Billiard Break Shot Control

Billiard Break Shot Control

"It's not all the power you can muster, but all the power you can control that really makes the difference in 8-ball and 9-ball."
How to Control Your Break Shot

A good break shot determines the outcome of a 9-ball game or an 8-ball game to a large degree, and often influences the chances you have of running the rack, or of stringing consecutive racks. Just how important is your break shot? Without question, the opening break shot is the most important part of any 8-ball or 9-ball game. But it looks so simple, doesn't it? Just splatter the balls with one monstrous, earth-shattering blow, right? Wrong.

A successful break is much more complex than casual observation reveals. Just how good can your break shot be if you don't get the most from each segment of the shot? And how good can it be if you don't control the cue ball to land in the middle of the table for your next shot? It is obvious now that the best players are increasing their percentages in the 9-ball game by approaching the breaking of the balls as an exact science which deserves, even demands, much more concentration and attention.

There are several key factors for making a consistent and efficient break shot

1. Watch the balls carefully as they are racked. - You may spot some occasional movement in the rack that can affect the performance of your break. You are allowed to check the rack from above. Look for spaces and contact points that can affect the transfer of energy to these balls, as well as their relative speeds and paths.

2. The mental game is important in preparing yourself. - Before you make your break shot stroke, and after you have paused in your stance, relax, take several warmup strokes, then stop the cue tip close to the cue ball before you give it your final stroke and follow-through. In your "mind's eye", you must be able to "see" the cue ball hit the precise point of your aim. (when you do these mental exercises before such a shot, be sure not to leave out any details in this creative imagery....."see" the proper path and control of the cue ball, "see" the object balls exploding out of the rack and heading for certain areas of the table, "watch" yourself chalk up and take your stance, and "watch" yourself use all the critical fundamental mechanics, "see" the hit, and "watch" the cue ball land right where you want it, in the center of the table after the break, with no hits from any other balls, giving you the ultimate control that every successful game needs.

3. Your stance. - The right stance for breaking not only gives you the right balance, but used properly, can find you a little more speed, allowing you to concentrate on your cue ball control. Keep your feet spread apart, slightly weider than your shoulders -- no less, no more. This will help to give you a stable stance that will survive the "shove" test, and give you a stronger, more consistent break. (The shove test: If someone can shove on your shoulder when you are down in your playing stance, and can push you off your balance, then you'd better square up and find a more stable stance.) Remember to stand with your feet at about a 45 degree angle from the imaginary line of the cue ball and the head ball or 1-ball. Relax. You know that you'll see the center of the cue ball better now, since your proper break shot stance allows you to position your head, and your dominant eye, directly over the cue stick, though usually higher above the cue stick than your head is during the game. You may prefer to bend both knees slightly, so your weight can be easily shifted toward the shot on the follow-through. I don't want to encourage you to "lunge" at the cue ball, because you'll likely lose the very control we're trying to find here. Don't push off the back foot (let the baseball pitchers do that), but instead concentrate on the proper follow-through. You may find this weight-shifting from the back foot forward to the front foot can find you some extra power without sacrificing the cue ball's accuracy and control. You really don't need to get your stance "down" for a break shot. Some players do that, just like they are carefully sighting a critical shot during the game, but they lose power which they will need for the break. The lower stance and head position is really best suited for those smoooth, accurate game shots, not for the break. For the break, though, a more erect stance can actually help give you more freedom of movement, and help you collapse your body weight into the stroke to build cue speed. You already know that drawing the cue stick back quickly does not make your cue speed any faster, and it will usually have a negative effect on your accuracy and control. Because of this, you should concentrate more on your stroke and follow-through, with cue speed. You can do all this without any excessive head movement and lunging, and you'll do very well because of that, since we do not want such massive, uncontrolled power, but rather controlled, increased cue speed.

