Breaking

[Meaty89]

Hey!

New to the forum and wasn't really sure where to put this.

So I've just received my Poison VX 2.9 JB and can't wait to use it! I have been using my friends cutec jump break and have consistently made balls on the break. But the problem is that it isn't the same balls and is pretty much random. I was wondering what the best way to become consistent on my breaks would be. I hit from the same spot every time (2 inches left of center, first dot) because it is comfortable for me, I haven't been able to get used to breaking from the side like I see a lot of people do.

I have only recently started playing consistently and while I haven't been able to join a league yet (still in college and my classes get in the way) that is certainly what I want to end up doing soon.

Thanks,
Steven

 

[randyg]

What game are you breaking in?

randyg

 

[Meaty89]

haha probably important



8 Ball

 

[pooltchr]

Most tables have a sweet spot to break from. When I break in 8 ball, I usually break from the right side, on the head string about 1 diamond from the rail. (I like my bridge hand on the table, not on the rail.) If nothing is dropping, I start moving closer to center until balls start dropping. I always break straight into the first ball, although there are a lot of players breaking to the second ball in the rack. That will move the 8 ball, but it seems like the cue ball ends up on the foot rail a lot. I prefer the cb to end up in the middle of the table.

Steve

 

[Meaty89]

Thanks Steve!

I break with my bridge hand on the table. I also hit into the first ball.

The thing I was wondering is what could I do to make my breaks more predictable, making the same 2 balls in each time ect..

 

[randyg]

Thanks Steve!

I break with my bridge hand on the table. I also hit into the first ball.

The thing I was wondering is what could I do to make my breaks more predictable, making the same 2 balls in each time ect..

If you are really interested, buy this book.

Racking Secrets, by Joe Tucker.

Great read
randyg

 

[Bob Jewett]

... The thing I was wondering is what could I do to make my breaks more predictable, making the same 2 balls in each time etc..

The most important thing is to make sure the rack is the same every time and that it is tight. Most racks are loose. At the recent Super Billiards Expo 10-ball tournament, I watched the eventual winner, Ralf Souquet, in an early match. They were playing rack your own, and Ralf was very careful about getting a tight rack. He often made both the corner balls, each of them going four rails around the table and back to the corner pockets by the rack. In later matches, he wasn't as consistent with his break, and I would guess this was because misplaced craters in the rack area -- which occur from careless racking -- did not permit a really tight rack.

You may want to look into one of the several new methods of getting a tight rack. Without a consistent rack, no one can get a consistent break, not even world champions.

 

[Scott Lee]

Meaty89...Improving the quality and accuracy of your stroke would help...but then again, not even the top pros on Earth make the same two balls on the break, playing 8ball. Most of them frequently make NO balls on the break, playing 8ball...just like us normal folks.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

The thing I was wondering is what could I do to make my breaks more predictable, making the same 2 balls in each time ect..

 

[LRNINGtheGAME]

how does cue weight affect breaking? i know some people who go super light and some heavy?

 

[randyg]

how does cue weight affect breaking? i know some people who go super light and some heavy?

Weight of the cue is personal.

It's the speed not weight that we look for.

I break with an 18oz cue at 22 mph. If I could break at that same speed with a 25oz cue, I would.
randyg

 

[RWOJO]

Speed over Weight

F=MA
Force = Mass X Accelleration

A lighter cue can be accellerating at a quicker rate and generate more power, while the heavier cue doesn't have to be accellerating as fast to generated the same power.

Some players swear by a 23 oz or heavier cue. I break with a cue thats less than 18. I rely purely on accellerating quickly and I generate between a 25 and 27 mph break.

I think over the years the growing trend has been switching to lighter break cues. I'm not sure if it is based on controlling the cue ball or effort required.

 

[Blackjack]

It's all about cue speed and how that speed is transferred to the cue ball. The guys that break the hardest usually don't have the heaviest cue, they have the fastest hands. Watch Bustamante and DeLuna - it's all about cue speed, accuracy, and control.

