A look at the break shot.
- Thread starter jhanso18
- Start date
I agree that a great break is best when paired up with great runout skills. Hell, I'd love to have those myself.
I disagree that it's ONLY great if you have have runout skills, though. At the lower, amateur levels of pool, I've always believed that control of the table is more important than being able to run out. If you have a good break, you'll at least end up with A) a shot on the lowest numbered ball to pocket, or B) a shot on the lowest numbered ball to safety.
The right safeties can really help you pick at your opponent, and I think 9-ball at the amateur level should be more like this if you can't run out the rack consistently!
I disagree that it's ONLY great if you have have runout skills, though. At the lower, amateur levels of pool, I've always believed that control of the table is more important than being able to run out. If you have a good break, you'll at least end up with A) a shot on the lowest numbered ball to pocket, or B) a shot on the lowest numbered ball to safety.
The right safeties can really help you pick at your opponent, and I think 9-ball at the amateur level should be more like this if you can't run out the rack consistently!
Would you rather me use someone else as an example? Corey Deuel. His soft breaks worked just fine.
I think we have some great input here! I'm guessing the consensus lies with, the break is important, but not as important as fundamentals and shot making. Which is where I am at with it in the first place. I had the luxury, while learning these last few years, of having the best breaker in the world in my back yard. I try to emulate that big break. It's tough to get down, but once you have the mechanics down, it's very easy. I swing some where around 60% and clock a pretty consistant 22-23.5 mph with the break speed app. I can swing a lot harder but ZERO control at peak power.
I spend a lot more time practicing the rest of my game. I find that practice tact is the most important part of training yourself. I find that whether you have 30 minutes or 3 hours to practice, it's much more important how, and what you practice. In a good week I might get 10 hours or so of practice. I think dedicating 10% of this time to developing, and/or keeping a strong break, is time well spent.
Make no mistake about it, Mike D. pissed away a few opportunities. However according to the stats provided in another thread, the break was a huge difference. Of course this is with to guys that run out like water in a funnel.
best,
Justin
I spend a lot more time practicing the rest of my game. I find that practice tact is the most important part of training yourself. I find that whether you have 30 minutes or 3 hours to practice, it's much more important how, and what you practice. In a good week I might get 10 hours or so of practice. I think dedicating 10% of this time to developing, and/or keeping a strong break, is time well spent.
Make no mistake about it, Mike D. pissed away a few opportunities. However according to the stats provided in another thread, the break was a huge difference. Of course this is with to guys that run out like water in a funnel.
best,
Justin
Jhanso18, you are correct.... there is some good points in this thread & some ideas need to be thought about.
Let me say this... every Game starts with the Break Shot. PLUS, if you don't make a ball on the Break, you get to sit down.
It is true that higher skilled players need a better Break Shot. It is also true that running a rack can become a frame of mind, anybody here get nervous about the 6-7-8 ball?
A good break shot can give you a good start, in just about any game you wanna play. If you don't wanna practice the Break Shot or any shot for that matter, good luck...
Let me say this... every Game starts with the Break Shot. PLUS, if you don't make a ball on the Break, you get to sit down.
It is true that higher skilled players need a better Break Shot. It is also true that running a rack can become a frame of mind, anybody here get nervous about the 6-7-8 ball?
A good break shot can give you a good start, in just about any game you wanna play. If you don't wanna practice the Break Shot or any shot for that matter, good luck...
I remember a couple years ago when a match was streamed between SVB and Mike playing a race to 21 or something in ten ball. The spot SVB gave up was having Dippy Dave break for him. SVB still won the set but it was very close. I believe 21-19 final. Did anybody else see that match? My memory could be a bit off but it was by no means a blowout in SVB's favor.
How do you make the ball behind the one ball in the side pocket playing 10 ball? I rarely make it most of the time they come high of the side pocket, what am I doing wrong? My break is defiantly the weakest part of my game.
Check here: http://billiards.colostate.edu/threads/break.html#10-ball
What I've noticed is that if I use the magic rack to get the repeatable racks, if I am about a hand span from the head spot and hit the one ball square with a hop, the second ball goes in pretty regularly (right side if on the right side). When I don't hit the one ball squarely, I miss that second ball, but the cornerball often will go four rails around and in the corner pocket.
If I rack for myself and have to rely on the balls to settle in a frozen spot (which often is high of the spot), I rarely make a ball let alone the second ball.
Freddie <~~~ looks like a hero using the MBR!!!
Last edited:
I remember that, it definitely took SVB out of his normal rhythm. I think he lost that set if I'm not mistaken?
I mainly play the ghost for practice and Im not just throwing balls out. I break every rack.
I'm a long ways from being a top tier player (B or an 8/9, depending on the tournament), and can say for certain that the results of my matches correlate pretty strongly with my break going well. Even if it's not an easily runnable rack, making a ball and having shape off the break put me in a position to take control of the rack with a good safety. If I'm having to kick, push, or turn the table over on a dry break, I lose that advantage.
