9 ball / 10 ball tips

JE54

JE54

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I've played 9 ball quite a few times but never for any length of time. So I'm trying to get some tips / strategy. I play bar box 8 ball respectfully.
Where is the best place & english on cb for making either of the wing balls on 9 ball break? How about the 1 ball in the side?
In 10 ball the best location for the cb & english for making a ball on the break? I realize that each table plays different but for the players that play these games, I'm sure you have good starting points.
In either 9 or 10, what are things in a ring game to be aware of? I'm sure you need to be aware of some people playing partners, but what else should I look out for?
Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
 
There a various opinions on breaking. I think to get a thorough understanding of breaking and racking secrets you should buy or borrow Joe Toucker's Racking Secrets.
 
JE54 said:
I've played 9 ball quite a few times but never for any length of time. So I'm trying to get some tips / strategy. I play bar box 8 ball respectfully.
Where is the best place & english on cb for making either of the wing balls on 9 ball break? How about the 1 ball in the side?
In 10 ball the best location for the cb & english for making a ball on the break? I realize that each table plays different but for the players that play these games, I'm sure you have good starting points.
In either 9 or 10, what are things in a ring game to be aware of? I'm sure you need to be aware of some people playing partners, but what else should I look out for?
Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...

Personally, I don't know of any research that would tend to prove that the use of any particular english will routinely improve the chances of making the 1 or wing balls. That doesn't mean that there isn't any such research.

I further believe that given the force and body movement on most break shots, tip-to-ball contact is rarely exactly where the player intends.

I also believe that given the squirt issue, the use of english may well do more harm than good in terms of missing square impact with the CB.

Obviously. I favor vertical center tip contact but am well aware that some top players use english....but lot's don't. However, most of us here are not top pros and we are often ill-advised to attempt to do what they do...because we don't have anywhere near their eye-hand coordination.

Regards,
Jim
 
JE54 said:
I've played 9 ball quite a few times but never for any length of time. So I'm trying to get some tips / strategy. I play bar box 8 ball respectfully.
Where is the best place & english on cb for making either of the wing balls on 9 ball break? How about the 1 ball in the side?
In 10 ball the best location for the cb & english for making a ball on the break? I realize that each table plays different but for the players that play these games, I'm sure you have good starting points.
In either 9 or 10, what are things in a ring game to be aware of? I'm sure you need to be aware of some people playing partners, but what else should I look out for?
Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...
No matter what game I am playing when I break I always try to hit the cue ball in the center and hit the head ball as square as possible. That is what works best for me. IMO you need to experiment a little and find out what works best for YOU. Also, playing 10-ball will really help your 9-ball game a lot.

BVal
 
For 9-ball I try aiming just right of the head ball (breaking from the right) with slight bottom right english. It usually deflects to VERY slightly right which sends the cue ball to the right and the right english sends it back to the middle of the table. I usually make a wing ball straight in and/or the 1 ball in the left side.

For 10-ball I break from inside the box top right corner dead on with very slight draw and usually make something in the top left corner pocket or bottom left. I'm a measly C+ player, so you don't have to listen to me :)
 
JE54 said:
I've played 9 ball quite a few times but never for any length of time. So I'm trying to get some tips / strategy. I play bar box 8 ball respectfully.
Where is the best place & english on cb for making either of the wing balls on 9 ball break? How about the 1 ball in the side?
In 10 ball the best location for the cb & english for making a ball on the break? I realize that each table plays different but for the players that play these games, I'm sure you have good starting points.
In either 9 or 10, what are things in a ring game to be aware of? I'm sure you need to be aware of some people playing partners, but what else should I look out for?
Any other suggestions would be appreciated.
Thanks
Click to expand...

I think the only reason english would be applied is if you are using a cut break and want to control the direction of the CB when it hits the rail...(similar to the second ball 8-ball break)

The basic rule of thumb for pocketing the 1 ball is the more direct your hit the 1 ball (meaning center of table) the more the 1 ball will remain in the center of the table...

When you break from the side the 1-ball will deflect off of the stack more toward the side pocket...as you adjust to a slightly more thinner hit on the 1 ball it will change where the 1 ball deflects too...

If your normal centered contact point is sending the 1 ball just above the side pocket...by hitting the 1-ball slightly thinner you have a better chance to send the 1-ball toward the side pocket....(this is assuming that your opponent is not changing the position of the 1-ball on the spot...(racking high or low)

Inerestingly...in 9-ball you don't necessarily want to pocket the 1-ball...If the wing ball is automatic into the corner pocket...you would be better served to attempt to send the 1-ball just off the side pocket so it banks toward the corner pocket...The 1-ball and the CB are really the only two balls in the rack you have any opportunity to controle on a consistent basis.

In 10-ball you don't have the predictability of a wing ball...There is a ball..(not sure which one) that seems to fly out of a 10 ball rack and go three rails into what normally would be the wing ball path of a 9-ball rack...(that is if it does not get hit along the three rail path)

Since you can not consistently seem to predict pocketing another ball in a 10-ball rack as much as the wing ball in a 9-ball rack...It seems that controlling the 1-ball may be more beneficial than attempting to bank it toward to corner for a shot...

By making the 1-ball in a 10-ball rack it does not guarantee you and open shot on the 2...but it does keep you in controle of the table..at least for a push..

The biggest drawback with the 1-ball that banks toward the corner is if you don't pocket a ball, you seemingly leave your opponent a very good shot on the 1-ball and a very good run out opportunity.

There may very well be "some" benefit to spinning the CB into the rack...Cory Duel has mastered pocketing a ball with a soft cut break...I don't think he is telling anyone if it is because he is using english or if he is just very good at reading a rack and has practiced for hours hitting the 1-ball toward very specific parts of a certain type of rack...(meaning driving the 1-ball as if you are shooting it toward a certain gap between ball in the back of the rack) :)
 
Don't borrow or steal!

ragoo1 said:
There a various opinions on breaking. I think to get a thorough understanding of breaking and racking secrets you should buy or borrow Joe Toucker's Racking Secrets.
Click to expand...
Joe has a lot of good information on his DVD and book. It's well worth the $25 I spent.
 
I assume you mean Joe Tucker's dvd. If so, what type of breaks shots does he talk about?
 
After watching TAR's 10-ball DVD between Shane and Alex I have to input what I noticed from Shane's break.

He starts inside the box, around 6 or 7 inches from center table and ended up sending the CB slightly to the right from his perspective after the break. Every break had slightly different english on it but it often ended up coming off the right bottom rail and sitting dead center or up table (bottom right english) with the one ball sitting in front of the top left pocket or in it.

I believe John Schmidt, who was commentating the match, made the observation that he had seen Shane do the same exact thing about 40+ times in practice. If anybody has a 10 ball break it's Shane.
 
JE54 said:
I assume you mean Joe Tucker's dvd. If so, what type of breaks shots does he talk about?
Click to expand...
Joe's approach is... like tennis and the serve, the most important shot in (especially) 9-ball is the break... and since very few opponents will take the time to give you a perfect 9-ball rack (i.e., just about every rack you get will have a small gap or two in it), every serious 9-ball player should learn how to "read" the rack they are given by their opponent. By properly reading the rack (i.e., knowing which wing ball is easier to make), you'll then know where to place whitey when breaking. You look for gaps... and based on where they are in the rack, you then will know where to place whitey. Once you have learned this skill, your % success in making a ball on the break will improve significantly.

If you do get a perfect rack, you should also know how to break to make one of the wing balls. Joe calls that his "cut break". It's also worthy of practicing.
 
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