Chopstick
11-02-2004, 02:11 PM
I was showing this to one of the guys on my team after matches last night and people from around the room started lining up to learn it.
The break shot is a precision shot, not just whailing at the balls and taking what happens. It is also the most important shot of the game. You can win or lose with it.
Quality of contact, between the cue tip and the cue ball, and the cue ball and the one ball is more important than power.
The maximum amount of power that can be applied to a break is determined by your capability to maintain quality contact. When you apply more power than you can accurately control your results will diminish.
How do you find out what your maximum is? Here's the setup. Get a buddy to spot balls for you. It helps a lot. I was doing this for people last night and they were all able to consistantly produce this break in just a few minutes.
START(
%AO0I7%BD1O5%CD5N5%DE5L7%EE6T7%FE1S2%GD5Q3%HE4X0%I F5P9%Pg6V3
%WD0C9%Xg4V3
)END
Take the cue ball in the kitchen set up a ball straight in on the diamond line even with the spot. Now shoot it in and stop the cue ball using your break stroke. Not even close? Your break is out of control and here's how to fix it. It's better to have someone spotting balls for you so you can zero in on the feel. Back off on the power until you can make the ball and have the cue ball drift forward about 6 inches. No side spin. It's OK if it drifts to one side or the other but no more than a few inches forward. The perfect shot is for the cue ball to roll straight forward a few inches.
Why does it have to drift forward? The rack weighs nine times as much as the cue ball. If the cue ball hits the rack neutral, no forward or reverse, it's going to bounce off it. If it has any draw it's going to come off there like a rocket. The forward bias or stun through will neutralize some, but not all of the bounce effect and take side pocket scratches out of play. Even if it comes off the rack heading straight for the side it won't have enough energy to get there.
The maximum speed you can execute this stun through shot is your maximum break speed. When you can make this stun shot twice in a row set up a nine ball rack. Put the cue ball on the head string one diamond out or somewhere near that line. Look down your shot line through the one ball and find the gap between the wing ball and the ball behind it. Drive the one ball down that line. Line A in the diagram.
START(
%AN8O4%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%Pg7I1
%QH6R3%SV7K3%WP5O2%Xg5I1%]D0U2%^O5O1
)END
The cue ball will come back somewhere around point C. Where you aim is a matter of personal preference. It is important setup and aim at a small well defined shot line every time, like in the setup shot. Put the shot back in break SHOT.
I saw Jeanette Lee run over Allison Fisher on ESPN using this exact break. Since then I've seen other Pros using it too.
DISCLAIMER: This breaking system is known not to work on irradiated arachnids so don't even think about doing it to me.
The break shot is a precision shot, not just whailing at the balls and taking what happens. It is also the most important shot of the game. You can win or lose with it.
Quality of contact, between the cue tip and the cue ball, and the cue ball and the one ball is more important than power.
The maximum amount of power that can be applied to a break is determined by your capability to maintain quality contact. When you apply more power than you can accurately control your results will diminish.
How do you find out what your maximum is? Here's the setup. Get a buddy to spot balls for you. It helps a lot. I was doing this for people last night and they were all able to consistantly produce this break in just a few minutes.
START(
%AO0I7%BD1O5%CD5N5%DE5L7%EE6T7%FE1S2%GD5Q3%HE4X0%I F5P9%Pg6V3
%WD0C9%Xg4V3
)END
Take the cue ball in the kitchen set up a ball straight in on the diamond line even with the spot. Now shoot it in and stop the cue ball using your break stroke. Not even close? Your break is out of control and here's how to fix it. It's better to have someone spotting balls for you so you can zero in on the feel. Back off on the power until you can make the ball and have the cue ball drift forward about 6 inches. No side spin. It's OK if it drifts to one side or the other but no more than a few inches forward. The perfect shot is for the cue ball to roll straight forward a few inches.
Why does it have to drift forward? The rack weighs nine times as much as the cue ball. If the cue ball hits the rack neutral, no forward or reverse, it's going to bounce off it. If it has any draw it's going to come off there like a rocket. The forward bias or stun through will neutralize some, but not all of the bounce effect and take side pocket scratches out of play. Even if it comes off the rack heading straight for the side it won't have enough energy to get there.
The maximum speed you can execute this stun through shot is your maximum break speed. When you can make this stun shot twice in a row set up a nine ball rack. Put the cue ball on the head string one diamond out or somewhere near that line. Look down your shot line through the one ball and find the gap between the wing ball and the ball behind it. Drive the one ball down that line. Line A in the diagram.
START(
%AN8O4%BL7P8%CJ5O4%DL7N1%EM7P1%FK6P1%GK6N8%HM7N8%I L7O4%Pg7I1
%QH6R3%SV7K3%WP5O2%Xg5I1%]D0U2%^O5O1
)END
The cue ball will come back somewhere around point C. Where you aim is a matter of personal preference. It is important setup and aim at a small well defined shot line every time, like in the setup shot. Put the shot back in break SHOT.
I saw Jeanette Lee run over Allison Fisher on ESPN using this exact break. Since then I've seen other Pros using it too.
DISCLAIMER: This breaking system is known not to work on irradiated arachnids so don't even think about doing it to me.