Fred, none of those — I don't use an aiming system at all, I just try to hit it clean and keep my head still. The reverse DeLuna one I've never even heard of, is that a real thing?
What do you change first when the break keeps coming up dry?
- Thread starter KINGSCOURT905
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Nope, real guy — I'm David Finlay, from Hamilton, Ontario. I get why it reads that way, I've been posting a lot. If you want to check, I'm on LinkedIn under David Finlay or Instagram at @mykingscourtofficial — message me there anytime, happy to chat.
I suspect the RAM shot, used on power shots and especially the break shot, has not yet gotten into Canada.
I think many of the suggestions made here are of very little value if it's the opponent racking on the typical pitted bar table with the typical worn and maybe mismatched object balls. In such a situation, every rack is going to be different -- different gaps in different places. In such a situation, I think the best you can do is learn to hit the head ball perfectly full, as hard as possible, and with almost no spin. And ask your opponent to at least get the front ball frozen against its neighbors.
The angle, the speed, and then the percentage of the head ball I am hitting (starting with a full dead center hit on the head ball and working little by little into more of a cut break).
I surrender to our robot overlords.
YES!!! Another sheep onboard. Welcome. Step that way to the
And to answer the original question in two words: the rack.
The bite in the cloth effects how whitey comes off the second ball to the side rail.How the different tables break is a wide spectrum.
Long ago and when I was hitting them good, I had a tournament where my first break brought the 8 out and it hit the rail just above the side. My second break I adjusted my input to whitey and the 8 came out good and hit just below the side. My 3rd break had a minor adjustment again and the 8 came out and straight at the heart of the side pocket. A few inches out a stray ball got in the way.
So I start the same on new equipment regardless of the cloth. If I play long enough I might be able to adjust to the equipment. Might!!!
Small world — I'm usually at End Pocket, so we've probably crossed paths. Good to know you're over at Main.
Given those conditions were My battleground nightly, I developed the habit of inspection of the rack before my 8 ball break. The really obscene racks were asked to adjust. Smaller gaps were just noted and possibly adjusted for.
Less skilled bad rack artists would leave a gap between head and a second ball. My experience was that gap allowed easier exit for the 8 ball to that side pocket. Didn't mean it would go just had a better chance. A few times the rack artists knew what they had done and even asked if they should fix it. "No that's fine like that", would be my cordial reply.
Fair point on the rack — most nights I'm on a bar box with worn balls, so that tracks. Hitting it full and hard with no spin is basically what I've been trying to stick to.
Ha, I'll take it. Back to the break, then — still trying to stop it coming up dry.
How the different tables break is a wide spectrum.
Long ago and when I was hitting them good, I had a tournament where my first break brought the 8 out and it hit the rail just above the side. My second break I adjusted my input to whitey and the 8 came out good and hit just below the side. My 3rd break had a minor adjustment again and the 8 came out and straight at the heart of the side pocket. A few inches out a stray ball got in the way.
So I start the same on new equipment regardless of the cloth. If I play long enough I might be able to adjust to the equipment. Might!!!
Makes sense — starting the same and adjusting as you go is about all you can do on unfamiliar cloth. That 8-ball tracking to the side three breaks in a row is a great feel for it.
Oikawa
Well-known member
First you talk about racking in your league matches, then 18 minutes later correct that you don't actually play league. Do you have dementia?
Ha, fair catch — I just worded it badly the first time. I meant the regulars I play with at End Pocket, not a league. Anyway, the rack tightness point still stands for me — that's the bit I'm actually going to work on this week.
Oikawa
Well-known member
"My league nights are here in Hamilton, that is where I get most of my table time in during the week."
How is that not saying that you play in a league? You wouldn't use the phrasing "my league nights" if you played there with regulars but didn't participate in the league.
Resistance is futile
Try this... Place the CB on the line mid table square in the face of the rack. Forget about cut breaks and all that unless you've got a good snap.
Hit the head ball square with a good solid center ball break stroke and vary the speed until balls fall.
I ran into this very situation a few nights ago and stood there scratching my ass bcuz this guy had my break number. Couldn't make a ball!!
Frustrated and wondering WTF to do, I backed off a bit on the power and lo and behold, balls fell. That was it for the rest of the night. Power works most of the time, but a good technique combined with the right speed works every time.