9-ball cut break...educate me!

[ktrepal85]

I stole this from drv4's thread but he had so many other questions going on I figured it deserved it's own thread b/c it's a good question.

I don't think I fully understand the cut break. I've seen it used a few times when breaking from the box but not enough times to understand it.

Where do you aim?
How much of a cut on the one ball are you looking to hit?
Where do you place the cue ball to start?
What english do you use?
Do you hit it soft or hard?
What ball are you trying to make?
What's the cue ball supposed to do after contact?

I can't be the only one who doesn't fully understand this break...

 

[9Ballr]

This is just something that works for me.
Obviously everyone has to experiment:


Where do you aim?
I form a straight line from the cue ball position and go from there.

How much of a cut on the one ball are you looking to hit?
No cut. Straight line from the cue ball.

Where do you place the cue ball to start?
For 9-ball: On the headstring about a 3/4 diamond out. Sometimes 1/2 and sometimes full if I'm experimenting. I break from the right side as you come to the table to break.
For 8-ball: I break on the headstring but much closer to the middle. I never try to hit the second row, I know people who love that but I don't and I usually pocket at least one ball this way.

What english do you use?
No left/right English but a 1/2 a tip under the center works well for me to leave the cue ball somewhere in the center unless another ball happens to bounce into it which can always happen.
I'm not one of those guys who lays the cue low, nearly on the table, when I break. I aim directly at the impact spot. Some lay it low because it's going to rise as they come in with their break shot. Never had success doing this. So I don't.

Do you hit it soft or hard?
I blast it as hard as I can, actually I go as quickly with my arm as I can, but still being in control. Speed is 99% of it. Then control. (again a fresh reminder to the whiners and complainers out there; I am telling what works for me)

What ball are you trying to make?
All of them would be cool but I've never seen it done...lol.

What's the cue ball supposed to do after contact?
Come to the center.

 

[Aaron_S]

The cut break is usually used as a method to get a wing ball to drop. If you look at the natural kiss angle between the wing ball and the ball below it, the wing ball naturally wants to hit the cushion about a half diamond above the corner pocket. By cutting the head ball, you can change the timing of when the those two balls move out of the rack. If the ball below the wing ball moves out a little more quickly, the wing ball will take a route that is closer to the corner pocket. Look at Joe Tucker's information on the 4-ball track for a full explanation of this.

How much to cut the head ball and where to break from are things you just have to feel out on that particular table. If you want to make the wing ball on the right, you will break from the right side. Moving the cueball to the right and cutting the head ball to the left both have the same effect - they will make the wing ball hit lower and lower on the long rail and eventually you should find a spot where the wing ball heads toward the corner pocket.

Low outside spin is typical on a cut break. The cueball should hit the long rail below the side pocket, and spin back up toward the center of the table. Once you get the wing ball going, you have to see where the 1-ball is going and make speed/spin adjustments as necessary to try to come up with a shot on it after the break.

Edit: I should also mention that if you are not breaking from the box, you may not need to cut the head ball at all. Sometimes a straight-on break from the edge will make the wing ball drop - break from the left edge to try to make the left wing ball. If this works, it would definitely be preferred over the cut break, as cueball control is much more difficult when you cut the head ball.

In this video you can see Karl Boyes using a soft, head-on break from the right edge to make the right wing ball:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QKh7CYTDIhY

And here's Buddy demonstrating the cut break from the box.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2bUwLd0njc


Aaron

 

[ceebee]

Here is a good start for you....

 

[drv4]

Thanks ceebee, that helps a lot. When people break outside the box and are just an inch or two off the long rail, where are people generally aiming for on the one, a full hit? Slightly off center on the one?

 

[Aaron_S]

Thanks ceebee, that helps a lot. When people break outside the box and are just an inch or two off the long rail, where are people generally aiming for on the one, a full hit? Slightly off center on the one?

I always start with a full hit. If the wing ball isn't going from one side, I'll switch to the other side for 2 or 3 breaks and vary my speed. Cutting the head ball is usually a last resort for me, and I rarely try to cut it very much.

Aaron

 

[ceebee]

The aim point is just off center...

See the black square next to the 2 on the cue ball

See the black square on the object ball next to the 3 spot

That is the line.

This picture was taken from a 180 page book, titled, "The GREAT Break Shot", that Me & Joe Tucker wrote.

 

[mristea]

Here is a good start for you....

That's good info, but do you have something similar for the 9 ball break when 9 is on the point? The type of break used in Mosconi Cup for example? There is no info out there for this type of break...Thanks!