Breaking the Balls: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

[JAM]

A few years ago, I was watching Evgeny Stalev a/k/a "The Russian" practicing his break at the then-Diamond Billiards in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Santos Sambajon was immitating Evgeny on the next table, trying to mimmick The Russian's unique break. Small in stature, Evgeny would crack the balls with all his might and end up with a knee resting on the corner pocket of the table, looking very much like a stork. The 9-ball always rolled right for the corner pocket, though, but many times, because of the speed of the cue-ball, it flew off the table, giving the opponent ball in hand. Not a good thing with the money ball hanging in the jaws of the corner pocket (IMO).

Corey must have spent many hours developing his breaking strategies, and he came up with the soft break. This was so effective that I witnessed Rodney Morris, usually a power-breaker, mimmick Corey's soft break at the Glass City Open several years ago. Rodney Morris won the event. The soft break was so devastating that rules were soon changed thereafter, i.e., 3 balls must pass the side pocket to be a legal break.

Last night, I watched once again the Skins Billiards Championship finals on ESPN2, and I couldn't help by notice the breaking style of Niels Feijen of the Netherlands. He puts a lot of power in his break. Standing straght upward, he almost hops a little and ends up with one leg curled behind his back upon landing. Charlie Williams, on the other hand, lays low on the table, stroking his cue stick quickly back and forth before release and never jumps upward. And then there is Larry Nevel who must have hit the balls at 30-plus MPH, with the cue-ball bouncing off the table, giving his opponent ball in hand.

When Keith breaks the balls, he looks like he just fired a double-barrel shotgun and then his whole body is propelled backwards from the force of his break, and he looks stunned.

To date, I'm very impressed with Niels Feijen's style of breaking, and he represents "the good." I like Rodney's ability to alter his breaks to suit the equipment or venue. I used to think the power breakers had the nuts, but I've now changed my opinion. And I believe the break is more than 50 percent of the game when it comes to 9-ball. It doesn't matter how well you're able to run out if you can't make balls on the break.

JMHO, FWIW!

Picture of The Russian. Where's he been lately?

JAM

 

[Blackjack]

JAM: I used to think the power breakers had the nuts, but I've now changed my opinion. And I believe the break is more than 50 percent of the game when it comes to 9-ball. It doesn't matter how well you're able to run out if you can't make balls on the break.

Jennie,
I think you have just validated everything that I have been saying about the break for years. Many players take the break for granted and have absolutely no game plan besides whacking them hard. In my book Lessons In 9 Ball I spent a lot of pages talking about the break exclusively. Some of the players I have admired over the years (in regards to breaking) are Francisco Bustamante, Johnny Archer, Wade Crane, Tony Ellin, Jose Parica & Mike Sigel. I believe that Corey switched to the soft (extremely soft) break because he had a lot of trouble controlling his power and the cue ball off the break. Corey has caught a lot of flack about his soft break over the years, but nobody can deny that it is an effective tool for him. Guys like Keith generate a lot of power and they pocket a lot of balls due to secondary contact while the pack is spreading, but with the soft break there is very little or no secondary contact between object balls. Nothing is more frustrating than making contact wuth the rack, sticking the cue ball in the center of the table just to have an object ball collide with it and send it into the pocket. That is what happens when you generate a lot of power and get the balls rolling.

BTW- Any pictures of Keith without that bottomless bottle of beer? LOL

 

[JAM]

Blackjack, as usual, your wisdom of the game is remarkable. It's interesting to note the variety of breaking styles amongst the players in today's pool world, which ones work and which ones don't. Those who are able to adapt to the playing equipment are successful and end up in the winner's circle.

Today, I think I'd put Niels on top of the heap when it comes to breaking styles. He's consistent, controls the cue-ball which remains in the middle of the table, and he pockets balls on the break.

How about Mike Sigel's break from yesteryear sans a break cue?! His shaft would actually bend when he cracked the rack, and his cue-ball would jump up and land, again, in the middle of the table.

Few years ago, I thought Danny Harriman had one of the best breaks in the business.

Some players when practicing before a match only rack and break balls repetitively to get the feel of the table because they know, without a successful break competing against world-beaters, being capable of running out doesn't ensure a win.

You can advance your game, learn all the shots, have the best stroke in the world, but without a good break, you ain't going to get there.

Keith does love his brewskies when he's in the heat of battle. We went to the U.S. Open last year, and at my request, he played without it. Keith said he was tight and felt like a rusty Tin Man. I did catch a glimpse of my pal Jimmy Reid trying to sneak Keith a camouflaged Coca-Cola mixed drink when Keith was struggling on the TV table with the Genie Man, but Keith stuck to his H2O. So I led my horse to the water, insisted that he drink it, and he complied, but didn't like it one bit! (LOL)

Check out Ryan "Genie Man" McCreesh breaking the balls in this photo taken by Nick Prinsloo on the PP 9-Ball Tour last year. How would you like to look at this mug at the other end of the table when in combat?!

Genie Man busting balls!

JAM

 

[JustPlay]

JAM: I used to think the power breakers had the nuts, but I've now changed my opinion. And I believe the break is more than 50 percent of the game when it comes to 9-ball. It doesn't matter how well you're able to run out if you can't make balls on the break.

Jennie,
I think you have just validated everything that I have been saying about the break for years. Many players take the break for granted and have absolutely no game plan besides whacking them hard. In my book Lessons In 9 Ball I spent a lot of pages talking about the break exclusively. Some of the players I have admired over the years (in regards to breaking) are Francisco Bustamante, Johnny Archer, Wade Crane, Tony Ellin, Jose Parica & Mike Sigel. I believe that Corey switched to the soft (extremely soft) break because he had a lot of trouble controlling his power and the cue ball off the break. Corey has caught a lot of flack about his soft break over the years, but nobody can deny that it is an effective tool for him. Guys like Keith generate a lot of power and they pocket a lot of balls due to secondary contact while the pack is spreading, but with the soft break there is very little or no secondary contact between object balls. Nothing is more frustrating than making contact wuth the rack, sticking the cue ball in the center of the table just to have an object ball collide with it and send it into the pocket. That is what happens when you generate a lot of power and get the balls rolling.

BTW- Any pictures of Keith without that bottomless bottle of beer? LOL

Corey started usuing the soft break because the 9-ball was racked on the spot in place of the 1-ball at the 2001 US Open and that was the only break that seem to work best. When Corey played Souquet, Nevel, and the rest of the other players on the accu stat table the commentators kept wondering why all of those other players were not usuing the soft break like Corey. They seem to refuse to break like that and either, broke the balls with a semi-soft break, a cut break or just a hard break with no luck on pocketing a ball or even comming close. Corey couldn't keep the balls from going into the pockets.

I think that ego and pride got the best of these players. After seeing Corey sucess at the 2001 USO, have you noticed that alot of players were usuing the soft break at tournaments until the bogus rule was put into place at some tournaments. Power breakers lost alot of steam when the pockets got down to 4.5 inches and played on diamond tables... You just have to find a break that works at each table, weather it be a power break, soft, or a cut break...