Whats the best way to break in 9-ball game?

Question

Whats the best way to break in 9-ball game?

Answer 1

At the professional level, many players perfected the "soft break," where they were able to pocket the one ball in the side pocket with amazing consistency. Because of this, many professional tournaments having started racking with the 9 ball on the spot instead of the 1 ball.

To do a soft break, you line the cue ball up as close the rail as possible, hit the cue ball a touch below center, aim just a smidge off center towards the side you are breaking from (i.e., if you are breaking from the left hand rail, aim a bit left of hitting the 1 ball flush) and strike the cue ball with a medium hard stroke. This break takes a bit of practice and a solid rack, so practice it before trying it in a tournament or something.

If you're going to use a power break, where you place the cue ball depends largely on your ability to control the cue ball. If you can park it in the center of the table every time, you should break from the side rail. If you have trouble keeping the cue ball still, you should break close to the center of the table.

Always remember that you should only break as hard as you can control, not as hard as you can possible hit the ball. It does you know good to power in 2 or 3 balls if the cue ball ends up on the end rail a mile away from the next ball you must hit it.

I suggest spending at least one full day doing nothing but breaking. Just rack the balls up, break, then collect them and re-rack without running them out. Start with a medium speed hit, and practice keeping the cue ball in the center of the table. Gradually increase your speed until the find the maximum power you can get into the break without losing control of the cue ball. That is your optimum break.

Answer 2

Remember  to  control  your  cue  ball  and   don't   have  it  go  all  over  the   place.  You  could  scratch  or   not  good  a  good first  shot.  In  my  opinion  your  break  is  one  of  the  most  important  things   in  your  pool  game.   Also  remember  to  hit  the  one  ball  flush  and  hit  the  cue  in  center  or  slightly  above.   Good  luck

Answer 3

There is no "best way", you have to understand every way and how balls react. The best way is to make sure your cue ball ends in the center of the table, you make one ball and have another shot. You need to understand how different racks react. Practice loose (shoot low left off left center and draw 3 rails to center) and off center racks (high left from right rail, push one rail). But standard tight straight rack for a right handed player is slightly high left cue from about 2 inches off the left hand rail, hit the hit ball just off the right hand center - about 1/8 inch. The length and sharpness of your stroke is extremely important.

Answer 4

Don't shoot from next to the head spot on the head string and hit the 1-ball in the rack straight on. Here, you will contact the cue ball just above center. some players still do it this way, but most professionals do not.

Use "floating cue ball" where you can move it anywhere along the head-string and shoot.

Hit the cue ball a tip's height above center and have it strike the 1-ball flush. This will cause the cue ball to carom away from the 1-ball slightly and come to a dead stop. This is what we want to happen.

Remember, a major mistake on the break is allowing a wild cue ball, which can fly off the table or scratch in a pocket.

The key is to control the cue ball. If necessary, sacrifice speed, but always be sure to get control of that cue ball.

Answer 5

Place the cueball an inch or two away from the side-rail and hit the 1-ball dead-on with center ball (no spin).  You give yourself a great chance to make the 1 in the side and one of the wing balls.

If the tournament does not have a "break from the box" rule where players must break within a diamond of the spot, they ALWAYS break from the rail.

Answer 6

Low right on the cue ball from the right side of the table2-3 inches off the rail. Medium speed , you don't have to smash the rack.

Answer 7

Hit the balls with all your  might on on the left side of rack. Use slight bottom english.

Answer 8

to add to oters answers, the 1 ball in the side is great, but also consider watching if the wing balls are going in. if you can get that happening, while parking the cueball in the middle of the table,  i've seen Varner making the wing ball, while drawing back the cueball, where the 1 ball was constintlly ending up. all tables break different, move the cueball around, differen't speeds. i've even seen Duel have great results with the soft break, sending his cueball off the side rail, and back into the pack, while making 1 or both wing balls, and the 1 ball. just a couple of my thoughts about breaking rules. they keep changing, as breaking from the box, then moving the rack up where 9 ball is on the spot. is pool, you should be able to break behind the headstring whever you want, and winner break, give control to the guy who holds control! the matches to 9 or 12 are ridecilous, as a fair match at a pro level should be at about a race to 30 to let the cream rise to the top. stop changing rules for tv purposes. come on espn, whats up with 1hour matches, that skip games from (time restraints)? you play other little shows over and over, you can put the full matches on at night, and let fans tivo them. i remember as a kid watching straight pool matches in tv in full! the true pro level game is screwed up, because of tv, in alot of ways. hopefully espn will open their eyes, or the internet takes the game back to where it belongs in pro tournys. Some of the best players in the world, you will never see, because they can make, way more money being a road player, and if the sport would evolve like other sports, thoes players would start playing in pro tournys. in the philippines, there are 2 different channels playing tournys in full, at almost anytime you flip on basic cable. Efren is as popular as Woods is here. Just some thoughts, don't take em seriouselly, i just hope that pool can become more mainstream here in the USA, there are millions of players out there, recerational and competive. hopefully someone with media power can concuct a plan, cause nothing seems to be working now. ipt? who knows, Terdau, shot himself in the foot, as i thought pool was headed in a great direction. Who would not pay their players their winnings, when you got 4 best seller books on the market today, and a private jet, wow just cant wrap my mind around that move?  ohh well just some thoughts, good luck on your break, and always keep an open mind about trying different things on the table.