8 ball break-help
- Thread starter berlowmj
- Start date
Advise
First you have to remember that in 8 ball there are alot of things flying around that table. The chance to pocket a ball are actually less than in 9 ball. I pocket a ball on 9 ball a lot more than I do on 8 ball.
However I feel that I have an awesome break. Everyone on my pool league says dang about every break I do. I don't care if the rack is loose tight or whatever, cause I am going to get them apart.
I would concentrate more on a good break than trying to pocket something. Eventually the pocketing a ball will come natural.
Also don't listen to most people that say they pocket a ball 70 - 80 % of the time on 8 ball. I guarentee that they don't!
Watch everyone you know that plays, and count the number of times they pocket a ball on 8 ball.
Also if you want to focus on getting smooth consistent strokes on your break you can try what I did. Find yourself a heavy breaking cue (a lot of people will tell you different) Concentrate with that cue on hitting the head ball fully. And also concentrate on tip position on the cue ball. Don't worry about how hard you hit it, most the time a heavy cue will do the work for you. After you get good at breaking with the heavy cue, you can speed up your break. Then after you get real good with it you can lighten the cue for more speed. I also break 8 ball from the top center every time. This isn't common practice by most people, but it gives you the best control, and the best chance to hit that head ball fully. Most the time my cue ball drives the rack and backs up about center table. If I don't make a ball on the break there is a good chance my opponent can run out, but that is the chance I take.
That's my advise, and that's what I did. Most guys in my league wish they could break like me.
berlowmj said:
First you have to remember that in 8 ball there are alot of things flying around that table. The chance to pocket a ball are actually less than in 9 ball. I pocket a ball on 9 ball a lot more than I do on 8 ball.
However I feel that I have an awesome break. Everyone on my pool league says dang about every break I do. I don't care if the rack is loose tight or whatever, cause I am going to get them apart.
I would concentrate more on a good break than trying to pocket something. Eventually the pocketing a ball will come natural.
Also don't listen to most people that say they pocket a ball 70 - 80 % of the time on 8 ball. I guarentee that they don't!
Watch everyone you know that plays, and count the number of times they pocket a ball on 8 ball.
Also if you want to focus on getting smooth consistent strokes on your break you can try what I did. Find yourself a heavy breaking cue (a lot of people will tell you different) Concentrate with that cue on hitting the head ball fully. And also concentrate on tip position on the cue ball. Don't worry about how hard you hit it, most the time a heavy cue will do the work for you. After you get good at breaking with the heavy cue, you can speed up your break. Then after you get real good with it you can lighten the cue for more speed. I also break 8 ball from the top center every time. This isn't common practice by most people, but it gives you the best control, and the best chance to hit that head ball fully. Most the time my cue ball drives the rack and backs up about center table. If I don't make a ball on the break there is a good chance my opponent can run out, but that is the chance I take.
That's my advise, and that's what I did. Most guys in my league wish they could break like me.
Last edited:
berlowmj said:
The phenolic is your problem! If you are off at all with a phenolic tip you won't get a good break. My advise to you is to go to a water buffalo tip, it is nice and hard but it grabs a little more. So it is a little more forgiving.
Once you have a good break down then you can go back to phenolic.
W
Wimpy
Guest
berlowmj said:
If the long bridge isn't working for you, then go back a little bit towards the short rail. Do this until you feel comfortable with the bridge and stance. Phenolic tips break hard, but aren't worth the nasty miscues. Since you have a phenolic-tipped break cue, I'd recommend half a cue tip right english, and half a tip low english. Practice that follow through until you're making atleast 2-3 balls fairly consistently. Today, I made 4 balls on the break, and left another 3 in the jaws of the pockets (with a house cue). I also pocketed the 8 on a different break, too. That being said, practice so you can build your muscle memory, and so you can master a good break. Good luck, and good shooting!
Let me know how it goes.
txplshrk said:
I don't think phenolic is necessarily bad. Because you can hit the ball pretty darn hard, even a not so perfect hit can still give ok results. Still, its true that you need a much better stroke (more accurate and precise) to use a phenolic tip effectively. The only way to get the true value of phenolic is a dead center hit on the cue ball. Then it can be quite amazing.
That being said, I couldn't agree more about the Water Buffalo tip. Best break tip in my opinion. Be sure to get the black WB brand. This one works the best for breaking. It is quite hard, and once it has mushroomed once, it will pretty much hold its shape for ever. Excellent cueball control and great power.
Great advice above.
Kerry
I like to hold the cue closer up towards the joint with my back-hand, and bridge about 5 inches from the cue.
I make sure I'm standing up just enough so my arm is parallel to the floor ( -- ).. from there it's all one big SNAP, and two balls barely hit a rail, because the guy shit-racks me!
I make sure I'm standing up just enough so my arm is parallel to the floor ( -- ).. from there it's all one big SNAP, and two balls barely hit a rail, because the guy shit-racks me!
Break improving
I have been consistently following your recommendations for CB placement. Thus the wing balls & head ball are moving toward or into the pockets the textbook says.As the intensity of my chi energy focussed on the head ball is increasing, greater power is reflected in the scatter. Once balls coming close to the pockets make it in, I should be in pretty good shape. I also applied some heavy grit sandpaper to my phenolic & improved chalk adhesion. Today I played on a 9' table at a recreation center, where there was no spot pasted on the table.
I really appreciate your help. I will keep you posted on progress.
Wimpy said:
I have been consistently following your recommendations for CB placement. Thus the wing balls & head ball are moving toward or into the pockets the textbook says.As the intensity of my chi energy focussed on the head ball is increasing, greater power is reflected in the scatter. Once balls coming close to the pockets make it in, I should be in pretty good shape. I also applied some heavy grit sandpaper to my phenolic & improved chalk adhesion. Today I played on a 9' table at a recreation center, where there was no spot pasted on the table.
I really appreciate your help. I will keep you posted on progress.
W
Wimpy
Guest
berlowmj said:
I am glad I was helpful in your situation. From what you are posting, it seems that you have become more and more consistent with your break. That's an absolute big step towards having a good break. Now that you are hitting the head ball where you're supposed to fairly consistently, start looking to break HARDER. Put some of your shoulder in your break, and a some of your body as well. Be sure your body is positioned in a certain way so that you're able to put some weight into the stroke and follow through (but without decreasing accuracy). Be relaxed and focus. Good luck, and as always, good shooting.
thanks again
Progress-Today I was occasionally sinking 2 on the break. I suspect that it would help if the recreation center where I am shooting on 9' tables would past the spots back in place. Yes- my next step is to incorporate mre of my body.
Wimpy said:
Progress-Today I was occasionally sinking 2 on the break. I suspect that it would help if the recreation center where I am shooting on 9' tables would past the spots back in place. Yes- my next step is to incorporate mre of my body.
Follow through etc
Today my follow through was more effortless & consistent. There is more power coming in. Your psychological observation was correct regarding the chalk. I have incorporated a chalking ritual into my pre-break routine.
Thanks again.
berlowmj said:
Today my follow through was more effortless & consistent. There is more power coming in. Your psychological observation was correct regarding the chalk. I have incorporated a chalking ritual into my pre-break routine.
Thanks again.
Talisman hard water buffalo tip
I will continue to work with my Sledgehammer, but I just had a water buffalo mounted on a Canadian Dufferin I have been saving as an investment. I will experiement with this newly created break cue too. I will keep you posted.
berlowmj said:
I will continue to work with my Sledgehammer, but I just had a water buffalo mounted on a Canadian Dufferin I have been saving as an investment. I will experiement with this newly created break cue too. I will keep you posted.