Open or Closed bridge on break
- Thread starter berlowmj
- Start date
Closed bridge only...it helps to control the extreme movements of the break shot....same goes for power draw shots....
What a crock the closed bridge on the break only inhibits movement and therefore you canno't generate as much power on the break as you would with an open bridge, and as for controlling the cb all it takes is practise but there are some people out there who are not willing to do that and would rather ram the closed bridge is better arguement down our throats because thats the proper way to shoot.
Rant over.
Rant over.
I use open bridge, but I certainly wouldn't advise people to do it if they are comfortable with a closed bridge.
For people with backgrounds in English pool and snooker, I don't think breaking with an open bridge is any disadvantage to accuracy or power.
Of course for 9-ball off the rail it's a different story.
As an open bridge player I find the biggest disadvantage of a closed bridge to be sighting alignment. For someone who plays a lot with a closed bridge, I doubt this is a problem.
Colin
For people with backgrounds in English pool and snooker, I don't think breaking with an open bridge is any disadvantage to accuracy or power.
Of course for 9-ball off the rail it's a different story.
As an open bridge player I find the biggest disadvantage of a closed bridge to be sighting alignment. For someone who plays a lot with a closed bridge, I doubt this is a problem.
Colin
i cant break with a closed bridge anymore.. i dont know why.. just cant.. i jump the cue off the table and miscue,, its just bad...
now , with an open bridge, i can murder the rack.. cant figure it out... i think it has something to do with the taper of the shaft.. but as long as the open bridge is working for me.. why change..
chris
now , with an open bridge, i can murder the rack.. cant figure it out... i think it has something to do with the taper of the shaft.. but as long as the open bridge is working for me.. why change..
chris
Clarification welcome
I'm glad you provided clarification. I thought you were using an open bridge on your video & I was concerned. You are the model for power.
Occassionally, I have seen Efren come up empty while breaking on Youtube. How do you explain it?
Colin Colenso said:
I'm glad you provided clarification. I thought you were using an open bridge on your video & I was concerned. You are the model for power.
Occassionally, I have seen Efren come up empty while breaking on Youtube. How do you explain it?
Banks
Banned
I used a closed/rail bridge for breaking 8, while I now use an open/closed (depends on what the fingers do) bridge for 9. With the rail bridge (thumb tucked to middle finger) it provides a little more stability without giving up the power I lose when I try bridging on the felt. I also want the cb struck just below center with as much of an even stick as a I can get, so resting on the thumb would create more of a downward angle. For 9, I kept scratching any time I'd get a decent break, though I found breaking from closer to the side helped spread the balls (instead of relying on the explosion of the rack, one side gets more force and knocks them all around afterwards). After that, I just started jacking up a little more and the excess draw I sometimes got was pretty much gone. I tend to switch between open/closed while shooting, depending on whatever the fingers say feels good, so doing so while breaking doesn't change much.
Probably the same reason any player comes up empty; sometimes you're simply gonna catcha bad roll on the break. Granted they have their breaks down much moreconsistently there is always room for error on such a hard shot and with some (bad) luck you can't always drop a ball.
Colin Colenso said:
I couldn't agree more. I've used an open bridge all my life, I think most Brits do. When you see a snooker player hit a ball & draw back from 12ft away how can you argue with that?
I have tried a closed bridge to break but I'm just horrible with it! I don't think I'm going to worry about changing what works for me.
Working on break technique
I wish I could post a video for critique, but I will use prose to describe the direction in which I'm going with technique. I have overcome miscuing, scratching, & my CB placement is satisfactory. The ball scatter is also satisfactory so my only objective is to increase the %age of times I pocket a ball on the break.
1. Thanks to Colin's reassurance, I am retaining my closed bridge with confidence, but rubbing the shaft with the Q-Wiz cloth more often.
2. With my phenolic tip, I am hitting the CB center, but below the equator.
3. I am right handed & starting with the CB slightly to the right rather than head-on & am at the foul line.
4. I am holding my body low as I line up to hit the center of the 1 ball.
5. I am then focussing on the CB rather than the object ball, which enables me to lengthen my bridge & still maintain control.
6. I am raising my body slightly as I make my preparatory strokes.
7. I am pausing at the back stroke & concentrating my ki energy on follow through as I pull the trigger.
8. My body is naturally rising as my follow through takes me forward & the cue goes into the air with my tip ending up past the middle pocket.
I am experiencing some progress in %age of balls made on the break, BUT I welcome feedback.
