Take Something Off the Break...Please

Johnnyt

Johnnyt

Burn all jump cues
Silver Member
I'm sure many will not agree with me...but when the hell are the top pros going to break softer in 9-ball? They should be more than happy with the wing ball or the 1-ball on a softer break and take the scratch away 99% of the breaks. These top pros are runout machines. Make a ball on break, leave QB in the middle of table, runout...game over.

The rails and cloth are so much faster now for a power break that you are going to get the QB kissed in a pocket or at the very least kissed so you have no opening shot. Johnnyt
 
Johnnyt said:
I'm sure many will not agree with me...but when the hell are the top pros going to break softer in 9-ball? They should be more than happy with the wing ball or the 1-ball on a softer break and take the scratch away 99% of the breaks. These top pros are runout machines. Make a ball on break, leave QB in the middle of table, runout...game over.

The rails and cloth are so much faster now for a power break that you are going to get the QB kissed in a pocket or at the very least kissed so you have no opening shot. Johnnyt
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Haven't been watching much pro 9-ball lately, have you?

-Andrew
 
Johnnyt,

I get your point but I really enjoy watching the big power breaks. Making a wing ball or the one in the side is so dependant on the rack I don't think you could always use a soft break unless you were playing rack your own.

Depending on how a table is breaking/racking both the soft break and the power break are equally important to have in your arsenal.

Dudley
 
Since I read BlackJack Dave's book, I have followed his philosophy. Hit the one ball square and relatively hard. Not a rocket shot but not a soft shot either. I'm getting decent spread, leaving the cueball very well about 60 to 65% of the time. Only danger is that if I don't make a ball, my opponent is sitting pretty.
 
A lot of the rules now force them to break hard. They are now requiring that 3 balls cross either the headstring or past the center pocket. Pocketed balls count for those balls.
 
I think it is somewhat wrong for us to 2nd guess a pro's decisions. They do play better that the amatures, in general.

That said, I firmly believe that they approach each shot with the knowledge of what works for them, both in general and in specific situations. If they aren't making a ball on the break, they change something.
 
Power breaks are fun to watch but I agree with Johnny about the softer breaks. They are more consistent and effective. I wish in the Open and Mosconi would eliminate the 3 balls past the headstring rule; go back to X balls to a rail. If anything make it 4 balls to a rail instead of 3 as you see in most rule sets.
 
NewStroke said:
Since I read BlackJack Dave's book, I have followed his philosophy. Hit the one ball square and relatively hard. Not a rocket shot but not a soft shot either. I'm getting decent spread, leaving the cueball very well about 60 to 65% of the time. Only danger is that if I don't make a ball, my opponent is sitting pretty.
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It's a good read, nice reference...

Depends on the night.......soft breaks simply do not work for me consistently....when I hit them with about a 90% controlled stroke, I get good results.....when I get up around 100%, that's when troubles come - I flew two balls off the table last night on the same break, and it was actually decent contact, just unintended top threw them on the floor :mad:

90%, firm, controlled, good action....buddy on our team just destroys the balls, his impact is similar to SVB, it's awesome to watch...
 
I like the idea of your post Johnny, I too have started taking a lot off of my break recently playing 9 ball. For a smaller guy I have really fast hands from my boxing background and Ive found that about 65% power is good enough for 9 ball and I have balls going like crazy. I come to the table more often after the break with a 8 or 7 or a lot of times even 6 ball run out. I make the ace in the side most of the time and Im somewhere inbetween the centre diamonds on either ends of the side pockets.
 
I have had a good break for more than a few years. A few months ago I witnessed a man who never failed to make a ball in 8-Ball (almost the sane ball every time) in a Big Table Tournament. I watched him again a few days later at a Barbox Tournament, same thing. To my amazement, he was hitting the Cue Ball only about 16-17 MPH, with great accuracy & Cue Ball control.

I immediately took some heat off my 8_ball break & have enjoyed some great success with that speed.

NOTE: I don'y believe it's a function of speed alone, I do believe the accuracy is the main ingredient.

Good Luck...
 
I agree Johnny. Years ago I used to scratch so much on the break. I took a few mph off the break and began winning a lot more matches. I break around 20 mph and could break top speed of around 24.

The tightness of a 9ball rack and contact point on the one ball is far more important than the break speed. 10 ball is a different story. I think higher break speed in 10 ball is very beneficial since no ball in a tight rack is much over 50% to make.

Andy
 
NewStroke said:
Since I read BlackJack Dave's book, I have followed his philosophy. Hit the one ball square and relatively hard. Not a rocket shot but not a soft shot either. I'm getting decent spread, leaving the cueball very well about 60 to 65% of the time. Only danger is that if I don't make a ball, my opponent is sitting pretty.
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I don't really care how people break, any good player much less a pro will make the proper adjustment when necessary.

