Most favourable break rules for the "better" player?

[memikey]

Know this general subject has been done before in various ways but I want to ask a simple question and would like opinons......

Talking 9 ball.....race to 9, top pro level competition.

For the purpose of this question please assume the hypothetical situation that both players have equal breaking ability.

Please post which break rules (alternate breaks or winner breaks) you think most favours the player who has the better total all round 9 ball game skills (excluding breaking ability which is assumed equal) and if possible the reasons why you think that rule favours him more than the other rule does..

Please in this thread don't deviate into which you think is most fair or most potentially entertaining or which you personally prefer to play, just your opinon of which favours the better all round player more and why.

I fully understand that breaking ability is in reality a very important part of 'all round 9 ball game skills' but nevertheless need to exclude it for the purpose of this question, hence the assumption they are both equal in this respect.

Thanks all in advance.

 

[Drew]

Situation 1: Neither player can run out multiple racks. If this is the case, it shouldn't matter whether it's alternating breaks, winner breaks, loser breaks, or flipping for each break. Both players will have opportunities in each rack.

Situation 2: One player can run multiple racks. Obviously, this player would benefit greatly from a winner break format. He can put 3 or 4 together while his opponent cannot.

Situation 3: Both players can run multiple racks. If this is the case, a race to 9 simply is not long enough. It's really a matter of who's breaking well during the clutch moments. In a winner break format, one player can win 6 games without giving up the table. Then he plays safe and runs out the rest of the set. We've seen it happen. In an alternating break format the match will depend on who's breaking better. I know both players are breaking evenly but it's more about the timing.

Edit: To answer your original question, the better player will always prefer to break (9-ball at least).

 

[memikey]

Thanks Drew, since your numbers 1 and 3 appear from your decription to concern two players of equal overall ability it seems that they are part of your general rationale behind your choice and that its no 2 which gives me your answer to the question asked........which is that the you think 'winner breaks' favours the better player more. Cheers.