Effective 8-Ball Break Shots, Part I

Jun 22, 2008

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Part I

The coin flip or lag can be a significant factor in match play. How can such an arbitrary bit of luck count for so much? The right to break the initial rack and the chance to draw first blood can be a significant advantage provided youâ€™ve fine-tuned your breaking technique and are prepared to pounce on your prey.

Players dream about running the first rack from the break in tournament play. This tends to put pressure on your opponent to â€˜hold serveâ€™, especially in short races with an alternate break format. If your opponent gives you a shot in game two, you stand to break the third rack with a chance to move ahead three games to none. This could be an insurmountable lead for your foe to overcome. Some attention must be given to your break shot to put yourself in such a commanding position early in the match.

A successful break shot can be defined by the following description after the break:
â€¢ One or more balls have been pocketed
â€¢ The cue ball is in a position that offers an opening shot
â€¢ Object balls have scattered sufficiently and few clusters exist

The first step to a successful break is obtaining a decent rack. Worn cloth, a sub-standard triangle, mismatched object balls, a spot with a lump or divot, or dirty old object balls all make it difficult to rack tightly. An effective spread is difficult to achieve with a sloppy rack. Make an effort to see that you and your opponent rack as tightly as the equipment conditions allow.

Power and accuracy are two primary break shot stroke factors. Blended perfectly, these two factors transmit maximum energy into the stack while minimizing cue ball movement after impact. A forceful stroke delivering a full ball hit to the apex of the rack with minimum cue ball spin is optimum. Strike the cue ball as near to center ball as possible and aim to hit the head ball full. The goal is to have the cue ball rebound off the 15 ball stack and settle in the center of the table as indicated by the shaded oval in the diagram below.

The shaded cue balls illustrate the change in aim and impact based on the point of origin for the cue ball. Notice the cue ball is shown from various positions behind the head string. Different tables may break more effectively from a side of the table or angle of impact. If your favorite position isnâ€™t pocketing balls after a few breaks, try a different spot. Also note that all of the cue ball positions shown are as close to the head string as possible. This will keep cloth friction that will slow the cue ball before impact to a minimum. It will also keep the cue ball closer to the target and aid in aiming to make the perfect full hit on the head ball.

If the cue ball contacts the head ball perfectly, the cue ball should rebound off the stack and check up in the shaded area in the middle of the table. Barring a kiss from an object ball, it will not contact a cushion. Beware of scratches in the side pockets. If your cue ball tends to move off toward one of the side rails, make a small adjustment in your line of aim. No English (sidespin) should be applied to the break shot nor any draw or follow. English will make the full hit more difficult and draw or follow bring scratches in the corners into play.

The position zone in the middle of the table will yield the most choices for an opening shot. Preferably, the cue ball has a position with multiple shots and a choice of stripes or solids. If the cue ball ends up below the stack, youâ€™ll have fewer choices to shoot at if youâ€™ve got a shot at all.

The first step to running racks is an effective break shot. Strive for making a ball, spreading the rack open, and controlling the cue ball to give yourself the best chance to run out. Keep these goals in mind and spend time sharpening your crucial opening shot.

See part two of this article for an alternate break which offers several advantages called the second ball break.

Comments

2 responses to “Effective 8-Ball Break Shots, Part I”

Craig A. Hatleback

July 5, 2008

Mike,

Part One of the break shot covers all the aspects of the break shot mechanics. I like how you pointed out an important actuallity of the cloth friction affecting the cue-ball spin prior to contact with the rack. Generally, most of the other aspects you covered are in direct relation to the condition of the table and it’s surface cloth, which are of significant importance, not only for the break shot, but also for the following shots. I can’t wait to review Part Two!

I would like to open a discussion regarding the pitch of the table during play. I feel that the pitch if the playing surface has a similar, if not equal, effect on all shots during a game. The cue-ball movement during the break shot, because of the power used, is generally not affected by the pitch of the table, however, the resulting “opposite” reaction to the racked balls and the subsequent follow-up shots are. Let me know what you think.

I have invented a new level for the Table Mechanics to use in leu of the “Machinist’s” and ” Carpenter’s” levels that are in current use today. The importance of the Gravity Level is, in my opinion, long overdue for an industry that relies heavily on the accuracy of leveling a plane surface, such as a billiard table. The omni-directional Gravity Level indicates the levelness of the plane as a whole surface with a single measurement, rather than a single direction of the plane, as do the other conventional uni-directional levels that require repeated measurements.

Let me know what you think, and I assure you, I am not trying to “sell” my product, rather I would like to discuss with you the physics involved during a simple, yet extremely complicated game of billiards. My main focus is always the education and training of the industry personnel, and I feel you may be a resource for training and education. Training and education that should start with the accredation of the Table Machanic and follow through to the player in order to better understand the forces that affect each shot, which you point out in Part One of the Break Shot.

Send me an e-mail at wihatleback [at] gmail [dot] com with your thoughts, I’d like to hear from you.

Craig A. Hatlrback
hank glassman

January 27, 2014

i had been told a while back to break from the side rail in line with the kitchen imaginary line. is this the right spot or should i place it further back and what english is preferred.. i do scatter the balls pretty well hitting the 2nd ball with ocassionalscratches but have only made the 8 ball on the break a few times. thanks.

Effective 8-Ball Break Shots, Part I

Comments

2 responses to “Effective 8-Ball Break Shots, Part I”

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