Breaking - 1990s vs 2026

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DrCue'sProtege

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I guess I need clarification with regards to the 9B break shot.

On all my Accu-Stats videos from the Sands Regency Tournament back in the 1990s and the U.S. Open videos from the 1990s and from what people told me back in the day it seems like the plan was to squat the CB. Leave it somewhere around the middle of the table if at all possible.

Is that not what players are trying to do nowadays?

r/DCP
 
Tricky topic. Still, this is a bit of an apples to oranges comparison.

Thirty years ago, there was no break box, the one ball was on the spot, and the wing ball was dead, so players had a better chance to control the cue ball off of the break. As you note, they liked to squat the cue ball near the center of the table. They would love to do the same today, but ....

Today, in WNT play, which is currently the highest level of 9ball competition in the game, there is a narrow break box, the nine is on the spot, and the wing ball is no longer dead. To their credit, today's pro players have devised a cut break that enables them to make the one in the side with relative consistency, but the cut break comes with far less cue ball control. Today, the break that is in vogue in WNT play brings the cue ball to the rail and back through the rack area, so it is much harder to end up with a shot on the two ball after a successful break.

Hence, you are correct. Yesterday's players liked to squat the cue ball, but chiefly because they could under the old break rules. Today's pros, with few exceptions, have determined that they must cut break to ensure that they don't break dry, and in doing so, have ended up with far less cue ball control than their counterparts of yesteryear.
 
The best break is the one that gets you a shot on the one most often. Current WNT break rules aside, since they are a different animal, if you squat the cue ball on every break but end up with no shot most of the time, then it’s not a great break. Which is why over the years we’ve seen top players draw the cue ball two rail back and up table because it was reliably getting them a shot into the side pocket. They adjust the cue ball control and hit on the one to control both balls depending on the conditions of the table and rack.
 
NO. Pros are not trying to squat the rock today. IF they could make a ball, AND squat the rock, they 100% would, just like in 1990. But due to the 9 on the spot, and the break box, all that "head-on squat the rock hard break from 1990" would do today is result in a dry break and an open table for the opponent.

In contrast, the modern 10 ball rack format IS conducive to a full hit on the 1 and squatting the CB.
 
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Ok, so, I might start breaking with the 9B on the spot and see if I can't draw the CB off the rail.

Can't get any worse results than I have now.

Oh, by the way, three weeks or so........
 
Does shane still play the break with his playing cue? I vaguely recall TAR 1 he was smashing the rack with his playing cue the whole set.
 
One of the first things that got me hooked on 9-ball was watch people like Bustamante firing down those armour piecing breaks and squatting the cue ball in the middle of the table.

I miss those days.....
 
HawaiianEye said:
Maybe they should play 9-ball with a 10-ball rack to start out, with the 9 in the middle.

Afer the break, the 10 ball is removed from the table.
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Truthfully while interesting, I find the 10 ball break to be no better than 9 ball. If the racks frozen, or a template is used, then both balls behind the 1 track to the side pockets of their respective side and the corner balls of the rack track 4 rails to the corners and the 1 ball generally goes near the corner past the head spot making getting shape on the 1 easy to achieve.
 
DrCue'sProtege said:
Ok, so, I might start breaking with the 9B on the spot and see if I can't draw the CB off the rail.

Can't get any worse results than I have now.

Oh, by the way, three weeks or so........
Click to expand...
I mean, try that with the cueball on the spot too. Cut breaks can force balls into a corner pocket by sending a few balls that way.

Honestly, this is something you should have already been doing when your regular break doesnt work.
 
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