Is the Break Shot Overrated?

Jimmorrison

Jimmorrison

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Sometimes I wonder if you guys can even remember when you sucked. I’m guessing probably not. Maybe, at 14, you were already too good for some things to even matter. Let’s look at B level 8ball. Successful break means you get to pick. Sticking your opponent with a layout that he just can’t handle. You can’t either. Being able to pick almost guarantees a win. This happens at least two out of ten racks. The difference between winning and losing. I could list other examples, but I don’t think it’s necessary. I accept the correction and feel properly chagrined. The statement should have read” at all but the very lowest level”. As far as explaining, what’s to explain? My wife can’t run a rack, but she knows, I already told her.
 
tucson9ball

tucson9ball

AzB Silver Member
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Bob Jewett said:
Overrated? Maybe not. I would say that most beginner to intermediate players worry about it too much. Unless the two players are running the rack a quarter of the time, who breaks has little effect on the outcome of the match. Check out AtLarge's stats in recent nine ball and ten ball matches and look at the "breaker wins" percentages.

Is the break a large factor for the top 500 players? Yes. Does it make any difference to the vast majority of pool players? No. For the vast majority, if they can get the balls open and not scratch, their break is fine. They are never going to play SVB or try to outsmart Corey at racking.

Speaking of Corey, here's a clip that will show you how to do Corey's four-shot nine ball racks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZnYiuO8I6Pg
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That's a great clip Bob. I played a guy at the BCAPL Nationals a few years back that racked the 2/3 behind the 1 ball. The 2nd rack I called him on it and he seemed surprised. I told him he shot too well to not know the rule and to ask the referee. After him only protesting for a few seconds, he changed the balls around a bit.
 
Bavafongoul

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Is the driver golf club a powerful weapon in the hands of some golfers?

Is there any edge or advantage being in the fairway 300+ yds long?

Would you enjoy or prefer to add 40-50 yards distance to your tee shots?

I’m not talking added distance in the rough or out of bounds either...in the fairway.

Well, if you answered yes, then think of the break shot in pool the very same way.
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
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long day

Bavafongoul said:
Is the driver golf club a powerful weapon in the hands of some golfers?

Is there any edge or advantage being in the fairway 300+ yds long?

Would you enjoy or prefer to add 40-50 yards distance to your tee shots?

I’m not talking added distance in the rough or out of bounds either...in the fairway.

Well, if you answered yes, then think of the break shot in pool the very same way.
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An executive at the power plant I worked at played in a pro-am thing. A very old Jack Nicklaus was last off the first tee, blasting a ball about a hundred yards further than any of the first three, straight up the middle. The exec knew he was in for a very long humiliating day!

Hu
 
HawaiianEye

HawaiianEye

AzB Silver Member
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If the break doesn't really matter, then we should all agree that, from now on, the only way the game should be played is "winner breaks".

I'm all in for that.
 
M

maha

from way back when
Silver Member
against weak players i always tried to give them the break as part of the spot. they rarely got any advantage of it.
if you cant run out then the break is of little use. except for a small edge. ive never owned a break stick.

sure two even players the better breaker will win. but that isnt two even players.
and two players one runs balls better, will beat the good breaker everytime.

for the average player just squatting their cueball in the middle is all they need so they get first chance at making the 9 or getting a good combo on it. as long as the table is letting them make a ball more times than not. small edge.

top players play so close in shot making that the break becomes more of a deciding factor.
 
Jimmorrison

Jimmorrison

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:thumbup: Nice post. Shows some objectivity, and some insight into the games of lower level players :grin:
 
philly

philly

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
buckshotshoey said:
Ding ding ding! SVB has spent years perfecting his break. He is a true master of the break shot.
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True.
He used to come into my poolroom every afternoon
during the Expo and practice his 10 ball.
It was 15 minutes from the Expo center.

Everyone would leave him alone to practice. There was time to chat later.
He would spend time just breaking.
Interesting side note:
He liked using well used pieces of Master Chalk not new chalk.
 
Bavafongoul

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
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This could almost pass for a political thread the way this went on a skid sideways and the ad hominem crap showed up.
This is a matter of opinion and the truth is ask any pro if they’d rather spot or get the break shot in a match. Ask any of them.

I’ve found people that poo poo the importance of the break usually have two key characteristics that drive their skepticism.
The first is they usually possess a weak or mediocre break shot and the second is they don’t have the skills to run the table.
Ergo, their break shot is much less consequential to them since they don’t have the abilities to capitalize on a great ball scatter.

It’s the same crap in golf when players that are short off the tee have to compete against longer, better players & the BS starts.
As long as I’m in the fairway, it doesn’t matter if my opponent is 60 yards past me off the tee. So keep lying to yourself with envy.
 
TATE

TATE

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In that Filler/Chohan one pocket match, At Large posted the breaker won only 42% of the time. You could have made a million bucks taking bets on that!
 
SpiderWeb

SpiderWeb

iisgone@yahoo.com
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Mr. Dogg said:
Fine, you God damned Ass hole. I'm outta here. **** you and a **** forum that puts up with shit like you.

"You think the break is not important??"
You can't even grasp what I was asking! Read the question again, dummass.

Edit:
It wasn't me who put those asterisks in this post.
Click to expand...

Go to you tube and watch some matches. Three to five break and run sometimes. Johnny Archer had 13 runs. Earl had 11. Danny Medina did 9 in reno. It does help the good players.
 
