is the break the most difficult shot in pool?

[sjm]

AtLarge just posted some stats on the recent open 9Ball tourney. The most interesting datum, imo, is the finding:

He won 63% (274 of 435) of the games in which he broke legally, made at least one ball, and did not foul (successful breaks).

Need to take this with a grain of salt, though. In a winner breaks event, the best players break a lot more than 50% of the racks, so the 63% generalization is very misleading.

If everyone in the field hit the same number of breaks, this stat would be far more informative, even if you restrict such an analysis to players who cashed.

 

[ceebee]

It seems that the Breaker is favored by a slight margin, but if you look closer, you'll see that not many have a Strong Break, that's similar to Van Boening's, That's because players don't practice the Break Shot.

 

[jrctherake]

It seems that the Breaker is favored by a slight margin, but if you look closer, you'll see that not many have a Strong Break, that's similar to Van Boening's, That's because players don't practice the Break Shot.

Efren has a very weak break but is one of the strongest players on earth.

Having said that, I would love to have a breakrak but my wife might kill me if I spent that much on a pool related item.

I've been looking for a good used rak for a time now.

 

[lfigueroa]

One or the other, or both, I'm pretty sure (or maybe Mike Page?).

I don't think Ron ever made the jump from RSB to AzB. Far as I know he's still around the Chicago area (still at Argonne National Lab?) playing pool and trying to talk some sense into us schlubs.

pj
chgo

I saw Ron at Red Shoes earlier this year. He's doing good.

Lou Figueroa

 

[PoolBoy1]

It certainly is in 9 ball. Makes it boring unless one likes 6 game run outs. At least alternate breaks.

 

[pt109]

It certainly is in 9 ball. Makes it boring unless one likes 6 game run outs. At least alternate breaks.

I like the possibility of a ‘pack’....
...one of the most exciting matches in the Open was Little Ko down 10-6....
...Shane scratched on the break.....and never shot again.

Trying to fabricate a close match by alternating breaks is like eating margarine instead of
butter.

And when you get way behind at alternating breaks, you can’t come back without your
opponent’s help....which is pretty negative, IMO.

 

[sjm]

I like the possibility of a ‘pack’....
...one of the most exciting matches in the Open was Little Ko down 10-6....
...Shane scratched on the break.....and never shot again.

Trying to fabricate a close match by alternating breaks is like eating margarine instead of
butter.

And when you get way behind at alternating breaks, you can’t come back without your
opponent’s help....which is pretty negative, IMO.

Exactly right. You can't have it all.

With alternate break, you get closer matches with far fewer comebacks at the highest level. With winner break, you get a few more blowouts but also more comebacks.

I can see why a lot of the players want alternate break, but as a fan, I like winner breaks because I like the prospect of a package and I like comebacks.

Thanks for a nice post that frames the debate clearly and accurately.

 

[ceebee]

the break shot

Efren has a very weak break but is one of the strongest players on earth.

Having said that, I would love to have a breakrak but my wife might kill me if I spent that much on a pool related item.

I've been looking for a good used rak for a time now.

Efren is shown using a BreakRAK on YouTube....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm6EyYDEGvo

Finding a used BreakRAK is tough, that's because players like it & learn from it. I've made thousands, but you can't hardly find one. Rodney Morris said players won't even talk about the BreakRAK, he said it's "the best kept secret in Pool.

Imagine Pro Golf, where the players knocked the golf ball all over the lot. There would be no Pro-Golf, just Putt Putt & Par 3 tournaments. Same goes for Tennis & other single player sports.

Even the Instructors don't give much help on the break shot. It's the very first shot in every game & people won't practice it..???? It's because it's tough to learn.

You'd think everyone would be practicing the first shot in every game, because Winning without a good Break Shot, is sometimes just a wish. BUT, in the END, most Pool Players aren't keen on practice of any kind... they just want to play.

 

[ceebee]

I’m guessing the fact that Pat Fleming counted a very slight edge to the non-breaker it was because there was so many players that don’t practice their break enough and they try to break hard and scratch which is an instant lost usually


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Let me say a few things about this statement. We go into lots of Pool Rooms & the one thing we never see is anyone practicing. This has to be a phenomenon, because practice is the only way to get better at the game. Yes, a small percentage of people have Pool Tables in there homes, but even still, do they practice.

We on AZB have all heard about SVB & his practice regimen, but that is only one player. In Pro Golf, Pros practice daily, maybe 2-3 times a day. If the Pros didn't practice their Drive Swings, there would be no Pro Golf, because people would NOT
watch players hit the golf ball into the woods, lakes, sand traps or whatever. There would only be PUTT-PUTT left.

I know what Practice can do & I still practice on my table at home. Imagine how much better a player could be with a practice regimen. New knowledge has to learned, then earned, to be useful.

 

[Poolmanis]

Pros don´t practice because they can´t. They don´t have time and energy for competing AND practicing.
Or if they do that affect usually negatively for awhile if they are playing a lot of tournaments. They will do minor practice on tournament warm up tables. That is just maintaining skills and feel.

I asked about this from Ralf Souquet around year 2000. He told to me "I don´t practice at all" if he practices he can´t perform well on tourneys and time is issue too.
I then persisted "how you can be so good then? Nobody learn like that!"
Answer: "10 years. 8 hour a day dedicated practice"
He also told he tries to see matches from own games so he could spot errors.

 

[ceebee]

So Ralf learned his game with 10 years of 8 hour practice & NOW HE MAINTAINS HIS GAME AS NEEDED WITH WARMUPS...Great Idea....

But there are only a 100 players world wide, that can do that. That means there are millions that could play better, with a practice regimen. My point exactly.& we all know that ain't gonna change.

When I grew up, no one would show you how to do a power draw, but today, there is a lot of help on the internet. BUT knowledge unlearned isn't much use to anyone....