Which is better using 2 white balls or flipping a coin to break off?

Question

Detoured to Tennessee to Bob Praters 5099 Old Summer Road, Memphis.Not bad the players here I was surprised by the standard, not that they came anywhere close to competing with me. I've found people in most states flip a coin to break off, before I arrived I thought you guys in the US used 2 white balls to determine the break shot. Is this the case in most states. Which do you prefer and why?

Answer 1

i much prefer using two white balls. it allows skill to decide who gets the first break in appose to luck.

however in the interest of making the game fun if theres a big differance in skill between players for the lesser player flipping a coin is always good. Also i found in alot of bars and clubs two white balls arnt available.

Personally if im playing with someone im alot better than, then ill concede the break to them. Its gives them an advantage and me a challenge making the game more interesting for us both.

Afterwards i play a winner breaks format if im playing against someone of the same ability, and alternating break if its against someone of a lesser ability.

Personally i always offer the break to the other player just to be polite.

Answer 2

Flip a coin that way you might win something.when you play me

Answer 3

I like the two Qs, hit long rail and back, closest to the rail wins. I was always, almost touching it.

EDIT-When I play, winner breaks, If you want to beak, beat me!, no letting the other guy break when I think he is a lesser player than I am, unless you are playing your buddies, and you know how they play, if you are playing for money, no player is going to show you what he's got, until the real money is put on the table.

I played two guys once, they shot back to back, and I shot once, with the understanding that they cannot talk during the game, or they lose. They were too stupid to set each other up, that's why I played them in the first place. They lost 4 games, and the 5th, when one guy yelled at the other, set me up you f***.!, the bets and the Mattch ended 5-0 I won, and I dont even think it was anything special, I just new how stupid they were.

It's like telling a guy I'll give you all the balls except one, and everybody that doesn't know takes that bet.

The thing is if I cant run 8 or less balls, to beat him, I got no business playing for money, or spotting him the balls.

The other guy is talking about a bar table, when I play on a regulation table, I don't like to a br, usually smaller table, but if I did it's all gravy for me, too easy!.

Answer 4

According to the definition, lagging is a skillful method of determining who will be the breaker.  I always try to encourage my friends to practice the lag because that's how I prefer to play.  On a coin-op table in public, if you're the new player on the table, the other player is usually the breaker by default of having won the last game, thus controlling the table.  Here's an odd thing that I've noticed.  In "The Hustler" Eddie and Fats lag for their first big match but flip a coin for the big match towards the end of the movie.  I've always wondered why they did it that way.  M.D.-BCA Instructor/Referee.

Answer 5

not sure how true it is, but just read along time ago the flipping a coin causes little tears in the cloth?  i never really understood why u have to use both white balls, i realize why they say that, but for as much as iv'e played it wouldn't make me a bit of difference if someone used a striped ball to lag for a big match, which i believe it willnot give them an edge. im open to other opinions why people believe this! i would perfer to lag, because it gives skill a chance to win the break instead of lady luck.

Answer 6

What difference does it make? Why do you say "2 white balls" instead of "cue balls?"

If you have the feel for lagging, the weight of the balls mean nothing, zero, nada.

The coin flip should be called in the air for an even chance. So, again, what's the diff?

Either way, if you don't get out when you're suppose to, you lose.

Answer 7

you know the better is using 2 white balls because to check what is the faster balls.

Answer 8

I started playing competitively in 1994 and the lagging method to determine whose first break has always been used. However in bar room tournaments they lean towards the flipping of a coin. I have encountered those so pathetic on the table yet they are well vested at cheating in the manor of flipping the coin. So I advise if you are involved where flipping the coin is choice I recommend you tell them you’ll call it in the air taking their ability to cheat away from these low life’s. What is most irritating about it is it is so obvious what they are doing which displays clearly that they don’t care and would be willing to fight over it if called down on it. When it did happen to me it severed only to p*ss me off which I am no fun to play p*ssed off. I will skip the easy run for several good in your face I hid you on purpose shots in return for your disrespect any day of the week. Good Luck and Happy shooting