Second ball 8 ball break?

[CaptainJR]

In 8 ball bar box league, back when the 8 ball on the break won the game, (doesn't any more in my league, but still does in some) I used the second ball 8 ball break, hitting the second ball with low natural english. (hit left side, use low left english - hit right side, use low right english) This break almost always makes a ball without breaking to hard and occasionally makes the 8 ball in the side pocket. When the rule changed I had gotten away from using it, breaking on the head ball with more force. I'd like to have this break as an option if I'm not making anything when breaking on the head ball. However, there seems to be a tendency for this break to occasionally bring the majority of the balls to the breaking side of the table ending up with a cluttered spread on one side of the table.

Does anyone know how, why, or how to avoid this? Less second ball, more second ball, less or more english? I've done some experimenting but haven't found anything conclusive.

 

[JAM]

Now we're talking turkey, the old 8-ball-in-the-side break!

I remember that break on the bar box. I tried to adjust it on the 9-foot table by moving the cue-ball up and inside just a tad, but never seemed to get the consistency I did on the 7-foot table.

Some tables break differently than others, and then you've got the variety of cue balls, even on the coin-operated 7-footers. In my heyday, when it cost 25 cents a game (LOL), I mastered this break pretty good with the big cue ball. I have better control with the big cue-ball and can hit the rack with more power, and the balls seem to spread out better.

Most places don't have the big cue ball anymore. With the same-sized weighted ball, I guess you'd call it, I break the same way. If I apply too much english and power, though, I've noticed there is a tendency for the cue-ball to fly off the table. The stroke is where it's at with the mud ball, in tandem with the speed and correct inside english. Once I get all three going, I know I'm breaking good.

8-Ball is what lured me into this pool racket, always near and dear to my heart!

JAM

 

[FoRGotTeN]

I play with Aramith TV balls, 9 ft simonis 760. Breaking from horizontal line of the first diamond by long rail, right or left side of the table, between 1st and 2nd diamond of the short rail.

i aim between the 2nd ball and 8 ball. 1 tip or more, diagonally below center. On tight racks, wing balls flies in and i make usually 1 or 2 more balls. Record was 5 balls on break.

fyi, i break using weight transfer technique, or is that the torso twist some talked about.... grr.

been using this break for a week, haven't really checked the contact point with the headball, i'll get my kakis (fellow players) to check it out for me tonight.