Curious about 9 ball break

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lucasi1

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Not sure if this has been covered before, if so then I apologize.

I have played 60 years and with internet, watched cue sports for hours. Recently watched the first Masters 9 Ball Championship dated April 2001. Reyes and Strickland playing in final. It’s a race to 13 but my attention was focused on the break. I admit I have only seen the first eleven breaks, but my point is 1) not one time did the corner ball go in the pocket and 2) only twice was any ball made. 9 breaks out of 11 were dry. Looks like a Gold Crown with Simonis and a referee using wooden triangle rack. Earl examined few racks so the balls were frozen. That corner ball usually hits half diamond on side rail.

I know years ago that making a ball on the break was more difficult. I’m curious what has changed over time. Here’s 2 of the best players ever, not some junkies. The playing area and ball size is the same. Has the ball weight changed? I am just curious. Thanks.
 
What changed is that 20/30 years ago most of the break was "hit it hard, and try to squat the cueball" because the racks were fairly inconsistent and not many paid attention to them or knew what to look for. Good players knew the corner ball can go and the 1 ball in the side, but I don't know if they realized exactly why past knowing if you hit this speed from this angle the 1 went in, if you hit at this angle, the corner ball went in. Listen to some of the commentary and lessons about the break, not much till maybe the Sardo rack came out was very good to emulate or understand, at least not out in public. Condition of the cloth, exact rack spot on the table, humidity, how clean the balls are, quite a few factors will affect a break enough where seemingly easy breaks are confusing the players.

Also don't count on the break from that one match as an example of all the breaks from back then. In the famous "corner ball" match between Sigel and Varner the corner ball went in I think on every break. In the Color of Money between Reyes and Strickland on the GC tables with a wood rack, they made the 1 ball in the side often, and usually a few others, there were multiple 2-3-4-5 rack runs by both players.
 
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lucasi1 said:
... and a referee using wooden triangle rack. Earl examined few racks so the balls were frozen. That corner ball usually hits half diamond on side rail.
...
Click to expand...
I don't think the balls were frozen. That corner ball goes to the pocket if the balls are frozen. Most of the balls have to be frozen and if there is one gap it changes the corner ball.
 
I don't remember where or how I learned it but there's an interesting 9 ball break with a template rack.
It goes like this: With a perfect rack and placement of the cue ball on the head spot a perfect dead center strike to the cueball sending it to a square strike on the 1 ball sends the rear ball to the foot rail to rebound to the 9 which has remained stationary. By moving the cue ball slightly off center(maybe an inch) the rebound of the rear ball is just enough off of square that it can send the 9 to the head corner or even the side. Not a high percentage but the shot is there. The down side is it rarely made another ball and usually left the 1 and 9 in close proximity near the head corner. On a 7' table I employed the break successfully against John Schmidt. I got "The Look", he wasn't sure if I played it or if it was dumb luck. It was Luck but educated luck. 😉
 
Bob Jewett said:
I don't think the balls were frozen. That corner ball goes to the pocket if the balls are frozen. Most of the balls have to be frozen and if there is one gap it changes the corner ball.
Click to expand...
I was thinking the same:.looking at the rack is only proof earl looked at it, not that the balls were frozen.
 
A lot has changed in the 20+ years since that video was made. A few years after that video, players got into soft breaking or more of a controlled break versus the hit the shit out of it in 2001 and pop the cue ball in the center of the table.

We alos now have unlimted data of pool games. Years ago i had to go to the poolhall of ocasinally had an ESPN show to watch pool. Now I can get anything i want anytime.
 
Lot's of baby steps from then to now (in no particular order)
  • Refs suck at racking and wing ball doesn't drop
  • Players suck at racking and wing ball doesn't drop
  • Some players okay at racking and wing ball does drop
  • Rack your own gets popular because it seems fair
  • Sardo Rack gets popular because it seems universally fair
  • Soft breaking emerges
  • Pattern racking emerges
  • Return to hand racking
  • Players racksmithing wired racks with intentional gaps emerge
  • Template racks emerge
  • 3 point rule emerges
  • Break boxes emerge
  • 3 point rule compliant semi-soft cut breaks emerge
  • Smaller break box emerges
  • Vague forceful break rule emerges
I think you just happened to see a video in the era of that first bullet.
 
MattPoland said:
Lot's of baby steps from then to now (in no particular order)
  • Refs suck at racking and wing ball doesn't drop
  • Players suck at racking and wing ball doesn't drop
  • Some players okay at racking and wing ball does drop
  • Rack your own gets popular because it seems fair
  • Sardo Rack gets popular because it seems universally fair
  • Soft breaking emerges
  • Pattern racking emerges
  • Return to hand racking
  • Players racksmithing wired racks with intentional gaps emerge
  • Template racks emerge
  • 3 point rule emerges
  • Break boxes emerge
  • 3 point rule compliant semi-soft cut breaks emerge
  • Smaller break box emerges
  • Vague forceful break rule emerges
I think you just happened to see a video in the era of that first bullet.
Click to expand...
You forgot 9 on the spot!
 
lucasi1 said:
Not sure if this has been covered before, if so then I apologize.

I have played 60 years and with internet, watched cue sports for hours. Recently watched the first Masters 9 Ball Championship dated April 2001. Reyes and Strickland playing in final. It’s a race to 13 but my attention was focused on the break. I admit I have only seen the first eleven breaks, but my point is 1) not one time did the corner ball go in the pocket and 2) only twice was any ball made. 9 breaks out of 11 were dry. Looks like a Gold Crown with Simonis and a referee using wooden triangle rack. Earl examined few racks so the balls were frozen. That corner ball usually hits half diamond on side rail.

I know years ago that making a ball on the break was more difficult. I’m curious what has changed over time. Here’s 2 of the best players ever, not some junkies. The playing area and ball size is the same. Has the ball weight changed? I am just curious. Thanks.
Click to expand...
The newer cloths fabric mixture, allow this to be more in play. They are slipperier.
 
MattPoland said:
Lot's of baby steps from then to now (in no particular order)
  • Refs suck at racking and wing ball doesn't drop
  • Players suck at racking and wing ball doesn't drop
  • Some players okay at racking and wing ball does drop
  • Rack your own gets popular because it seems fair
  • Sardo Rack gets popular because it seems universally fair
  • Soft breaking emerges
  • Pattern racking emerges
  • Return to hand racking
  • Players racksmithing wired racks with intentional gaps emerge
  • Template racks emerge
  • 3 point rule emerges
  • Break boxes emerge
  • 3 point rule compliant semi-soft cut breaks emerge
  • Smaller break box emerges
  • Vague forceful break rule emerges
I think you just happened to see a video in the era of that first bullet.
Click to expand...

Would it not have simply been easier (and more entertaining) if we stuck with 1 and 2...............
 
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