Effective 8-Ball Break Shots, Part II
Part II
© 2008 Mike Fieldhammer, BilliardCoach.com
Part I of the break shot details the most common approach to breaking by hitting the ball at the apex of the stack. This article will detail a highly effective alternative—the second ball break.
As summarized in part I, a successful break shot can be defined as follows:
• One or more balls have been pocketed
• The cue ball is in a position that offers an opening shot
• Object balls have scattered sufficiently and few clusters exist
The second ball break still benefits from a tight rack, but is more forgiving. One of the two balls directly behind the apex ball is struck and the action of the rack can be thought of as an explosion from the center of the rack. Energy from the cue ball is directed at the core of the rack with the object balls scattering from the inside out.
This concentrated strike is more of a sniper shot than an all out blast. Accuracy supercedes power in the second ball break. English and spin are employed to make aiming at the small target even more difficult. The power of the stroke must be held in check so as not to sacrifice a deadly accurate hit.
The cue ball must originate from near one of the side rails. This offers the shortest path and most advantageous angle to hit the second ball as full as possible. The cue ball should miss the apex ball and impact the second ball back. Clipping the head ball may cause a scratch in pocket ‘1’ or even jump the cue ball off the table. Steering too far clear of the head ball can be costly as well. Hitting too thin (low) on the second ball can send the cue ball straight into the corner or into the long rail and across to scratch in corner pocket ‘2’. Even if the scratches are avoided, you may be stuck beneath the stack or on the foot rail with no shot at all.
Outside English and draw (Low left in the diagram breaking from the left side rail) should be used in moderation to contact the side rail and direct the cue ball to the shaded oval position zone. As in the head ball break, the center of the table will offer the most options for an opening shot. Don’t overdo the low, outside spin because a scratch in pocket ‘3’ is possible. Cue ball kisses are highly likely, but if the cue ball is sent along the path illustrated the kiss may not hurt you. Keeping the cue ball away from the pockets greatly reduces the chance of getting kissed into a scratch.
Players new to the second ball break should begin without employing any left or right spin. Play the shot with draw only and focus on an accurate hit on the second ball. Some players have great success without adding the sidespin and hitting the break with high speed. Equipment and playing conditions may influence how you choose to shoot the second ball break shot.
This alternate break shot works well, especially when the head ball smash break is not satisfying the first two goals of breaking. You’ll often make a ball but may face a more difficult run out due to a less effective spread of the rack. This can be a smart move if you’d like to avoid leaving the rack wide open for your opponent to run out after a dry head ball break. Your opponent may have more work to run out a second ball break if you fail to make a ball.
Spend time working on powerful but controlled head ball breaks as well as the precision second ball break. Having two effective break shots in your arsenal will make you a more deadly run out weapon. Choose your break shot based on results of warm up games, table conditions, and what you observe from other skilled players. Getting an opening shot is the first step to running racks. Break well!
Effective 8-Ball Break Shots, Part I
Part I
© 2008 Mike Fieldhammer, BilliardCoach.com
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 you’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 ‘hold serve’, 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:
• One or more balls have been pocketed
• The cue ball is in a position that offers an opening shot
• 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 isn’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, you’ll have fewer choices to shoot at if you’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.
The art of the safety including the Intentional Foul Safety
Defensive play is one of the things about pool that separates it from bowling or golf. Both bowling and golf are great games, and there is strategy involved, it is more subtle and not as satisfying. A great series of safeties in pool can directly lead to a game win, alter your opponent’s approach and playing style, or create a significant mental advantage. Or it could bring about a combination of all three.
At the US Open 9-Ball Championships in October, I witnessed an excellent and rare example of safety play. Ralf Souquet and Larry Nevel met for a winner’s side match on Day 4 of the tournament. Both had been playing excellent pool and the match was a close battle with Ralf winning 11 to 10. After one of Larry’s breaks, he scratched and gave ball in hand to Ralf. After analyzing the table, Ralf decided to play safe. Larry missed the one ball and was on two consecutive fouls. One more foul on his next shot and he would lose the game.
Ralf noticed that the one ball was pinned to the side cushion with object balls surrounding it on either side. Ralf then wisely took cue ball in hand and shot the five ball to a resting place right up against the one ball cutting off the only accessible path to a legal hit.
By doing this, Ralf took a deliberate foul giving Larry ball in hand with the nearly impossible task of making contact with the one ball. Larry attempted the only thing he could — take his jump cue and try to launch the cue ball into the air hoping it would come down directly on top of the one ball. He jumped the cue ball a bit too far and committed his third consecutive foul and lost the game.
This happened in the middle portion of the match, but in such a close match Ralf’s safety savvy may have made the difference and won him the match!
-
Random Photo
