My 9 ball game ...from one extreme to the other

M

megatron69

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I think you're overthinking it. Honestly the break shouldn't make or break your game consistently against the level of players you're facing. I think more than anything you probably got unlucky and overthought yourself into losing. It happens. I know I've done it, and I bet everyone on this board has as well at some point or another.

Heck, i played a tournament a couple years ago where I decided to give away the break on every rack, and I still won the thing. In my defense It was my birthday and i indulged in a couple too many adult beverages and I was feeling my oats, so to speak. Also went through a period where I couldn't win a coin toss to save my life (about 9 weeks, IIRC), and I know i won most of those games. 60-70% probably.

If the break is that important to your game success, your game is the weak point, not your break. At least that should be the case against the players you say you've been facing.
 
L

lorider

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have read all the replies on here and actually surprised at the number of posters who say the break is not that important. I have read many posts on here over the years saying how critical the break shot is in 9 ball..

Last night was basically a repeat of my original post in this thread. We had make uls so i played 4 matches last night. Two 9 ball and two 8 ball.

They threw a 4 against me first match in 8 ball and i won 4-1. Should have been 4-0 but i digress. Then they threw the same 4 against me in 9 ball. I didnt think it could get any worse than last week but she won 31-16 for a score of 18-2 for her team. Only score that could have been worse is a 20-0 skunk. Downright embarrasing.

So i played 8 ball again vs another team anx again won 4-1. So i am keeping 8 ball score afterwards and my captain comes oved and says they threw an 8 in 9 ball and i said dont worry i got this. I won 46-50 in a 46- 65 race for a 14-6 win .

So i spent the 45 minute drive home analyzing the differences ofthose two 9 ball games . then i spent another hour at home beforr voing to bed.

So what transpired during those matches to cause those outcomes.

The break.
I broke 3 times vs the 4. 2 scratches and 1 dry break. Those breaks resulted in a bunch of points for my opponent.

I broke 4 times vs the 8 and never scratched and made a ball each time and at least a look at the next ball if not a make able shot fo avoid viving bih.

Slop.

The 4 made several slop shots which extended her innning resulting in even more points.

Not a single slop shot crom the 8.

Lucky rolls.

No lie when i say i had to kick every time i came to the table vs the 4. Mozt times madd a legal hit but again the 4 was able to slop something in or had an easy shot after my kick.

The 8 only payed 2 safes and i successfully kicked one ball in and avoided giving bih on the other .

Pocketing.

Eell fo be honest i was so frustrated by the slop amx lucky leaves by the 4 it did affect my focus and my shotmaking and cue ball control suffered as a result.

I missed one shot i feel i should have made and shot one safe a lil too hard leaving the 8 a decent shot but he wound up on the wrong side of the next ball and i got back to the table and ran out.

So what does the above prove.? Seems to me i need to learn to fade all the slop and lucky leaves from lower level players...keep my head in the game and start insisting on a decent rack.

My whole team was flabbergasted that i lost 18-2 to a 4 and then an hour and a half later beat an 8 by 14-6.
 
Bavafongoul

Bavafongoul

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I presume you’re playing on a 7’ table. It seems to be the common venue for most APA leagues.
On a small table, the break is a weapon. In fact, it is a powerful one. Dry breaks should be rare.

Ergo, when you drop a ball on the break, assess the table quickly. If it doesn’t look like as easy
run, then along the way torment your opponent by playing a wicked safety & getting ball in hand
or a different table runout. You know how many points you should average to win so deny lesser
opponents any 6, 7, 8 points racks. Better to take 4 & 3 pts & miss the 8 & 9. Control the table.

If your break isn’t working, change cues. Use a light house cue. Try a heavy house cue. If you use
a break cue, get into a power stance and follow thru on the cue ball by 18” - 2’. Really get some
whip in your break. Or try a fast powerful shorter stroker like a boxer’s body punch. Really go hard.
Reposition your grip hand. Move it up or back from where you’re normally gripping on a break shot.

In other words, what I’m suggesting is to change something when something isn’t working. I am not
suggesting what works best for you and what works for me or anyone else doesn’t really matter. It
only matters what works the best for you. On a 7’ table, if you don’t pocket any balls on the break,
you have surrendered control. On a 9’ table, that isn’t as bad but on the small tables, run outs are
easier & when you don’t, grabbing a lot of points still seems pretty easy bcuz 7’ tables make it easier.
 
xXGEARXx

xXGEARXx

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I had a similar story years ago.

I was an APA 9 and they put me up against a 3. A weak 3 by the way. I have found it harder to play lesser players - at least that far away. So, I just played a lot of safes. A good safe will usually grant you ball in hand or at least move balls around the table. Learn to be more “choosy”. You don’t have to make every shot you see. Needless to say, she was slop godding it at times and I was actually missing too much. Once I slowed myself down and started playing more safety shots, it was curtains for her. I caught a good stroke to the point I had ball and hand when she took it from the return and before she handed it to me I told her just roll it on the table. She looked at me weird and then just rolled it out. I said, “that works” and proceeded to run out the last few balls. Lol.

Moral of the story, when frustrated - reevaluate during the match and make a change. Good safety shots - even when you may be able to make it - can set you up better for a more desirable outcome.
 
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