Break Balls Near A Corner Pocket

Ron F

Ron F

Ron F
Silver Member
You're down to 2 balls left on the table and you've identified your break ball to be a ball sitting just an inch or two straight out from one of the lower corner pockets. It's equidistant from the side rail and the foot rail. The key ball allows you to position the CB for the break shot along the foot rail (giving you a break shot that comes off the side rail and smacks into the side of the pile) or along the side rail (giving you a break shot that comes off the foot rail and smacks into the back of the rack). Which would you opt for and why? It happened in the Appleton/Schmidt DCC match and got me thinking about why one was chosen over the other.

Ron F
 
Corner Breaks

Both break shots are dangerous. I have seen many scratches coming off the bottom rail into the back of the rack. The side break will often send the cue ball up table into the corner pocket.
Both break shots are a must if that is all a player has left when it comes to a break shot but I do try to avoid both of those breaks.
 
Ron F said:
You're down to 2 balls left on the table and you've identified your break ball to be a ball sitting just an inch or two straight out from one of the lower corner pockets. It's equidistant from the side rail and the foot rail. The key ball allows you to position the CB for the break shot along the foot rail (giving you a break shot that comes off the side rail and smacks into the side of the pile) or along the side rail (giving you a break shot that comes off the foot rail and smacks into the back of the rack). Which would you opt for and why? It happened in the Appleton/Schmidt DCC match and got me thinking about why one was chosen over the other.

Ron F
Click to expand...

Ron:

Great question! And not one I see being asked here much -- i.e. if you have a break ball that you can "be" on either side of (the angle of which sends the cue ball into a different part of the stack), which should you choose, and why?

In your scenario, I think I would opt for leaving the cue ball down near the foot rail, and coming off the long rail into either the side of the pack, or else the corner ball.

Reasons:

1. In my humble opinion, you're sending the cue ball into a larger "open territory" than if you had the cue ball along the long rail and came off the foot rail into the bottom of the pile, as John did. The idea is that the middle of the table offers more open real estate to send the cue ball, than having the cue ball rebound off the foot rail and smack-dab into the rear-end of the pile, and having the cue stay around that small open space there at the bottom of the table. Although rare, the possibility exists that you could get frozen to the bottom of the pile or to a ball "down there" than if you tried to send the cue ball up-table. (John, if you're reading this, I apologize for disagreeing with your shot choice, as perhaps you probably had no choice. But this is one of those "armchair quarterback what-if" scenarios, and I think it's fun and educational to explore.)

2. I'm probably tempered and biased by the fact that I play lots of One Pocket, so subconsciously, when presented with a break-ball-hanging-in-the-corner-pocket like that described above, my "autopilot" tells me to always send the cue ball into the side of the pack, not the bottom, if I can help it. So I'd strive to bring the cue ball to the foot rail to get that position on the break ball. The crux is bring the cue ball out to open territory so you'll have a window to your pocket, and be able to pick off the low-hanging fruit.

I think optimally, for me anyway, I'd bring the cue ball to the foot rail, and strive to hit the long rail and rebound into the pile's corner ball with, say, a 3/4 ball hit -- with the angle to send the cue ball up-table. I'd try not to go broadside into the side of the pack, because that's actually a glancing blow (when you consider the cue ball's angle coming off the long rail, and the fact that the side of the pack angles up-table anyway), and I'd lose the cue ball.

That's just me, though.

Thoughts?
-Sean
 
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I like this break ball. Not my prefered position but I like it. I try to hit the corner ball on the near side or the second ball from the end on the far side. The corner ball hit is hit medium hard to get a good spread and get the cue ball away from the pack. The second ball is hit medium soft, more of a finesse shot getting the cue ball away from the pack and opening up a few balls.

I dont like comming into the pack from the long rail from this position. Although you end up with both the cue ball and object balls up table, I am never sure just where the cue ball will be. If I have to hit this shot I try to hit the corner ball as square as possible medium hard.
JMHO
Andy
 
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My choice would be to go into the back of the rack. Hitting the side of the rack has 2 possible bad outcomes. It has the danger of scratching in the far corner, or just as bad for me, splatters the rack wide open and leaves me on the head rail shooting a long shot with poor chances for a safety.

Going into the back of the rack diminishes the chances of a scratch quite a bit, and if you don't end up with a shot, you will more than likely be in a position to play a good safety.

The tangent line leading from the contact point to the short rail on these shots is deceiving ( at least for me) and can send you right around the rack without even hitting it unless examined a bit more closely than your brain thinks is needed. :)

I try to envision the line that takes the shot (with draw) into the center of the back of the rack. After I see this line I add outside english to the shot as I get down to line up on it. This (with my sad stroke :) ) puts the CB into the two outer most balls and sends the CB to the long rail and then out toward the center of the table with the running english that is on the CB.
 
Good Post !


I prefer shooting the breakshot from above which will bring me into the back of the rack.

For some reason i just see it better, and also i find that i have better outcome if you dont muscle the shot. (A) you are pushing all of the balls towards or past the middle of the table (B) much easier to control.

what i find as well, lets say for instance you are shooting a ball in the right pocket, i try to position the CB in a way that the carom angle is more natural. Puting left sidespin in my opinion helps the CB stick to the rack. because most of the time you will hit one of those balls full in the face and the sidespin is gonna help the CB tuck right into the rack.

Also if you are left with an angle where you could use follow, i notice what will hapen is the CB will hit the rack and go back towards the bottom rail hense having harder shots that are towrds the middle of the table.


so let me sum it up by saying that i like to shoot this from up above, played at a medium speed loosening up a few balls and leaving me an opportunity to have a few shots , and i have no problem having to get back into the stack !


-Steve
 
What a GREAT thread! I'm finding all the viewpoints and opinions really refreshing!

Thanks Ron, for posting this question!

Keep 'em coming,
-Sean
 
more thanks for the post -- great question.

as i recall, John didn't get much love from that particular shot. however...

i'm willing to bet that he's put a Lot of time and thought into this question, and that the break he used -- into the back of the stack -- is the percentage one.

there's a reason he's called Mr. 400.
 
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