Straightpool_99

Straightpool_99

I see dead balls
Silver Member
Once you get to the runout level, the break is pretty much 60% of the game. Maybe more. It's tough to overrate it. It's a skill for sure, even though there is some luck to it. Controlling the one and the cueball is pretty tough, especially with making the ball and satisfying the 3 point rule in 9 ball. If you can do that with some consistency, you're not lucky, you're good.

I have a friend who makes 2-3 balls on most of his 10 ball breaks (on our local tables). He practises the break for hours almost every day. Do you think that matters, when I usually make just 1 ball? Yes, it matters. He's playing 7 ball, I'm playing 9 ball. It's like I'm spotting him 1-2 balls.
 
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HawaiianEye

HawaiianEye

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Straightpool_99 said:
Once you get to the runout level, the break is pretty much 60% of the game. Maybe more. It's tough to overrate it. It's a skill for sure, even though there is some luck to it. Controlling the one and the cueball is pretty tough, especially with making the ball and satisfying the 3 point rule in 9 ball. If you can do that with some consistency, you're not lucky, you're good.

I have a friend who makes 2-3 balls on most of his 10 ball breaks (on our local tables). Do you think that matters, when I usually make just 1? Yes, it matters. He's playing 7 ball, I'm playing 9 ball. It's like I'm spotting him 2 balls.
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People who aren't good at breaking or running packages prefer to play alternate break in most of the cases I've witnessed.

They know they can't outbreak their opponent so they want equal time on the breaking so that their opponent can't put any "packages" on them.

Then, when it's their turn to break and they happen to make a ball they usually can't get out, but it gives them a chance to play "duck and hide" in the hopes of fouling their opponent to get themselves in a better position to maybe win the game.
 
Black-Balled

Black-Balled

AzB Silver Member
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HawaiianEye said:
People who aren't good at breaking or running packages prefer to play alternate break in most of the cases I've witnessed.

They know they can't outbreak their opponent so they want equal time on the breaking so that their opponent can't put any "packages" on them.

Then, when it's their turn to break and they happen to make a ball they usually can't get out, but it gives them a chance to play "duck and hide" in the hopes of fouling their opponent to get themselves in a better position to maybe win the game.
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That 'is' one scenario.

I can recall the day I became a champion:D. I was breaking like a beast all weekend and knew it was there to stay. I wish atLarge had been there; i bet my b/r was approaching 70+%.

When it came time 'to' play last few matches, I knew I was gonna be tough to slow down and like the rest 'of' the weekend, I served aces on 'almost 'all 'my 'alternat'e break at bats.
" ' " '" " " "" """ '""
 
Black-Balled

Black-Balled

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Mr. Dogg said:
Fine, you God damned Ass hole. I'm outta here. **** you and a **** forum that puts up with shit like you.

"You think the break is not important??"
You can't even grasp what I was asking! Read the question again, dummass.

Edit:
It wasn't me who put those asterisks in this post.
Click to expand...

Lol
LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLO
 
ShootingArts

ShootingArts

Smorg is giving St Peter the 7!
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a hard truth

Straightpool_99 said:
Once you get to the runout level, the break is pretty much 60% of the game. Maybe more. It's tough to overrate it. It's a skill for sure, even though there is some luck to it. Controlling the one and the cueball is pretty tough, especially with making the ball and satisfying the 3 point rule in 9 ball. If you can do that with some consistency, you're not lucky, you're good.

I have a friend who makes 2-3 balls on most of his 10 ball breaks (on our local tables). He practises the break for hours almost every day. Do you think that matters, when I usually make just 1 ball? Yes, it matters. He's playing 7 ball, I'm playing 9 ball. It's like I'm spotting him 1-2 balls.
Click to expand...


Your friend has taught you a hard truth. When playing against a more effective breaker they are starting off ahead of you. Might not matter in a game or a short race, play pool with them for hours and the percentages will often eat you up, even with alternating breaks.

One Pocket is a fine example. The break is huge as all One Pocket players know. If I play a left handed player I will often break from the opposite side of the table than normal for a right handed shooter. Various claims but generally claimed that just under 20% of people are left handed. Means that left handers probably get to play from their favored side of the table about 90% of the time while right handers have to play from the wrong side of the table maybe forty percent of the time, off the top of my head. I try to take the left hander out of his comfort zone.

Hu
 
David in FL

David in FL

AzB Silver Member
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Y’all don’t even realize that about 70% of this thread is about me. The dude who actually gets congratulated when he breaks and runs out. ;)

I still prefer to break though, because it has a higher chance of at least asserting some semblance of control over the subsequent shot(s).

But yeah, in the grand scheme of things, it’s probably not as important for us hacks as it is for genuinely good players.
 
M

middleofnowhere

Registered
Mr. Dogg said:
Fine, you God damned Ass hole. I'm outta here. **** you and a **** forum that puts up with shit like you.

"You think the break is not important??"
You can't even grasp what I was asking! Read the question again, dummass.

Edit:
It wasn't me who put those asterisks in this post.
Click to expand...

I only gave you one answer that "No it was not over rated". Most of us on here go on the assumption that we are talking about players that can play a certain level. The same would be if you are talking about tips, chalk cues and so on. If you can't play a lick nothing matters, if you can't play anyway.
 
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