What is the key to making the "eight on the break"?

Question

I am very interested and involved with pool competition, and am always seeking ways to improve my game. I am wide open to suggestions for improving a good game. I carry a 5 rating presently and utilize carom, banks, kicks and combinations. I am experimenting with methods to move the 8 ball on the break without much success. Any Sharks willing to share tips?

Answer 1

In most bar leagues an 8 on the break IS a win, so anyone who says it's not worth learning is an idiot or a pool snob who does not like leagues.

There is no guaranteed way to make the 8 on the break, but there is a way to substantially increase the likelihood, and it's a break that will often leave a very good spread.

Let's assume you like breaking from the left side of the table. Place the cue ball close to the left rail, but far enough away so that you can make a fairly level stroke while using draw.  Aim to hit the SECOND ball in the rack as flush you can. You should hit the cue ball low and a little bit left. Also, remember that using english will send the cue ball a little to the right, so account for that when you aim. If you clip the head ball, the cue ball will often pop off the table.Also, this is a controlled break, so you will generally hit it lighter than a power break to the head ball, but can still hit it pretty hard.

When properly executed, the cue ball will come to the side rail and back up into the center of the table. The 8 ball will often shoot towards the right side pocket, or up table to the right corner pocket next to you. Do not expect to pocket it more than about 1 out of 10 times. And definitely do not listen to people who tell you it cannot be done. This break is taught by some of the top pool instructors in the world, and often used successfully by many of the best 8 ball players around.

Answer 2

The 8 on the break is very unlikely, and no one has near mastered it ever. Unless you consider some rack mechanics.

9 ball is much more common but also without a cheat rack it is nowhere near possible to make it as often as some might say.

For a great insight into racking and breaking I would suggest getting "Joe Tucker's Racking Secrets"

Answer 3

First ---you need to put a respectable amount of "oomph" on the cue ball.Second---do a severely punctuated draw spin on it.  Thirdly---dip the cue stick down to just below dead center on the cue ball just a split second before contact while spinning the cue stick to the right 1/4 of a turn. The stick needs to be spinning when it contacts the cue ball.

Answer 4

Frankly...I have no Idea...lol

Answer 5

I'm standing behind Chris on this one.  Even if you're playing in circumstances where an 8 on the break is considered a win, the odds of doing so are very slim.  As another answerer pointed out, there are ways to get the 8-ball moving on the break, but it's not a shot that you can ever count on going in.  As Chris mentioned, it really is a matter of luck.  He knows what he's talking about.  Your best bet on any game is to control the cue ball, scatter the balls (exception for straight pool and one-pocket, et. al.), and only use as much power on the break as you can control.  Furthermore, I need to call shenanigans on the "9 racks in a row" statement made earlier.  The odds of pocketing the 8-ball even once are probably something like 1:5 and it gets exponentially more unlikely with every subsequent rack.  I just don't believe it.  Back to what Chris said, your best bet is to try and pocket a ball on the break while controlling the cue ball.  If you're always trying for a 8-ball on the break, you're risking losing the cue ball and not having good separation of the balls.  M.D.-BCA Instructor/Referee.

P.S.  This is to "Vegas Matt".  First of all, where do you get off calling anyone else an idiot or a pool snob who looks down on league players?  It's like you read one thing and somehow you change the words around in your brain and you get all defensive.  I'm sorry, but I draw the line at name calling.  Would you call any one of us a pool snob if we were face to face in a bar and we asked if you played by BCA rules?  I happen to enjoy league play and I obey the posted rules for whatever league I play in.  You said yourself, that it's maybe a 1/10 shot, so why would I want to spend a great deal of time on it or encourage others to?  If the asker wants to practice this shot, then more power to him.  Like he said, he's experimenting with things.  Nobody is saying that it "can't" be done, it's just rare and not something you can repeatedly count on.  Frankly, I don't care if a lot of instructors teach this break.  I know a lot of instructors that would have you chanting and sitting in a lotus position if they had their way.  You know, maybe Johnny's right.  Maybe we do take this a little too seriously, but you crossed the line.