4. Placing the cue ball. - Occasionally I will move the cue ball to another point along the line (the head string) to place it for the break, though I often break from the right near the middle of the head string. I only move the cue ball if I feel that the rack will "open" better with the cue ball coming at it from a different angle. Like many other players, I am looking for the "sweet spot", that mystical point of contact from which the rack will explode and give me a pocketed ball or two and the cue ball control I need. No matter where I place the cue ball, I will still shoot directly at the middle of the 1-ball with a center ball hit on the cue ball. Since I want to transfer all the cue ball's energy to the rack of balls, a full hit is needed, and a glancing blow won't do the job. So I will try to strike the closest point of the 1-ball that is on the imaginary line of the centers of the cue ball and 1-ball, which gives me that full hit. There are some players who like to break with the cue ball placed near the rail on the head string, feeling that they can increased their percentages of popping the 1-ball into the side pocket on the break, or perhaps try to finesse the corner ball of the rack into the corner pocket, but this is strictly preference and not gospel, and you may also find something else with your own personal experimentation.

5. Doing the deed. - Now you are ready to make it happen. Visualize a line directly through the 1-ball from the center of the cue ball. Take your stance, with your front elbow bent just slightly (about 150 degrees, not the 180 degree straight arm), shift your weight to your back leg, and then shift forward into the stroke, getting more speed. Please don't try to kill the cue ball! Instead, use only about 75% of your normal power, and concentrate on an accurate and solid hit on the 1-ball. You will maintain your accuracy by keeping your cue level. Now hit the 1-ball in the center, and stay away from using spin or english. No follow, no draw, just center ball. This will help the cue ball slam into the rack and jump back with no energy left after your solid hit on the 1-ball absorbed the cue ball's energy. The cue ball then "dies" in the middle of the table, and is usually in the best position to avoid hits from other balls, and to get you the best look at your next shot.

6. A helpful break shot aiming hint. - You may not feel totally comfortable or confident in hitting the 1-ball full in the face to get your best results. If you want to be sure to hit the 1-ball as squarely as possible, maybe this method is for you: Aim at the bottom (or base) of the 1-ball where it touches the cloth. This can help becuase you may feel it is easier to see that small target, instead of trying to focus on the center of the 1-ball. The results will be the same, since you will hit the 1-ball full in the face, and will transfer the cue ball's energy to the rack. In this situation, the final point you should see when you begin your swing is the point where the 1-ball touches the cloth. After a few successes, you will no doubt feel very com-fortable and confident with this technique.

7. Break Cue sticks. - Some cuemakers, in the past several years have sold a lot of heavier "break cues" to amateur players, allowing them to keep on believing that a heavier cue was just what they needed for a crunching break shot. Dear friends, this is just not true. Happily enough, nowadays, the scrupulous cuemakers, armed with new knowledge and logic, are changing their position on break cues. Most top players prefer to use the same weight cue, or a lighter-weight cue for their break shots. They have found that a stable and rigid joint and forearm can withstand the force of the break's impact, and that a separate tip used just for the break can save the "game tip" and its accuracy by helping to keep the game tip from losing its important shape because of high impact contact. These are the main features which go with the latest innovations for breaking cues. Using a lighter cue, rather than a 25-30 ounce "warclub", will help you find more cue speed. A bigger, heavier stick will be slower, and more sluggish, though it may not be noticeable to the naked eye. It may give you a lot of power, but it is uncontrolled power, since you may be just a bit more erratic with your stroke using the added weight. Remember, the ball you are hitting is only 6 ounces, and is moved very well, thank you very much, with a lightweight cue. You are NOT hitting all 9 balls in the 9-ball rack, or all 15 in the 8-ball rack, with your cue stick! Therefore, bigger and heavier is just not better. Give up your heavy break cues in favor of the lighter cue, and find that you'll have greater cue speed and better control. That alone is much more important than the weight behind your heavy stick.

8. Transfer the full force of the cue ball to the rack. - Hit it solidly, square in the face of the 1-ball. A glancing blow here is only a waster of energy, and doesn't solve anything no matter how hard you hit it. Not only is it inefficient, but you may lose control of the cue ball, and you certainly don't want that, or you wouldn't be reading this article! How good can your break shot be if you make 4 or 5 balls on the break, but also cut the cue ball loose to fly around the table, possibly leaving you "hooked" or without a decent starting shot? So take care of your game, and that of course starts with your break shot. Control is ultra-important, which is why we often say, or should say, "Your break shot is only as good as your next shot!"

