Another way to break.

[Patrick Johnson]

Well, THANK YOU Bill and Patrick for the great tip!! Can't wait to try it out.

And Patrick, those photo illustrations are first rate. Do you take pictures using your table, then use Greenshot or some screen shot program to make the lines, etc.? Really nice!

Cheers~

Doc

Yep, Doc, I just snapped a couple photos, jacked 'em into my laptop and used a program called SmartDraw to add lines & text.

Sometimes I use a pool simulator called Virtual Pool 4 to set up the table and balls, grab a screen shot and add graphics the same way.

pj
chgo

 

[gulfportdoc]

Doc,

Try placing the cue ball closer to the rail. You are too far away.
Check the rack to make sure the 9 balls are frozen. Makes a big difference. The other balls don't matter. Make sure you are hitting only the 6 ball.
If there is a space between the 6 ball and the 9 ball you can hit the 6 ball fuller.

Playing the 10 ball Ghost today I made 5 balls on the break. Never have done that before.

Bill S.

Thanks, Bill. I wondered how important the CB position was in your results. I'll try it 3" off the rail. There are a few other things I intend to try as well.

~Doc

 

[8andout]

Yep, Doc, I just snapped a couple photos, jacked 'em into my laptop and used a program called SmartDraw to add lines & text.

Sometimes I use a pool simulator called Virtual Pool 4 to set up the table and balls, grab a screen shot and add graphics the same way.

pj
chgo

You can also use Microsoft Word, which is installed on almost every computer in the known universe.

 

[baby huey]

Archie the Greek, who plays poorly, had an interesting break. He would kick to the side rail and freeze the ball in the rack and push some balls towards his pocket. It was a variation of the 14.1 break where you are on the side of the balls and hit the second or third ball from the BOTTOM of the rack. Another break I have used is what I called the Mexican Break. I learned it from some of the old mexican players at 4th and Main Street in downtown LA in the 60's. Place the cue ball on side rail by diamond #2 and gently hit the head ball head on and freeze the cue ball right there. It sends a couple of balls towards the rails and doesn't sell out. It is more of a defensive break and lends itself to the taking of scratches right from the start of the game.

Breaking in one pocket is an art and you have to really pay attention to the table conditions and the cleanliness or dirtiness of the balls. You got to freeze the balls playing this game. I have seen too many matches lost hill hill by the breaker when he got sloppy racking and striking the balls.

 

[bernie p]

Another break I have used is what I called the Mexican Break. I learned it from some of the old mexican players at 4th and Main Street in downtown LA in the 60's. Place the cue ball on side rail by diamond #2 and gently hit the head ball head on and freeze the cue ball right there. It sends a couple of balls towards the rails and doesn't sell out. It is more of a defensive break and lends itself to the taking of scratches right from the start of the game.


Jerry,

Ike Runnels played this break against me at last years US Open.

On a lesser player it is an interesting tactical move, but I believe that any seasoned opponent should be able to negate the advantage of the break easier than the breaker laying down a "standard" break.

Of course....if the table if breaking "funny" (corner ball leaking, or CB scratching).... then you need to adapt.

Thanks.

Bernie Pettipiece.

 

[Jimmy B]

Another break I have used is what I called the Mexican Break. I learned it from some of the old mexican players at 4th and Main Street in downtown LA in the 60's. Place the cue ball on side rail by diamond #2 and gently hit the head ball head on and freeze the cue ball right there. It sends a couple of balls towards the rails and doesn't sell out. It is more of a defensive break and lends itself to the taking of scratches right from the start of the game.


Jerry,

Ike Runnels played this break against me at last years US Open.

On a lesser player it is an interesting tactical move, but I believe that any seasoned opponent should be able to negate the advantage of the break easier than the breaker laying down a "standard" break.

Of course....if the table if breaking "funny" (corner ball leaking, or CB scratching).... then you need to adapt.

Thanks.

Bernie Pettipiece.

A pretty good old head player named Cotton Nash used only that break for decades around here. Didn't matter who he was playing or what table.

 

[gulfportdoc]

Doc, Try placing the cue ball closer to the rail. You are too far away.
Check the rack to make sure the 9 balls are frozen. Makes a big difference. The other balls don't matter. Make sure you are hitting only the 6 ball.
If there is a space between the 6 ball and the 9 ball you can hit the 6 ball fuller. ... Bill S.

Bill, I tried shooting the break from closer to the rail. It definitely made a difference. The back ball went closer to the pocket, but it still wouldn't hang or make. Different equipment or conditions would make a difference, I believe.

Thanks~
Doc

 

[gulfportdoc]

Jerry, Ike Runnels played this break against me at last years US Open.

On a lesser player it is an interesting tactical move, but I believe that any seasoned opponent should be able to negate the advantage of the break easier than the breaker laying down a "standard" break.

Of course....if the table if breaking "funny" (corner ball leaking, or CB scratching).... then you need to adapt.

Thanks. Bernie Pettipiece.

Wow! IKE played that break against you?! I'm really surprised, since that's considered by most to be a weak break. He must have been flummoxed by the way the balls were breaking, and therefore used that break in a "rit of fage" (as Clouseau might have said).

~Doc

 

[Patrick Johnson]

Bill, I tried shooting the break from closer to the rail. It definitely made a difference. The back ball went closer to the pocket, but it still wouldn't hang or make. Different equipment or conditions would make a difference, I believe.

Thanks~
Doc

This break might be a candidate for the ol' kick-off-the-side-rail break. That would make it possible to hit the 6 ball at an angle to make a real difference (I speculate). Of course, if you hit it real good and make it you're glued to the back of the stack...

pj
chgo

 

[androd]

This break might be a candidate for the ol' kick-off-the-side-rail break. That would make it possible to hit the 6 ball at an angle to make a real difference (I speculate). Of course, if you hit it real good and make it you're glued to the back of the stack...

pj
chgo

I've never seen one made kicking at the rack. Most of the kickers got broke before they made one. Sometimes it's very effective, no doubt.

The head ball break (old timers called it the Oklahoma) can be very troublesome. It'll teach you to kick
2 rails to move the OB , hopefully towards your pocket. When it was played a lot you had to drive 2 balls to the rail (the CB and one more, or 2 OB's) old straight pool rules. They have now changed that rule and only 1 ball needs to go to the rail. ( no CB ) With that change that break can still be a little trouble. You never scratch or owe one.
Rod.

 

[bstroud]

The one rail kick break was very effective with the big ball on the bar table.

I played Rod Curry many times for 400 to 800 per game and he always used the kick break.

I learned very quickly hoe to kick off the side rail 2 rails to bank the ball near his pocket to my pocket.

Another kick break seldom seen is to place the cue ball very near the rail at the head string and shoot it into the same rail.

Bill S.

 

[gulfportdoc]

The one rail kick break was very effective with the big ball on the bar table.

I played Rod Curry many times for 400 to 800 per game and he always used the kick break.

I learned very quickly hoe to kick off the side rail 2 rails to bank the ball near his pocket to my pocket.

Another kick break seldom seen is to place the cue ball very near the rail at the head string and shoot it into the same rail.

Bill S.

When you played 1P on the bar box, did you use a full 15 ball rack?

And for the break close to the rail, which ball was hit with the CB? Sounds interesting, but tricky... I imagine that the purpose of that break was to try to get a fuller hit on the rack. Or was it used for safety considerations?

~Doc

 

[bstroud]

Doc,

Always used 15 balls on the Valley bar table.

Fuller hit on the rack. Used with the big ball.

It's really a good game.

Bill S.