8 ball break from the rail

[berlowmj]

I have been following your consensus & concentrating on developing my break from the rail. Although I have had some success in the area of ball dispersement & pocketing, I have had some scratches. I have been hitting the center of the CB. Should I be applying some English? If so, what type?

 

[highrun55]

I have been following your consensus & concentrating on developing my break from the rail. Although I have had some success in the area of ball dispersement & pocketing, I have had some scratches. I have been hitting the center of the CB. Should I be applying some English? If so, what type?

The houseman always uses a draw stroke and a touch of right hand english on an 8 ball break from the rail, the 8 ball goes in the side pocket once in a while this way,

the houseman
mickey

 

[pbat2751]

The houseman always uses a draw stroke and a touch of right hand english on an 8 ball break from the rail, the 8 ball goes in the side pocket once in a while this way,

the houseman
mickey

I agree... (about 5 or 5:30 on the clock)

Funny though I have to use the opposite on bar-boxes (a little left 7 to 7:30)

 

[Al-fahl Amir]

I have been following your consensus & concentrating on developing my break from the rail. Although I have had some success in the area of ball dispersement & pocketing, I have had some scratches. I have been hitting the center of the CB. Should I be applying some English? If so, what type?

Try hitting the 2nd ball with a little top, inside english. The cue ball usually goes 3 rails around and ends up in the middle of the table.

 

[Dhakala]

I have been following your consensus & concentrating on developing my break from the rail. Although I have had some success in the area of ball dispersement & pocketing, I have had some scratches. I have been hitting the center of the CB. Should I be applying some English? If so, what type?

At what are you aiming - the head ball, the second row, or both at once?

 

[PoolSharkAllen]

The houseman always uses a draw stroke and a touch of right hand english on an 8 ball break from the rail, the 8 ball goes in the side pocket once in a while this way,

the houseman
mickey

If you hit the apex (1) ball on its line-of-sight center, wouldn't that eliminate the need to use draw on the cue ball? By hitting the apex ball on its line-of-sight center, the CB should rebound away from the rack towards the center of the table. Is using draw on the CB still needed?

 

[Dhakala]

If you hit the apex (1) ball on its line-of-sight center, wouldn't that eliminate the need to use draw on the cue ball? By hitting the apex ball on its line-of-sight center, the CB should rebound away from the rack towards the center of the table. Is using draw on the CB still needed?

Use a bit of follow, not draw! The CB will rebound too far if you don't put follow on it.

 

[berlowmj]

Yes, I'm hitting the 2nd ball. I will try the top inside English. Thank you. Power is coming, balls are falling, & most of the balls are up near the break area so even at my level I ran them out a few times. Thanks again.

 

[cuetechasaurus]

Use a bit of follow, not draw! The CB will rebound too far if you don't put follow on it.

The poster you quoted is talking about hitting the head ball full. If you think you are supposed to use a little follow for this type of break, you are out of your mind. ALL top players, when attempting to hit the head ball full, hit the cueball with either center, or slightly below center. If you apply even a hint of follow on the cueball on the breakshot, you lose the cueball. It goes forward. 8ball or 9ball, if you are trying to hit the headball square in the face, NEVER, EVER, cue anything above centerball.

 

[CaptainJR]

The poster you quoted is talking about hitting the head ball full. If you think you are supposed to use a little follow for this type of break, you are out of your mind. ALL top players, when attempting to hit the head ball full, hit the cueball with either center, or slightly below center. If you apply even a hint of follow on the cueball on the breakshot, you lose the cueball. It goes forward. 8ball or 9ball, if you are trying to hit the headball square in the face, NEVER, EVER, cue anything above centerball.

What I've been told is a little different. I'm talking 9 ball now. I try to hit center ball. At that speed if you hit below center the cue ball is going to draw back and it is hard to tell how much. What I've been told by several players that I consider to have a great brake is that you want a touch of follow. With that little bit of follow, when the cue ball hits the 1 ball it bounces back toward you and the follow stops it in the middle of the table. You must hit the 1 ball square or this is the wrong brake for you.

 

[Gregg]

Blackjack has some information about the eight ball break with images.

I've handed out many of these to guys in our league.

 

[MrLucky]

I also use head ball

If you hit the apex (1) ball on its line-of-sight center, wouldn't that eliminate the need to use draw on the cue ball? By hitting the apex ball on its line-of-sight center, the CB should rebound away from the rack towards the center of the table. Is using draw on the CB still needed?

I have developed my break on the center / head ball center hit with either follow or at times center 9 oclock spin depending on the table with much success no scratches and will pocket right rear pocket ball 60-70% of the time

 

[Al-fahl Amir]

Yes, I'm hitting the 2nd ball. I will try the top inside English. Thank you. Power is coming, balls are falling, & most of the balls are up near the break area so even at my level I ran them out a few times. Thanks again.

Your welcome, but you really should be thanking Troy Frank for that bar box break.

 

[ceebee]

What I've been told is a little different. I'm talking 9 ball now. I try to hit center ball. At that speed if you hit below center the cue ball is going to draw back and it is hard to tell how much. What I've been told by several players that I consider to have a great break is that you want a touch of follow. With that little bit of follow, when the cue ball hits the 1 ball it bounces back toward you and the follow stops it in the middle of the table. You must hit the 1 ball square or this is the wrong break for you.

That is the way I play the shot & the way I teach players to do it. That is good cue ball control. You can shoot this kind of shot all across the headstring. Here is an analogy. If you throw the Cue Ball onto the pavement, it will rebound according to the velocity you threw the ball. Since the Rack is a SOLID Object for a zillionth of a second, the CB wants to rebound away, with only the friction of the cloth as a brake. The reason for the touch of forward, is to add a wee bit of brakes, so Whitey doesn't run off.

In 8 Ball, I feel the 2nd Ball Break is loaded with jeopardy, so I shy away from that shot. I try to make the lead ball in the side pocket, across from me or in the adjacent corner pocket, from where I am breaking. If you place the Cue Ball just off center, 3-4 inches, & use just a tad of draw, you can sometimes cause the 2nd row ball to go into the side pocket.

Good Luck

 

[TX Poolnut]

If you're playing with 8-on-the-break-wins rules, I always aim as full as possible at the 2nd ball with a tip below center and lots of CONTROLLED power.

I have noticed that the balls tend to stop on the side I'm breaking from a lot. I mean like 13 or 14 of the entire rack will end up on the breakers side of the long string. But the most important thing I've noticed is the 8-ball WILL roll around.

I've won 3 8 on the break pots this way and I've made the 8 on the break twice in a row this way too.

 

[CaptainJR]

I have noticed that the balls tend to stop on the side I'm breaking from a lot. I mean like 13 or 14 of the entire rack will end up on the breakers side of the long string. But the most important thing I've noticed is the 8-ball WILL roll around.

This is the exact reason I don't brake on the second ball. I mentioned it in another 8 ball brake thread and nobody backed me up. As you say, the balls tend to all go to the side I'm braking from, clumped up, without a chance or running out. A good hard hit directly at the head ball, make a ball, spread them good and run out. I know that I have a much better chance at ending the game quickly by braking the head ball and running out than I do making the 8 on the brake by using the second ball brake.