The break, let's debate

I have always heard that the break is the most important shot you need to pocket a ball and have a shot. I have not been playing pool very long but one thing that I feel is if you have a good break you will also need a good safety game to go with it because how many times do you make a ball and you have to push out I have always heard that the incoming player on a push has the advantage so I think you should have just as good of a safe game as an explosive break.
 
Not being a one hole player myself, but it would seem you have more control on the break in that game than nine ball, even the best breakers at 9-ball still don't control the one and the cueball to the extent that they always get out.
And as Jim M kindly pointed out earlier in this thread, the stats don't support the break advantage.

Cheers
Slasher
 
Slasher,

Jimmy pointed out that the stats showed that the breaker wasn't a favorite to win, but he said nothing about whether a good break was important. Wasn't that your original question? Accu-stats generally films very good players. Argueably, the best breakers in the game. If you put someone in who had a bad break, I'm sure the stats would show that the breaker loses ever more often.

But those stats are suspect. Imagine playing strickland, and giving him the all the breaks? It just doesn't make sense to say that the break is a disadvantage, in 9-ball.
 
Slasher said:
Just how important do you think the break is, I see some players winning without having an exceptional break at all. You would think a good break gives you the oppportunity to string racks together so would result in more won matches, but the reality is that does not always happen.

Cheers
Slasher
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break and runs occur about 30% of the time.

that leaves the remaining 70% for efren to clean up on.
 
Jimmy M. said:
Believe it or not, there are some people who seem to think that the break is actually a slight disadvantage. I don't know if this is true because I wasn't there to hear it first hand, but I heard that even Pat Fleming acknowledged that through all the filming of 9 ball matches over the years, they (the peope at accu-stats) have noticed that the racking player wins more often than the breaking player. I heard of someone else who did a little study (using accu-stats' tapes, I believe) and after so many matches, determined that it was something like a 58% disadvantage to be breaking. Supposedly, the matches that were used for the study all involved only top players.

I don't really buy into this, regardless of statistics, and I would much rather be breaking than racking, but who knows ... maybe they're on to something here.
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I wouldn't doubt that for a second, especially if the break isn't great. If you are playing another person that has the ability to run out, and you leave yourself with a crappy spread...then what?? The racker will win!
 
i have been told by many players over the years in various parts of the country that the break is equal to 2 balls .....in the fact that it allows you to make it on the snap,allows you to string rack,and allows you to set the tempo for how the game will go.......craziest spot i have ever given a guy was he got the wild 8 and i got the breaks......i ended up winning 1100.00 and he liked the spot.......juston
 
Slasher said:
the mental edge may come in to play as you say in some cases.
couple weeks back in a doubles match race to 13 I put a stack of 5 then a stack of 4 back to back on em and it was all over from there, they folded like a house of cards lol :D

cheers
Slasher
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I agree. On anything less than very tight pockets, a pro will run out more than 50% of the time on the break (just personal experience); they are also capable of stringing together multiple racks (not every time, but when they do, its Sayonara to your bankroll). If you are matching up with one of them, you had better ask for the breaks.
 
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