Weird 1-pocket incidence

mjantti

Enjoying life
Silver Member
Last night I was playing some 1-hole with Markus Juva, a very good player (played WPC 2004) and quite a weird thing happened. We got off with a couple of quick racks, me winning 2 and him the next one. We were playing on a table with a brand new cloth Simonis 760 which is very "slippery". So, I broke the fourth rack, with my standard break on the one-above-corner ball and as the cueball traveled towards the rack, I realized it was going to hit the ball too thick. Amazingly, the cueball didn't scratch, but the opposite corner ball went straight into my pocket ! First time ever I made a ball on the break ! Anyway, I proceeded to run 8-out for the first break-run in 1-pocket in my life ! :D

What made the things more unbelievable was to come. Markus had the next break and he made a terrible hit on the pack hitting the third ball and amazingly didn't scratch... buuuut... he made the opposite corner ball to his pocket as well and proceeded to run 8-out for the first break-run in 1-pocket in his life ! :confused: :D

So, we both made back to back break-runs in 1-pocket and they both were first ever for both of us ! We just couldn't stop laughing.... :)
 
LastTwo said:
Mikko what do you mean by opposite corner ball? Can you post a diagram of what happened? Thanks

http://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/~wei/pool/

START(
%AN7O5%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%IL7O4%JK6M5
%KJ5P7%LJ5N2%MK6Q4%NJ5R0%OJ5M0%Ph0V6%WL6R5%Xf9V6%YD0D2%ZI8L2
%[D5V7%\L1R2%eC6a4
)END

It's very rare that the corner ball goes down with a soft one-pocket break. And the racks were perfect and straight. Maybe it's easier with a new cloth and clean & polished set of balls.
 
Where I play, most people that play for $ play 1pocket. There are a few guys there who coul, I think, make a ball on the break 1/5. 2/5 they will make a bad break though.

I wonder why you break way down at the bottom like that- I mean, I know it is easier/ safer, but you seem to be a relatvely intelligent pool player...You will never catch a pro break like that because it is not taking full advantage of your opportunity.

Free advice- worth every penny!

-piga
 
piglit said:
Where I play, most people that play for $ play 1pocket. There are a few guys there who coul, I think, make a ball on the break 1/5. 2/5 they will make a bad break though.

I wonder why you break way down at the bottom like that- I mean, I know it is easier/ safer, but you seem to be a relatvely intelligent pool player...You will never catch a pro break like that because it is not taking full advantage of your opportunity.

Free advice- worth every penny!

-piga

When I was reading that above, I was wondering about it. I'm just beginning One Pocket, but I am taking lessons and the break I'm being taught is, hit mostly the second ball but don't miss the head ball. Just thought I'd mention this to back up piglit's 'Free advice'.
 
one pocket break

Thats funny because I had a conversation with a real good player last week about my one pocket break. I told him I was having trouble matching up in one pocket and getting the break didn't seem to be a big advantage. I told him I was trying to hit the headball and second ball at the same time just like I had always been told to do. He explained to me what you are really trying to do is cut the headball "backwards" about an inch above the center diamond (btw the corner and side pockets) with inside english and hit it pretty firm. Tried it with just a ball on the spot then with three balls until i started making the corner ball then hit thr the same shot with a full rack and it worked. I started either hanging a ball in my pocket or making it. I think this is in one of Gradys books somewhere.

Andy
 
DawgAndy said:
Thats funny because I had a conversation with a real good player last week about my one pocket break. I told him I was having trouble matching up in one pocket and getting the break didn't seem to be a big advantage. I told him I was trying to hit the headball and second ball at the same time just like I had always been told to do. He explained to me what you are really trying to do is cut the headball "backwards" about an inch above the center diamond (btw the corner and side pockets) with inside english and hit it pretty firm. Tried it with just a ball on the spot then with three balls until i started making the corner ball then hit thr the same shot with a full rack and it worked. I started either hanging a ball in my pocket or making it. I think this is in one of Gradys books somewhere.

That's pretty much how I break, high right english, hit 1/4-1/3 of the head ball, major impact on the second. I make one in my hole probably 1 out of 10 breaks. 8-n-out probably 1-30. I'm pretty good, but not near as good as I'd like to be!! :)
 
problems with 1-pocket break

Yes, I know that my break isn't near the ideal break shot. But, for some reason I can't make that head-ball-glancing break very often with success. The cueball always hits the balls coming out of rack. I mean it hits the head-ball and the second ball, but it doesn't come clear missing the other balls and reaching the foot rail without contacting another ball which usually means scratching or something else as disastrous...

I have a copy of "Winning One Pocket" and there is a good explanation how the break shot should be done, but for some reason I don't get it right... I have a good and reliable stroke, but I haven't found the right spot to aim on which would give much better results. So far I thought it's much worthy to shoot the easier break shot with 90% success rate than the better shot with 20% success rate.
 
mjantti said:
Yes, I know that my break isn't near the ideal break shot. But, for some reason I can't make that head-ball-glancing break very often with success. The cueball always hits the balls coming out of rack. I mean it hits the head-ball and the second ball, but it doesn't come clear missing the other balls and reaching the foot rail without contacting another ball which usually means scratching or something else as disastrous...

