Straight Poolers, How do you Play this Break Shot?

[sjm]

You're playing straight pool, and, as the first wei table below shows, you've left the cue ball in the rack after pocketing the last ball of the rack, so you start the next rack with ball in hand anywhere in the kitchen.

Over the years, I've seen two different approaches to this break shot. As the second wei table below shows, you can play an outside english draw into the two front balls, or, as the third wei table below shows, you could play a firm center ball shot and go to the bottom rail and then into the pack.

There are other approaches to this break shot, too. What's the best way to open up this pack, and why?

 

[jhendri2]

SJM,

In the first option you have to draw into a rack, which I would never do. Second shot is a long rail first into the rack, which is another no no. How about "option three" which is th same as two except call safe, make the one in the side with slow speed, and barely touch the rack, and spot the one...

Jim

 

[Jimmy M.]

You're playing straight pool, and, as the first wei table below shows, you've left the cue ball in the rack after pocketing the last ball of the rack, so you start the next rack with ball in hand anywhere in the kitchen.

Over the years, I've seen two different approaches to this break shot. As the second wei table below shows, you can play an outside english draw into the two front balls, or, as the third wei table below shows, you could play a firm center ball shot and go to the bottom rail and then into the pack.

There are other approaches to this break shot, too. What's the best way to open up this pack, and why?

I like your 2nd shot, but I wouldn't want to hit the stack in the middle like that because the cue ball is likely to stick in the stack. I like trying to hit between, what looks like (based on colors) the 15 and the 12 (the two balls in the bottom row of the stack that are closest to the top of the image). If you split those two balls, at the right speed, the cue ball will come out toward the side rail and you should break a few balls loose from the stack. I don't like the first shot because of the obvious scratch.

I'm not sure how to insert the image of the Wei table, but here is the "code" (for lack of a better word) for it:

START(
%A[9Y0%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Ph3U2%U\9X2%Vg6U3%WI6M8%XC2R1
%]D4R7%^[7X1%eC2a6
)END

 

[bruin70]

if the 1 is laying exactly as you show, there's enough angle that you can break directly into the rack without draw.. it'll hit the corner of the rack(3and 4) and go through it. drawing into the top of the rack requires too much precision and you're taking the mustard off the cb. and if you miss the top and hit the meat of the rack instead, the cb could slide into a scratch.

going into the rack from behind MIGHT be the safest way to avoid a scratch but the cb will probably get buried. if i wanted to get into the rack from behind, i would postion the cb to the far right (top on your diagram), thin the break ball into the side pocket so that the cb doesn't lose too much momentum, and let the cb go two rails and come off the back of the rack at an angle....and then slide out to the side rail.

 

[TATE]

This is a common break shot well worth practicing. The way I play this shot is to use the draw stroke you diagrammed (or just center if you have the angle), use a medium hard stroke and send the cueball into the area of the two/five. In other words I'm aiming at the side of the rack, not the front.

The reason I would aim the cueball that way is because it's a larger target and the cueball will be traveling into the rack's core with little chance of delivering only a glancing blow. I like to get as much of the rack's mass as possible in front of the cueball on a break shot. Also, there is less danger of scratching that way. If you hit the five as diagrammed, the scratch in either of the side pockets comes into play and if you overcook it you will not break up the rack.

Chris

Ps. That's assuming you have to draw the cueball. If you can just use center ball stun, then I like plowing into the front of the rack too.

 

[TATE]

By the way, if you're ever forced to shoot those behind the rack shots, like the 2nd one you diagrammed, then you don't want to go into the center of the rack - it's better to shoot with firm right center english and try to hit the second ball from the far corner. The cueball will usually come out off the rack into the side rail, the english causes it to spin a little back up table and give you a shot.

Chris

--oops, just realized Jimmy M. already said that!

 

[Williebetmore]

SJM,
I've seen it played twice by pro's, both times exactly as JimmyM said - to the bottom rail with right English, to hit one of the two balls at the top of the last row (as you look at the picture), cue ball goes to side rail and out towards center table. If you judge it correctly its a dynamite break shot (just tried it, and first try got 8 balls loose from the pack, cue ball somewhere between the spot and center table).

 

[sjm]

Thanks to all for your excellent advice. I've always gone to the bottom rail first on this break shot, but don't feel I've been sufficiently attentive to which part of the pack to hit. Thanks to you guys, I will be a little more careful going forward.

