Crazy Break
- Thread starter GideonF
- Start date
This can happen with the 2nd ball break quite often. Maybe not as bad, but you do tend to see clusters on the opposite side of where you are breaking from.
You can generally avoid this by using a little low and outside on the cueball. This will cause the cueball to go to the side rail and then back through the rack to scatter them some more.
My advice though would be to stop using the 2nd ball break. Just stick with hitting the head ball square. The only advantage of the 2nd ball break is that you can get the 8 ball moving and sometimes make it,but if you're league doesn't count that as a win. What's the point?
You can generally avoid this by using a little low and outside on the cueball. This will cause the cueball to go to the side rail and then back through the rack to scatter them some more.
My advice though would be to stop using the 2nd ball break. Just stick with hitting the head ball square. The only advantage of the 2nd ball break is that you can get the 8 ball moving and sometimes make it,but if you're league doesn't count that as a win. What's the point?
Interestingly, I broke from the right side, so these all came back to the side I broke from.
I moved to the 2nd ball break because I couldn't make a ball consistently on these 7' Diamonds with my head ball break - I'd get a perfect spread for my opponent to run out. When I hit the 2nd ball I've been making balls more consistently.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
back when i played a lot of lower level leagues i would use the 2nd ball break to try to counter people not being able to rack well. i felt it was easier to just use that break instead of asking them to re-rack over and over and them getting mad.
that said...i would get similar situations using the 2nd ball break...hence why i don't like doing it often. with your head on break, try messing with the speed. sometimes that will help a ball find a pocket.
that said...i would get similar situations using the 2nd ball break...hence why i don't like doing it often. with your head on break, try messing with the speed. sometimes that will help a ball find a pocket.
Strange, Gideon, I played one game on a 9-foot Dufferin last night.
....the balls ended up very similar....second ball break from the right side.
I too, failed to get out.
I had a Spanish omelette and cream of broccoli soup just before.....
...if you had the same thing......it's gotta be the diet.
....and Beibs....8-ball is a game I rarely play....II found the second ball break works best
for me.....it cracks mud racks well or inconsistent racks because of old balls.
....the balls ended up very similar....second ball break from the right side.
I too, failed to get out.
I had a Spanish omelette and cream of broccoli soup just before.....
...if you had the same thing......it's gotta be the diet.
....and Beibs....8-ball is a game I rarely play....II found the second ball break works best
for me.....it cracks mud racks well or inconsistent racks because of old balls.
I often get similar problems when second ball breaking, I do use low/outside on the break. All of my league play is on barbox Diamonds and it seems there are just nights when you dry break on the head ball. The thing I found most effective to pocketing a ball on nights like this is to try slowing down a little and really striking the rack nicely and keeping the cue ball dead center of the side pockets. More often than not you will pocket a ball in one or even both side pockets if you spot the cue ball near center table on the break. If you hit too fast the balls will hit side rail just down table of the side pockets or rattle around the points.
This happens often enough that it inspired Corey Deuel to try and break like this while playing one pocket...not sure if he has retired this approach though.
You might also try a lil inside english to send the cue ball 2 rails back to the stack. This can keep the balls from doing that.
Let me give you some advice...
Oh wait, you weren't looking for advice. You've been around the block for decades, you've seen in person a ton of professional play, and this second ball break isn't as if it's your first time seeing rain.
Interesting layout. I like the water mark.
Freddie <~~~ BTDT
Oh wait, you weren't looking for advice. You've been around the block for decades, you've seen in person a ton of professional play, and this second ball break isn't as if it's your first time seeing rain.
Interesting layout. I like the water mark.
Freddie <~~~ BTDT
2nd ball break
I use the second ball break exclusively because I have better control over the cue ball. I see the clusters happen on occasion as well when I don't hit the balls like I should be. Fun stuff when that happens...but still better than spreading the balls wide open and not sinking a ball or scratching on the break.
I use the second ball break exclusively because I have better control over the cue ball. I see the clusters happen on occasion as well when I don't hit the balls like I should be. Fun stuff when that happens...but still better than spreading the balls wide open and not sinking a ball or scratching on the break.
This is almost always the result of a bad rack. Some gaps in the middle often lead to this result. Even with the 8 ball magic rack you may get some gaps in the middle. Still, if I broke this and made a ball, and I get to choose how to go at this, I feel I have the advantage. In BCA, with an open table always after the break, I really don't care about the layout...I just want to make a ball.
The "point" of the 2nd ball break is that in many cases (particularly cases where freezing up the rack good is difficult), I have a better chance of pocketing a ball. If I *don't* pocket a ball, the table is typically clustered up. Oddly when I do pocket a ball, the table is usually more runable. All too many times I've smashed the head ball dead nuts perfect, only to spread all the balls nicely and evenly all over the table without one dropping. Kiss of death in 8 ball. Hopefully this helps understand why someone would go for the 2nd ball break.
KMRUNOUT
I exclusively second ball break in 8 ball. It comes from cutting my teeth in leagues where the 8 ball on the break counted while I was learning. I just hit it so much more consistent the a head ball break. I also scratch so much on head ball break because I don't it square consistently.
I also favor the second ball break because I don't mind the clusters. I'm not much of a shot maker with a big stroke, so I find a lot of times a clustered rack favors me as the more patient player.
I play the second ball break with a quarter tip low and a quarter tip inside, as opposed to outside as others have mentioned. If I'm hitting it well the cue will go right into the stack from the side rail below the side pocket. The only time I usually scratch is in the lower right pocket, when breaking from the left side, and the scratch is from a bad stroke juiced up with too much inside.
When I hit it good I love the break. It was working for me last night I ended the night with 3 runouts, 2 on my break and with a runout from a dry break in between which lead to a 50-8 night overall. Wish I could always do that!
I also favor the second ball break because I don't mind the clusters. I'm not much of a shot maker with a big stroke, so I find a lot of times a clustered rack favors me as the more patient player.
I play the second ball break with a quarter tip low and a quarter tip inside, as opposed to outside as others have mentioned. If I'm hitting it well the cue will go right into the stack from the side rail below the side pocket. The only time I usually scratch is in the lower right pocket, when breaking from the left side, and the scratch is from a bad stroke juiced up with too much inside.
When I hit it good I love the break. It was working for me last night I ended the night with 3 runouts, 2 on my break and with a runout from a dry break in between which lead to a 50-8 night overall. Wish I could always do that!
