Steve (Lipsky),
What english do you use on the opening break? I've always been a high/right guy from way back, probably having read that in one of Mosconi's books. But I was watching the DVD's of the 2006 tournament and it appeared as though a lot of the players used low/right so I experimented with it and got some very good, but mixed, results. I'd be interested to know what you use.
Thanks.
Dogs,
It's hard to believe that they were really using low. Maybe some sort of a drag type shot, so as to affect where the forward roll begins? Not sure.
But the fact is, finding the right english and hit is important in how you want to leave the cueball. But it's actually not that important in not leaving a shot. For this, 90% of the battle is in making sure you have a nice tight rack to begin with. You have to go up and check the back row of balls. If there is even a hair width between any of them, you're likely to sell out. If there isn't, you'd have to mangle the break shot to leave something really easy.
I see it not only in my own results, but I also see it in those of my opponents. They very often break well against me; meanwhile, their breaks don't look that good when I watch them against other players. Since I'm making sure to freeze that back row against them, and I know that most other players don't, it seems that's probably the difference.
Let me know how this works out for you.
- Steve
