Break Stats -- 2018 World Pool Masters 9-Ball, March 2018

AtLarge

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Here are some aggregate break statistics from the 2018 World Pool Masters event played March 2-4, 2018 at Tercentenary Hall, Victoria Stadium, in Gibraltar. This was an invitational 16-player, single-elimination 9-Ball event produced by Matchroom Sport and streamed free in the USA on Facebook.

Conditions -- The conditions for this event included:
- Rasson Victory 9-foot table with blue Simonis 860 cloth;​
- Aramith Tournament balls with a measles cue ball;​
- wooden triangle rack;​
- referee racks with the 1-ball on the foot spot, and winner breaks from anywhere behind the head string;​
- jump cues allowed;​
- foul on all balls;​
- 30-second shot clock (60 sec. after the break, and one 30-sec. extension per player per rack) and​
- all slop counts.​

The 15 matches (181 games) in this tournament were as follows (listed in the order in which they were played).

Fri. March 2
1. Ralf Souquet defeated Karol Skowerski 8-4
2. Niels Feijen d. Raj Hundal 8-2
3. Karl Boyes d. David Alcaide 8-3​

Sat. March 3
4. Alex Pagulayan d. Alex Lely 8-4
5. Shane Van Boening d. Daryl Peach 8-2
6. Darren Appleton d. Earl Strickland 8-6
7. Dennis Orcollo d. Chris Melling 8-3
8. Jayson Shaw d. Joshua Filler 8-5
9. Boyes d. Souquet 8-7 (Quarterfinal)​

Sun., March 4
10. Feijen d. Orcollo 8-6 (Quarterfinal)
11. Van Boening d. Appleton 8-4 (Quarterfinal)
12. Shaw d. Pagulayan 8-5 (Quarterfinal)
13. Feijen d. Boyes 8-3 (Semifinal)
14. Van Boening d. Shaw 8-3 (Semifinal)
15. Feijen d. Van Boening 8-4 (Finals)​

Overall results
Successful breaks (made at least one ball and did not foul) -- 67% (74 of 111) for match winners, 49% (34 of 70) for match losers, and 60% (108 of 181) in total

Breaker won the game -- 68% (76 of 111) for match winners, 37% (26 of 70) for match losers, and 56% (102 of 181) in total

Break-and-run games -- 29% (32 of 111) for match winners, 16% (11 of 70) for match losers, and 24% (43 of 181) in total​
Here's a breakdown of the 181 games (for match winners and losers combined).

Breaker made at least one ball and did not foul:​
Breaker won the game: 66 (36% of the 181 games)​
Breaker lost the game: 42 (23%)​
Breaker fouled on the break:​
Breaker won the game: 4 (2%)​
Breaker lost the game: 8 (4%)​
Breaker broke dry (without fouling):​
Breaker won the game: 32 (18%)​
Breaker lost the game: 29 (16%)​
Therefore, whereas the breaker won 56% (102 of 181) of all games,​
He won 61% (66 of 108) of the games in which he made at least one ball on the break and did not foul.​
He won 33% (4 of 12) of the games in which he fouled on the break.​
He won 52% (32 of 61) of the games in which he broke dry but did not foul.​
He won 49% (36 of 73) of the games in which he either fouled on the break or broke dry without fouling.​

Break-and-run games -- The 43* break-and-run games represented 24% of all 181 games, 42% of the 102 games won by the breaker, and 40% of the 108 games in which the break was successful (made a ball and didn't foul).
[*Includes two games I did not see in full: (1) The last game of the Boyes/Alcaide match -- Boyes was running out, with 4 balls left on the table and no apparent problems, when the Facebook stream ended for the day, and (2) Game 9 of the Feijen/Van Boening match -- the stream crashed just as Niels was about to break and returned with him running out from the 4-ball. Commentary suggested that he had run out from the break.]

The 43 break-and-run games consisted of 4 three-packs (by Appleton, Souquet, Feijen, and Van Boening), 5 two-packs and 21 singles. No one broke and ran more than 3 games in a row.

9-Balls on the break -- The 43 break-and-run games included 1 9-ball on the break (0.6% of all breaks).
 
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AtLarge

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Miscellany from the data for the 2018 World Pool Masters 9-Ball event:

• The most balls made on a single break was 4, done just once, by Feijen; he lost that game.

• The average number of balls made on the break was 0.9 (this includes dry and fouled breaks). On successful breaks (made at least one ball and did not foul), the average was 1.5.

• 45% (82 of 181) of the games ended in one inning – 24% (43) won by the breaker (B&R) and 22% (39) won by the non-breaker. Fifteen percent (28 of 181) of the games lasted 4 or more innings.

