Why not try a soft(er) break?

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predator

AzB Silver Member
Silver Member
Anybody out there planning to switch to soft 9ball break exclusively? By soft, I don't mean super slow, but sort of nice controllable speed.

I've tried breaking from the side with full 1 ball hit, cut break from side, Corey Deuel soft break, Alcano soft break...all of them worked much better then if I tried pounding at the rack. The reason is probably because at soft(er) breaks I can use my regular stroke with no body movement and that makes me 10 times more precise. Yes, there are players that can park the CB in the middle even on their hardest breaks. All credit to them, but I'm not one of those.

At pro level, I think hard breaks work better in the long run. But at lower class levels? I believe too many players who want to improve their game are missing a lot by not even trying soft break. Must be some sort of macho thing...what do you think?
 
I AM!!!!!


I've been practicing more of a Medium break. Its just hard enough to get the balls to spread out but soft enough to control the CB 90% of the time.

I work on this alot when practicing and playing 9fts. On 7ft tables i think a harder break actually works better because of the lack of space and that the balls will move around the table more and possibly make more on the break.

But it also depends on what condition the tables you play on are in. If you have Diamonds or any GC's or anything else that plays FAST, then yes practicing a softer break is a must.
 
I consistently pocket balls, and hold the cue ball center table, with a soft break, whenever I depend on one...

But then again, if you can "hone the skill" of a monster break, you'd be surprised how much more often you could get out (it can often make the different between a 6 vs. an 8 ball run-out left on the table after a break)...

And, not to mention, you most definitely won't make the 9-ball on the break as often as you might have breaking harder....I can't even count on my fingers and toes the number of times I've chosen to "medium break" and have watched the 9-ball move toward the corner pocket ever so slowly, only to stop about an inch shy of the pocket's edge -- just not enough on it....and if for whatever reason, I happen to not have made a ball on that break, my opponent generally finds a way to just combo/carom it in.... :(

But to each his own. I'll cast a vote for "at least try a soft break" !
 
I have got my monster break down. I have a good medium speed break but I, as said above, pocket more balls and have easier run-outs when I am smashing into the rack. In fact in the last tournament I went to in Waco I snapped in 3 nine balls in a row which ended the match (against 9Ball_JJ :D). Every nine ball went in a different pocket. I think if you work on it and develop a solid hard break it will give you an advantage at any level.

Eric.A.
 
predator said:
Anybody out there planning to switch to soft 9ball break exclusively? By soft, I don't mean super slow, but sort of nice controllable speed.

I have gone to a softer break and I am putting together alot more 2 and 3 packs!! My tops is 4 on the soft break before that I could run out sometimes but never 2 or 3 in a row! We have fast championship cloth on a 9'ft Diamond.If you smash the balls there usually is another ball or two that will crash into the cue ball knocking it the pocket or up table leaving a tough shot to start with.
I have noticed that if you use a little outside one tip below center that the corner ball or the one ball goes alot! Thats breaking from the side of course.I think that alot of people know this!That is why the pros play alot of 10 ball because the stronger breaker usually has an advantage.
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I think it has to be something that you're comfortable with and have confidence in. If you work on a soft break and you don't have the confidence to execute it, then you're back at square 1. Eric (I rack balls) has a great break making a ball or 2 every single time but I did notice that the cue ball wasn't as controlled as when I break. I have a softer break, but still pocketed balls and controlled the CB.

BTW Eric....I'll see you in Midland for a rematch!!!
 
I've been using a cut-break a lot lately, and having good results with it. As far as using it exclusively, though, no. I think if you use any break exclusively, you're limiting yourself. For instance, I think the soft break is good on slower tables where the potential to make 2 or 3 balls on the break is not great, or even on faster tables when you are having trouble making balls by breaking hard. On fast tables with big pockets, though, I think you're usually better off hitting the rack as hard as you can with cb control. The potential payoff (making 2, 3, or more) balls on the snap is too great to be ignored.
 
depends on the table, some tables you have to smash them to move the balls other tables a soft side break is best its a case by case situation,

personally my hard break is bad so I love it when I find a table that a soft break works on, i have been stuck $$$ and asked guys to change tables that favor my break, and got even or ahead a little a few times, once I had a guy on tilt he wanted to move to a table I couldnt break on, and i wouldnt change tables, lost my customer-hind site i could have beat him anywhere , but at the time I was up good and $$$ was tight so I locked up what I had-game over
 
Soft break

Works better playing with lower level players. If you play a real good player and the soft break does not work, they run out everytime. Whereas a hard break and making 1 or more, you still have a push shot if you don't like the 1 ball shot.

When a good player has the soft break working though, they can string racks, depending, of course, on who is racking the balls.
 
