Thank you Black-balled. I didn't want to start an argument because each to their own, but I do feel like we have an obligation to ensure we provide accurate information to other readers that might be influenced by these threads.
The truth is I can count thousands of times in my life when someone won a 9/10 ball match due to an effective break shot, and have never once seen where someone won a match due to a safety break.
I am speaking rotation games specifically. For non-runout players there could be some debate about breaking softer in 8 ball, particularly in a situation where balls are points and you have a ball lead, etc. But in 9 ball and 10 ball there is a push out, so there is no opportunity to gain any type of advantage with a safety break. In fact with many rules now about 3 balls passing the headstring or it becoming an 'illegal break' and you having to shoot without the option of a push, it could be very, very harmful.
Theoretically I think the poster was saying "If you can only run 3 balls, and your opponent can run the table, then it makes sense to prevent a table run and improve the chances of it coming down to an end game where both players are within range of running out." This sounds reasonable, but in practice I have never seen it work. The better player is also better at playing safeties that open up clusters and game management. The reality is that I lose far more games to my opponent when the money ball ends up near a pocket early than I do being outmoved, so they are probably better served breaking hard and hoping the money ball trends towards a pocket.
A better strategy that might fit along these lines would be to pass on a shot at the 1 ball and call push, then shooting the money ball near another pocket so they might have an opportunity for a short rack. This I could actually believe might make some sense. Or if you're getting spotted the 7 ball, pushing out and tying up the 8/9 so you are on a free roll to some degree. So I am all about creative strategies. But breaking poorly in rotation games doesn't benefit anyone. And if someone comes up with a theoretical argument, I challenge them to find examples of matches where it was advantageous, because I can point to many, many short racks that say break them hard and do your best.
