1Pocket Break Value

What about an even match up -- what's it worth then?

Lou Figueroa

I think we've got it pretty well pegged, somewhere between one and two balls. If I played even with a guy and he would give me all the breaks, I would feel comfortable spotting him 10-8 and 9-8 on alternating breaks. Remember he's only spotting me every other break in actuality. I was getting half the breaks before, now I get them all.

Trying to give him 8-7 all the time is probably too much weight to give up. A guy you play even with, will probably escape about half your break shots, unless you have a strong consistent break. Of course breaking all the time, gives you a chance to really groove your break shot.

As you know Lou, there are many factors that go into making a good (and fair) game. A lot of it depends on how you match up with a specific player. I might do better against a "mover," and not so well against guys who run a lot of balls. You might be just the opposite. You have to figure everything in when making a game. All that said, breaking all the time is a huge advantage against a player you would normally play even against. You now become a big favorite to win. In another time and place, you might say you just "trapped" the guy. :wink:
 
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I think we've got it pretty well pegged, somewhere between one and two balls. If I played even with a guy and he would give me all the breaks, I would feel comfortable spotting him 10-8 and 9-8 on alternating breaks. Remember he's only spotting me every other break in actuality. I was getting half the breaks before, now I get them all.

Trying to give him 8-7 all the time is probably too much weight to give up. A guy you play even with, will probably escape about half your break shots, unless you have a strong consistent break. Of course breaking all the time, gives you a chance to really groove your break shot.

As you know Lou, there are many factors that go into making a good (and fair) game. A lot of it depends on how you match up with a specific player. I might do better against a "mover," and not so well against guys who run a lot of balls. You might be just the opposite. You have to figure everything in when making a game. All that said, breaking all the time is a huge advantage against a player you would normally play even against. You now become a big favorite to win. In another time and place, you might say you just "trapped" the guy. :wink:


OK, so were basically back at Grady's 1.5 balls for an even match up, three balls for a strong player playing a weaker one; and one ball for a weaker player playing a stronger.

Pocket size and perhaps general table conditions could be a factor.

So in the case of Dippy playing Corey and getting the break, is the consensus that Corey is giving up a one ball advantage by giving Dippy the breaks?

By the way, one thing I haven't seen mentioned is that, as a match progresses, the break could become a bigger spot because the player getting the break learns from previous breaks and gets more opportunities to get better at aiming, spinning, and speed.

Lou Figueroa
 
1 Pocket

OK, so were basically back at Grady's 1.5 balls for an even match up, three balls for a strong player playing a weaker one; and one ball for a weaker player playing a stronger.

Pocket size and perhaps general table conditions could be a factor.

So in the case of Dippy playing Corey and getting the break, is the consensus that Corey is giving up a one ball advantage by giving Dippy the breaks?

By the way, one thing I haven't seen mentioned is that, as a match progresses, the break could become a bigger spot because the player getting the break learns from previous breaks and gets more opportunities to get better at aiming, spinning, and speed.

Lou Figueroa

Who's racking?
 
OK, so were basically back at Grady's 1.5 balls for an even match up, three balls for a strong player playing a weaker one; and one ball for a weaker player playing a stronger.

Pocket size and perhaps general table conditions could be a factor.

So in the case of Dippy playing Corey and getting the break, is the consensus that Corey is giving up a one ball advantage by giving Dippy the breaks?

By the way, one thing I haven't seen mentioned is that, as a match progresses, the break could become a bigger spot because the player getting the break learns from previous breaks and gets more opportunities to get better at aiming, spinning, and speed.

Lou Figueroa

Dippy breaks remarkably well for the speed that he plays so I would guess the break would be worth at least two balls in his case. I am sure Corey would go to two more balls if he had all of the breaks.

There were a number of breaks that Dippy made that Chris Bartram didn't get out of and lost two or three balls from Dippy's 2nd shot. When you are giving a guy a game where he only had to go to five this was very bad for Chris in these games!
 
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