I'm not sure where I read this at, but here's how I rack FOR MY OPPONENT... 1, 3-5, 6-9-7, 2-4, 8. For RACKING MY OWN... 1, 4-5, 6-9-7, 2-3, 8.
HI ZIM THIS IS FAST, YOU GOT THAT FROM ME, I've recently posted that on two different boards. Here is a copy of some break and rack opinions I just posted on another board in the thread ask fast larry, try and see if any of this works for you. It may not, different strokes for different folks, but it sure works for me. I've made four 9 balls on the snap in a row several times using this system.
The Post ; this is a partial excerpt from:
I have two $2500 Southwest cues and it is a fine cue to play with. When I was playing 9 ball I used one to play with and it's twin to break with only. People could not believe I was doing that. They would go you are using a $2500 cue as a break stick and shake their heads and walk off. I had it out last night breaking 9 ball with it and then playing with my meucci after the snap to run balls with.
On the rack of 9 ball If the other guy is racking and controlling it, then I just blast it with center ball English. He's going to throw you some slug racks for sure. I just try and overpower his slugs.
If I rack when I win, and thats the only way I play now, then I use the cue ball to very lightly tap the top 6 balls and freeze them. If somebody objects I say that's the only way to freeze them and I am making no divots in the cloth. What do you think the Sardo rack does, same thing, freezes the balls but it does drive them down into divots. Here you rack the balls and see if you can do it and freeze all 9. Then I go, see, this one is not froze to that one, normally even in a good rack I can find 3 balls not froze. That usually runs him off and I then continue.
After the top 6 are froze, I want the bottom two balls not touching the bottom of the 9, it allows the 9 then to spin out free and pot. I make a lot of 9's on the snap with this method, the last bottom ball I have only froze to one of the two. You have to be fast and smooth with this to not be detected. It is legal, I am doing the same rack and the other guy is, not freezing 2 or 3 balls, only I am controlling which ones do not get froze. OK, maybe there's a little gray area here I am pushing but I sleep at night on this just fine.
You can get in early before your match, or when he goes to the can you pound in where you want all 9 balls to go. Not tap in, pound in being careful the desk man does not see you do this. Yes you are creating little divots like the Sardo rack does. The next day these rise back up and there is no real damage to the cloth done but room owners do freak out when you do this.
You pound in your 9 ball rack so the one ball is a little below the spot. It's on the spot but under it some so that is not detected when you rack them up. This helps the corner balls go in better. A rack one inch up above the spot usually stops the corner ball from going, so always go down and look under the one ball to be sure your opponent did not pull this trick on you. Now when your opponent racks on the spot his balls never freeze and he loses that vital propagation of transfer of energy down through these balls.
When one of the top 6 balls is not frozen it like cutting a link in a chain, the engery dies right where the break is. That is why you can blast them and nothing moves or happens, the guy racked you up and nothing was frozen. When you rack you move them around just below the spot until you feel them drop into the holes and settle in. Then on every rack they are set up for you just like you want every time with the two balls below the 9 not touching the 9 but so close to it they can't be seen unless you lean over the rack and look right down on them.
When the racker does not freeze the one ball to the 2 balls under it that can help cause your cue ball to fly off of the table as well. Never put up with that. Make him rack until he does and if he can't do it offer to rack for him or tap the one to freeze it. Never accept a slug rack. I have heard it said that the best slug racker on tour is Johnny Archer, so do not trust any one with their rack. Walk down when they rack and watch them close, then lean out over the rack and study what's touching what. When the slugger see's you are on to him, then usually he will rack right for you. The minute you don't go down to watch him he will slug you every time.
I rack the balls 1 ball on the spot
3-4 under the one.
5-9-6 in the middle of the rack
7-8 both are froze tight on the 9 when I rack for my opponent, when I rack for my self neither ball is touching the 9, both a 2mm off of it.
2 The two is on the bottom because it gets driven up table to be close to the one ball and cue ball. If that does not happen then rack the 2 ball under the one ball and begin the rack doing this, 1 23 596, 78 4
If you rack for your opponent you rack the balls
1 35 697 24 8, the concept there is each ball is moving off in a different direction from the other ball producing a non run out table.
My other two personal rules I like are no push out after the break, if you do not have a shot, then kick or give up the cue ball in hand. 2nd rule, no slop, call every shot. The only ball that can slop is the 9 on the break.
I break right down the middle of the table off of the head rail, hit the one square with a tip of right English and I call it a spin break and it will twist the 9 out into the left bottom corner a lot. It puts twist on all of the top 6 balls and they fly apart. I make two balls on the snap doing this most of the time and get a run out spread. The spread on this break leaves a better run out than on the side rail break. People go that's the way beginners break, not pro's.
I go we'll that's the way I set the world record on the break, 8 balls fell in 1961 and in 43 years that break and record has never even been tied. I snap, boom boom two falls, perfect spread, what else do I need to know about breaking. If you know, don't tell me I do not want to hear it.
I hit around center ball, tad below it, never break using above center if you don't want whitey flying off into the wild blue yonder. I want the cue ball to come back up table above the side pockets because that is what my break and rack does, drives the 1 and the 2 towards the cue ball. I don't want to make the one in the side; I want it cross banking up table and the two coming up with it.
Now I am no longer playing 9 ball on my break making two on the snap, I am playing 7 ball with them lying out nice. Now the game is easy. When I break, pop two in on the snap, boom boom and have a nice shot at the one and two, Hasta la vista, baby, ding dong daddy I am long gone. Rack em sausage. Trying to run 9 balls with them all over in bad spots like you get on the side rail break can be impossible for club players to get out much.
I like the 13mm on the red dot because it is a stronger shaft, the thinner the shaft the more it whips on you. The Meucci red dot also breaks just fine using the spin break I employ. Begin with a 13mm, if you are like most and you sand the shaft to clean it with those colored papers, soon it will be down to 12.75. You are best to clean your shaft with just a light damp towel.
I use a separate Meucci cue to break with because I do not want the tip packed down by the force of the break. I use a Triangle for the break. For my play cue a Morri is a fine choice, or any other well known layered tip like the Hercules. The triangle tip will do just about the same as the morri, it will not last as long but it is much cheaper to put on, 2/3rd's less, so if money's tight, go triangle. These tips never spread or mushroom like the soft tips do so you file then not as much so they last longer.
Best Wishes,
