4 of 6

Write now Article Tools

9-Ball break. The following is what a good 9-Ball Break should produce and how to produce it, and what a bad 9-Ball Break will produce and how to prevent it.

With a GOOD 9-Ball break, the head ball the #1 ball will be hit with a solid full hit with the cue ball. With the proper tip position on the cue ball from the shooter (a near or below center hit) the cue ball should explode the rack and jump or skid backwards to somewhere near the center of the table. The results of the rack explosion would be for an object ball (preferably the nine ball) be made on the break as they scatter. If not the 9-ball than some other ball (not the cue ball of course). With the cue ball near center table and at least one object ball in a pocket, you need an open shot on the next lowest ball. For instance if the #1 ball was pocketed on the brake, you need an open shot on the #2 ball because 9-ball is played in numerical sequence. To make a good break even better we would love to have the remaining balls scattered around the table in such a way that no two balls are in contact with each other and no balls are frozen to a rail. This makes a table run from the break much easier. You always want to be in control of the cue ball.

With a BAD 9-Ball break, the breaker may hit off angle to the #1 ball and carom toward the side pocket for a scratch or if hit full with follow english, the cue would continue into the breaking balls toward the oposite end of the table with the possibility of a scratch being extreamly high. Another extreamly bad thing that happens it you LOSE CONTROL of the cue ball by using top or follow on the cue ball, is the cue ball ends up at the far end of the table and your #1 ball, the one you need to shoot next is now at the opposit end of the table as it was at the head of the rack when the balls exploded. The chances of a clear shot on the #1 ball are extreamly slim at this point with this style of break. This type of break is a total lose of control of the cue ball and this is never ever wanted. Sure, some rare moments will happen when that out of control cue ball happens to hit the nine and the nine ball drops, but this is very rare and the chances of scratching is much higher.

So, how do we accomplish the GOOD BREAK and how do we keep away from the BAD BREAK? It isn't always easy as even the World Champions struggle with this problem, but believe me they are still after the results written above in the second paragraph with the GOOD 9-Ball Break.

becomes more and

• 1
• 2
• 3
• next page >>

Add your voice

Know something about Pool and billiards tips: Breaking a 9-ball rack?
We want to hear your view. Write now!