I need breaking technique in 8-ball as I get older.

the break can be strategic so what you are trying to accomplish matters how you break.
if a run out player when open then of course make a ball and run out.

but for most a more open table is not the best thing if you are not a run out player and are a better mover than your opponent.
 
preacherman said:
Hi all AZ billiards friends,
I'm in my 60's and not a big guy. My break has never been powerful, but even less so as I age.
Can you all give me suggestions on being successful on a break in 8-ball (as a senior).
I am back to playing in local 8-ball league, but I find that while my breaks spread the balls well, rarely does anything go in on the break, which has left a nice spread for my opponent to run balls. I need to start getting atleast 1 ball in on break! And advice is appreciated.

Jim (Preacherman)
Click to expand...
How you break depends on who you are playing. Most league players do not run out 50% of the time. Use the 2nd ball break and not too hard. Since you usually do not make a ball, you will leave clusters most of the time and will get back to the table.

If you are playing a run out player...use some of the suggestions others have suggested.
 
Most basic advice, I think, would be : balls need to be racked tight, place CB near center spot, hit head ball of rack as square as possible, time the break stroke so that the cue tip comes through the CB at just about the mid point of your stroke so that you have max speed as you go all the way through the center of the CB.
 
Tennesseejoe said:
How you break depends on who you are playing. Most league players do not run out 50% of the time. Use the 2nd ball break and not too hard. Since you usually do not make a ball, you will leave clusters most of the time and will get back to the table.

If you are playing a run out player...use some of the suggestions others have suggested.
Click to expand...
Seems to me the opposite would be the case _ but , in either case - I personally think that defensive breaking is not the correct approach . Learn to break with a positive attitude about break results and trust your own ability to run out from your break.

Confidence is a huge part of being successful in this game.
 
mikemosconi said:
Seems to me the opposite would be the case _ but , in either case - I personally think that defensive breaking is not the correct approach . Learn to break with a positive attitude about break results and trust your own ability to run out from your break.

Confidence is a huge part of being successful in this game.
Click to expand...
I am in my 80's and my break looses power every year. I also like One Pocket, therefore my moving is a little better than most league players. But........I do respect your perspective. Thanks.
 
preacherman said:
... Can you all give me suggestions on being successful on a break in 8-ball (as a senior). ...
Click to expand...
The first step is to understand the rack. Do they use a template in your league? Are the balls old and worn and different sizes? In a typical rack, how many gaps can you spot?

With typical league conditions, every rack is going to be different. The best you can hope for is to get the front three balls frozen. I think it's fair to ask the racker for that much.

Standard advice is to try breaking from different positions. While that may help, if every rack is different, you don't learn a lot from a few breaks.

If you play on the front ball, the cue ball should not hit a cushion unless it is kissed. Work on your control to do that and maybe reduce your speed if necessary to get control.

Side spin and draw/follow don't help -- they just take away from the speed of the cue ball. The cue ball should not be spinning much after contact.

Get a hard tip. They move the cue ball significantly faster than a normal tip.

How often do you or your opponent run out in the first inning?
 
not many league players that i have seen can run out in the first inning even with a really good spread. almost none unless that happens.

same in nine ball. so breaking hard to make balls is not usually in their best interests as clearing some off a table and missing makes the opponent a bigger favorite when he gets to the table.

if playing ball in hand rules, that should be the goal of most innings for a player, along with tying up his balls. not making yours unless they are problem balls..
 
Tennesseejoe said:
How you break depends on who you are playing. Most league players do not run out 50% of the time. Use the 2nd ball break and not too hard. Since you usually do not make a ball, you will leave clusters most of the time and will get back to the table.

If you are playing a run out player...use some of the suggestions others have suggested.
Click to expand...
I sometime do this. Thank you for sharing
 
Bob Jewett said:
The first step is to understand the rack. Do they use a template in your league? Are the balls old and worn and different sizes? In a typical rack, how many gaps can you spot?

With typical league conditions, every rack is going to be different. The best you can hope for is to get the front three balls frozen. I think it's fair to ask the racker for that much.

Standard advice is to try breaking from different positions. While that may help, if every rack is different, you don't learn a lot from a few breaks.

If you play on the front ball, the cue ball should not hit a cushion unless it is kissed. Work on your control to do that and maybe reduce your speed if necessary to get control.

Side spin and draw/follow don't help -- they just take away from the speed of the cue ball. The cue ball should not be spinning much after contact.

Get a hard tip. They move the cue ball significantly faster than a normal tip.

