9 ball break resolution

M

march11934

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have played in a fair amount of halls in the NY/NJ area and never found to have an issue with my 9 ball break. I am now regularly playing in a hall in Raleigh NC and CAN'T drop a ball on the break to save my life. This has become a major crutch in my game and can't seem to find a way out of it. I practice at home on a 9' Gandy with normal size pockets. I snap a ball in the rear left pocket every time. The cloth is starting to get a wear track that I've been trying to bush out from the same ball following up the same path. My point of this is I can be consistent.
Does anyone have a recommendation on how to address such a thing?
I have tried different break spots, stances, stroke, hit points on the object ball, speed, even a couple of different cues. Nothing. I have watched other players hit the rack and have no issues. I've been playing for about 20 years and studying the game. Not just banging balls. I have made progress in every facet of my game including my break until now. This is some wall i need to get over.
 
march11934 said:
I have played in a fair amount of halls in the NY/NJ area and never found to have an issue with my 9 ball break. I am now regularly playing in a hall in Raleigh NC and CAN'T drop a ball on the break to save my life. This has become a major crutch in my game and can't seem to find a way out of it. I practice at home on a 9' Gandy with normal size pockets. I snap a ball in the rear left pocket every time. The cloth is starting to get a wear track that I've been trying to bush out from the same ball following up the same path. My point of this is I can be consistent.
Does anyone have a recommendation on how to address such a thing?
I have tried different break spots, stances, stroke, hit points on the object ball, speed, even a couple of different cues. Nothing. I have watched other players hit the rack and have no issues. I've been playing for about 20 years and studying the game. Not just banging balls. I have made progress in every facet of my game including my break until now. This is some wall i need to get over.
Click to expand...


I believe you might wanna put a couple more dollars in the offering plate on sunday...
It will pass soon and you'll be running out like a champ in no time...=))
 
march11934 said:
I have played in a fair amount of halls in the NY/NJ area and never found to have an issue with my 9 ball break. I am now regularly playing in a hall in Raleigh NC and CAN'T drop a ball on the break to save my life. This has become a major crutch in my game and can't seem to find a way out of it. I practice at home on a 9' Gandy with normal size pockets. I snap a ball in the rear left pocket every time. The cloth is starting to get a wear track that I've been trying to bush out from the same ball following up the same path. My point of this is I can be consistent.
Does anyone have a recommendation on how to address such a thing?
I have tried different break spots, stances, stroke, hit points on the object ball, speed, even a couple of different cues. Nothing. I have watched other players hit the rack and have no issues. I've been playing for about 20 years and studying the game. Not just banging balls. I have made progress in every facet of my game including my break until now. This is some wall i need to get over.
Click to expand...

A few things could be the cause of this:

Is the table height the same as Home & Pool hall?
Are the cushions the same height above the table?
Do the cushions have the same profile?
Is there more or maybe less humidity between the two places?
Are the table both slate?
Do the pockets have the same opening and opening profile?s
Same cloth?

These are just some of the things that could be the cause or contribute to the cause.
 
If you aren't stopping the cue ball in the center of the table, then the cue ball might not transferring as much energy to the rack as it could be. For that you can also try:

www.breakrak.com

It's a little bit of an investment, but worth it. If you got tired of it you can probably get back the majority of your money. I've only seen a used one come up for sale once, maybe twice, which leads me to believe that everyone loves theirs. :)
 
tigerseye said:
I believe you might wanna put a couple more dollars in the offering plate on sunday...
It will pass soon and you'll be running out like a champ in no time...=))
Click to expand...
Good one! Tried that too...
 
Dawgie said:
A few things could be the cause of this:

Is the table height the same as Home & Pool hall?
Are the cushions the same height above the table?
Do the cushions have the same profile?
Is there more or maybe less humidity between the two places?
Are the table both slate?
Do the pockets have the same opening and opening profile?s
Same cloth?

These are just some of the things that could be the cause or contribute to the cause.
Click to expand...

Some of the variables you mention here are in fact different. However both are slate tables. The rest of the specs you listed are a little different. Hall pockets are about an 1/8 tighter. They run 760 and I have 860 on my table. I think the table heights are about the same. Nothing really noticeable about that. But give or take a half inch who knows? Humidity might not be too much different as they are both AC environment.

I am kind of searching for a technique that maybe someone might have to get out of this slump. Thanks for your reply.
 
+1 for the Joe Tucker Book.

I will add what I do and you can take it for what it is worth.

I have probably about a mid level power break...Somewhere in between King Kong and Powder Puff.

I use the light reflection on the 1-ball as a starting point...IF a wing ball goes on the break I attempt to adjust my spot on the light to have the 1-ball hit just short of the side pocket and bank toward the corner...In other words I don't want to make the 1-ball becuase I have a good idea where it is going...(It much more difficult to predict where the 2-ball will end up)

If no wing balls are going on the break..(or playing 10-ball) I adjust my aim on the light to make the one in the side pocket.

In some respect it is like a cut break...I start in the center of the light and slightly adjust my aim toward the edge of the 1-ball (the same side that I am breaking from)...As you hit thinner on the 1-ball it will hit further up the side rail. The goal is to make it in the side pocket....Keep track of the aim on the 1-ball so you know where to aim on the next break.

NOTE: MANY top players that see you repetativly make the 1-ball (or a wing ball for that matter) will "adjust" the rack high or low on the spot to keep the 1-ball from going in the side...,,You can combat that move a bit....It they rack you lower or higher...adjust your aim accordingly for a slightly thicker or thinner hit on the 1-ball...

With a little experementing you will see the pattern of how the 1-ball will hit a different spot on the side rail (or go into the side pocket)

IMO
The key for a side pocket 1-ball break is "aim"
The key for a wing ball break is "break speed"
 
solution!

If everything in your game is consistent then i think i know the problem.

Check the type of rack they are using at that pool hall in NC.

Some racks are inconsistent and too big. When you rack dont just push the bottom 3 balls up against the rack. Check to see if the 2 wing/corner balls are touching the 9.

I have this problem all the time. I rack my own and i break fine. I rack for an opponent he breaks fine. He racks and i suck! LIFE...
 
march11934, I was having an issue with my break recently too. For me, I was playing so much and racking a bunch that I simply got tired of exerting so much force consistantly. I then realized that I have to be as relaxed with the break as I am with my normal shot. Here is the video that convinced me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YCBs6T2kMI
It's Shane Van Boening destroying the rack with very little effort. He scatters the balls hitting this way as much as Strickland or Bustemante pounding it!
If you can master his motion (which is really hard) you can break all day and not get tired.
When I'm on it, the wing ball flies in.
Hope this helped.
 
atthecat said:
march11934, I was having an issue with my break recently too. For me, I was playing so much and racking a bunch that I simply got tired of exerting so much force consistantly. I then realized that I have to be as relaxed with the break as I am with my normal shot. Here is the video that convinced me of this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YCBs6T2kMI
It's Shane Van Boening destroying the rack with very little effort. He scatters the balls hitting this way as much as Strickland or Bustemante pounding it!
If you can master his motion (which is really hard) you can break all day and not get tired.
When I'm on it, the wing ball flies in.
Hope this helped.
Click to expand...
Very nice. Thanks. I will be going over these until i get the sense of it. I did notice that he makes contact with the cue well after his arm is past 90 degrees vertical. Looks like he is choking up on the cue. My friend from a long time ago had taught me that. I used it for a while but long since changed back to a wide open stance.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top