Breaking off the headstring vs breaking further back with a rail bridge for 8-9–10 ball?

C

ChrisinNC

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I don’t know if this topic has been covered here, but I can’t recall it being done recently. I’m just curious when playing 8– 9–10 ball, or virtually any other pool game, why someone would choose to break with the cue ball set further back from the headstring utilizing the end rail for a rail ridge, versus breaking with the cue ball on or just just barely behind the headstring?

Why would you not want to start from a foot closer to the head ball you are aiming at, which should result in more power and most importantly more accuracy? It also allows you to set your bridge hand on the table surface vs an end rail bridge - Resulting in a considerably more stable bridge in my opinion.

I don’t know for sure, but I’m assuming/guessing that considerably less than 10% of pro level pool players choose to break from further back than the headstring. Just curious as to other opinions on this, particularly those that prefer breaking with the cue ball set back from the headstring, and why?
 
For some, the rail bridge affords a more accurate hit especially at speed. I know me personally, I break 9B from the side rail and get a much more consistent hit on the 1B than I do vs. playing 10B where I break from jest right of center at the head string using a "free" bridge. I don't break 10B from the side rail because I don't like the spread I get when doing so and prefer the aforementioned spot. Same with 8B.
 
I am more comfortable from the rail. I am also 5'10 I'm not sure if that matters but I like being more jacked up on the cue when breaking, hand on actual table while breaking I feel like I loose power. It could be personal comfort preference as well.
 
I also don't think for people in a normal size range height is a concern. I further agree with posters above who stated the extra stability being able to bridge on the rail gives.

I know I can break with more control from just behind the first diamond line than from the spot line.

Of course, like the radius of a circle, the farther you get from that one ball.. the more imperfections are magnified.
 
Various reasons. One is where you stuck your elbow. Many people find it hard to settle good place when cueball is on headstring. is it on table or on rail? Many have it just edge of rail and can´t get good setup with that and they get little further back.
 
HueblerHustler7 said:
I am more comfortable from the rail. I am also 5'10 I'm not sure if that matters but I like being more jacked up on the cue when breaking, hand on actual table while breaking I feel like I loose power. It could be personal comfort preference as well.
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yep, i sometimes do an overhand bridge on the rail. can do a nice pop break from there in 10-ball doing this. i only do this when the headstring break fails me. in 9-ball it's the side rail most times.
 
ChrisinNC said:
I don’t know if this topic has been covered here, but I can’t recall it being done recently. I’m just curious when playing 8– 9–10 ball, or virtually any other pool game, why someone would choose to break with the cue ball set further back from the headstring utilizing the end rail for a rail ridge, versus breaking with the cue ball on or just just barely behind the headstring?

Why would you not want to start from a foot closer to the head ball you are aiming at, which should result in more power and most importantly more accuracy? It also allows you to set your bridge hand on the table surface vs an end rail bridge - Resulting in a considerably more stable bridge in my opinion.

I don’t know for sure, but I’m assuming/guessing that considerably less than 10% of pro level pool players choose to break from further back than the headstring. Just curious as to other opinions on this, particularly those that prefer breaking with the cue ball set back from the headstring, and why?
Click to expand...
When breaking hard, the cue ball will slightly bounce before contacting the rack. Controlling the timing of the bounce is very important in hard breaking games like 10-ball. For best results, you want the cue ball to contact the rack just as it's coming down from a bounce. That's how you get that loud "pop" sound that you hear in SVB's explosive 10-ball break.

In order to control the timing of the cue ball's bounce/landing it can be advantageous to move the cue ball back further from the headstring to give the cue ball more time to drop before contact. Sometimes the little details can make a big difference.
 
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On smaller English pool tables that I play on, I tend to break with my bridge on the baulk rail, with the cue ball either being directly on the baulk line, or at least an inch behind it.

With American pool, there is a greater distance between the line and the baulk rail. I hate using closed bridges when I'm not cueing from the rail, and I'm not used to breaking from the side rail, so I just place the cue ball at an approximate distance to where the baulk line would be on an English table and break off as normal. I find that my cue action suffers with any further distance, which is why I prefer to not place the ball on the baulk line while I'm cueing from the back rail in American pool. I guess one advantage of the American tables is that I find it easier to cut break than on an English pool table. If I'm going for a cut break playing English pool, I tend to cue from the corner pocket.
 
