question about the break shot

ugotactionTX

ugotactionTX

I'm in dead rack!
Silver Member
It seems like read(heard)somewhere about a general rule about the break shot and when to use high English vs low English. I know rules are made to be broken, but isn't there a general guideline about when to use each one?

I think it had to do with the cue ball position relative to the rack. Did I dream this up?
 
ugotactionTX said:
It seems like read(heard)somewhere about a general rule about the break shot and when to use high English vs low English. I know rules are made to be broken, but isn't there a general guideline about when to use each one?

I think it had to do with the cue ball position relative to the rack. Did I dream this up?
Click to expand...

The post was made by Danny Harriman "3 inch rule" - I have reposted it in this forum several times. I would like to re-post Danny's exact explanation - but I cant find it right now. I will post it for you later today if I am able to find it.
 
It really depends on where you want to hit the rack. You always want to hit a ball in the rack solid and not to much to the lower side or higher side of the intended strike point, or you don't want to hit the "crotch" as some would say. Your best yield will result from hitting the intended ball in the rack solid. So there are times when a follow will not get you there, and times draw will not get you there.

In general though, what I like to do is if its a backcut breakshot I like to follow. If the breakshot is not a backcut I like to draw, but there are exceptions to that if I can't hit my intended spot. For instance if the tangent line with the follow shot is leading me into a "crotch" then most likely a scratch is in order. I will then draw to hit a ball solid to get away from the scratch possibility.

Another exception is if you can only hit the lower corner ball, most the time from wherever I am with the cue ball I like to follow that shot if possible.
 
Last edited:
Here it is, I finally found it....


Quote from a post by Danny Harriman:
Remember that if the fifteenth ball and or the 'break ball' is close to the rack we draw the cue ball, if the breakshot ball and the rack have distance (more than three ball's width) then we should address the cue ball with follow, there are a few exception's but this will help you not be so worried about scratching off of the rack and increase your high run average.
 
I highly recomend Danny Harriman's DVD and Schmidt's as well. they give some insight on break shots.

IMO there is some general rules of thumb but alot of it is feel depending on your stroke, and conditions of the table.

Practice some break shots and pay attention to the end results using all different types of english on the same break shot.

Alot of it has to do with where you are going to contact the rack as to what type of english to put on it!


Good luck and keep up the practice !

Steve
 
thanks guys. I knew I had seen it before I just couldn't remember the guidelines. Now... I'm off to try it out!
 
I know what you mean first hand. It seems like more often than not, I do not have a shot when I draw into the stack. I seem to get stuck in there OR don't come away with anything to shoot
 
I have been told that as a general rule if you are gonna hit the 2 lowest balls on the stack, use follow, and if you are hitting the higher balls use stun or draw. But I have no idea about breakshots. I need all the help I can get on breakshots myself...
 
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