8 ball break

[noRulez]

I was once again helped out by this site yesterday. I had been practicing the second ball break where you hit about 80% speed with low left at home for a couple weeks. I finally became comfortable enough last night to use it in league. I made my first 8 ball break in league which pays out $32.00 assuming no one else makes one. With my luck, 9 other people made one. Anyway, after league I made 2 more. It was a good night. The unfortunate part was that the table was a piece of crap so the left hand english wasn't taking off the rail and my cue ball kept ending up on the bottom rail. I'm not sure why. I generally get it close to the center of the table at home.

edit: Almost forgot the main point of this. I saw this break on here, so thanks!

 

[CaptainHook]

Sounds like whitey may have been kicked down table.
I use that break also, and make the 8 in the oposite side, but sometimes
it winds up in the corner I break from.

Where did the 8 go in for you?

 

[noRulez]

My league break and one of my other breaks went in the opposite side. It was a beautiful thing really. However, my last one came all the way up in the corner towards where I was breaking from. I believe it came to the same corner I was breaking from (left). On my last one, my friend called it. He said "there ya go, there's your 8 ball rack". I showed him the tip on the bar cue I was using and told him there was no way I was going to do it with that tip. 5 seconds later I shouted in joy. lol

 

[42NateBaller]

Sometimes

Sometimes I find that when the CB ends up behind the rack (on a poor condition table), if I use more draw and add some inside english then the CB comes out more to the center of the table.

Congrats on your 8BBs!

 

[Cornerman]

The unfortunate part was that the table was a piece of crap so the left hand english wasn't taking off the rail and my cue ball kept ending up on the bottom rail. I'm not sure why. I generally get it close to the center of the table at home.

edit: Almost forgot the main point of this. I saw this break on here, so thanks!

Yup, certain table conditions will allow that outside english to really take effect, or not take effect at all. When the cueball comes off the stack, any subtle difference in the path of the cueball will cause a dramatic change. I think, for purposes of consistency, straight bottom, no english will be your best bet.

A zillion years ago in a bar, when I used to actually play and the league I played counted an 8-on-the-break as a win, one of our opponents broke to the second ball with outside, and scratched up table like this:

CueTable Help

Because the table was clean and hot.

On my subsequent break, I did the exact same thing.

In general, when I hit the second ball break, it doesn't go past the center of the table. More often than not, it stays below the rack area.

Fred

 

[klockdoc]

Inside English

Sometimes I find that when the CB ends up behind the rack (on a poor condition table), if I use more draw and add some inside english then the CB comes out more to the center of the table.

Congrats on your 8BBs!

Sorry, but you are losing me there. I would define "inside engish" as striking the cue ball on the side going into the shot. ie; If breaking from the right side of the table, I would be using low left. If breaking from the left side of the table, I would be using low right.

Inside english on that shot would spin the cue ball back into the stack, or, depending on the angle of the cue ball coming off the rack, down into the lower corner of the side you are breaking from.

You sure you don't mean "outside"?

 

[noRulez]

I think he meant outside english. If breaking from the left side, more left. If breaking from the right side, more right. I'll have to learn to judge how to hit it based on table conditions. This was a slow tables with rails that I think have been abused for some time.

 

[Patrick Johnson]

I think he meant outside english. If breaking from the left side, more left. If breaking from the right side, more right. I'll have to learn to judge how to hit it based on table conditions. This was a slow tables with rails that I think have been abused for some time.

I like Fred's advice to use no sidespin on the second ball break. You don't need it to hold the cue ball up if you hit the second ball as full as possible. The cue ball hits the side rail about straight across from the second ball and the "natural" sidespin picked up from the offcenter collision with the second ball keeps the cue ball from going below the rack.

Adding sidespin makes aiming and consistency harder, so you probably aim to hit the second ball less full (maybe without even knowing it), which makes the cue ball hit the side rail farther down and makes the sidespin necessary to hold the cue ball up, reducing the power in your break.

pj
chgo

 

[42NateBaller]

Sorry, but you are losing me there. I would define "inside engish" as striking the cue ball on the side going into the shot. ie; If breaking from the right side of the table, I would be using low left. If breaking from the left side of the table, I would be using low right.

Inside english on that shot would spin the cue ball back into the stack, or, depending on the angle of the cue ball coming off the rack, down into the lower corner of the side you are breaking from.

You sure you don't mean "outside"?

Sorry for the delayed response. Work keeps getting in my way.

Actually, I did mean inside english. Just a touch to help draw the ball straighter back versus slamming into the side rail in hurry. Joe Tucker has a good video on this in his "Racking Secrets" DVD. He slow motions an overhead camera to give a clear picture of all the ball actions and reactions.

Take care,

 

[42NateBaller]

FWIW. I usually pull the CB back closer to the thrid diamond, but I hit with about 75% power and really focus on draw for this break (my usual 8ball break).

Wish I were playing now. A bad day of pool is better than a good day of work, and today isn't a good day (of work).