Different spped on Break-Different results?

[Jeff]

I still haven't figured this one out.

Example:

Last night playing in APA 9-ball. Using a Mez break cue with White Diamond tip. I broke 5 racks of balls. The first two times I pounded the balls, that White Diamond breaks a ton, and no balls went down either time. The next three times I broke about 1/2 to 3/4 speed/power of the first two breaks, and got 2 balls down on the third break, 3 balls on the fourth and fifth break.

I played many other games after my match on a different table and I did full speed breaks on several occasions with no balls pocketed. But when I broke at about 1/2 speed, I would always pocket at least one ball and most of the time two or more.

I always break from the same place on the table. I realize moving the cue ball to a different place might create different results.

So why does breaking softer make a difference, from the same place on the table and on the same size tables.

 

[seymore15074]

I still haven't figured this one out.
So why does breaking softer make a difference, from the same place on the table and on the same size tables.

I'm going to take a stab at this one... I see a few possibilities.

The rails would be my guess, if you bank a ball hard, the rail tightens up and you come short... Perhaps you are breaking just right (at 1/2 or 3/4 power) to bank a ball in and hitting it hard makes it come short.

Other than that, when you use your full strength, you might be loosing accuracy...this could effect the outcome bigtime.

And lastly, I doubt you had the exact same tight rack every time. Try this over more than 5 breaks to get a better look at the results.

 

[Scott Lee]

Other than that, when you use your full strength, you might be loosing accuracy...this could effect the outcome bigtime.

And lastly, I doubt you had the exact same tight rack every time. Try this over more than 5 breaks to get a better look at the results.

Good advice, and correct information.

Scott Lee
www.poolknowledge.com

 

[matcase]

I've never even came close to figuring this out. Some times breaking hard works better, sometimes not. If it is working, stick with it. If it is not working, vary speed and position. Different tables and ball sets require different approaches. Looking forward to advice from others as well. Good luck.

 

[tigerallenyim]

So why does breaking softer make a difference, from the same place on the table and on the same size tables.

Can throw have anything to do with it? I know, I know I am not supposed to answer a question with another question, but I believe it has something to deal with throw. I've seen many ESPN games in which softer breaks will yield good pocketing, but the CB does not lie in a favorable spot.

 

[thoffen]

Seems to me like you can get more kisses on a power break leading to less balls pocketed and more clustering. I think breaking is evolving with better racking, cloth, tables, and knowledge. People should start focusing on controlling the one ball with the cue ball since it's pretty easy to make the wing ball under standard conditions if you know how to rack.

 

[Jeff]

I'm going to take a stab at this one... I see a few possibilities.

The rails would be my guess, if you bank a ball hard, the rail tightens up and you come short... Perhaps you are breaking just right (at 1/2 or 3/4 power) to bank a ball in and hitting it hard makes it come short.

Other than that, when you use your full strength, you might be loosing accuracy...this could effect the outcome bigtime.

And lastly, I doubt you had the exact same tight rack every time. Try this over more than 5 breaks to get a better look at the results.

I did try it on more than 5 breaks, it was a different table but it was the same make/model, same type cloth, and same size.

Racks were racked by different people but same results as the 5 breaks I had in my official match that night.

When I broke full and hard, no balls were made, just a lot of noise.

When I broke about 1/2 speed, balls were made.

The rail compression idea makes a lot of sense to me though. The harder the balls hit the rail, they will rebound differently. So on a larger table or maybe even on a different make of table (unless they all use the same make of rails), results could be different.

 

[KMRUNOUT]

I have studied the break quite a bit. I have found that the speed of the cue ball definitely has an effect on the path the head ball takes off the rack. The harder you hit the head ball, the further down the tabel it will hit the side rail. For example, if I break from the right side of the table at a medium speed, the one ball goes towards the side pocket. If I slam the break, the one goes past the side pocket. A soft break makes the one go in front of the side pocket. Obviously I am trying to keep all other variables the same. This will undoubtedly effect the other balls in the rack. I find that different speeds effect whether or not I pocket the wing ball. This has nothing to do with the rails, because the wing ball goes straight in the corner pocket.

So YES, the break speed effects where the balls go. I can't explain why. Possibly it has to do with the idea that cling between the balls is reduced at higher speeds. Maybe Bob Jewitt can chime in here.

KMRUNOUT