• 36% (66 of 181) of the games were run out by the player who was at the table following the break. These run-outs were:
- By the breaker after successful breaks (B&R games) – 40% (43 of 108)​
- By the non-breaker after fouls on the break – 50% (6 of 12)​
- By the non-breaker after dry breaks – 28% (17 of 61)​

• The player who made the first ball after the break:
- Won the game in that same inning 59% of the time (106 of 180)​
- Won the game in a later inning 12% of the time (22 of 180)​
- Lost the game 29% of the time (52 of 180)​
[Note -- total games used here are 180 rather than 181 to eliminate the 1 game in which no ball was made after the break.]​

• The loser won an average of 4.1 games in these races to 8. Just one match went to hill/hill; two finished at 8-2.

• The average elapsed time for these 15 races to 8 was 74 minutes, averaging 6.1 minutes per game. The elapsed time was measured from the lag until the winning ball was made (or conceded), so it includes time for racking and commercial breaks. Commercial breaks were significant in these matches, numbering 3 per match (except 2 in one of the matches) of about 3 minutes each.

• The match that was longest in elapsed time, at 98 minutes, was Boyes d. Souquet 8-7. The match that was highest in average minutes per game, at 7.4, was Souquet d. Skowerski 8-4.

• The match that was shortest in elapsed time, at about 51 minutes, and lowest in average minutes per game, at 4.3, was the Finals, Feijen d. Van Boening 8-4.

• Breaking fouls averaged 1 for every 15.1 games, other fouls 1 for every 5.5 games, and missed shots about 1 for every 1.8 games.

• About 43% of the games involved one or more safeties.
 
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HoustonInt

Big John's Cue Repair
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Thanks AtLarge for this information! Did Feijen have the most success on the breaks?


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Nick B

This is gonna hurt
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I like to see a ref comparison. Nigel Rees seemed to know how to rack. The others produced a lot of slugs.
 

AtLarge

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Thanks AtLarge for this information! Did Feijen have the most success on the breaks?


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I haven't checked everybody, but here are the two finalists and the others (collectively):

Successful breaks:
Feijen -- 77% (23 of 30)
SVB -- 62% (16 of 26)
All others -- 55% (69 of 125)
Total -- 60% (108 of 181)

Breaker won game:
Feijen -- 70% (21 of 30)
SVB -- 62% (16 of 26)
All others -- 52% (65 of 125)
Total -- 56% (102 of 181)

B&R games, on all breaks:
Feijen -- 40% (12 of 30)
SVB -- 31% (8 of 26)
All others -- 18% (23 of 125)
Total -- 24% (43 of 181)

B&R games, on successful breaks:
Feijen -- 52% (12 of 23)
SVB -- 50% (8 of 16)
All others -- 33% (23 of 69)
Total -- 40% (43 of 108)
 
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AtLarge

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I like to see a ref comparison. Nigel Rees seemed to know how to rack. The others produced a lot of slugs.

Rees refereed 5 matches (#'s 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15 in my list in post #1).

The successful break percentage in those 5 matches was 68% (44 of 65)

The successful break percentage in the other 10 matches was 55% (64 of 116).

In total, it was 60% (108 of 181).

But, caveat -- all of Rees' matches were in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or finals, i.e., after the 8 1st-round losers were gone.
 

HoustonInt

Big John's Cue Repair
Silver Member
I haven't checked everybody, but here are the two finalists and the others (collectively):

Successful breaks:
  • Feijen -- 77% (23 of 30)
    SVB -- 62% (16 of 26)
    All others -- 55% (69 of 125)
    Total -- 60% (108 of 181)

Breaker won game:
  • Feijen -- 70% (21 of 30)
    SVB -- 62% (16 of 26)
    All others -- 52% (65 of 125)
    Total -- 56% (102 of 181)

B&R games, on all breaks:
  • Feijen -- 40% (12 of 30)
    SVB -- 31% (8 of 26)
    All others -- 18% (23 of 125)
    Total -- 24% (43 of 181)

B&R games, on successful breaks:
  • Feijen -- 52% (12 of 23)
    SVB -- 50% (8 of 16)
    All others -- 33% (23 of 69)
    Total -- 40% (43 of 108)
It seemed like Feijen had the break dialed in and your numbers support that by a wide margin! Great work!!

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Icon of Sin

I can't fold, I need gold. I re-up and reload...
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Awesome stats. The table seemed to play slower then what the players were used too and also rejected balls more frequently. I was glad to see the rejected shots. In previous matchroom events, the table has been way to accepting of sloppy shots.
 

Nick B

This is gonna hurt
Silver Member
Rees refereed 5 matches (#'s 9, 10, 12, 13, and 15 in my list in post #1).

The successful break percentage in those 5 matches was 68% (44 of 65)

The successful break percentage in the other 10 matches was 55% (64 of 116).

In total, it was 60% (108 of 181).

But, caveat -- all of Rees' matches were in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or finals, i.e., after the 8 1st-round losers were gone.

I expect break stats to shift up as the rounds move on (despite table getting slick knocked off it and probably breaking tougher). Nigel almost never gave a slug. The others...not so much. Many breaks looked horrible despite being well struck.
 

StraightPoolIU

Brent
Silver Member
I expect break stats to shift up as the rounds move on (despite table getting slick knocked off it and probably breaking tougher). Nigel almost never gave a slug. The others...not so much. Many breaks looked horrible despite being well struck.

