conflicting advice on 2nd ball break

berlowmj

berlowmj

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
I have been making some progress taking for granted that I should solidly hit the 2nd ball. I was recently advised that it is preferable to hit between the balls eg 1st & 2nd or 2nd & 3rd. The advice was casual & from an unknown source, so I would appreciate some confirmation from A-Zers upon whom I have come to rely with confidence. Thank you.
 
Hit the second ball as full as you can, with a touch of draw to pull the cueball to the side rail and back out to the middle.
Trying to split the 2 balls will lead to you scratching off the head ball more often than not.
Chuck
 
RiverCity said:
Hit the second ball as full as you can, with a touch of draw to pull the cueball to the side rail and back out to the middle.
Trying to split the 2 balls will lead to you scratching off the head ball more often than not.
Chuck
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Second the motion....SPF=randyg
 
The pro I asked said to hit it as described but with low outside engllish.
 
I usually hit the second ball full, and draw it to the rail and back to the center of the table.

CueTable Help

 
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Hitting the 2nd ball is to try to make the 8 on the break. The best way to spread the balls around in 8-ball is to hit the head ball full as hard as you can keeping the QB in the middle of the table. Johnnyt
 
There's no definitive answer here. I know guys who prefer the third ball break, but nothing in their results has prompted me to try it. Besides, I think scratching is more of a risk there. As far as guys who apply outside english in order to get the cb back in the middle of the table go, that makes sense. I, however, prefer to hit as much of the 2nd ball as I can with low inside english because I believe the cb coming off the rail and racing toward the opposite corner helps to pocket more balls. It's rare that I don't have at least one shot after the break and that's all I need to get started.
 
Good advice.

Blackjack gets it back to the middle, I prefer to let it go down to the end rail. This is so if I miss, my opponent is stuck with a tough shot usually...shots/safeties that I've practiced for just such occasions. :D

The second ball break can be very helpful for those times when your racker has let the head ball slip loose from the rack. This seems to magically happen if you've been breaking successfully from the front mostly. Switching to the second ball break thwarts this little mistake/trick.

Jeff Livingston
 
berlowmj said:
I have been making some progress taking for granted that I should solidly hit the 2nd ball. I was recently advised that it is preferable to hit between the balls eg 1st & 2nd or 2nd & 3rd. The advice was casual & from an unknown source, so I would appreciate some confirmation from A-Zers upon whom I have come to rely with confidence. Thank you.
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Howdy,
I very rarely post on the technical aspects of the pool game
What game? Straight pool or 8 Ball or One pocket?
I neither play straight pool nor 8 Ball.If it is one pocket it depends upon how u hit the second ball.


1.U can make a ball on the break depending upon how u hit the second ball.
2.U can also scratch when u hit the second ball
3.u can also torture the opponent when u hit the second ball
4.u can also get tortured by the opponent when you hit the second ball especially when the corner ball moves very close to your opponent`s pocket
5.Every thing depends upon where exactly u place place your cue ball and how far from the side rail

My recommendation to you is that during your practice time practice hitting the second ball with varying force with varying english and know for yourself.
If I am gambling with any champion players like scot frost,cliff joyner,tony Rex,Effren for 5-3 ( 5 for the champion and 3 for me) I always hit 2nd ball on the break at 5 o clock between soft and medium speeds and make my opponent cry.

I have a very unorthodox stance and stroke ( it is more like a hustlers stroke) and what works for me may not work for you.Good luck:cool:
 
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1.U can make a ball on the break depending upon how u hit the second ball.
2.U can also scratch when u hit the second ball
3.u can also torture the opponent when u hit the second ball
4.u can also get tortured by the opponent when you hit the second ball especially when the corner ball moves very close to your opponent pocket
Click to expand...

Can't this happen whenever you break 8 ball anyway? LOL

Just a thought is all!
 
berlowmj said:
I have been making some progress taking for granted that I should solidly hit the 2nd ball. I was recently advised that it is preferable to hit between the balls eg 1st & 2nd or 2nd & 3rd. The advice was casual & from an unknown source, so I would appreciate some confirmation from A-Zers upon whom I have come to rely with confidence. Thank you.
Click to expand...

There ya go...more conflicting advice for you.:D Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
Hitting the 2nd ball is to try to make the 8 on the break. The best way to spread the balls around in 8-ball is to hit the head ball full as hard as you can keeping the QB in the middle of the table. Johnnyt
Click to expand...

I agree with Johnnyt on this I like to hammer the rack headon and bring QB back to center table, But always check the rack to know if it is tight!

Lucky ><}}}*>
 
vagabond said:
Most of the times I prefer to hit the second ball and that is my specialty:cool:
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Most of the time I hit the head ball as solid as I can and that is my specialty:cool: Johnnyt
 
Blackjack said:
I usually hit the second ball full, and draw it to the rail and back to the center of the table.
Click to expand...

Yeah, but with how much draw, any side english?
 
OK... another question.

Using the 2nd ball break on a bar box...
Say there is a gap behind the front ball on only one side.
Happens frequently if the front ball rolls off just a hair.

Do you break on the side of the gap or from the opposite side?
And which, if any, gives you a better chance of making the 8?
 
AMoney said:
OK... another question.

Using the 2nd ball break on a bar box...
Say there is a gap behind the front ball on only one side.
Happens frequently if the front ball rolls off just a hair.

Do you break on the side of the gap or from the opposite side?
And which, if any, gives you a better chance of making the 8?
Click to expand...

Break on the side that they are touching...but I ask for a rerack. Johnnyt
 
AMoney said:
OK... another question.

Using the 2nd ball break on a bar box...
Say there is a gap behind the front ball on only one side.
Happens frequently if the front ball rolls off just a hair.

Do you break on the side of the gap or from the opposite side?
And which, if any, gives you a better chance of making the 8?
Click to expand...

I have to disagree with Johnnyt on this one (sorry). I would definitely break on the side of the gap, which exposes more of the second ball. This will allow you to move the 8 better since that second ball is in contact with the 8. With that in mind, I also do this when my opponent doesn't rack the balls straight. I'll shoot at the side that show more of the 8.

Also, for years the standard method of hitting the second ball was with low-inside. With that you don't get whitey back to the middle of the table. That was considered the tradeoff. I never bothered to investigate weather the inside english even mattered. Some things I just don't question. Besides, I like breaking hitting the rack head-on.
 
2nd ball break

Rules I use for Breaking 8 ball:

1) New or fairly new cloth, I front break. Better spread while making balls.
2) Older cloth, or front break not getting good action, I side break with:

from right side, hit 2nd ball full with 4:30 English.
from left side, hit 2nd ball full with 7:30 English.

I shoot the 2nd ball break like it is a half table draw shot (on Bar Table).
 
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