It's a little tricky, but the first thing is to make sure the rack is dead tight. If there are little gaps, it's not predictable. Even a credit-card sized gap might wreck it. A magic rack helps.
Once it's tight, I believe the way it works is... the closer to center you break, the higher those balls go. You start maybe a ball width or two off of center... and if they keep going high, move a little further towards the side rail. If you have to move more than a full diamond off of center, it may be that your table 'plays funny' or there are rack issues.
Of the two side pocket balls, the one that's "supposed" to go is the on the side you're breaking from I believe. The other ball has a chance, but the closer ball is the one you want to pay attention to.
Ralph Eckert has some great videos, he explains it in german here, but if you look at around the 3:40 mark you can sort of see what he's saying... he points to an area just south of the side pocket, then moves the cue ball towards the center. Then, he points to an area just north of the pocket, and moves it further to the side.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02OBxf_72Uw
Great video link, CreeDo. In practice sessions, I like to rack the balls in order, left to right and front to back, except the ten. This helps me identify which balls are going where after the break.
I think the center-to-side adjustment of cue ball placement is a somewhat universal break strategy. In 9-ball, if the wing ball is hitting the long rail, you move the CB more to the side. I visualize an angle (like a >) between the cue ball, head ball, and the spot the wing ball hits the rail, then "rotate" that angle until the wing ball points to the pocket. If the rotation indicates a cue ball position outside the rail (which it usually does), I believe a harder break will open up that angle and simulate breaking from farther over in the side.
Same thing with 10-ball. If the second ball is hitting the foot side of the side pocket, you can either move the cue ball back towards center or break a little softer, to bring that second ball into the side pocket. Moving the CB starting spot is probably the best solution if you're trying to use a consistent break speed, but the speed adjustment can make a difference. I'm working on another SloMo video to demonstrate this, but it will be a few weeks before I have it ready.
Thanks for all the good info in this thread!
-Blake
I think the center-to-side adjustment of cue ball placement is a somewhat universal break strategy. In 9-ball, if the wing ball is hitting the long rail, you move the CB more to the side. I visualize an angle (like a >) between the cue ball, head ball, and the spot the wing ball hits the rail, then "rotate" that angle until the wing ball points to the pocket. If the rotation indicates a cue ball position outside the rail (which it usually does), I believe a harder break will open up that angle and simulate breaking from farther over in the side.
Same thing with 10-ball. If the second ball is hitting the foot side of the side pocket, you can either move the cue ball back towards center or break a little softer, to bring that second ball into the side pocket. Moving the CB starting spot is probably the best solution if you're trying to use a consistent break speed, but the speed adjustment can make a difference. I'm working on another SloMo video to demonstrate this, but it will be a few weeks before I have it ready.
Thanks for all the good info in this thread!
-Blake
They break is a huge factor. I took it away from shane and Alex one year at the Derby and beat them both on a tighter table for 10k. Alex was for 5k. Especially for Shane, it is a huge momentum swing.
The break shot if not the most important is one of the most important shots in pool..
Especially when you have 2 players at the same level it's who can break the best and have the first shot afterwards. Who controls the rock after the break the best is the winner usually.
Especially on the bar box.
Mr Hansen, I have something for you to try.
Most players when they break kind of move their head as they stroke. Right hander to the left and left hander to the right. This is kind of a natural motion when we bring the stroke forward.
I've found that by turning the body more to 2:00 for rightys and 10:00 for leftys that it makes it much easier to bring the head forward instead of to the side.
If the head goes to the side you can't even see what your shooting at when you finally hit the cue ball. Might as wlell have the eyes closed.
Try this. As you break have someone go down and see if your head drifts to the right or left when you break. If it does this is why you have trouble hitting the break solid, dead center.
If you keep the dominant eye in the correct position the results on the break are pretty soilid.
Good Luck there in Soiux Falls. Great little pool town..........
Especially when you have 2 players at the same level it's who can break the best and have the first shot afterwards. Who controls the rock after the break the best is the winner usually.
Especially on the bar box.
Mr Hansen, I have something for you to try.
Most players when they break kind of move their head as they stroke. Right hander to the left and left hander to the right. This is kind of a natural motion when we bring the stroke forward.
I've found that by turning the body more to 2:00 for rightys and 10:00 for leftys that it makes it much easier to bring the head forward instead of to the side.
If the head goes to the side you can't even see what your shooting at when you finally hit the cue ball. Might as wlell have the eyes closed.
Try this. As you break have someone go down and see if your head drifts to the right or left when you break. If it does this is why you have trouble hitting the break solid, dead center.
If you keep the dominant eye in the correct position the results on the break are pretty soilid.
Good Luck there in Soiux Falls. Great little pool town..........