How important to freeze CB to rail on break?

Patrick Johnson

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I’ve always thought it’s important to break with inside spin to leave the CB on or near the side rail, limiting opponent’s ability to control his return shot. But the pros don’t seem to care much about that, usually leaving the CB off the rail by as much as a foot or more, often with no sidespin at all.

Is accuracy/reliability on the break shot that sensitive to spin, even for pros? Is leaving the CB on/near the rail not that important? What’s the tradeoff here?

pj
chgo
 

darmoose

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I’ve always thought it’s important to break with inside spin to leave the CB on or near the side rail, limiting opponent’s ability to control his return shot. But the pros don’t seem to care much about that, usually leaving the CB off the rail by as much as a foot or more, often with no sidespin at all.

Is accuracy/reliability on the break shot that sensitive to spin, even for pros? Is leaving the CB on/near the rail not that important? What’s the tradeoff here?

pj
chgo

PJ,

I believe that when you have the break, that is the most important shot of the game. I used to break with some inside spin, but I had difficulty with accuracy and would sometimes miss the head ball and end up giving my opponent several balls, or even scratching.

A couple of years ago I experimented with breaking w/o any discernible english. I discovered that I could be a lot more accurate, almost never failing to get the head ball, and once I grooved the proper speed for the CB, I could achieve a very effective break, moving several balls into my quadrant and again almost never selling out the corner ball, and almost never scratching.

It does have value if you can leave the CB on the rail, but sacrificing accuracy to do so is not worth it and is unnecessary.

Try it.

:D
 
Last edited:

LSJohn

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monett missouri
PJ,

I believe that when you have the break, that is the most important shot of the game. I used to break with some inside spin, but I had difficulty with accuracy and would sometimes miss the head ball and end up giving my opponent several balls, or even scratching.

A couple of years ago I experimented with breaking w/o any discernible english. I discovered that I could be a lot more accurate, almost never failing to get the head ball, and once I grooved the proper speed for the CB, I could achieve a very effective break, moving several balls into my quadrant and again almost never selling out the corner ball, and almost never scratching.

It does have value if you can leave the CB on the rail, but sacrificing accuracy to do so is not worth it and is unnecessary.

Try it.

:D

Well said, podnah.
 

One Pocket Ghost

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Ghosttown
PJ,

I believe that when you have the break, that is the most important shot of the game. I used to break with some inside spin, but I had difficulty with accuracy and would sometimes miss the head ball and end up giving my opponent several balls, or even scratching.

A couple of years ago I experimented with breaking w/o any discernible english. I discovered that I could be a lot more accurate, almost never failing to get the head ball, and once I grooved the proper speed for the CB, I could achieve a very effective break, moving several balls into my quadrant and again almost never selling out the corner ball, and almost never scratching.

It does have value if you can leave the CB on the rail, but sacrificing accuracy to do so is not worth it and is unnecessary.

Try it.

:D

^ I also agree with this.
 

sheldon

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Springfield Oregon
Interesting. I have always used sidespin. I'm thinking I might screw up the first few times trying it without, but am willing to give it a try to see if it increases my accuracy!
 

darmoose

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Interesting. I have always used sidespin. I'm thinking I might screw up the first few times trying it without, but am willing to give it a try to see if it increases my accuracy!

Love to hear your results, Sheldon.

Make sure you get a piece of the head ball. I shoot from the side rail, about 2" off the rail, that's aggressive, to move the balls to your quadrant. As for speed, you wanna end up around the second diamond, and will be 8" to 12" off the side rail.

Good luck:)
 

beatle

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with rack your own you can get it pretty close.
use lots of spin it helps. you can hit them harder with more spin. the closer to the rail the less effective his return shot will be and that is the most important shot of the game after the break.
 

lll

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vero beach fl
patrick
think about it
would you rather have your opponent shooting from a full cue ball or the top half
just askin
 

lll

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vero beach fl
its a coincidence
but bill smith when talking about artie and the old timers they ALWAYS left the cue ball 2-2 1/2 diamonds above the corner FROZEN to the rail
just sayin
he also mentioned the old timers placing the cue ball closer to the side rail as now
 

beatle

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break from as close to the side rail as you can
put as much spin as you can
2 & 1/4 diamonds as close as you can
on the rail frozen if you can

modify for different tables, balls, and opponents.
 

Nick B

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Vancouver, Canada
The upside of sticking rock to side rail for me is more about how hard I can hit them for results and not leaking out corner ball to his side. The only upside to not being tight to the side rail is the greater coverage of your corner by the stack and the ability of sliding of a ball behind soldiers.
 

Patrick Johnson

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patrick
think about it
would you rather have your opponent shooting from a full cue ball or the top half
just askin
That's what I said in my OP.

The question is why don't all pros see it that way?

pj
chgo
 

Patrick Johnson

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break from as close to the side rail as you can
put as much spin as you can
2 & 1/4 diamonds as close as you can
on the rail frozen if you can

modify for different tables, balls, and opponents.
Sounds like me...

pj
chgo
 

catkins

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boulder creek ca
I agree with accuracy but for those times that the balls open funny and leave a bank I like having the ball frozen on the rail alot more than out in the open wher they can do whatever they please with the cue ball
 
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