The one thing I never did b/c it just never made sense to me is breaking 9 ball from the long rail and trying to make the 1 ball in the side. I always thought this was goofy and illogical. Unless your pattern racking you don't know where the other balls are going to end up for the most part. Why try and make the 1 in the side if you don't know where the 2 is going to be? I break from the top corner of the box (my go to preferred place) which is one diamond in from the long rail, and two diamonds up from the short rail.

Level cue and tip to center of CB, keeping a level cue bring bottom of tip to top edge of cue ball, then dip the tip of the stick back to the visual center of the ball. 60- 75% max effort and is highly repeatable and so easy a cave man could do it.

I hit the 1 ball square and the cue stops in the center of the table, unless I get a kick from another ball. I can smash the living hell out of the rack, but 99% of the time I hit it with a punch stroke (3/4 speed) i make balls very consistently on the break. The real benefit is that the one goes off the side rail and then goes towards the corner pocket on the side you broke from.

I'll take a wing ball, and an open shot on the 1 to position myself for the run out anyday. As opposed to make the one and have a crap shoot.

No wonder bangers think 9 ball is a luck game, its because they play it lucky.


Grey Ghost
 
greyghost said:
I don't really care how people break, any good player much less a pro will make the proper adjustment when necessary.

The one thing I never did b/c it just never made sense to me is breaking 9 ball from the long rail and trying to make the 1 ball in the side. I always thought this was goofy and illogical.

The long ail is usually my first pick because I can try to make the 1 AND a wing ball without having to cut break. Look where the mosconi cup guys are breaking when they can break from anywhere

I'll take a wing ball, and an open shot on the 1 to position myself for the run out anyday. As opposed to make the one and have a crap shoot.

what happens if you get on a table where the wing ball will not go? or an opponent who knows how to rack so it wont?



Grey Ghost
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All of these discussions on the 9ball break is why the game is dying out IMO. 10ball wil be King very shortly!

G.
 
Gerry said:
All of these discussions on the 9ball break is why the game is dying out IMO. 10ball wil be King very shortly!

G.
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I hope your right Gerry. 10-ball is the way to go for open tournaments. 9-ball is just too easy for the better players. Johnnyt
 
alinco said:
I agree Johnny. Years ago I used to scratch so much on the break. I took a few mph off the break and began winning a lot more matches. I break around 20 mph and could break top speed of around 24.

The tightness of a 9ball rack and contact point on the one ball is far more important than the break speed. 10 ball is a different story. I think higher break speed in 10 ball is very beneficial since no ball in a tight rack is much over 50% to make.

Andy
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Are radar guns common in your pool rooms? I think the closest I've seen a radar gun to the pool room is the cop car parked outside after a fight.:confused:
 
Occasionally someone will rent a radar gun and bring it to a pool tournament. Probably will be one at Valley Forge. We rented one a few years ago on the Planet-Pool tour to hold a couple of break speed contests. Calibration can be a problem.

I've also used a video camera and just counted frames, measured the distance from the cue ball start to the one ball. Do the match. Should be good within a couple mph.
 
m79a said:
Are radar guns common in your pool rooms? I think the closest I've seen a radar gun to the pool room is the cop car parked outside after a fight.:confused:
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They arent that expensive on ebay, a lot of instructors have them.

As far as telling the pros to slow down their breaks, I think they should be allowed to break how ever they want within reason. But the rules are telling them NOT to break soft.

I didnt get to watch much of the Cup, but in the little time I watched today I saw a player make one ball and have to give up the table, and a player make TWO balls and had to give up the table! That is a STUPID rule IMO. How can someone make two freakin balls and be told they broke too soft?

Judging by how many go above the headstring is silly.
 
woody_968 said:
They arent that expensive on ebay, a lot of instructors have them.

As far as telling the pros to slow down their breaks, I think they should be allowed to break how ever they want within reason. But the rules are telling them NOT to break soft.

I didnt get to watch much of the Cup, but in the little time I watched today I saw a player make one ball and have to give up the table, and a player make TWO balls and had to give up the table! That is a STUPID rule IMO. How can someone make two freakin balls and be told they broke too soft?

Judging by how many go above the headstring is silly.
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I agree with all the above. The point I was trying to make was that the odds are better taking a little off your break so you can control the QB ALL the time. Over the long run you will win more matches in IMO. Scatching on the break at the top level=BIH=Loss most of the time. I'm not talking about SVB and a few more that control their power breaks a high % of the time. Johnnyt
 
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