Discussion has arisen several times about 10-ball vs. 9-ball breaks-and-run, and I have alleged that there isn't a big difference between the games for pro-level players, provided one makes a ball on the break and has a shot on the lowest ball (which is, perhaps, the biggest contention as to why 10 ball is, in many peoples' minds, so much more difficult).
After anecdotally noting in a recent 10-ball ring-game that breakers seemed to make a ball about 70% of the time, and others suggesting that that figure being much higher than typical, or even unheard of, I decided to do a test on my table.
I did 40 breaks tonight, with the balls racked in the same order as shown on the wei table:
http://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/~wei/pool/preset/8ball.html
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%Ph4G4%eB5a0
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I do not consider myself a good breaker in general, perhaps average, and I have not studied any breaking techniques, and I don't recall breaking a 10 ball rack before (no, I didn't win any games this weekend to get the opportunity). So I entered this test unbiased. I broke hard with just a little top, from the right side (I'm left-handed) hitting the one ball full.
The results are as follows:
17 breaks out of 40 made at least one ball (43%). 15 of those left a makeable shot on the low ball (38%). In almost every case where a ball was pocketed, it was the 9 ball (at the bottom left corner, which went into the near corner (but via 4 rails). In most other breaks, it was headed there as well but was kissed out. Occasionally, I got too much topspin on the cue ball, this caused the 9 ball to take a different trajectory, but a couple times I made a ball in the side anyway.
I forgot to check for clusters in every event, but generally there were none (although balls weren't spaced as widely as in 9-ball). One thing that happened often, the 2 and 10 moved very little, and therefore made a mini-cluster (but there was always an open pocket for both).
Here are the specific results:
1-6 no balls pocketed
7-8 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
9-12 no balls pocketed
13-15 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
16 no balls pocketed
17 ball pocketed with an open shot on low ball
18 no balls pocketed
19 a ball pocketed, but no shot
20 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
21 a ball pocketed, but no shot
22 scratched on break
23 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
24 scratched on break
25-26 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
27-29 no balls pocketed
30 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
31 Cue ball jumped off table, otherwise would have been good!
32 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
33-34 no balls pocketed
35-36 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
37-39 no balls pocketed
40 ball pocketed with an open shot on low ball
I started out very cold and wondered at first if I was ever going to make anything! I think I started to hit the ball more firmly with a better snap later on and then was able to reproduce the pace better and more consistently (especially after I noticed the 4 rail pattern of the 9-ball).
I will try to change my breaking point and run the test several more times. Perhaps a left-hander should break from the left side in 10-ball. Or, perhaps a more head-on break is better. Or, some draw might work. Anyway, there are many more variables that can be played with.
Conclusion: I do think that good players could easily figure out some tricks to breaking that would really increase the ball-pocketing percentages. I didn't get 70%, but a 43% ball-pocketing percentage from an inexperienced 10-ball player suggests that it could easily be attained with some effort and careful study.
After anecdotally noting in a recent 10-ball ring-game that breakers seemed to make a ball about 70% of the time, and others suggesting that that figure being much higher than typical, or even unheard of, I decided to do a test on my table.
I did 40 breaks tonight, with the balls racked in the same order as shown on the wei table:
http://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/~wei/pool/preset/8ball.html
START(
%AN7O4%BM5N7%CM4P1%DL4M9%EL3P8%FK2M2%GK2N6%HK2P0%IK2Q5%JL4O3
%Ph4G4%eB5a0
)END
I do not consider myself a good breaker in general, perhaps average, and I have not studied any breaking techniques, and I don't recall breaking a 10 ball rack before (no, I didn't win any games this weekend to get the opportunity). So I entered this test unbiased. I broke hard with just a little top, from the right side (I'm left-handed) hitting the one ball full.
The results are as follows:
17 breaks out of 40 made at least one ball (43%). 15 of those left a makeable shot on the low ball (38%). In almost every case where a ball was pocketed, it was the 9 ball (at the bottom left corner, which went into the near corner (but via 4 rails). In most other breaks, it was headed there as well but was kissed out. Occasionally, I got too much topspin on the cue ball, this caused the 9 ball to take a different trajectory, but a couple times I made a ball in the side anyway.
I forgot to check for clusters in every event, but generally there were none (although balls weren't spaced as widely as in 9-ball). One thing that happened often, the 2 and 10 moved very little, and therefore made a mini-cluster (but there was always an open pocket for both).
Here are the specific results:
1-6 no balls pocketed
7-8 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
9-12 no balls pocketed
13-15 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
16 no balls pocketed
17 ball pocketed with an open shot on low ball
18 no balls pocketed
19 a ball pocketed, but no shot
20 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
21 a ball pocketed, but no shot
22 scratched on break
23 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
24 scratched on break
25-26 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
27-29 no balls pocketed
30 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
31 Cue ball jumped off table, otherwise would have been good!
32 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
33-34 no balls pocketed
35-36 balls pocketed with an open shot on low ball
37-39 no balls pocketed
40 ball pocketed with an open shot on low ball
I started out very cold and wondered at first if I was ever going to make anything! I think I started to hit the ball more firmly with a better snap later on and then was able to reproduce the pace better and more consistently (especially after I noticed the 4 rail pattern of the 9-ball).
I will try to change my breaking point and run the test several more times. Perhaps a left-hander should break from the left side in 10-ball. Or, perhaps a more head-on break is better. Or, some draw might work. Anyway, there are many more variables that can be played with.
Conclusion: I do think that good players could easily figure out some tricks to breaking that would really increase the ball-pocketing percentages. I didn't get 70%, but a 43% ball-pocketing percentage from an inexperienced 10-ball player suggests that it could easily be attained with some effort and careful study.