Breaking Instruction

L

lawful777

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
What would you suggest as some good techniques for breaking and pocketing balls in a 9ball rack on Valley 7ft tables. I have been trying soft breaks, stun breaks, draw, follow, shooting from the side, kitchen, middle. It seems that I am consistently scattering the balls well, dropping nothing and leaving my opponent for my runout. Aside from this, I am a solid B player who's average run is about 6 balls per rack. If my opponent misses and there is an open table, I am usually out. As I play better A players, it is becoming more apparent just how crucial a good break is but I am not finding a good consistent break yet.

Does anyone have ideas about where a good cue ball placement, aiming on the rack and aiming on the cue ball would be. Center ball, low, top, english. I have been watching several videos and youtube clips and seems the soft break works well but is being banned a lot. I try power breaking but seem to lose control and scratch or stop the cue and nothing goes in. I think you get the idea. I am trying really hard and could use some good honest opinions or drills to try and improve. No sarcasm please.

One thing I did notice was that when powerbreaking from the side on my table, I got thin scratches on my collar/shaft probably from an elbow drop. Would like to stay away from side breaks unless there is a good way to prevent this. Thank you in advance for all your help!

John
 
John...The biggest myth about the break is that if you don't make a ball, then your break sucks. That's just not true. Even the top pros don't make a ball on the break every time...even on BB's. As Neil suggested, pull back on your speed, aim for the head ball, and hit it square.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com
 
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Thank you Scott, I will keep that in mind and keep practicing at slower speeds. I appreciate the advice.

John
 
Valley taable 9 ball break

I find that if i usually move the cue two diamonds up and one diamond over and a half diamond back and break with a medium speed they tend to break fairly well. Sometimes making several balls on the break.
 
Joe Tucker's Racking Secrets is a REALLY good DVD on the break. It will open up a whole new aspect to the game that you never even knew existed. It also comes highly recommended by many people on these forums.
 
If only there were a simple answer to this question! Yesterday in practice I hit the break quite well five times in a row without making a ball. Then I hit three breaks rather poorly and made balls each time! We can never overcome the luck factor on the break. Still, we must try for the best method. Remember that accuracy is by far the most important part of the break, and that there are several speeds between the soft break and the hard break!
 
breaking update

Thanks for all the responses. They led me to a few videos with one in particular being most helpful. I have been able to control the cue to the center of the table and generally make something. If nothing goes, I just chalk it up as a miss and move on. Eventually, it will improve even more but for now, it is much better than where I was, scratching a lot and getting stuck after the break. Thanks again! John
 
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