Crack the Rack as Hard as You Can

[JAM]

This weekend, the Seminole Tour officials instituted a new rule for the Gainesville stop.

A player MUST break the balls with all their might, or else it could be a foul. :yes:

The rule was designed to prevent use of the ever-so-popular soft break, which caused a few whispers at the recent World Pool Championship this year, so much so that those rules have been changed for future WPCs.

The player has to break the rack "as hard as he/she can," according to the Seminole Tour rule.

If an opponent feels that the breaking player did not him 'em with all their might, then they are given an opportunity to consult with a tour official. :tongue:

Personally, I don't see how anyone can adjudicate this new rule effectively without a speed gun. I can envision that it could be one player's word against the other, in some scenarios.

Fifty-eight players showed up this weekend for the $8,500-added tournament, and there is an all-star cast in attendance, to include Ronnie Wiseman, Tony Crosby, Sparky Ferrell, Tommy Kennedy, Charlie Williams, Hennessee from Tennessee, Stevie Moore, Justin Hall, Donnie Milles, Tim Hall, and the break-meister himself, Mr. Corey Duel. :thumbup:

It will be interesting to see how this new rule plays out. The brackets will be updated at various times throughout this weekend on AzBilliards Main Page: http://www.azbilliards.com

JAM

 

[instroke75]

This is getting pretty silly! Everytime someone figures out the new break rules, they go and change them. First it was break from the box< then no slow break, now you have to Happy Gilmore the balls I guess! Lol
Nobody wants anyone to break and run out anymore apparantly. I guess they should all go play Straight Pool, or one pocket so there are no break and runs!
Jeremy

 

[JoeyA]

This weekend, the Seminole Tour officials instituted a new rule for the Gainesville stop.

A player MUST break the balls with all their might, or else it could be a foul. :yes:

The rule was designed to prevent use of the ever-so-popular soft break, which caused a few whispers at the recent World Pool Championship this year, so much so that those rules have been changed for future WPCs.

The player has to break the rack "as hard as he/she can," according to the Seminole Tour rule.

If an opponent feels that the breaking player did not him 'em with all their might, then they are given an opportunity to consult with a tour official. :tongue:

Personally, I don't see how anyone can adjudicate this new rule effectively without a speed gun. I can envision that it could be one player's word against the other, in some scenarios.

Fifty-eight players showed up this weekend for the $8,500-added tournament, and there is an all-star cast in attendance, to include Ronnie Wiseman, Tony Crosby, Sparky Ferrell, Tommy Kennedy, Charlie Williams, Hennessee from Tennessee, Stevie Moore, Justin Hall, Donnie Milles, Tim Hall, and the break-meister himself, Mr. Corey Duel. :thumbup:

It will be interesting to see how this new rule plays out. The brackets will be updated at various times throughout this weekend on AzBilliards Main Page: http://www.azbilliards.com

JAM

I want to know how many times a tour official was consulted? If a player make a good effort to break the balls with a decent controlled break, I would have to think that would be enough.

To ask them to break WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT is asking a bit much and may result in broken lights, bones and lawsuits. :nono:

JoeyA

 

[PKM]

Maybe people will start perfecting how to fake the hard break. Make a dramatic jump in the air and grunt while hitting it softly, then complain about your lack of strength.

 

[JAM]

I want to know how many times a tour official was consulted? If a player make a good effort to break the balls with a decent controlled break, I would have to think that would be enough.

To ask them to break WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT is asking a bit much and may result in broken lights, bones and lawsuits. :nono:

JoeyA

I remember at the 2003 U.S. Open, they were giving out $500 to anyone who made the 9 on the break on the TV table.

As you might imagine, every single TV table player was gunning for that 9-rock on the break.

They were using the Sardo rack, and it just so happened I had breakfast with Carmine Sardo at the Holiday Inn one morning at the 2003 U.S. Open, and so I asked him, "Carmine, what's the best break with the Sardo rack?" I'm thinking I can give this info to Keith.

Maybe, just maybe, Keith can make the 9 on the break, and we can pocket a little jingle to cover expenses.

Carmine Sardo said a medium-speed break, not too hard, not too soft, is best with the Sardo rack.

Keith McCready and Buddy Hall had to play each other that afternoon on the TV table, and so I relayed Carmine Sardo's comments to both of them.

They each were breaking about 17 to 18 MPH, considered a medium-speed break by all accounts. There was a speed gun there that year.

Neither one of them made it on the snap! :thud:

Picture of the charismatic Carmine Sardo and Keith McCready.

JAM

 

[skor]

2003 US open, the first player to sink the 9 on the break and collect the 500 was Rodolfo Luat (if my memory serves me right)

As far as I remember, when I played APA in the late 90's the rule also stated that we had to break as hard as we can.
I always thought it was stupid because who can really tell how hard anyone can break....

On the Eurotour they started to require 3 balls pass the head string which I also find stupid because I've seen some really big breaks where 3 balls did not make it to the kitchen, why should a player who broke like that and made a ball should give up the table?

 

[BigDogatLarge]

The APA now states that 4 balls must hit the rail for the break to be legal. I would think medium speed would accomplish this and satisfy the requirement.

