Inconsistent Break

riding9

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I been struggling with my 9\10 ball break lately. I always have to have the tip placement about 2 inches in front of the cue ball on the cloth to get the cue ball to hop back in the middle of the table, I'm assuming this is because I'm lifting high. But lately I'm either getting a lot of high and going to the bottom rail or drawing up table.

I have watched so many videos on Youtube and can't figure out what I'm doing. Do you have any pointers that could help to be more consistent with popping the cue back to the middle of the table?
 

Bob Jewett

AZB Osmium Member
Staff member
Gold Member
Silver Member
I been struggling with my 9\10 ball break lately. I always have to have the tip placement about 2 inches in front of the cue ball on the cloth to get the cue ball to hop back in the middle of the table, I'm assuming this is because I'm lifting high. But lately I'm either getting a lot of high and going to the bottom rail or drawing up table.

I have watched so many videos on Youtube and can't figure out what I'm doing. Do you have any pointers that could help to be more consistent with popping the cue back to the middle of the table?
To get the action you want, you have to hit the cue ball very slightly above center and hit the front ball absolutely full.

The cue ball will tell you whether you are hitting to high or low by what it does after it hits the rack. Try video recording yourself from the side to see this if you don't believe the cue ball.
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
...lately I'm either getting a lot of high and going to the bottom rail or drawing up table.
So you're hitting too high or too low on the CB...

Sounds like you need to get your stroke under control.

Tried looking at the CB during the shot stroke?

pj
chgo
 

FranCrimi

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
To get the action you want, you have to hit the cue ball very slightly above center and hit the front ball absolutely full.

The cue ball will tell you whether you are hitting to high or low by what it does after it hits the rack. Try video recording yourself from the side to see this if you don't believe the cue ball.

This is the first I've heard of Bob's technique. 1/2 Tip below center does it for me. Also the angle of attack of the cue stick at the point of impact is important. If the angle is too much, the cb will bounce on it's way to the rack and lose force by the time it hits the rack. It may even jump forward after hitting the rack --- as in off the table forward.
 
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Tony_in_MD

You want some of this?
Silver Member
Reduce the speed of your break, focus on hitting the head ball solid and square. As you become more proficient at hitting the headball square, and getting the cueball to stay in the center of the table, begin to add speed.

Besides observing the CB after the break as Bob posted, you can also use another numbered ball as the CB and align it such that the number is facing you, this becomes your target on the CB and by checking the chalk mark afterwards you can see how successful you were in hitting that target at your desired speed.

It takes time and deliberate practice to hit the exact spot on the CB at break speed.
 

Patrick Johnson

Fish of the Day
Silver Member
This is the first I've heard of Bob's technique. 1/2 Tip below center does it for me. Also the angle of attack of the cue stick at the point of impact is important. If the angle is too much, the cb will bounce on it's way to the rack and lose force by the time it hits the rack. It may even jump forward after hitting the rack --- as in off the table forward.
I think the CB hops on every hard break, more or less depending on angle and speed. If your best hard break tends to jump up off the head ball you can adjust the cue elevation, starting place and/or speed to better match the length of the CB's hops to the length of the shot. I'd try to keep the speed up and adjust first the cue elevation and then the shot length.

pj
chgo
 
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