 

[Williebetmore]

SJM,
In a somewhat related vein, your side pocket break shot was shown to me by Danny D. as an example of why it is good to use a ball in the rack area as your key ball (a principle I am sure you are already aware of, but one which I was only slightly familiar). I had asked about what kind of key balls are good for side pocket breaks, and he plopped a ball down in the rack area and pronounced, "that's a good key ball for almost any break ball." So simple when someone shows you - I might have played a decade before figuring it out for myself. There are lots of options with this type of key ball, including just stopping for ball in hand on the break. I always try to leave a ball in the rack area until I figure out a good end sequence, and I always try to leave a ball on the end rail (as an escape ball) until I figure out a good end sequence (fortunately for my opponents I suck at the end sequences).

P.S. - Danny was specific about trying to hit the outside half of the ball next to the corner ball, which he did with no problem. Jimmy Rempe also promotes that area of contact in his straight pool videos.

 

[Rickw]

If I have b.i.h. in the kitchen, I'd use the natural angle to shoot the one in and break the rack as Tate suggested by hitting solid between the 5 and 2. I wouldn't hit too hard because I wouldn't want to lose control of the cb and I don't think you'd have to hit hard to break the pack good with that shot anyway.

 

[Rod]

Hi all,

I think a safe is out of the question, just like a push in 9 ball; this is giving up the table, you DON'T want to do that unless you ABSOLUTLY have to. Then again, the score has a lot to say about how a player handles each situation.

The best shot is to come into the top of the pack, a “B” player should make this break every time; remember, you got BALL IN HAND.

There is too much chance of a scratch coming into the corner balls from above with speed, if you just wanted to tap the corner balls that would be okay; REMEMBER, don’t take ANY chances.

Another good method is the old tried and true “two rails and into the pack”. The object ball is close enough to the side pocket to get good speed from the cue ball off both rails, this averts sticking to the back of the pack since it will glance off into the cushion, with enough outside english you can get some good spin off the “third” rail (depending on if you hit around the furthest two balls in the pack) to bring the cue back to center table.

OR,

If you didn’t want to be so daring you could come in at this angle less firmer and just break out the corner balls.

No matter how you handle this shot; remember, it’s good to be in the middle of the table after all is said and done; but if you can't, you want to have a shot after the break.

ALWAYS play for position after the break.

Sometimes the right shot ISN’T the right shot for you, play the shot that makes you comfortable in a game; practice the more difficult shots in practice until they become comfortable.

Joe R.

Joe,
I'm going to take this two rail every time from this position as long as I get deep enough to hit near the 12 as diagramed. If I think I'm going to hit near the center or before of the rack then I'd have to think that one over.

It's best shot with top because low has a tendacy to make it stick in the back of the pack. It just depends on where it hits. Top lets it "come out" easier. Other than mentioned it pays not to hit this shot hard, it might come back and trap you.

I won't shoot the draw back into the rack unless it's absolutely necessary. It's not predictable. Catch the head ball and no telling where whitey goes. I would play center ball into the head balls though but the one would have to be up table a bit making it a natural angle. At any rate, that's what I'd do.

Rod

 

[bruin70]

Hi,

The majority seem to agree that coming into the top of the pack IS the shot, I offered the two rail shot as an EASY alternative to a precise hit at the top of the pack when the angle into the side pocket is NOT of my choosing. This two rail shot is EASY and I often use it with great results, the trick is not to bounce back behind the pack on or at the foot rail.
I nearly always end up with a nice one foot cue to object ball shot to the uptable corner pocket.

You either hit the corner two balls with medium speed, OR; load it up with running english and let her rip, it would be awful bad luck if the cue would bounce off the rail and back into the corner pocket. But, then again; you still are taking a chance.

Joe R.

i like the two rail shot also. but not with power. that would flatten the angle of the cb coming off the break shot and 1,,,,there's a possiblity of scratching directly into the corner pocket if you missaim or 2,,,,coming off the back rail and missing the rack totally because of the flat angle.

hitting the opposite corner odd the back rail should loosen 5 to 6 balls from the rack with a clear cb.

i'm not fond of the drawing into the head ball unless they KNOW they'll hit it.

 

[sjm]

I'm absolutely delighted with the volume and quality of the responses in this thread. When it has come up in the course of play, I have played the two railer, and, sure enough, the cue ball always seems to come out into play on that one.

Thanks to all of you for all the good advice. The quality of the replies I always get in my "how would you play this" threads is very pleasing, and I appreciate how many of you choose to participate.

 

[DaveKhome]

Thanks from the lurkers too

The quality of the replies I always get in my "how would you play this" threads is very pleasing, and I appreciate how many of you choose to participate.

There are many, many more of us who don't participate that learn from these posts ! Keep it up SJM et al.

Dave