You have to be awfully patient to play that old style 14.1. When I have a chance to blow open the rack, I generally do it, although it often doesn’t pay off and I have no control over where the CB ends up. It just seems like worrying about the angles to set up numerous softer pace breakout shots every rack is beyond my abilities.
Best example we have is Crane's 150 vs Balsis beginning with his first break shot at 14:30.You have to be awfully patient to play that old style 14.1. When I have a chance to blow open the rack, I generally do it, although it often doesn’t pay off and I have no control over where the CB ends up. It just seems like worrying about the angles to set up numerous softer pace breakout shots every rack is beyond my abilities.
There were two reasons for playing that way. One - balls didn't open like they do now. Two - once a few balls were broken out they didn't want to tie up those balls that were already open.
What happened at 35:00 is a great example of how difficult it was to get the balls to spread. He hit it so hard the cue ball left the surface of the table and slammed into the pile and the balls sluggishly moved.