Your 8 ball Break?

thyme3421

thyme3421

Playing since 1.1.05..ish
Silver Member
The 3 8ball breaks thread got me thinkings... How do you break, and why? Don't be afraid of cuetable, seriously
But here's a little something to kick it off.
To begin with... may we present the 4 pages of Cuetable:

CueTable Help



ok... here's what I do in 8 ball and 9 ball
Always the kitchen line...

If I'm practicing...
I hit from the Kitchen line, right rail about 4... 4.5 fingers out from the rail... aiming at where the wing ball and the 8 ball touch. (8 and 2 spot) I hit it hard, with as much center as possible.
8 usually doesn't move an inch.
Reasons for stuff:
Placement - Good break for 9ball... wing and head usually drop.. good for practicing. In 8 ball gives a nice spread, and still has a good chance of dropping something.
Aim - in 9 ball, the wing ball (2) goes in 3 out of 5 times... in 8ball, the close corner ball (10) falls 3/5 times... both games the 1 goes very near the side pocket if not in.. falls 1/10 times.
English - Stops the cue pretty near the center of the slate, unless it gets kicked around.
Speed - Hard, because I like it better when it's spread.

If I'm playing in a match... Page 2 please
If you go to the first diamond long rail, and first diamond short rail (where the lines meet)... and extend that line out to the kitchen... while aiming at the ball behind the 8 and left wing ball 7. Where the kitchen line crosses this aiming line, I put the cue ball.... and hit it with about a 1/2 tip follow, 12o'clock english... otherwise I find that I'm actually hitting below center and draw it back to a corner every time, so screw that.
8 usually doesn't move an inch.
More Reasons for junk:
Placement - I've seen great luck from people that break from the first diamond "square point" as I call it (ball A). And I feel that the closer to the rack, the less margin for error... at any speed. So in the same line, but closer to the rack, equals better results.... at least in my head.
Aim - it's a consistent spot to aim at, and it's easier to find compared to aiming at the dead center of the head ball... but that's where I'm planning on contacting the head ball. Dead center from where I'm at.
English - A little top because I find that my break actually makes contact with the cue ball a little lower than my eyes tell me... so I compensate. Cue usually stops in center of table... or hits the side rail and moves to the center fairly quickly, but doesn't move much after that.
Speed - Hard as possible while keeping control

In a match and it's a loose rack -pg 3-
I'm still working on this one... but for now I don't plan on making any balls... just spreading the main pack into tiny cluster f^c&s, and if I'm lucky the cue is caught kissing a ball in the end. Ideally.. something of pg4
I place it on the kitchen line, just a bit (half a ball) to the right of center table.. aim at the center of the head ball... add about 1 - 1.5 tips follow 12 o'clock... and hit medium speed.
Reasons you don't care:
Placement - it's easiest for me to push the rock through the pack if it's hitting head on.
Aim - Refer to placement
English - Well.. P.I.T.A. organization isn't going to put follow on it.
Speed - Medium. I'm hoping to spread the pack apart, but leave the cue close to, if not touching, another ball... I don't plan to make a ball in the break, just moving them into tiny clusters and practicing 14.1 a bit.

Could use some learnin' on this break.

Sorry it's so long, but that's what I do.
Oh, and for 9 ball... it's the same as my 8ball breaks... the only time I change it a lot is for 14.1 or 1 pocket.... my 1 pocket break is garbage though.
 
I break out my trusty Varney J/B and:

If I am playing on a barbox, breaking from this position usually works very well for me.

CueTable Help



If I am playing on the 9' tables at the pool hall, I generally break from anywhere in between the side rail and the above location.
 
It is my thinking that the more the CB is toward the center of the table for an 8-ball break, the better spread you will get and the fewer clusters you will have after the break.

Then if you can leave the CB in the central area of the table BACK from the rack, then you are more likely to have a choice of shots. Probably a shot at a solid and another shot at a stripes. So I shoot below center on the CB for a stop shot or to draw it straight back.

My goal when breaking for 8-ball is a good spread, no clusters, cue ball central area of table with at least one shot at either group, and make at least one ball (BCA rules, open after break).

The hard part about getting the CB to come straight back or stop is that you have to hit the head ball dead center. And this is very difficult to do with speed like with a fast break shot - aiming goes out the window with speed! But many times a slower break will be a better spread than using all the speed I am capable of (if a good tight rack, new balls, and fast cloth).

I have been practicing this break for two years. Break from center of table, hit CB 1 tip below center and get CB to come straight back or stop. Then sometimes I make at least one ball, there is a good spread and no clusters, CB central area of table, and I have my choice of stripes or solids (at least one shot at either). Then I have a very good possibility of a break and run so long as I don't mess up on position play.

If you break from the center and hit the CB below center and the CB comes back to either side (not straight back), then you have not hit the headball dead center. This is quite common.
 
When the rack is tide or almost tide. I always get a good spread with less power by hitting the second ball. Normally I make 1-4 balls on the break.
 
Dunno how to use Cuetable, but I put the CB between the first and second diamond, full force straight on the apex ball.
Spreads nicely, few to no clusters and always one or two balls down.

Before I did the side rail break going for the second ball, but I had too little stroke quality with the phenolic tip to avoid scratching 100% sure.
Worked mostly, but too risky for league matches.
Also more clusters and made the 8 into the side two times in the few months I did that break.

Note: All experience based on traditional racks. Didn't play 8 Ball on a tapped table yet - that comes in spring 2008
 
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