in a while' with any other break. Most are on 7 footers though. I think nearly all aces occurred with the other drunk racking though.
When the 8 goes in the side its almost always because the cue ball bounces off of the long rail and kicks the 8 in. I almost always break within 1 diamond from center and hit the 1 ball as square as possible, the times I have made the 8 on the break this way the 8 always goes in 1 of the corner pockets from the break end of the table.
With the second ball break, my ball tends to stay on the breaking side and down rack. The 8ball goes directly into the opposite side after being squeezed into motion.
Pool Hand Luke
Well-known member
When I made the eight on the break it was on a 7 footer. Hit the second ball on right side of the rack, 8 mosied over to the left side and dropped in while I was praying not to scratch. Only done it a handful of times, not easy by any means.
The shot itself is just the fullest hit you can get on the second ball. From the corner of the side rail and headstring, it's very close to a badly hit stop shot.