Agree with this. I forget which match I was watching on Saturday (possibly one of Shaw's matches), but the female referee racked several slug racks. Ted Lerner even said something to the effect of "It looks like Shaw is hitting them much harder." and Raj Hundal pointed out he was likely hitting them that way because he knew the racks were bad and was trying his best to get lucky. You could tell the racks were bad based on the ball reaction, and the players altering their break location on every rack trying to play the gaps as best they could.
 

AtLarge

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Successful break percentages (made at least one ball and did not foul) and wet break percentages (includes wet but fouled breaks) -- separated by a comma:

By round of play
Round 1 (Matches 1-8) -- 54% (50 of 93), 60% (56 of 93)
Round 2 (Matches 9-12) -- 61% (33 of 54), 65% (35 of 54)
Round 3 (Matches 13-14) -- 73% (16 of 22), same
Round 4 (Match 15) -- 75% (9 of 12), 83% (10 of 12)
Total -- 60% (108 of 181), 65% (117 of 181)​

By referee
Walker (3 matches in Round 1) -- 55% (18 of 33), 61% (20 of 33)
Bozhilova (5 matches in Round, 1 in Round 2, 1 in Round 3) -- 55% (46 of 83), 61% (51 of 83)
Rees (3 matches in Round 2, 1 in Round 3, 1 in Round 4) -- 68% (44 of 65), 71% (46 of 65)
Total -- 60% (108 of 181), 65% (117 of 181)​
 
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pt109

WO double hemlock
Silver Member
Successful break percentages (made at least one ball and did not foul) and wet break percentages (includes wet but fouled breaks) -- separated by a comma:

■ By round of play
  • Round 1 (Matches 1-8) -- 54% (50 of 93), 60% (56 of 93)
    Round 2 (Matches 9-12) -- 61% (33 of 54), 65% (35 of 54)
    Round 3 (Matches 13-14) -- 73% (16 of 22), same
    Round 4 (Match 15) -- 75% (9 of 12), 83% (10 of 12)
    Total -- 60% (108 of 181), 65% (117 of 181)

■ By referee
  • Walker (3 matches in Round 1) -- 55% (18 of 33), 61% (20 of 33)
    Bozhilova (5 matches in Round, 1 in Round 2, 1 in Round 3) -- 55% (46 of 83), 61% (51 of 83)
    Rees (3 matches in Round 2, 1 in Round 3, 1 in Round 4) -- 68% (44 of 65), 71% (46 of 65)
    Total -- 60% (108 of 181), 65% (117 of 181)

I’m impressed by these break stats....but I guess a small select field of champions made
the difference.

What I’m not impressed by is the table conditions...anybody know what kind of cloth?
....and it could’ve been an installation problem....it could’ve been loose or the whole slate
could’ve been sprayed with glue....I’ve seen bar tables play that dead.

The way the table played is a great endorsement for Diamond.
 

AtLarge

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I’m impressed by these break stats....but I guess a small select field of champions made
the difference.

What I’m not impressed by is the table conditions...anybody know what kind of cloth?
....and it could’ve been an installation problem....it could’ve been loose or the whole slate
could’ve been sprayed with glue....I’ve seen bar tables play that dead.

The way the table played is a great endorsement for Diamond.

It was Simonis cloth (they were a sponsor), but I never heard anyone say whether it was 860. It certainly played slow early in the event (maybe a bit quicker later in the event), and high humidity was said to be the culprit. The color didn't seem to be the standard Tournament Blue; it looked darker than that. Comments were made several times about the practice table "upstairs" playing quicker than the match table, so the players were a bit unprepared when switching from the one to the other. Surely it was the same type of cloth upstairs and installed by the same person(s), but who knows.
 

AtLarge

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It was Simonis cloth (they were a sponsor), but I never heard anyone say whether it was 860. It certainly played slow early in the event (maybe a bit quicker later in the event), and high humidity was said to be the culprit. The color didn't seem to be the standard Tournament Blue; it looked darker than that. Comments were made several times about the practice table "upstairs" playing quicker than the match table, so the players were a bit unprepared when switching from the one to the other. Surely it was the same type of cloth upstairs and installed by the same person(s), but who knows.

In another thread, MatchroomPool reported that the cloth was Simonis 860.
 

Nick B

This is gonna hurt
Silver Member
Agree with this. I forget which match I was watching on Saturday (possibly one of Shaw's matches), but the female referee racked several slug racks. Ted Lerner even said something to the effect of "It looks like Shaw is hitting them much harder." and Raj Hundal pointed out he was likely hitting them that way because he knew the racks were bad and was trying his best to get lucky. You could tell the racks were bad based on the ball reaction, and the players altering their break location on every rack trying to play the gaps as best they could.

Some of her racks were atrocious. Complete slugs. 35 MPH wouldn't produce results. The time that that Jayson blew the one ball off the table I'm certain the front ball was not touching the second row.
 
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