If you look at videos of tournament play, the common denominator of making the 1 ball in the side pocket is: When the cue ball hits the 1ball, the cue ball then hits the side rail 2 diamonds up.
How to break 9 ball and make 1 in side. (W/ the 9 ball on spot.
- Thread starter Ed Keeney
- Start date
On the surface that seems true. But when playing seriously, if you make a ball on the break you are in CONTROL of the game. On the next shot you either make a ball, push out, or play a safe legal shot. You are still in control of the game. Amateurs do not realize how important this is and the many strategies which can be used. As a example: since it may not be an easy run out with balls clustered, you may fake it by nearly making a ball but in reality you break out a cluster and play safe. You are still in control of the game.
Actually this strategy could be used at any point of the game.
uk_9_ball_convert
Well-known member
I remember Andy Goldstein mentioning that Jayson told him to make the 1 on the break just to imaging you are potting the 1 as if nothing was behind it. I think that's a decent starting point from where to aim. Though it does change depending on the speed you hit it, what spin you put on the cue ball and where you placed the cue ball so it's best just to watch your results and adjust.
Generally if the 1 goes too high the easiest adjustment to make to fix it is to hit the 1 thinner and if it goes too low hit the 1 thicker.
I would say the real skill of the way the pros break is the play it with outside English and draw, get the cue ball to cut across the table near the 9 (sometimes hitting it) then it comes back towards the middle of the table of the 2nd cushion (which gives you more chance of a shot on the 2). I cannot recreate this at all, have decided for me its actually better to hardly play any draw and no side and try to get the cue ball back to the middle of the table via 3 cushions (which does require a bit of luck in terms of avoiding collisions).
Generally if the 1 goes too high the easiest adjustment to make to fix it is to hit the 1 thinner and if it goes too low hit the 1 thicker.
I would say the real skill of the way the pros break is the play it with outside English and draw, get the cue ball to cut across the table near the 9 (sometimes hitting it) then it comes back towards the middle of the table of the 2nd cushion (which gives you more chance of a shot on the 2). I cannot recreate this at all, have decided for me its actually better to hardly play any draw and no side and try to get the cue ball back to the middle of the table via 3 cushions (which does require a bit of luck in terms of avoiding collisions).