How often do you or your opponent run out in the first inning?
Click to expand...
We do not use a template but old stay traditional rack.
When I play front ball I agree with you I try to do that.
I use a very hard tip (break cue).
Note many ist inning run out. Not much but did have a 2nd inning run out. First round he ran out 7, then I missed making a shot (that was 50%) I should have not tried to make it. Then he pockets the 8 ball.
 
Texas Carom Club said:
i agree for stronger players i play, thats what i do, with my playing cue
and often enough i can win a tactical battle vs a much better shooter

and it depends on how the table is breaking, is a dirty slow table ? second ball
if its a fast table where they open up, might as well get the first shot at the run out with a head on break
Click to expand...
Look at the alignment on both sides of the rack of balls b4 snapping. Is it straight?? See any balls out just a tiny bit from the rest?? If they're all straight and in a line, tight, head ball solid few inches off center. You can juice it if you like, just watch the results carefully and make a note.
If you see a ball here or there sticking out a fraction, go w 2nd ball break or not quite full head ball hit to the opposite side the loose ball is.
You'll notice results immediately.
See this all the time around here.
 
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Mensabum said:
Look at the alignment on both sides of the rack of balls b4 snapping. Is it straight?? See any balls out just a tiny bit from the rest?? If they're all straight and in a line, tight, head ball solid few inches off center. You can juice it if you like, just watch the results carefully and make a note.
If you see a ball here or there sticking out a fraction, go w 2nd ball break or not quite full head ball hit to the opposite side the loose ball is.
You'll notice results immediately.
Click to expand...
So many halls today have ball sets that are a mixed bag of goodies.
It's hard to get a tight rack on any table in the local league hall without a template. I practice 14:1 consistently, and find balls just a bit smaller or larger in every tray!! This makes the breaks roll funny. Typical caroms and wired's you normally see from certain breaks aren't there. Keeps you on your toes, for sure, but it's a headache most of the time. Just extra hassle and impossible to get tight. But it beats working.😉
 
Once you’re setup on either head or second ball try aiming at a spot or
diamond on the short rail behind the rack to help you follow through
 
preacherman said:
Hi all AZ billiards friends,
I'm in my 60's and not a big guy. My break has never been powerful, but even less so as I age.
Can you all give me suggestions on being successful on a break in 8-ball (as a senior).
I am back to playing in local 8-ball league, but I find that while my breaks spread the balls well, rarely does anything go in on the break, which has left a nice spread for my opponent to run balls. I need to start getting atleast 1 ball in on break! And advice is appreciated.

Jim (Preacherman)
Click to expand...
The absolutely most important thing is to have a tight rack. It can be a terrible chore to do correctly depending on conditions. Most people cannot rack as well as they think they are. In league conditions or with opponent rack it can be almost impossible. Most of the time you will see a gap between the balls in the second row. This is not conducive to good breaking.
 
I think I use what was on Robert Byrnes videos. As close to the rack as you can and play some top on the ball which should if hit hard square on the top ball cause the cue ball to pop back a few inches then spin forward through the rack after initial contact. I also scoot the cue over a few inches to avoid the spot that is marked on the cloth where everyone seems to break from. I also try to hit like a golf swing if any experience there break with your whole body which requires some timing and cause some miscues until you get the timing down.
 
RidgeRaider said:
I also love the second ball break, because if you don't make a ball in, there's a great chance your opponent will be coming to take a shot on a pretty crappy leave / table.

Second ball break consistently leaves problem balls, groups, and the cueball down in that mess. So if you're gonna hand it over after the break, might as well make sure it's a piss-poor situation for him.
Click to expand...
I think of it as a technical rack that requires close and or delicate work to run after the break. I prefer a puzzle to solve after the break. A wide open table after a dry break is often fatal.
 
preacherman said:
Hi all AZ billiards friends,
I'm in my 60's and not a big guy. My break has never been powerful, but even less so as I age.
Can you all give me suggestions on being successful on a break in 8-ball (as a senior).
I am back to playing in local 8-ball league, but I find that while my breaks spread the balls well, rarely does anything go in on the break, which has left a nice spread for my opponent to run balls. I need to start getting atleast 1 ball in on break! And advice is appreciated.

Jim (Preacherman)
Click to expand...
Sometimes, taking speed off in order to get a squarer hit on the front ball might yield better results.

Also, a looser grip might help, it's what Bustamante recommends plus he pulls up the butt of the cue on his final back swing, almost touching his chest, possibly creating more power on a downward strike


Albin Ouchan says the power is all about wrist snap and he can crush them if he chooses to.

And if you were to post a clip of you breaking a few times, most likely members could give you tips on your technique.
 
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