As you have already probably noticed, this is one of the most complete break shot tutorial on the internet. Thanks to Paul for doing such a great job.

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Basic Tips for Playing Consistent Billiards

Too often we have the tendency to over-analyze our shortcomings at the pool table, and we overlook the simple, basic helpful hints that can help us play the game on a more consistent basis, and to avoid playing the game out of control.

Here are some critical hints, as simple as they are, which still bear repeating

1. Decide on how the shot should be made, and stick to your decision. - Shots are often missed because an alternative method is still in the mind, and this can interrupt or cloud your concentration on the shot ahead.

2. Fix your eyes (most likely your dominant eye) on the point of the object ball, and address only that spot. - Some players have the habit of moving the cue in some other line, and then shifting at the time they deliver the stroke. With this habit, you only increase your chances of failure, because you are allowing too many variables to come into play. Your cue should only move forward and back in a straight line. Don't stroke any shot harder than is really necessary to produce the desired result, hitting the object ball where you intend in order to pocket it, and to bring the cue ball and other object balls into position for your next shot. General hard stroking is sometimes followed by good position, but it is very often luck. Remember that it is much more difficult to strike the cue ball accurately when you use a hard stroke.

3. Always chalk the cue before attempting any shot. - Since the cue's leather tip is curved, and the surface of the cue ball is curved, it is only logical that you use some kind of abrasive dust (like chalk) to create a little more friction to help avoid miscues. It also helps tremendously to keep your cue tip flush with the ferrule with the ferrule along the sides, and to keep a tip with a arc or curvature of a nickel, rounded to give more consistent play and better control.

4. Keep your bridge hand perfectly rigid and hold the cue lightly in the fingers of your power hand (gripping hand), slightly back of the balance point of the cue. - Close the forefinger loop around the cue (on the bridge hand) so that it rubs slightly, so that the cue ball may be struck without the danger of the cue slipping and causing a miscue or a miss. If you can reduce as many variables as possible in your bridge, as well as other facets of the mechanical fundamentals, you will increase your own enjoyment through better and more consistent play.

5. Let the weight of the cue do the work, and don't forget to "follow-through" on your stroke. - A forced, rigid poke at the ball only adds to the number of variables, and can frustrate you before you can see your successes.

6. Don't swing the cue sideways in imparting "english". - Keep the line of the cue's movement parallel to the line of aim, and please remember that a raised or elevated cue butt, especially in strokes which require english, will impart a masse effect which will curve the path of the cue ball, and likely cause you to miss your shot. Keep the cue stick level, and you'll increase your accuracy.

7. Practice the strokes of which you are uncertain. - Just set the balls in place on the table, and play each shot over and over again, until you have mastered the shot itself, and the variations of that shot. You should also strive to control the cue ball and object ball positions as well during this practice, after you have made the desired shot.

8. Advanced masse shots, complicated jump shots, and challenging draw shots should be learned from a competent instructor. It is often too easy to try to do it yourself, and end up only rehearsing your mistakes. Practice does not make perfect, but rather perfect practice makes perfect. Allow yourself plenty of time for practice drills, and techniques of each part of the game, including the all-important break shots. All deserve your undivided attention.

9. Take the pool games seriously, study them all carefully, and find out all you can about each game, its mathematics, its equipment, and its rules. Then its value as a recreation will be greater to you, and your appreciation of the skills required for consistent success will grow. A careless player not only does not improve, but also gets very little enjoyment out of it, except as a means of wasting time.

Yes, there is an element of chance in pool just as there is in all affairs of life, but if you are a player who depends on luck you will seldom improve your game. Rather you should try hard to control as many of the variables of each shot as possible.

Remember that chance (luck) is the common enemy of all champions, and is the alibi for a loser's deficiency of execution. These are but a few helpful hints which you should keep in mind as you practice, and for your tournament events at any level. They should be added to the fundamentals you already learned from the basic books about pool playing. While this list may never be complete as your game grows and becomes more technical, it is a very good foundation for the growth of your game, and will help you improve and appreciate the game more each time. Now your own pleasant and positive attitude will help you approach the game situations better, and will help make it easier to share the joys of this great game.

