breaking from the rail vs "the box"

berlowmj

berlowmj

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
The tapes by Buddy & Colin are extremely helpful in the mechanics of achieving power. However, are there pros & cons regarding breaking from the rail vs from "the box?" Do these generalizations differ for 8ball vs 9ball? or when using phenolic vs other tips?

I want to make my practice sessions as fruitful as possible. I have a Fury break cue with a phenolic tip so I have been hitting the center of the CB & aiming for the head ball on the 9ball rack (which I understand is mandatory) & aiming for the 2nd ball of the 8ball rack, which seems to help me sink the corner balls, when I do pocket on the break. I have been breaking from the rail on both the 8ball & 9ball racks. Scratching has not been a problem.
 
Practice both. You never know what tournament you will be in or what match you will get yourself involved in. You wan't to be prepared if you get a "break from the box rule".

Where I break depends on the table. The side rail isn't always the best place to be. I remember a match I had, where my opponent kept breaking from the side rail hitting the balls harder and harder, not able to make anything drop. I on the other hand was breaking a few inches to the side of the spot and making two balls each time and stopping the cueball in the center of the table.

I could never understand why my opponent didn't take note of what I was doing.
 
In 9-ball, breaking from the rail makes it easier to make the 1-ball in the center, but in 8-ball, the 1-ball going toward the center is very often kicked away by the bottom corner ball of the rack as it races around the table.

So breaking from the rail in 8-ball seems to lose that one important advantage.

I also find it harder to keep the CB flat when bridging over the rail, so if I really load up on the break, the CB often leaves the table.

Good 9-ball breaking doesn't require that much power. More an accurate hit with good CB control. In 8-ball however, it is harder to make a ball, and making one usually requires some luck, so the more you can move the balls around, the more luck you tend to get. It doesn't usually matter too much where the CB ends up. Center of the table is best of course, but it is very hard to make it stay there with a bunch of balls running towards it. Usually it ends up in the head area of the table.

As for breaking of the 2nd ball, that may be a good strategy on fast tables with big pockets or on bar boxes if it is legal.

Colin
 
Berlowmj,

I use to only break from the rail, untill a friend of mine had me practice breaking from the box.

And I find that if someone has a excellent break from the box, it shows a bit more skill.

90% of the time i break from the box or just off the rail in 9ball. And i always break from the box in 8ball. Even when doing a 2nd ball break. Because i find that i get more follow thru and consistency,

I find that in 9ball i get more CB control when breaking from the box. And you also have a bit more room for error when hitting the 1ball square. Because your not at such a wide angle when going towards the 1ball.

And the same goes with 8ball, expecially on a 9ft table. I almost play a slight cut break, so the CB after the break hits the side rail and comes back towards the rack.
 
For 9 ball I like to break along the head string one diamond off the rail. I don't worry about hitting the balls super hard, just with a nice firm stroke concentrating on a good dead on hit on the one and bringing the cue ball back out to the center of the table. I can almost always make a ball in one of the corner pockets this way.
 
I am deeply indebted to all of you for accelerating my learning curve & vastly increasing the efficiency of my practice sessions. I live in a small town so I only have access to bar tables unless I am working in the city. If I take a break from writing during the day, I can avoid the drunks & loud music.

Today, I practiced 8 ball & placed the CB off center in "the box" (watched Colin) but aimed for a square hit on the head ball. The session was quite successful with no scratches, good leave on the CB, & an increased rate of pocketing on the break. I am using a phenolic tip so I hit the CB dead center. When I feel my chi energy in the follow through, the balls sink.

I will share my experience when I get to a 9' table in the city. Thank you again
 
In 8ball I've always found the closer to centerline I break, the better my chances to stick the rock exactly where I want it. Side rail break gets lots of action, but even with a square hit on the headball, it's path is at an angle and there's a good chance it'll get kicked around the table.:)
 
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