Break Shot Problem - How To Fix?

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ok, here's a diagram of what alot of my spreads end up with when i break. what i am trying to point out is that when i break from Point A, the '1' Ball comes down table, ends up on the short rail, and i dont have a shot.

what to do about this? if i try and draw the cue ball just slightly to play for this, the '1' ends up somewhere else and i am hosed.

thoughts posters?
DCP

p.s. where did my cueball go??? it was stuck right behind the '6' Ball, and i was snookered here.

CueTable Help

 

henho

I Beat Fidelshnitzer
Silver Member
In general I doubt you could closely control where the balls end up, but try breaking from closer to the center, and maybe use slight (very very very slight) elevation to pop the cue ball. If you hit it right you can get the one to pop up a bit and sit closer to the center of the table, barring any kisses.
 

Ronoh

1 brick at a time
Silver Member
I need more info to help.

Do you see the cue ball in the lower left hand corner, please show what contact point are you hitting it with. Also, are you low and level on your break, or is your back hand raised?

From your WEI table layout, it looks like you're not making full contact of the head ball, but we need more info to help.
 

sixpack

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
DrCue'sProtege said:
ok, here's a diagram of what alot of my spreads end up with when i break. what i am trying to point out is that when i break from Point A, the '1' Ball comes down table, ends up on the short rail, and i dont have a shot.

what to do about this? if i try and draw the cue ball just slightly to play for this, the '1' ends up somewhere else and i am hosed.

thoughts posters?
DCP

p.s. where did my cueball go??? it was stuck right behind the '6' Ball, and i was snookered here.

CueTable Help


I've found that if the 1 is ending up on the head rail, then I'm breaking a little bit too hard. If you lighten up a touch, it will end up in a makeable position, if you don't have the CB behind the 6 that is.

Cheers,
RC
 

mnShooter

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I would say you either need to break harder or softer. Preferably harder if you can control it.
 

AuntyDan

/* Insert skill here */
Silver Member
I get this quite a bit. What is happening to me is that the 1 ball consistently hits the rail about 2" below the side pocket and banks up into the head-string area.

I can suggest 4 tactics:
1) Adjust your break to either be able to make the 1 in the side consistently (I've never managed this myself for more than a few hours at a time but it is clearly possible for good enough players)
2) Keep it from travelling all the up to the headstring area by reducing the power of your break or changing your angle of impact on the 1 ball a little (which may or may not have a negative impact on other aspects of you break)
3) Learn to *controllably* draw the cue ball up the table on the break, leaving yourself an easy corner-ball shot on the 1 - I saw several top pros doing just this in a UPA tournament a while back. They had to break hard from the box due to their rules about balls having to pass the side pockets and the 1 was banking up table every break. Therefore they played to park the cue ball in the head string area too.
4) Buy yourself a set of TV balls, put the 9 on the spot instead of the 1 and pretend your on ESPN!

HTH, GL
 

ceebee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Maybe you could try to gain a different location of the cue ball, after impact. By shooting the same shot, but using a small amount of draw, the cue ball will draw off the rack to the 1st diamond past the side pocket (just above the numbers below the rail) rebound off the rail toward the opposite side & the headstring, where you might have a shot at the 1-Ball. Good Luck..
 

DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
ceebee said:
Maybe you could try to gain a different location of the cue ball, after impact. By shooting the same shot, but using a small amount of draw, the cue ball will draw off the rack to the 1st diamond past the side pocket (just above the numbers below the rail) rebound off the rail toward the opposite side & the headstring, where you might have a shot at the 1-Ball. Good Luck..

if i put just a little draw on the break shot, and play for this shot, the '1' Ball doesnt go downtable, it ends up somewhere else and then i still dont have a shot. i've done this many, many times.

as i have said, i am the unluckiest player ever...........

DCP
 

stroke

Banned
I have noticed the same thing when breaking from that position. If you don't make the one ball in the side it often goes to the head rail. One of the main reasons for using that break angle is to try to get the one ball to go into the side pocket. Notice where the one ball hits the rail then adjust your break angle bring it closer to the side pocket. You'll be surprised by how often you get it to fall.
 
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