Johnny J. Willis
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- Jun 11, 2018
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- 86
Any advisement on best practices to break the balls?
Any advisement on best practices to break the balls?
I have heard of this three ball drill before, but I wonder if it has the practical benefits claimed.
Firstly, there are 12 balls missing, all of which can have an effect on the results of your break.
I doubt from a physics standpoint whether the hit on the head ball that sends the third ball to your hole will do the same for the corner ball when all 15 balls are racked.
Almost all my recollections of scratching on the break involve a kiss off the last ball in the rack. That ball not being there completely eliminates my knowing if I am practicing scratching.
Seems to me that practicing the break with all 15 balls is necessary.
Oh, I agree 100% -- the three ball drill is just to help get a feel for the right clip on the head ball -- ultimately you need all 15 balls.I have heard of this three ball drill before, but I wonder if it has the practical benefits claimed.
Firstly, there are 12 balls missing, all of which can have an effect on the results of your break.
I doubt from a physics standpoint whether the hit on the head ball that sends the third ball to your hole will do the same for the corner ball when all 15 balls are racked.
Almost all my recollections of scratching on the break involve a kiss off the last ball in the rack. That ball not being there completely eliminates my knowing if I am practicing scratching.
Seems to me that practicing the break with all 15 balls is necessary.
do you think the scratch off a kiss from the last ball in the rack is more a result of a gap between the balls rather than a bad hit ? i do.
icbw
when the cue ball goes straight into the corner the bad hit is obvious.
for the op i think the 3 ball drill is good but breaking with the full rack is necessary.
from my experience in showing new players the break
they often dont get enough inside spin on the the cue ball
so there is little to no inside spin when it reaches the rack or to hold it when it gets to the foot rail
using a stripe as your cue ball will show you how much spin you have when the cue ball reaches the rack
I've had good luck aiming to cut the head ball at the first diamond above the corner pocket on the long rail. VP4 agrees.
pj
chgo
I'm sure an alignment like that could be found for the shot, but it wouldn't be the most precise way for me to visualize it. The most precise way I know to aim a shot is the way I aim all shots - cutting the ball at a target.PJ,
Would you say that your aiming thought is the same as aiming at the C/L of the second ball, and perhaps a bit more difficult to visualize as well as execute?
thanks for the reply darrellLarry,
Sorry i somehow had not seen your question earlier. To answer, I'm not sure which is the most culpable. My own experience is that I scratch mostly if I clip that last ball. Seems that when I hit too much of the second ball, I don't scratch, but hit the long rail (where all kinds of bad things can happen). If I hit too much head ball, I can scratch without clipping the last ball.
I seem to sacrifice accuracy when I try to get significant spin on the CB, so I focus more on an accurate hit and speed (with a little inside on the CB). I do go to the side rail with the CB to break from because it is more aggressive (more force/energy goes to pushing balls to the side rail than the bottom rail).
As i said to Steve, I don't care for the three ball break drill because it does not mirror a full rack break, and you get NO feedback about the CB (which is in my opinion the most important feedback to seek).
PJ,
Would you say that your aiming thought is the same as aiming at the C/L of the second ball, and perhaps a bit more difficult to visualize as well as execute?
...and for the One Pocket break, the advantage of having a rail target like you are describing, as opposed to a target aim line lower in the rack, is that the spot on the rail only changes if the rack is tilted. The target lower in the rack -- like larry mentioned -- has to be adjusted if you place the cue ball either closer or further from the side cushion.I'm sure an alignment like that could be found for the shot, but it wouldn't be the most precise way for me to visualize it. The most precise way I know to aim a shot is the way I aim all shots - cutting the ball at a target.
pj
chgo
thanks for the reply darrell
in your question to PJ
what do you mean by the C/L of the second ball?
for me i had trouble getting consistent hits on the first 2 balls when i tried to "clip" them
thru trial and error i came upon aiming at the base of the second ball
ie ..full in the face
from where i place the cue ball about 9 inches off the side rail
i will clip the front ball just right as it overlaps the second ball and you cannot hit the second ball straight on without clipping the first ball
from the side rail the clip on the front ball might be a bit thin so i would aim a smidgeon to the front ball side of the base of the second ball if necessary
...and for the One Pocket break, the advantage of having a rail target like you are describing, as opposed to a target aim line lower in the rack, is that the spot on the rail only changes if the rack is tilted. The target lower in the rack -- like larry mentioned -- has to be adjusted if you place the cue ball either closer or further from the side cushion.
...and for the One Pocket break, the advantage of having a rail target like you are describing, as opposed to a target aim line lower in the rack, is that the spot on the rail only changes if the rack is tilted. The target lower in the rack -- like larry mentioned -- has to be adjusted if you place the cue ball either closer or further from the side cushion.
It's kind of a very thin "billiard" on the head ball. Matter of fact, I am curious how a billiard player like Billy Smith -- or some of the other billiard players here on the site, would aim for a One Pocket break because that must be right up their ally!
why 4 or 8 oclock english and not 2 or 10 oclock ??Steve; I place the CB about 1-2" off the side rail just in the kitchen at the 6th diamond.
About aiming, I've was taught and still to this day try to aim to split the head and 2nd ball, with medium 4 or 8 O'clock English! NOTE: Applying the inside will cause the CB to curve a little, (so the actual aim is to clip the back of the head ball!) I think trying to aim at a point on the end rail thru those points is a little difficult! First off, you're trying to aim at a point that is now over 2' further away, in a persons mind, I believe they will have a tendency to hit the break a little firmer, which may cause a back ball to jump out!
I see many new players placing the CB almost 1 diamond out from the side rail, I think this would cause the CB to deflect more then actually opening up the stack, (going into the stack at more obtuse angle.) Now a days, the balls open up anyway, but, I still like to go into them more directly, have the CB contact the end rail between the 1st diamond and his opponents pocket, with the reverse English to slide up and freeze a little above the 2nd diamond on the long rail!
This is how Artie broke the balls, he broke them and got out of the break as good as ANY player!
why 4 or 8 oclock english and not 2 or 10 oclock ??
and do you want the back spin to be on the ball when it gets to the stack?
The low inside English, 'kills the CB off the short and long cushion to able it to freeze there!' The follow gives to much, 'life to the CB off the rails!'
Yes, I do!
To your edited question! Larry; I think you need to direct that question to one of the, 'Scientific Gee's' for the low drag to follow on the CB answer!
thanks for the reply bill