It depends for me.. I play on some tables that are slow and some are fast. on the fast ones i would use a 65% ish break and park the cue ball with a nice spread.. then after a while of getting used to the speed on the table i increase the strength of my breaks just enough to try to pocket more balls.. on the slow ones i would smash the rack.
 
predator said:
Anybody out there planning to switch to soft 9ball break exclusively? By soft, I don't mean super slow, but sort of nice controllable speed.

I've tried breaking from the side with full 1 ball hit, cut break from side, Corey Deuel soft break, Alcano soft break...all of them worked much better then if I tried pounding at the rack. The reason is probably because at soft(er) breaks I can use my regular stroke with no body movement and that makes me 10 times more precise. Yes, there are players that can park the CB in the middle even on their hardest breaks. All credit to them, but I'm not one of those.

At pro level, I think hard breaks work better in the long run. But at lower class levels? I believe too many players who want to improve their game are missing a lot by not even trying soft break. Must be some sort of macho thing...what do you think?
Click to expand...
This is something,IMO,that can benefit young(er)and old(er)players alike. The break has the potential,as in alot of sports, to accelerate joint wear.At some level I think it is macho or maybe a little ego,with the potential to hit the homerun on the break. I was forced to soften my break to continue playing w/o further aggravating a shoulder problem and am pleased with the results I get-give it a try-if nothing else just throw it in as a practice routine.
 
break speed

i have found on tables that have slick cloth like simonis, a slower speed break works best. it is much easier to control the cueball and the rack spreads better. on the slick cloth the whole rack slides like a throw shot on contact when hit hard before the balls start to spread making it harder to consistently make a ball.
M.C.
 
I plan to....
But I do hard breaks for now:
For me hard breaks will force the balls everywhere, and teaches me pattern play across distances on the table.

I prefer soft breaks. Which unfortunately, I will have to work on that later. It keeps the balls a bit closer together, and I play best when it comes to mininmal cue ball/object ball movement.
 
curlyscues said:
i have found on tables that have slick cloth like simonis, a slower speed break works best. it is much easier to control the cueball and the rack spreads better. on the slick cloth the whole rack slides like a throw shot on contact when hit hard before the balls start to spread making it harder to consistently make a ball.
M.C.
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thats true. but it depends what kind of hard hit you do. i think the snappy type of smashing the rack would make it slide all over the place.
 
I think the real question is why try a soft(er) break? Is there a problem with your power break?

I power break from the side often pocking 3 balls, and sometimes pocketing up to 6! When I'm in stroke I can control the cueball well, if I'm a little off, then so is my cue ball...if I run into a problem such as scratching repeatedly, then it's time to soften up a bit. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
I have been doing it lately but not entirely by choice. About a month ago I slipped on some oily wet concrete and landed right on the elbow of my shooting arm. I have still been able to play after a few days of rest but some days it really hurts and I am limited in how hard I can hit the balls when breaking and what not:)
 
I am the self-proclaimed "King of the Dry Break". I had tried every cue in my arsenal, every spot on the table, hell, I even held my mouth different:D . Nothing worked. Then, I decided to try the 'ol soft break. Guess what? Spreads the balls out fine but still nothing falls:( . I'm gonna start conceding the break to my opponent:rolleyes: !!!

Maniac
 
I saw the WPC match on DVD yesterday between Ronnie Alcano and Ralf Souquet. I always thought Corey had a great soft break, but Ronnie's is by far the best I've ever seen! He would break from the left side and consistently make a ball in the left corner, then the one ball would end up by the side pocket with the CB drawing consistently up table for an easy shot on the one. Then he'd roll the CB down and systematically pick off the pack (which wasn't really well spread out) like a straight pool rack. One of the most awesome things I've seen as far as the soft break goes...

Steve
 
Several years ago I found myself playing for the first time in the Reno Sands USPPA Classic with a 40-45 rating. Unfortunately, I discovered that there were no house cues available to break wit.h (duh! - it's not a pool hall, silly)

Because I didn't want to mash or work-harden the tip on my playing cue, I tried a medium-speed break, from near the center line of the headstring, aiming at about 3/4 of the one-ball on the right side, using low left. This would sling the cueball to the right cushion, where the english forced it forward. Usually, the cueball was left in heavy traffic among several balls at the foot rail. My intent was to not pocket any balls, and force the incoming player to play a long, difficult shot on the one ball, or a safety. For a lower-speed player, this worked out pretty well, but as I improved, I started working on making the one ball in the side pocket so I could try to run out.

It IS more fun to whack 'em hard and kill the cueball in the middle of the table.

Ken
 
There is no reason to switch to one or the other permanently. You break in a manner that will best suit the table you are playing on. No two tables play the same.
 
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