 

[SpiderWebComm]

Most tables have a sweet spot to break from. When I break in 8 ball, I usually break from the right side, on the head string about 1 diamond from the rail. (I like my bridge hand on the table, not on the rail.) If nothing is dropping, I start moving closer to center until balls start dropping. I always break straight into the first ball, although there are a lot of players breaking to the second ball in the rack. That will move the 8 ball, but it seems like the cue ball ends up on the foot rail a lot. I prefer the cb to end up in the middle of the table.

Steve

I agree. I like to give myself the chance for the out from the center of the table.

Dave

 

[Mr. Wiggles]

Hey!

New to the forum and wasn't really sure where to put this.

So I've just received my Poison VX 2.9 JB and can't wait to use it! I have been using my friends cutec jump break and have consistently made balls on the break. But the problem is that it isn't the same balls and is pretty much random. I was wondering what the best way to become consistent on my breaks would be. I hit from the same spot every time (2 inches left of center, first dot) because it is comfortable for me, I haven't been able to get used to breaking from the side like I see a lot of people do.

I have only recently started playing consistently and while I haven't been able to join a league yet (still in college and my classes get in the way) that is certainly what I want to end up doing soon.

Thanks,
Steven

Most of the time you don't get to break your own rack, so all the figuring in the world may not matter. Unless you are playing run out pool or someone who runs all the time, the break is not always going to be a huge factor in the game. Potting balls, shape, defence, patterns, breakouts, speed, mentality IMO are way more important than a powerful break. Just for fun try a softer break, you may be surprised when balls start falling. You can't win the beginning or the middle of the game, only the end.

 

[RWOJO]

Break Speed

I agree that speed is not as important as control. But compare my breaking (24 - 26 mph) to someone who's breaking 18 mph. I can get the balls to travel more and this increases the chances of pocketting balls.

I guarentee if we tracked it over 100 breaks I would pocket more balls and leave more of an open table.

8 ball is the same thing. I tend to get a really good spread, but I don't always pocket a ball. When I do pocket a ball I have a good chance of running out. When playing an equal skilled (or better) opponent when I get a good spread and don't make anything they tend to run out. This makes for quick sets.

9 ball in league if I find a spot on the table thats breaking good, I might have a few racks where I pocket 3 -4 balls. Then I have a few racks where I pocket 1 -2. Then I have a few racks that come up dry.

I'll be ordering some Magic Racks soon and I bet I can get my breaking even more consistant!

 

[Blackjack]

I agree that speed is not as important as control. But compare my breaking (24 - 26 mph) to someone who's breaking 18 mph. I can get the balls to travel more and this increases the chances of pocketting balls.

I believe that for the majority of players, there are more disadvantages than advantages from breaking the balls that hard. You may be one of the people that is able to control everything at that speed, but I think for most players, a moderate speed is best. It takes some experimentation to find out where you have the best result combined with the optimum control, and for most people that place will be well below 24-26 MPH.

 

[pooltchr]

I find that breaking at about 80% of my max speed is the most effective. It is the best balance of speed and accuracy I have found.....for me!

Steve

 

[Neil]

...............

 

[justadub]

After reading this thread earlier today, I backed off a little when I broke tonight, to see how it would work for me.

I'm quite pleased, at least with the small sample size. I got a ball in most of the time, and when I didn't, I left the table a real mess. When you play like I do, that's a good thing. I'm not what you'd call a run-out player. (We play mostly 8-ball, so that does change it a bit.) Since I'm not likely to run out, it's better for me to leave the table so that it's not easy for my opponent to do so.

It was an eye-opener. I had been trying to bust up the rack pretty good previously, with pretty good results. Problem was that I wouldn't get a ball in very often, and would leave a wide open table. Taking just a little off the break has changed that. Again, small sample size, but I'll keep trying it and see how it goes.

 

[Bustah360]

Idk, but I consider the balance of the weight of a break cue to be one of the most important aspects. I've used plenty of break cues that were heavy on the back end and others that were heavy on the front end. I find that the break cues designed for the balance to remain neutral (at least feeling that way), and have a relatively lighter feeling to be the most effective.

Point being that the illusion of a lighter feeling front end, actually lets me have a much more rapid stroke, giving me more speed to my break, and accomplishing a more spread table with balls dropped.