I have a copy of "Winning One Pocket" and there is a good explanation how the break shot should be done, but for some reason I don't get it right... I have a good and reliable stroke, but I haven't found the right spot to aim on which would give much better results. So far I thought it's much worthy to shoot the easier break shot with 90% success rate than the better shot with 20% success rate.


Try practicing the break with just three balls until you get the corner ball and the cue ball doing what you want.
 
Sounds as if you need to add a bit more right hand english on the ball. You want to hit almost the second ball whole, but enough of the front ball to get the cue to run down table. It's not an easy break, but once you get the hang of it, it'll work like a charm.

A guy that I frequently play with hits the next to last ball in the rack (two down from the typical break). He has the same problem you have. it gets almost the same results. Try that as well.
 
I've actually made 5 or so balls off the break in one pocket using the rail long rail first into the side of the rack break.
 
1h break:

CB an inch off the side rail, top R english, graze the head ball trying to cut it to the side rail and hit the 2nd ball. The CB should hit the bottom rail at about the 1st diamond and then come up to the side rail between the 2nd and 3rd diamonds.

I watched Nick Varner break and he puts his CB about 4 or 5 inches in from the side rail and uses R draw hitting the same target as above. his CB arcs more to the left of the 1st diamond on the bottom rail and then straightens up and rests same as above.

Pick the one that works the best for you and practice. They'll both work if you practice enough.
 
Rude Dog said:
I gotta see that one!

I've seen it used several times, but if a ball doesn't go in your hole, you just sold the farm.

5, I question VERY seriously.
 
I've watched the pros play a lot of 1h and haven't seen any of them use the side rail kick break yet. What does that tell you?
 
mjantti said:
Yes, I know that my break isn't near the ideal break shot. But, for some reason I can't make that head-ball-glancing break very often with success. The cueball always hits the balls coming out of rack. I mean it hits the head-ball and the second ball, but it doesn't come clear missing the other balls and reaching the foot rail without contacting another ball which usually means scratching or something else as disastrous...

The most common reason for this is the 5 balls on the side you are breaking into are not frozen to each other. A second reason is you are hitting the front ball a little too thick. A third reason is you aren't hitting it with the right kind of English. A forth reason is you arent hitting it with the right speed. A fifth and sixth reason are the table sucks or the player sucks.

Wayne
 
Rickw said:
1h break:

CB an inch off the side rail, top R english, graze the head ball trying to cut it to the side rail and hit the 2nd ball. The CB should hit the bottom rail at about the 1st diamond and then come up to the side rail between the 2nd and 3rd diamonds.

I watched Nick Varner break and he puts his CB about 4 or 5 inches in from the side rail and uses R draw hitting the same target as above. his CB arcs more to the left of the 1st diamond on the bottom rail and then straightens up and rests same as above.

Pick the one that works the best for you and practice. They'll both work if you practice enough.


I doubt very much that Varner uses draw on his break, you probably mean he hits below center on the cueball but he is still using follow, just below center follow.

Wayne
 
mjantti said:
Yes, I know that my break isn't near the ideal break shot. But, for some reason I can't make that head-ball-glancing break very often with success. The cueball always hits the balls coming out of rack. I mean it hits the head-ball and the second ball, but it doesn't come clear missing the other balls and reaching the foot rail without contacting another ball which usually means scratching or something else as disastrous...

I have a copy of "Winning One Pocket" and there is a good explanation how the break shot should be done, but for some reason I don't get it right... I have a good and reliable stroke, but I haven't found the right spot to aim on which would give much better results. So far I thought it's much worthy to shoot the easier break shot with 90% success rate than the better shot with 20% success rate.

Try aiming thru the rack at the ball in the center of the rear of the pack. Works for me.
Don P.
 
Well he doesn't draw the cb to the side rail but he does use a little bit of draw. His cb actually arcs a little to the bottom rail; visualize an inverted C shape. The inside draw makes the CB stall a little on the bottom rail. He comes up between diamonds 2 and 3 on the side rail too. If you get a chance to watch him play 1h, do it because he really can play that game! Another good 1h player to watch, besides Efren of course, is Santos. He has a beautiful stroke for 1h.


wayne said:
I doubt very much that Varner uses draw on his break, you probably mean he hits below center on the cueball but he is still using follow, just below center follow.

Wayne
 
No its good...really

biGhuK said:
I've actually made 5 or so balls off the break in one pocket using the rail long rail first into the side of the rack break.


I was always taught that's a sell out break. I play I guy that started using it. It's hilarious. The first time he did it he missed the rack, went two more rails, hit the wrong sideof the rack,and left me out. I love that break.
 
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