Black-Balled said:
I also don't think for people in a normal size range height is a concern. I further agree with posters above who stated the extra stability being able to bridge on the rail gives.

I know I can break with more control from just behind the first diamond line than from the spot line.

Of course, like the radius of a circle, the farther you get from that one ball.. the more imperfections are magnified.
Click to expand...
I break from the same location on the headstring on our 9 foot table and on our 10 foot table. I can’t believe the difference that 6-7” further from the rack makes!
 
ChrisinNC said:
I break from the same location on the headstring on our 9 foot table and on our 10 foot table. I can’t believe the difference that 6-7” further from the rack makes!
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I had a similar experience when I played my first big event on a barbox.

How could I possibly misfire?!
 
FeelDaShot said:
When breaking hard, the cue ball will slightly bounce before contacting the rack. Controlling the timing of the bounce is very important in hard breaking games like 10-ball. For best results, you want the cue ball to contact the rack just as it's coming down from a bounce. That's how you get that loud "pop" sound that you hear in SVB's explosive 10-ball break.

In order to control the timing of the cue's bounce/landing it can be advantageous to move the cue ball back further from the headstring to give the cue ball more time to drop before contact. Sometimes the little details can make a big difference.
Click to expand...
Beat me to it. I moved my break on a 7 foot table back one foot and I have much better spread and ball making then when on the head string. (8 ball and breaking near the middle of table).

Consistency of speed is the goal. I practice using the Predator Break Speed app. I try to keep all breaks within a 1 mph window.... 1/2 mph plus or minus my goal of 18 mph.
 
buckshotshoey said:
Beat me to it. I moved my break on a 7 foot table back one foot and I have much better spread and ball making then when on the head string. (8 ball and breaking near the middle of table).

Consistency of speed is the goal. I practice using the Predator Break Speed app. I try to keep all breaks within a 1 mph window.... 1/2 mph plus or minus my goal of 18 mph.
Click to expand...

Do you still break from the side rail on 7 foot tables when you move the cue ball back from the head string a foot?
 
kling&allen said:
Do you still break from the side rail on 7 foot tables when you move the cue ball back from the head string a foot?
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Actually its more like 8 inches back. But no, I wont move back when breaking from side rail. I rarely break from the side. But when I do, it's from the head string. Cant properly hit the second ball from farther back. And I back the speed off somewhat to keep the cue ball in check.
 
ChrisinNC said:
I don’t know if this topic has been covered here, but I can’t recall it being done recently. I’m just curious when playing 8– 9–10 ball, or virtually any other pool game, why someone would choose to break with the cue ball set further back from the headstring utilizing the end rail for a rail ridge, versus breaking with the cue ball on or just just barely behind the headstring?

Why would you not want to start from a foot closer to the head ball you are aiming at, which should result in more power and most importantly more accuracy? It also allows you to set your bridge hand on the table surface vs an end rail bridge - Resulting in a considerably more stable bridge in my opinion.

I don’t know for sure, but I’m assuming/guessing that considerably less than 10% of pro level pool players choose to break from further back than the headstring. Just curious as to other opinions on this, particularly those that prefer breaking with the cue ball set back from the headstring, and why?
Click to expand...
Good thread....
 
ChrisinNC said:
I don’t know if this topic has been covered here, but I can’t recall it being done recently. I’m just curious when playing 8– 9–10 ball, or virtually any other pool game, why someone would choose to break with the cue ball set further back from the headstring utilizing the end rail for a rail ridge, versus breaking with the cue ball on or just just barely behind the headstring?
Click to expand...
For me, I break with the CB about 14" in front of the rail. On a small bar box, this is just about at the string, on a 9 foot table it is about 8" back from the string.
ChrisinNC said:
Why would you not want to start from a foot closer to the head ball you are aiming at, which should result in more power and most importantly more accuracy? It also allows you to set your bridge hand on the table surface vs an end rail bridge - Resulting in a considerably more stable bridge in my opinion.
Click to expand...
The increased distance the CB travels causes an insignificant slowing of the CB compared to farther back.
The shortened distance from the rail means I strike the CB better than if it were farther forward.

The break is about precision first, and power second (or third).
 
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