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Improve Your Level 2

"The player should practice different techniques, testing and adjustment to their own needs so that through experimentation to synthesize and apply their own as a crystallization of his skills. Indeed, this is what passion and what is required in billiards who make it a challenge and a source of satisfaction. "

1.Tener an instructor is good, but get one that really has, besides the necessary knowledge, pedagogical faculties. "Sink the ball in the corner" is not of much help if you explained the correct way to make the move: body posture, bridge, grip, swing, point of attack, tilting the plug, force of the blow, both ball etc.. and the reason why you should do every step, every thing.

2.When finished their turn, leave the taco lying beside her. Do not cling to him, the tendency to hold increasing impatience, this creates tensions that affect his game.

3.When the "both" ball is very thin, do not use effect. Minga attack on its vertical axis. If the play is fine, why make it more difficult?

4.The "Ball-9", no matter how hard you attack, when breaking the pineapple should control the stroke so that the band do not contact minga after hitting the ball "1".

5. Keep quiet. Billiards is a social sport and camaraderie, but talking while running impairs the proper discharge of his game.

6. Unless it is a preparatory move, do not make carambola (s). Notice how his "positional play" will improve immediately.

7. The secret to "sweep the table" is always be in a favorable angle. Do not try to leave the minga straight with the ball and pocket. The angled baskets let you control the way let Ming resting on the "field position" more convenient to score the next pitch.

8. Each time you alter a mini pin, however slight the contact, examine it again. Only required to move a ball a couple of millimeters to change a position where there was originally layup possible, yes there is one (or vice versa).

9. The worst opponent we all have is within ourselves. We have to master not to interfere with our good performance in mesa.Hay to create a simple command or phrase such as "calm, focus" to counteract any interference that comes from within.

10. Practice with better players than you, this is the fastest way to learn and improve their game.

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Improve Your Level

"... we must strive, not to control the ball, but in controlling our body is, to gather ourselves in all conditions and requirements for good performance."

1. Approaching the table, calculate the "both" ball and align the cue required under his chin. This allows you to settle into the correct position to make the play.

2. The most important thing is not as a place to attack, but the balance of the body. The position of the body must be stable and solid enough to allow a little push on the shoulder of attack, without losing balance.

3. The position must also be comfortable. Work on your posture until you finally find the one that makes you feel comfortable and well balanced.

4. Do not try to correct your posture (or play) while measuring.

5. Three or four swings during rolling is sufficient. Too many ups and downs will make you lose your rhythm of play and create unnecessary pressure.

6. The swing should be rhythmic, forward and backward, do not rush it or stop it, and above all continue to move the cue forward (long attack) after contact cap-ming.

7. The open bridge (no ring) is much better than I thought, easy to use in their plays (soft and void). This type of bridge not only allows a better view-ming cue-ball-pocket, but it will help you relax.

8. In the last swing, if it considers that it made ​​the move, do so and pull the trigger. Otherwise, stop, stop and re-adjust.

9. Remain motionless after the attack. Avoid unnecessary movement of the body. Trying to control the trajectory of the ball by moving the body is not only a sign of lack of confidence, but also prevent monitor right heel.

10. After attacking, keep your head down and stay in position to attack a few seconds. This allows an "attack elongated" and maintain a good rhythm.

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The Feel Swoop

The motion fell swoop is the most basic pool and consists of striking the cue ball with the cue in order to hit another ball or make a carambola.

To make the arm fell swoop movement must come from the wrist and forearm. The hand of bridge is approximately 25 cm. the sole of the heel to run normal, and to run back to a shorter distance.

The plug should slide the ball, and after hitting it, it must continue its forward motion, as if looking through it. This is what is known as penetration.

* Coup sec: The opposite case is one go with minimal penetration, which is used when you want to make a rough draft to get a wide angle carmbola. This taco was called coup sec (thud).
* To get a ball cushioned sole of the heel should hit the cue ball below its center, but not so low as to commit a blunder.
* A crescendo fell swoop is one in which the cue ball will increase its speed after hitting fell swoop to the other ball.

Fell swoop is a good one go crescendo, which has not hesitated when hitting with the heel to the ball player, if not the movement of the cue has not slowed speed. If it hesitates and slows the fell swoop fell swoop (decreasing) loses effectiveness.

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