In this particular instance, I was talking about breaking in 9-ball.
I have never called my break "slow", by any means, and I don't think anybody else would. It makes quite a bit of noise. So much, that it is noticeable and people make comments about how I can hit them so hard, with what looks like so little force and motion.
I try to "control" the balls, but it isn't anything like a Corey soft break, if that is what your insinuating. I bring balls back past the head string. I could hit the balls way harder, but it makes controlling the cue ball and the table layout more difficult.
My intention is to make a ball, position the cue ball in the middle somewhere, and hopefully get an open layout where I have a shot on the next ball. There are occasions when you do everything perfect, EXCEPT make a ball on the break. On those occasions you leave a lot of open tables and your opponent has ducks in a rain barrel, but that is something you have to live with.
The key to breaking is practicing and noticing which balls go where. I have never read Joe Tucker's book, but trial and error has given me a pretty good idea of what goes where, when you do the same thing over and over.
I used to spend lots and lots of times playing alone and breaking the balls over and over. I would always "pattern rack" the balls in the very same order:
1
23
495
67
8
Over a period of time, hitting the balls at the same angle, same speed, and in the same order, you will notice sort of how the layout will be. Balls will be balls and rails will be rails, so nothing is ever exactly the same. However, percentages will favor certain layouts happening or being very similar.
You have to pay close attention to your cue ball placement, bridge, speed, spin, etc. on every break in order to form a "baseline". You can't figure anything out if you are doing something different every time you get to the table to break.
I know that three finger widths (my middle three fingers) is approximately the same width as the cue ball. When I first position my cue ball for an angled break off the rail, I ensure that I place it with my hand in such a position that my cue ball is exactly the same distance off the rail by using my placement hand as a "ruler". I also use the middle knuckle of my "pinkie" finger and my "index" finger to align the forward edge of the cue ball exactly with the second diamond on the rail (where the foul line is).
By doing this, I am putting the cue ball within a millimeter, or two, of the same spot on every break. I can do this in one fluid motion, where it doesn't look like you are some kind of pool scientist trying to figure something out (you have already figured it out).
When I play on my usual Sundays, I use the Accu-Rack and the table is what I would call "medium" speed...not overly fast or bouncy, or overly slow and dead. We rack the balls in "random" order, but put the 2-ball in the back.
From the alignment I described above, and breaking from the left rail, I can get the 1-ball within inches of the right side pocket on almost every break. I think I can make it close to half the time breaking. If it doesn't go into the right side, it hits the rail at such an angle that it will come close to, or go into, the upper left pocket under me, where I am leaning over the table to break on the head rail.
With this same angle, the 2-ball will usually hit the end rail and come up toward the right pocket on the head rail. In addition, I make one of the wing balls in one of the bottom corners. With all these commonalities, usually something will go and you will be able to stay at the table and hopefully have a shot at something.
If you make the 1-ball in the side, you have the 2-ball down in the head rail corner for a shot. If you don't make the one, but make a wing ball, you have the one ball on the head rail pocket from where you were breaking and the 2-ball in the corner right across you for easy position. If you make the 1-ball and a wing ball, you have the two ball still for a shot. You have to work out the percentages and get a baseline. From there it is up to you to find the "spot", do the same thing over and over, and get some rolls.
The only thing you have to control is "you"...doing the same thing consistently. If you can keep the cue ball in the middle, you have more than half the battle won. It is up to you after that to make the balls.
FWIW, Sunday, a week ago, my usual playing partner was not around because he was in the mainland for a visit. I was playing by myself and I noticed one of the young league players (maybe 30 years old and maybe an APA-4, 5 at most) playing alone on a table or so away. He loves pool, but his mechanics aren't the greatest.
I had just racked the balls on my table and I asked him if he wanted to come over and bang some around with me and he came to join me. I offered him the break and he told me to go ahead.
Before I broke, I told him to come over beside me and I would show him something. I told him, "I am going to show you something that nobody in here has a clue about and nobody would ever show you, if they did." I told him I was going to make the one in the side and the two ball would be sitting in the right head rail corner. He kind of laughed and I told him just to watch.
Lo and behold, I broke and made the one in the side and I think maybe a wing ball and the two ball was right where I told him it would be. I don't remember if I ran the table, but I won the game. On the next break, I either made the one ball in the side or a wing ball and the cue ball was in the open.
When he finally won a game, I set the break up for him and coached him. He didn't make the one in the side, but he didn't miss it by far, however he made a wing ball. Up until I showed him what I was doing, I had noticed him moving all over the place on the table he was playing on. He was consistently making a ball after I showed him a few pointers. He even made the one ball in the side a couple of times. After that he started getting a bit excited, moving the cue ball around, and then not making a ball or either the cue ball went wild. I had to keep telling him to figure one spot out before you go to another. When you are making a ball, you don't change...at least in my opinion. You may alter something, but you don't change the line from the cue ball to the rack.
Last Sunday, my normal partner was back. I didn't tell him what I was doing, but he has been playing for about as many years as I have. I would bet I have thousands upon thousands of more games played than him, but he is a couple years older than me and he probably first played in his teens, so he isn't a rookie. He is rated an "A" player in the tournaments here.
I was consistently making balls on the break and the one ball was going in the side over and over, or I was getting close, but I was making a wing ball and leaving the balls wide open. He kept breaking from random places and not doing so well and he eventually started putting the cue ball very close to where I was putting it for the break. He then made the one in the side or a wing ball way more often. His problem was he wasn't doing anything consistently though...he would hit harder one time, different spot on the cue ball, different cue angle, etc., which made it impossible for him to control the cue ball.
I even joked to him a bit later while we were playing that he was trying to find my break spot. I didn't tell him what I told the young guy the week before. I wanted to teach the young guy something. The minute you tell this old guy something, he gets all "know it all" and tells you how many books he read on something and how his way is the way to do it. I will let him figure it out on his own, if he ever does. I'm tired of trying to teach old dogs, new tricks...I'll teach the young dogs.
I'm not claiming to be SVB, Corey, or Joe Tucker. I'm just sharing a bit of what I've figured out that works for ME.
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