[Edgar]

Tips for the perfect break wanted

Hello all, I am new to this forum and relative new to pool and one of the questions where I did not find a satisfying answer to is how to break?

To be more precise there are a lot of questions about the break:

Where to place the cue ball?
Where do I aim to shoot at? (I guess there are different answers for 8 and 9 ball)
Any draw or follow?
How much power is recommended?

And about all questions above: How precise does all this have to be. I.e. is it good enough to place the cue ball about and inch away from the rail or should it be exactly one inch (or whatever). This is just an example.

I tried lots of variations and I am not able to constantly make at least one ball at the break. Maybe in 50% I make one ball and in another 10% two or more. But this is independent of all the variables above.

I saw other people who play since many years and even they pocket the cue ball at the break from time to time.

Thank you for all your answers in advance

Edgar

[bostonbillypat]

FL has written several long instruction articles on this subject and the biggest tip I got from them was its not how hard you hit them, but how perfect or square on the one ball. When you do that they spread well. Miss the one right or left and they don't spread. I'll pm FL and ask him if he can put those break articles up again just for you. Look in on his column for them which is ask the pros section. Bern is posting some good stuff there too.

Welcome to pool chat. Post all you want. Nobody messes with you here.

[Edgar]

Thanks for your fast reply.

I had a look at Fast Larry's articles in the pro section and the break article is now right on top.

Here is a direct link:

BREAK HOW TO

I just printed it and I will study it carefully.

Thanks

Edgar

[gian323]

Here's the most important tip of them all:

Practice

[Pelican]

Howdy Edgar, study FLs articles they do help. I took his advice on backing off on power a bit and going for the pure controlled hit on the head ball. It works!!

Welcome aboard, Pel

[headmuses]

I am going to have to try this. I always heard that using a lighter breaking cue helps as well, as you can generate more speed on the stroke as the lighter the cue, faster the stroke. Any thoughts on this to add to the perfect break?
Headmuses

[tedmauro]

I always focus on hitting the head ball full. I like the cue ball to hop back and stop center table. If I am not pocketing balls on the break I move the location of the cue ball a couple times and then increase or decrease the speed until they start going in every time.

I use the 2nd ball break once in a while in 8 ball if I am looking for a quick 8 on the break win in APA. Tom Rossman (Dr. Cue) Taught me the second ball hit 8 ball break.

I do not like this break for BCA or where the 8 on the break is not a win. The Cue ball tends to travel down table leaving more difficult run patterns.

[ Edited by tedmauro on 2007/9/10 17:54 ]

[FASTLARRY]

Use draw, a lot of low left or right, which ever you use the best, problem solved. I use low left, kicks the 8 into the right side, breaking from the left long rail.

[wornoutshoes]

i always break from the right. i usually get two on the break. i saw a video on youtube on powerbreaking, tried it for a week and haven't sank a thing since i started to try and change my break. i can still sink two on the break fro mthe right, but that powerbreak, well we'll see.

:-?

this vid:
http://www.youtube.c...h?v=xW1tsONEI_U

i'm kinda torn about it. i have something that works, but i want to learn more. but this guy seems to scratch the cue more than i'd like and sinking that many balls plus handing the cue over to the opponent seems akin to just shooting myself in the foot.

[ Edited by wornoutshoes on 2007/9/30 20:18 ]

[ Edited by wornoutshoes on 2007/9/30 20:29 ]

[ Edited by wornoutshoes on 2007/9/30 20:29 ]

[Pin]

I like the vid.

I don't think I'd want to re-shape my whole break to fit around it, but I think I'll try to build in some changes to my break to accommodate some of that.

[sofy60]

I hit low right and hard. But i shoot left handed too. It really takes everyone awhile to find what works for them. don't let anyone tell you what's the right way. Some people hit harder or softer, they have a different cue than you, etc. There are too many different factors. You just have to find your perfect way by experimenting.

[John]

I've found that a straight break works best for me. I shoot center diamond, cue ball about 10 inches from the rail, bridge on the rail with my palm over the shaft, hit the cue ball slightly below center. Grip the cue towards the end with a good wrist snap, upright stance.

With Fast Larry's coaching and using his breaking methods, I am now able to pocket 2 or 3 balls consistently, bring 5 to 7 balls up table beyond the side pockets and bring the cue ball back to the center of the table or up beyond the side pockets. The cue ball is not bouncing all over the table or flying off and my miscues are way down.

This is for 8-ball. 9-ball racks spread out further. I'm not using full power, I'm going for accuracy, hit dead center on the one ball for maximum energy transfer to the rack. I need to work on adding more body mass to my stroke and better follow through.

[MitchAlsup]

I have been having good luck with a break as of late:

15-ball rack:

1) place the cue ball one ball's width from the left or right rail at the string (2nd diamond)
2) there is a point at the back of the rack (opposite side of where the cue ball is placed) between the ball at the apex and its inside neighbor. Aim 2mm just inside where these two ball touch. This will put you just inside a dead on hit on the head ball.
3) Use a small amount of draw and try to bounce the cue ball off the side rail just below the center pocket.

On the tables I play (some coin-op some 9 footers), I average making a ball just over 50% of the time.

I used to have good luck with 8-ball hitting the second ball back from the same position as above with heavy draw to avoid scratch. But this one has "gone away".

[Hillyer]

Place the cue ball one balls length from the 2nd diamond off of the side rail, aim directly at the 2nd ball in the rack on the same side. Dont overpower the shot. Just a firm accurate shot on a tight rack will sink the 8 ball. I have gotten it down to about 1 out of 15 times. I recently heard that using a one tip left om the cue ball shot well help (if you have a low deflection shaft). Otherwise youll need to adjust for deflection. Let me know how it goes.

[Hillyer]

' date='Sep 8 2007, 09:42 PM said:

I am going to have to try this. I always heard that using a lighter breaking cue helps as well, as you can generate more speed on the stroke as the lighter the cue, faster the stroke. Any thoughts on this to add to the perfect break?
Headmuses

I think it does to. I had a 25 oz. breaking cue for several months. I recently went back to using a 20 oz. for breaking...I feel like Im getting more power and accuracy out of the lighter cue with less effort.

[Joeyjay]

Hillyer, on Oct 23 2008, 09:31 AM, said:

I think it does to. I had a 25 oz. breaking cue for several months. I recently went back to using a 20 oz. for breaking...I feel like Im getting more power and accuracy out of the lighter cue with less effort.

Yes, most are using lighter cues, but I saw a really little guy breaking with a 25 oz cue and boy did he smash them.