Colin Colenso said:
I wish I could post a video for critique, but I will use prose to describe the direction in which I'm going with technique. I have overcome miscuing, scratching, & my CB placement is satisfactory. The ball scatter is also satisfactory so my only objective is to increase the %age of times I pocket a ball on the break.
1. Thanks to Colin's reassurance, I am retaining my closed bridge with confidence, but rubbing the shaft with the Q-Wiz cloth more often.
2. With my phenolic tip, I am hitting the CB center, but below the equator.
3. I am right handed & starting with the CB slightly to the right rather than head-on & am at the foul line.
4. I am holding my body low as I line up to hit the center of the 1 ball.
5. I am then focussing on the CB rather than the object ball, which enables me to lengthen my bridge & still maintain control.
6. I am raising my body slightly as I make my preparatory strokes.
7. I am pausing at the back stroke & concentrating my ki energy on follow through as I pull the trigger.
8. My body is naturally rising as my follow through takes me forward & the cue goes into the air with my tip ending up past the middle pocket.
I am experiencing some progress in %age of balls made on the break, BUT I welcome feedback.
I've seen colins video, and his break with a open bridge in 8ball is amazing! but its not for everyone.
I've seen guys playing snooker using a open bridge and pot balls left n right. But they've also been doing it this way thier whole life.
As for power breaking, yes its better to use a closed bridge, cuz you get a steadier cue stroke too.
I've use a open bridge for breaking once during a tournament only cuz it was played on a BB table not 7ft. And anytime I used a closed bridge i scratched lol.
I've seen guys playing snooker using a open bridge and pot balls left n right. But they've also been doing it this way thier whole life.
As for power breaking, yes its better to use a closed bridge, cuz you get a steadier cue stroke too.
I've use a open bridge for breaking once during a tournament only cuz it was played on a BB table not 7ft. And anytime I used a closed bridge i scratched lol.
Maybe. I think. Yes?
berlowmj said:
I have taught many people to break well. The first thing I tell them is to use an open bridge out on the table to get rid of the "I need to crush the rack" attitude. A closed bridge gives you a pivot/leverage point that makes you want to torque on the cue giving you many bad habits. If they want to go back to a closed bridge after learning to break, fine with me.
There are very few players that realize breaking is not about power, and thats good thing!
Gerry
There are very few players that realize breaking is not about power, and thats good thing!
Gerry
Breaks
Closed bridge except for side rail breaks in 9 ball or 2nd ball breaks in 8 ball.
Have you ever seen a Pro use an open bridge when breaking on the table, and not a side rail break? All that I have seen breaking from the head line on the table use a closed bridge. Now if they back it up and bridge from the head rail, I have seen an open bridge, but not when close to the head line.
Closed bridge except for side rail breaks in 9 ball or 2nd ball breaks in 8 ball.
Have you ever seen a Pro use an open bridge when breaking on the table, and not a side rail break? All that I have seen breaking from the head line on the table use a closed bridge. Now if they back it up and bridge from the head rail, I have seen an open bridge, but not when close to the head line.
I follow through on my break shot MUCH too far to use a closed bridge without breaking the fingers on my left hand. Whenever I've tried using a closed bridge, I feel like my break motion is clipped short, and I don't feel like it has any control. On my open bridge break, which I almost exclusively use, I follow through until my tip is almost at the foot spot (my arm lifts during this, so the cue doesn't interfere with the balls), which puts my grip hand AHEAD of where my bridge hand was. I would have to drastically change my break stroke to be able to use a closed bridge.
-Andrew
-Andrew
Why do people insist on re inventing the wheel ?
1. Go to pro tournament or buy 50 accu stats tapes
2. Watch how the best players in the world break.
3. Think to your self " These guys do this for a living, I wonder if they know what they are talking about "
Corey Duel does okay breaking like a small female child and even he breaks from a closed bridge. Forget about the guys with the cannon shot breaks. I can't think of one top player either nationally or even locally that breaks with an open bridge. Not to say you can't, but like I said, why re invent the wheel ?????
1. Go to pro tournament or buy 50 accu stats tapes
2. Watch how the best players in the world break.
3. Think to your self " These guys do this for a living, I wonder if they know what they are talking about "
Corey Duel does okay breaking like a small female child and even he breaks from a closed bridge. Forget about the guys with the cannon shot breaks. I can't think of one top player either nationally or even locally that breaks with an open bridge. Not to say you can't, but like I said, why re invent the wheel ?????