 

[Rift]

I've also heard two balls must clear the side pocket line. I really don't understand all the fuss over the break. It is like any other shot in that some people can hit it better than others. And now people are crying because more people are figuring out better ways to shoot their break? Come on, sooner or later you'll have someone telling you how hard you must hit all your shots....."Come on ref, that 6-ball was only doin mach .5 into the hole, call the game like it's supposed to be I didn't hear a soundbarrier crush are you deaf....."

 

[jamesroberts]

im playing in the tournament and its my understanding just as long as it not a blatant soft break its ok.........im hitting them medium speed and have heard nothing from the td........but i will ask when i head back to the room

btw this is the 1st time ive been to Art of Billiards and it is a fantastic room with fantastic diamond tables that play flawlessly......its not the biggest room in the world but its a real pool room..i feel so lucky to have such nice pool halls relatively close
if anyone has a chance to come to gville this is the place

 

[Nostroke]

2003 US open, the first player to sink the 9 on the break and collect the 500 was Rodolfo Luat (if my memory serves me right)

As far as I remember, when I played APA in the late 90's the rule also stated that we had to break as hard as we can.
I always thought it was stupid because who can really tell how hard anyone can break....

On the Eurotour they started to require 3 balls pass the head string which I also find stupid because I've seen some really big breaks where 3 balls did not make it to the kitchen, why should a player who broke like that and made a ball should give up the table?

It just happened to Mika in the finals of the Masters- He made a ball and 2 or 3 went past the side pocket but not the Headstring. He gave up the table to Alex who was 3 games behind and next thing you know its hill hill and Mika loses.

 

[JAM]

It just happened to Mika in the finals of the Masters- He made a ball and 2 or 3 went past the side pocket but not the Headstring. He gave up the table to Alex who was 3 games behind and next thing you know its hill hill and Mika loses.

That doesn't seem quite fair.

I think the only way to have a rule about the break is to use a speed gun.

Everything else is he-said/she-said, kind of.

JAM

 

[Rift]

That doesn't seem quite fair.

I think the only way to have a rule about the break is to use a speed gun.

Everything else is he-said/she-said, kind of.

JAM

Even then how is it right?

 

[JoeyA]

im playing in the tournament and its my understanding just as long as it not a blatant soft break its ok.........im hitting them medium speed and have heard nothing from the td........but i will ask when i head back to the room

btw this is the 1st time ive been to Art of Billiards and it is a fantastic room with fantastic diamond tables that play flawlessly......its not the biggest room in the world but its a real pool room..i feel so lucky to have such nice pool halls relatively close
if anyone has a chance to come to gville this is the place

And now we get a GOOD report on Gainesville. Thanks for letting us know that you like the room and all of the particulars.
JoeyA

 

[JAM]

Even then how is it right?

I guess I was thinking that the only way you could have a "rule" about how hard you break is to use a speed gun.

Otherwise, I think this "rule" about "breaking them hard" would be hard -- PUN INTENDED, LOL -- to administer in a tournament setting.

JAM

 

[Rift]

I break hard. Of course my hard is maybe 15 mph on good days. If I try to go any crazier with the break I never have any kind of control of whitey that I already have a hard enough time with. I'm lucky if three balls pass the side pockets. So if I start playing in tournaments with my current break I'll be giving someone BIH after every break, where as if swing as hard as possible for me I'll be giving them BIH after the CB goes flying off the table everytime anyway. I got myself a no win situation.

 

[s0lidz]

I agree with whoever said they need a speed gun to regulate this thing. Maybe they should just make a minimum break speed rule, like 20mph. If you do not meet or exceed the limit the break is not legal and you turn the table over to your opponent.

If you're going to enforce something, do it right.

 

[JAM]

I agree with whoever said they need a speed gun to regulate this thing.

Twas moi! :wave2:

Maybe they should just make a minimum break speed rule, like 20mph. If you do not meet or exceed the limit the break is not legal and you turn the table over to your opponent.

If you're going to enforce something, do it right.

I think 20 MPH would be too high. Many players don't break that hard.

Maybe 15 MPH or higher could be a starting point! k:

JAM

 

[skor]

I agree with whoever said they need a speed gun to regulate this thing. Maybe they should just make a minimum break speed rule, like 20mph. If you do not meet or exceed the limit the break is not legal and you turn the table over to your opponent.

If you're going to enforce something, do it right.

You can't do that!
this is like saying you can't play basketball if you're under 7ft. tall....

IPT had it right (the only thing they got right) - slow cloth, no phenolic, 8-ball.

You can get worsted cloth that will play slower, it doesn't have to be napped. I don't mind phenolic tips on jump cues but I'm all for banning it for breaking (although I use it on my BK2), yeah that means bye bye jump-break cues... 9ball was chosen to be the game because it's faster and looks better on TV but since you don't really get any pool on TV, you might as well go back to 14.1, or 8ball.

 

[KoolKat9Lives]

how soft is soft?

<insert viagra joke here>

For the knowledge impaired, how is a soft break performed (IE. how slow, where is the cue, where do you hit on the one, where do you stop the cue)?

What is the desired outcome? one in the opposite side + a wing ball in the corner?

It must be pretty effective since it's ruffled many feathers for many years. Maybe I can learn it and use it on the town a$$ when he acts up next time!

 

[Cuebacca]

FIRST!!!! .... to give the correct answer .... which is .... 10-ball