Answer 6

there is no key to making the 8 on the break and anyone that tells you there is, is nothing more than a fish in  shark infested waters to start with. but there are keys to getting the 8 moving alot better than a normal break would, to start with break from the side rail, aim at the gap between the head ( usually the 1 ball)  and the ball on the 2nd row behind the 1 on the side of the table that your breaking from. break at about 85% power and the eight ball shoots out like a rocket, no garuntees you will make it, but it will get it moving

Answer 7

First of all kicks are hardly used by great, or good players, get yourself in position so you dont have to kick.

As far as movingt he 8 ball on the break, make sure, the rack is tight, as some people give you a loose rack so you don't move the 8 ball. A loose rack is made when the guy racking, puts his two thumbs, on corner balls, and pushes them up, this creates a space around the 8 ball and it is hard to move it.

Usually breaking from the side, You put your Q, about four inches from the rail, and you hit between first and second ball, with draw, to avoid scratching into the corner, the ball on the second position, in the last row, second from the end, will hit rail, and come up hitting the 8, or balls behind it, and guide it towards side pocket, and many times going in, therefore winning if you dont scratch.

A second way, is to hit balls straight on, a little left of center, with a lot of high english, making the Q, go through and hit the 8, sometims making it.

You can always ask for a rerack, if it is not tight, also, if it's parallel to the back rail, sometimes you can take advantage of it, or other times it will mess up your break, by practicing, and seeing how the q reacts, to these conditions, you can learn how to make the 8 ball fly, and not only move.

hope it helps, but try it first, learn to use english, to your advantage, on the break as described, you have to use hard English.

EDIT-To Chris, I would not go around making statements like that, unless I was around pool for a while.

I would take that bet, with odds, but there are players, that would take that bet straight up, on 10 or as many shots you want on making the eight ball on the break..Don't bet on it.

Answer 8

Why do you want to make that shot it does NOT win a game of 8 ball.

But yes it can be done 4th ball inside spin with slight draw it will cross bank in the side pocket

but why???

And dont tell me about bar rules im tired of hearing that BS -and I run a bar-watching those people play is better than watching tv

Also 9 ball corner pocket 6 out of ten-yes I will bet on it -well 4 anyway!!

Even 6 &10 ball will go off break

Answer 9

I believe making 8 ball on the break is almost impossible.  9 ball game and 8 ball game are similar. you are required to break with much power and wait for the luck to make the winning ball on the break.  In 9 ball, pocketing the 9 ball on the break is not probable even if you are really skillful player.

it's even more impossible to happen in 8 ball, since the number of balls are 15. In this kind of Pool game luck is a factor on the break not skill. I adviced you to learn to make atleast one ball on the break so you can continue your run...

If your not  satisfied with my answer. you can watch Francisco Bustamante, Jeff De Luna, Jhonny Archer and Alex Pagulayan on their video. You can see them breaking with power and control but still they can't make the winning ball on  the break..

Answer 10

i put the queball at the line, about 2 inches off the siderail, to use a siderail bridge, aim for the 2nd ball full on or square, little bit of draw(not much), so when it hits, the queball hits the siderail and draws back to the center of the table. i have seen tables where a good solid fairly light break, will run the 8ball to the opposite side pocket from where your breaking from. other tables with a solid break may run the 8 toward the corner pocket opposite to  which side you break from. every table has different charastics, i suggest switching sides, and hitting the 2nd ball head on, but more important than focusing on the 8 on the break, is to(from a 2nd ball break)is to draw it off the siderail, to the middle of the table and see if you are pocketing a ball or two, and get a good scatter result. Other tables are best to break head on 1st ball, and move your cueball to different spots, and use different speeds, to find the tables best break spot.  forgot to mention, that when using a side rail break 2nd ball head on, sometimes you get really good results, to to not put as much draw on the queball, and the result= the queball comes off the side rail, and instead of going to the center of the table, it smashes into the rack area a 2nd time. many things to consider, depending on how the table breaks.