Softbreak ?
- Thread starter vincett
- Start date
You could see all the balls piled up on the bottom half of the table. This can favor the Filipinos who likely have a ton of 15 ball rotation under their belts.
Here is the finals of the US Open shortly before the soft break was outlawed.
The rule used in the US Open under Barry Behrman after the Corey-MIka match was, "you gotta hit'em hard." That same rule was used in the current Open. It's subjective. I believe the problem in the Gorst-Baoanan was with Baoanan's first two breaks. I tuned in late so I didn't see them, but the commentators mentioned them.
I think the breaker should be able to break however they want as long as a ball and the cue ball touch a rail.
Everybody whines when they lose.
Players should learn every type of break and use whatever they think works best for them.
Discussions like this come up all the time while other discussions will say that the break doesn't matter.
Which is it?
Everybody whines when they lose.
Players should learn every type of break and use whatever they think works best for them.
Discussions like this come up all the time while other discussions will say that the break doesn't matter.
Which is it?
I don't think the cue ball should have to touch a rail. In fact, the ideal break is to squat the cue ball right in the middle of the table after the break, so you likely have a shot if you pocket a ball. That's the most solid break.
As has been mentioned, the rule is subjective, but here is the text of the rule.
So there is a rule. What is “forceful” is hard to define, but if you have no rule at all on break speed it can be a joke.
So.... It should be OK to roll the cue ball softly off the one ball and leave the cue ball froze to the middle of the foot rail. Corey could probably arrange to freeze the cue ball between a ball and the cushion. Good luck hitting the one ball.
No. If the game is going to get viewers, it needs to be watchable. Safe breaks at nine ball or guaranteed soft breaks at nine ball tend to make games that are less watchable. The reality is that the people who are hustling up money for the players need to make the game interesting and I think adjusting the break rules to help with that is reasonable. I do wish they would find an objective measure of "plenty hard", though.
In Germany, years ago, doing a soft break in 9-ball was a common practice when gambling. You would come across the top of the one ball, barely grazing it, and send the cue ball off the bottom side rail and the end rail and bury it in the bottom of the stack.
The incoming player could never hit the one ball and you got ball in hand.
Then it allowed you to easily graze the one ball again and repeat until you three-fouled your opponent out without a ball being made.
Usually, this was done by someone who had a less than stellar record of getting out from an open table.
If they did it to me, I would break the balls open enough to ensure they couldn't totally keep me from possibly hitting the one ball even if they had BIH and played a safety.
I always had a pretty good record of getting out or winning if the table was open.
Races should be LONG enough to make sure matches aren't won by one or two lucky rolls and tournaments should be double elimination all the way to the final match.
I would be gladly to stick with the
"2 Balls have to touch the rails" rules. No subjectivities there!
What is forceful enough ? 6 balls ? 9 balls ? Make a clear call already.
Having a Referee to Warn a player is just "1 of the step" to "Down play" your opponent Mental game.
Pool is 90% Mental and 10% skills
I think there was a four-balls-to-the-cushion rule at nine ball back a long time, but maybe it was put in after players did that stuff.
What year were they safe breaking in Germany?
The Old Jaybird
Well-known member
exactly right.
I saw it in 1990.
Pocket a ball or send three balls to a rail is pretty simple. If you're not getting three balls to a rail you're 'powder-puffing' the break. Until a accurate-n-fast measurement method comes along this will always be an issue unless some type of 'balls to a rail' or 'balls past the side pocket' rule is followed. Not a fan of balls past the side, i've seen a gillion breaks where three balls got a rail but only 1-2 balls got past the sides. I guess its time for one of az's 'techno-geeks' to come up with a 1ball that has sensors to measure this shit. 
Not with the 9B on the spot and the reduced break box Matchroom employs. A cut break is required to give yourself the best shot at pocketing a ball on the break (1B),
Wait...you are saying the 9B is on the spot where 1B normally are ? That means 1B is slightly higher than typical ?
That's how Matchroom and most pro 9B events rack the balls; 9B on the spot. Have you watched any of the Matchroom events?