I seem to recall that when I started playing pool in the late seventies, most people playing 8-ball would position the cue ball about a diamond off the head rail and break with the bridge hand on the rail. Now after a long hiatus,I've started playing again and see on YouTube that all the pros break with the cue ball at the head string.
What's the rationale for that? Is it because the cue ball is about a foot closer to the rack and it makes that much of a difference?
A lot of people, including pros will still bridge off the rail for 8-ball and 10-ball (center of the table breaks) on 7' tables, mostly due to the idea that it's difficult to get a level stroked if you break from the head string. Level break is most definitely the most efficient.
And players have been breaking from the headstring on 9' tables since at least the early 80's. Mike Sigel, the best breaker in the biz along with Wade Crane, almost always broke like that. And yes ,it's to get as close to the object balls as possible. Every big breaker drops the elbow and gets the cue nearly level if they start at an angle, when breaking at the headstring. They usually start the cuetip very low, but slow motion shows that most if not every hop and stop break is hit above center. Johnny Archer is one that actually aims a hair above center with a fairly level cue to start with ,and remains level throughout.
So, couple the two paragraphs, and you get one of the biggest secrets to breaking (on both big and small tables). Strike at level.
Freddie <~~~ thank you, Big Nasty
