break techniques/patterns on different size tables

evergruven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
thanks in advance for bearing with me (again)

7, 8, 9, 10 foot tables are all in play right

let's say good/same cloth, balls and rack
can/should breaking techniques and patterns vary based just on table size?
I'm thinking geometry and physics here (I think)

i.e. what cue to use, where to contact the rock and balls, speed, etc.

if so, I'm wondering (because we're talking about math and science)
could there be some kind of proportional formula to say
"based on x table size, hit the cue ball on x spot, hit the head ball on x spot, with x speed reduced/increased by x"
etc.- ?
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
evergruven...If you really want to improve your break, on any size table...follow these directions.

Back off on how hard you're try to hit them. Work on accuracy, instead of speed.

Try to hit the headball square on every break...no spin of any kind on the CB

Stop moving your body (lunging, excessive follow-through, etc).

Work on a very light cradle on the cuestick (cuestick weight and timing are all that's required for a better break).

These are the hallmarks of many players with great breaks! A Break-Rak can help enormously with cutting down on practice time.

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour
 

Pete

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
BreakRak is the best investment for your Break (if you use it and don't live near me that is)...
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Texas Carom Club...Easy! You can practice your break 50 times in 10 minutes...working on the variables I described above! The time savings alone make it a very useful product!

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

so how does it actually help you improve though?
 

Texas Carom Club

9ball did to billiards what hiphop did to america
Silver Member
ah ok, so how do you know if your doing it wrong or right?

i was wondering if it was supposed to indicate something when you hit it well, or full or hard
 

Scott Lee

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Your goal is to squat the rock on every break. That gives you a 100% transfer of energy from the cuestick to the CB to the headball of the rack. Back off your speed until you can do that. Then you can work more speed back into your break, while keeping accuracy intact.

Scott Lee
2019 PBIA Instructor of the Year
Director, SPF National Pool School Tour

ah ok, so how do you know if your doing it wrong or right?

i was wondering if it was supposed to indicate something when you hit it well, or full or hard
 

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
It is gdamnn ludicrous to think the break on a given table would be be dictated by table size.

PERHAPS it would be a factor, but surely not one of significance.
 

Ssonerai

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Check site out. Not gonna go into all here. https://breakrak.com/


OK, admit to being on the slow side.
I reviewed the limited literature on the site several times.

Basic unit without radar: what does the device do, except keep re-locating the headball for you? IOW, does it tell where you hit? whether that is good or bad? etc?
How does it train you toward a goal?

Thanks!
smt
 

garczar

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
OK, admit to being on the slow side.
I reviewed the limited literature on the site several times.

Basic unit without radar: what does the device do, except keep re-locating the headball for you? IOW, does it tell where you hit? whether that is good or bad? etc?
How does it train you toward a goal?

Thanks!
smt
You'd have to try it. Cueball action tells a lot about how flush you've hit the break. When you use one of these it pretty obvious. All i can tell you.
 

StraightPoolIU

Brent
Silver Member
The only difference that I noticed between table sizes in regards to the break is more of a personal preference to me. When I'm breaking 8 ball or 10 ball on a 9ft table I often break from near the middle of the headstring with my hand on the table. When I break those games on a bar box I always felt putting the cue ball on the headstring put me a little too close to the rack and it didn't feel as comfortable. So if I'm on a barbox I use the same break, but I break from the head rail.
 

KMRUNOUT

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
A couple of things:

1) The Break Rak device is amazing. The purpose is to practice striking the rack well. You can practice your power if you want, but it’s real value is in practicing your accuracy. Popping the front ball good is the aim. You can measure success for that type of break by holding the cueball in the center of the table without going to a rail. A nice pop and squat in the center of the table is great.

2) if you are breaking 9 ball, a cut break can be very effective for playing position on the one ball and making the corner ball. This comes into play when the rules require you to break 9 ball from the box. This one you would hit typically with draw and some outside English. The idea is you draw to the side rail between the 2nd and 3rd diamonds, and then spin out across the center of the table, playing position for the one in the corner near where you broke from. The Break Rak is good for practicing this break too, but maybe not quite as realistic in the reaction.

3) pool, like all reality, takes place in 3 dimensions. Every single pool shot is a jump shot to some degree, assuming you’re playing on a table with rails. This means that speed and elevation blend together to determine where the cueball is heightwise when it reaches the front ball. Hitting that ball higher or lower, bouncing up or bouncing down...all have different results. Learning to dial in the speed and elevation is a pretty big deal for a good 10 ball break. Some people alternatively adjust the placement of the cueball to achieve the differences they need. I prefer to break right on the head string and adjust speed or elevation. Based on this, the table size most certainly has an impact on the break. The distance from your cueball to the rack is different, in some cases very different. If I tried to do my 9’ table break for say 8 ball, which would be the highest power of any break I do (power, elevation, distance to front ball) on a 7’ table, my cueball will be way high when it reaches the one ball and probably go flying far away.

Short answer, yes, the table size matters. If you play on different sized tables, try to develop the formula for each table type and size. Store that program for later use when necessary.

Hope it helps,

KMRUNOUT


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Last edited:

evergruven

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
3) pool, like all reality, takes place in 3 dimensions. Every single pool shot is a jump shot to some degree, assuming you’re playing on a table with rails. This means that speed and elevation blend together to determine where the cueball is heightwise when it reaches the front ball. Hitting that ball higher or lower, bouncing up or bouncing down...all have different results. Learning to dial in the speed and elevation is a pretty big deal for a good 10 ball break. Some people alternatively adjust the placement of the cueball to achieve the differences they need. I prefer to break right on the head string and adjust speed or elevation. Based on this, the table size most certainly has an impact on the break. The distance from your cueball to the rack is different, in some cases very different. If I tried to do my 9’ table break for say 8 ball, which would be the highest power of any break I do (power, elevation, distance to front ball) on a 7’ table, my cueball will be way high when it reaches the one ball and probably go flying far away.

Short answer, yes, the table size matters. If you play on different sized tables, try to develop the formula for each table type and size. Store that program for later use when necessary.

Hope it helps,

KMRUNOUT


Sent from my iPhone using AzBilliards Forums

cheers km
I know my og post was a bit scattered
but I appreciate you taking the time and encouraging thought
the break is such a crucial shot, especially at the top level
I see no disadvantage in attempting to dissect that shot
another thing I've thought about that you touched on is elevation
and although the cue ball contact point might not change
what angle the cue is at when it makes contact is no small variable
something to consider when playing/breaking off the rail
thanks all for the replies
 
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